What an eventful last few days its been!!

Hi folks - bit late this week - I have a camera (treated myself to a Sony 12.1 pixles!!) and forgot to bring in the new lead for it to work to download photos.

Anyway, to say the last week has been eventful is an understatment really! It has been manic. Last week was a round of the usual gym classes on Tuesday. Monday I took a friend to a tailors in town to get her a dress made for a wedding. It was all quite easy actually (the word easy is not well known in Saudi!) - they measured her, we then took a cab to a material shop, got material straight away, and took it back! It was far too simple! So, I missed boot camp last week. However made up for it last night - had an excellent workout in a million degrees heat. A/C working overtime at the moment, so everywhere is hot! Its only 40 degrees today - was 45 yesterday - not nice!!

Wednesday night I had Lorraine and Tracy round for a "hen night" - Lorraine gets married in December in Thailand - we just had tea and chatted really - it wasnt very wild!! Thursday up early for Bahrain - bought my camera and mouched around the shops, then went to Bushido for lunch - that was very nice - all very sophisticated. Back at 3pm too - Gary bought us back and it only took one hour on the causeway. Had a quick break at home, then out again at 7pm to the US Consulate. There werent many folk there but I spent most of the night chatting to folk and feeding the stray cats beef burgers!

We came back around midnight - pretty early, but up again next morning for brunch in Bahrain. Unfortunately, Tracy, the friend I was travelling with, took ill just before we left, so myself and Breige (who's birthday it was!) had a mad hopsital dash with her. She had a panic attack - it was all very scary, but fortunately, she is ok now. We had missed the taxi to Bahrain by this point, but fortunately Ayon was driving and turned around and came back for us, so once we got Tracy settled and her other friend came over, we left for Bahrain - nice journey me sqaushed up in the back of a Porche!!!

Birthday girl Briege (in black dress!!)

We got Breige there in time for her birthday celebrations though. The brunch was fine - its not really my cup of tea though - just a load of drunk folk - I paced myself and by the end of the night was the only soberish person there. We went to Fiddlers around 3.30pm and then it got messy - some of my friends were crying over various things (ie men!) - it was all rather emotional - I was glad to leave at 5pm... came back with 2 friends - both of whom were worse for wear and were challenging to say the least on the ride back - one of them decided to go and find a bathroom on the causeway on the way back when we were foot deep in a huge traffic jam - I was hanging out the window to try and get her back to the taxi as there were about 100 cars in the queue!!!

Anyway, eventually got home at a pretty reasonable time - around 6.30pm, so not a late night really.

Saturday I was teaching again at the gym and I had pilates on Sunday which was pretty busy - followed by a nice massage.

Paul's inquest started yesterday and is set to finish today at lunch time. Its all going mostly in Kelly's favor as I believe so hopefully there will be a good outcome. It seems it will probably be accidental death, but the company he worked for really do not have a good safety record at all and will certainly be penalised for this it seems... I feel like a weight has been lifted really though finally - its been a long wait to get this far...

Work has been busy too this week - I am still fighting with the new e-travel system! It drives me insane. I am teaching again tonight - most of the night and tomorrow I am going to attempt to catch some stray cats on camp! Thursday I am in Bahrain (yet again!) and then back for 3 parties - as yet I havent made up my mind which ones to go to! Friday I am having a day in Saudi and also playing squash too...

I also was sooo tempted to take in a kitten I found outside my apartment, but its not fair to keep it in all day. Its white and ginger, looks a few months old and has one brown and one blue eye - it is soo cute - I am going to try and re-home him - my friend is looking after him at the moment... he got stuck in a yard attached to a ground floor apartment the other day and me and Kelly were scaling walls to rescue him!!!

Anyway, thats all from me.

PLEASE WRITE SOON,

Jill

xx

So,

Bit of a weird and strange week for me....

Hi guys - sorry no photos this week - just didnt take any...

Hope you are doing ok... I enjoyed my short week last week... my skills as a gym instructor are now in demand though - I have 3 clients on a Saturday night and 4 on a Tuesday and people asking me to do just one session so they know what to do, this coupled with pilates and boot camp (and a life) doesnt give me much spare time - however, I am enjoying it for now and it keeps me occupied...

There is a nutritian course in September and Julia, who is from Bahrain, has said she will go halves on accommodation if i can get there to do it - which I would like to - would have to pay for it myself so need to work out how much it will cost. This will be part of my personal trainer qualification then - there are another 5 parts to that though...

I did my first run through with Jacqueline on Tuesday as a gym instructor - it went really well in fact and its much better now I know what I am doing and how to plan it better!

