Hello - hope you are doing ok. Here is a photo of myself and my friends - Carol, Gay and Anthea at the comedy night on Thursday... It was great fun. Talk about take the mickey out the locals - the guys sang songs (changed the words to the songs) to the tunes of "Welcome to the Hotel California" - "Welcome to the jail in downtown Khobar" instead and the Monkeys - Here we come, walking down the street.... hey hey we're the Saudis, people say we monkey around, but we're too busy sleeping, to put anybody down" and then another one "Im a believer" and instead of "then I saw her face" -'"then I saw my cheque, now I'm a believer" - there were lots of short sketches too - wish I could have filmed it - so funny...

The rest of my week was and has been so far, manic... I had the usual round of classes - also trying to find a car still - I looked at 2 last week - one of which was sold and the other a rip off. Then looked at one last night, only to be pipped to the post by a guy who offered the seller half the cash as he walked home from work and the rest later - without even seeing the car! It was perfect - a VW Polo - only done 44k km - I was so disappointed - however, all is not lost - it might still be available - all to do with paperwork for the guy to take it off camp - if he cannot get that - its mine! I have 3 others to look at tho this week, but I really liked this VW....

I went to Jasmine's compound on Weds - it was ok there but very smokey - nice to drink real stuff though instead of homemade!!! Shopping Thursday to town to find an Indian outfit for an Indian wedding - I found something, although it has to be made - I just hope it turns out ok! Did a gym lesson in the afternoon then chilled out for a bit (I do occasionally you know!) and then got ready for the comedy night.

After the comedy night I went to an after party - it was on the old compound of Las Dunas - Al Go - which used to be my old haunt when I was here before and Wayne used to run his bar there. It was ok - I managed to stay out til 1.30am - very late for someone of my age now!!!

Friday just went to lunch with Darron and Ayon - myself and Darron are still friends for now so thats ok. Then I didnt really do much else for the rest of the day too for a change!

This week has been manic - at work and outside of work... I have been at the gym lots, looking at cars, teaching pilates, delivering cat traps and re-homing cats (managed 2 this week!) and the other night my hamster, Sharon, decided to escape from her exercise ball so I had to run around my apartment and catch her - she doesnt like to be handled and bit me several times when I caught her - ouch! Work has been busy for some strange reason and I find myself organising a brunch for one of my colleagues - I suppose he thinks I am a good organiser! And I am trying to start revising for my personal training qualification which hasnt happened yet too!!!

Anyway, thats about all really... I have a manic weekend ahead of me - I am in Bahrain most of Thursday - getting nails done, lunch and then back at 6pm (being sensible and staying in!!) and then to Bahrain again on Friday for a farewell brunch...

Its just all too mad.

Right, must go - I am still in my pilates clothes so need to get changed back to my work clothes!!

See you soon (home now in 18 days and counting!!).

Jill

xxxx

Another weekend in Dubai...

Hello - hope you are all doing ok. I had a great weekend in Dubai. The picture here is of myself and Gay in the Mall of the Emirates in front of