The weekend was a bit weird really - basically, on Friday, I moved all my stuff out of our place in Bahrain back to Saudi. I havent been happy for quite a while now, so I decided to end things with Darron. So, hence the fact its been a bit of a weird time for me really....

Anyway, this week has been busy in the evenings, although work is slow - most of my guys are out on business or vacation. I am still battling with the new e-travel system also... it is driving me insane...

I taught 3 clients Saturday at the gym and managed to do a workout myself.. Pilates was busy last night and today too - so all classes going well - its so hot outside, most folk are opting to do stuff inside now..

I have a busy weekend planned ahead - in fact I have just been invited to a happy hour now on Weds night although I am planning a quiet night in with me, Lorraine and Tracy for Lorraine's hen night - she didnt want to do much so there are just the 3 of us!!! Thursday the 3 of us are going to Bahrain for a bit of lunch and then later I have been invited to a hush hush do at the consulate and then on Friday back to Bahrain for brunch! I dont know how I will cope!

July has all but booked up too and then I am home in August!

Went to housing today - I had a rant at the new Exec guy who obviously passed my email down as he didnt want to deal with it.. Basically, the bid list for the remainder of the year is rubbish, so doesnt look like I will be moving any day soon. However, we were told that there are going to be 14 extra units to bid on at some point this year. They are really big, but outside not very private - they are all in a block and have a shared balcony at the front and not much privacy at the back (so no good for parties!!). However, Ill go and look at them when they come up - they are twice the size of my place inside though..

Anyway, thats all from me for this week. Should have lots of photos for you for next week's blog....

WRITE SOON...

Jill
xxxx

I am a Gym Instructor weekend!

Hi folks - how is it going - have some of you emigrated???!! It seems ages since I last heard from you? Please keep in touch - you know I miss your news!!

Things ok in Saudi still. I was off work on and off last week, so don't really have much to report. Was off work Saturday with a bad stomach and feeling exhausted. Went to work Sunday morning, then back to bed again Sunday afternoon. Got up to teach pilates, only to find the a/c had broken down again in the room, so had to cancel the class! Made it to work Monday - stayed late - this is a rare occurance on Aramco!!! Still battling with the new e-travel system that is getting easier, slowly but surely... Went to the Dr Tuesday and was signed off for one day after being told all I could do is rest! And had to come in on Wednesday - still felt rubbish.

We had friends over Wednesday night - perhaps not the best decision, but they were made redundant over 3 months ago and could be sent home at any moment, so thought it best to see them, just in case! They are having some legal wranglings with their company at the moment, which is why they are still here... madness... hopefully it will be sorted out soon.... went to my friend Tina's house for drinks later (well for about 1 hour - its all I felt like!) - but she has just moved to a new house on Lime - its HUGE - and I was well jelous - puts my apartment to shame! Lovely house though - huge garden - I can dream I will be in one of them one day! In fact, I have just written to the new Exec guy of community services asking him why there is so much empty housing on camp which is not being refurbished and why "temporary housing" in Aramco terms means 2-8 years! I also ranted off about them getting rid of most of the janitors who are supposed to clean our apartment blocks, therefore leaving them not clean and dirty and the fact that we have to wait til October to get new janitors. I have to rant off to housing now and again you know - it keeps them on their toes...

So, off to Dubai on Thursday for my Gym Instructor 2 course. Flew from Dammam which was easier than going over the causeway on a Thursday afternoon! Flew business class - very posh dont you know - and then went to the hotel - Radisson Blu - in the Marina area of Dubai. Dubai is still mad - there are so many different areas now in Dubai - its like some space age city - with Media City, Dubai Marina, Knowledge City, The Meadows, Sports City, Medical City and they are even throwing in a Legoland now! Dubai still is construction city as you can see from the photos - everywhere you look they are building! It goes on for miles!

Hotel was ok - they upgraded me to a suite which was nice. On Friday I caught a taxi to The Meadows to Hayaa Health Club and met up with my team for the 2 days. Jade taught us, along with Claire - both fun and friendly girls. There were about 12 on my course - mainly Brits really. Spent time with a girl called Noreen who is a teacher in Dubai and also Julia - who lives in Bahrain and had flown over for the course too. In the evenings, I went to the mall - found a Waitrose (I wish I had taken a bigger suitcase!) and spent an hour or so revising for the theory exam before chilling out with a glass or 2 of wine... I had early nights as I was so brain dead from having to think alot!!!

On the Sunday, myself and Julia did the theory and practical. The others were doing the exam at a later stage, but as we dont live in Dubai, we had to do it then. Passed fine - in fact Jade says I was like a breath of fresh air as none of the other folk on the course had taught before - so I guess I had an advantage...

Bur Dubai - world's tallest building (the thin shiny one on the left!!) The building on the right is the same size as those blocks to the left of the Bur Dubai to give you some context!!

Managed to get into the lounge in the airport so took advantage of the free food and booze before returning to the land of homemade stuff! Ayon and Herb picked me up from the airport as Darron is at site all week - somewhere near to the boarder of Iraq! Police escorts all round too - nice!

So, back to work on Monday. Its ok - busy-ish really. Managed my first boot camp last night but my stomach is still crook so I am now drinking laban milk to try and clear the bacteria. Hopefully I will be back to normal next week!

I am teaching tonight - first official gym class - and I have to go and pick up some new saucepans I found on the classifieds. The water here makes most things go rusty and mine are rusty! There is also a car I am going to look at tomorrow night too!!

Going to Bahrain with Darron at the weekend - got a few things to do over there and hope to catch Angels and Demons film too.

Anyway, thats about all from me for now....

PLEASE WRITE SOON....

Jill xxxxxxx

Birthday weekend blog

Hi guys

Hope you are all ok. Thanks to all of you who keep in touch - its good to hear from you and keeps me sane out here!!!

Last week was pretty good really. I didnt go to boot camp on Monday - instead went for a look around Ikea with my friend Gay - picked up a few bits there... Saturday I was on a course which was supposed to last the whole day, but finished at 11am!!! So, I had the rest of the day off! I spent it sorting out washing and the like though, so it wasnt wasted! Did some training at the gym with 2 friends, then 8 of my friends came over for tea. Cooked spag bol - not easy in a kitchen that is not big enough to swing a cat round - but I did it! We had a nice night really and a good laugh...

Wednesday we went out for Sam's birthday to a restaurant in Khobar called the Soul Kitchen - it was just ok - the food wasnt great - Sam was surprised though as she thought only 4 or 5 of them were going for dinner and 20 of us were sat there when she arrived! The cake was huge too - enough for about 50 folk!!! I went home afterwards - was tempted to go out for drinks at the bars, but needed to get up early for Bahrain the next morning, so gave it a miss...

Went to Bahrain Thursday. The causeway was backed up even as we hit the first gate - not a good sign - but we did get through ok in the end - around an hour - so not bad going. It really wears you down sitting on that causeway in traffic! Went to the Ritz to get my hair done and then met up with Darron. Had a mooch around the mall and then went to TVs for lunch and then home to meet the boys.

Ayon, Bob and Herb came over later and then we went to Bushido for dinner. Its a new Japanese restaurant that has opened up just down the road from us on the coast. Lovely inside and great food - its just so dark though. You can hardly see anything! They opened the roof for Ayon for a while (so you can see the sky!!) and then we sang him happy birthday!! The boys drank saki - it was gross so I didnt partake!!!

Later, we couldnt decide which bar to go to - JJs is now closed - our usual haunt - the Bahraini Government, in all their wisdom, took away the alcohol licences of any 1 and 2 star hotels several weeks ago, and JJs has been closed since. It is hopefully opening up again. Anyway, because of this - all the folks and "workers" who used to go to the cheap hotel bars for "entertainment" are now spilling out into the mainstream bars. Warblers, being one of them where we had decided to go. It was full of mainly balding old men and Thai girls - so we drank up quickly and left!

Friday we were up cooking breakfast and then went to the beach later on in the afternoon. Darron had an appointment with a tattoo bloke - as he wants more tattoos - this guy lived in a tiny room which he shared with 2 other guys - I guess thats how the other half live - the Philipino and Indian workers who live over here. Certainly opened my eyes...

We then attempted to come back to Saudi but the causeway was backed up loads and we sat at the lights for 25 mins almost waiting to get through them so decided to come back to Bahrain and go over in the morning. Damn causeway...

This week I havent done much as I havent felt well. I have had a stomach virus of sorts that has basically knocked me off my feet. I was off Saturday and the afternoon of Sunday and am going to brave the queue at the Dr in an hour or so to see whats up - feels like a gastro type virus if you ask me - all I want to do is sleep! Not good....

Off to Dubai this weekend for my gym instructor's course - really looking forward to that too - cannot wait.. I will be there Thursday - Sunday...

Anyway, thats about all from me.

Dont forget to keep in touch...

Miss you all very much...

Jill

xxxx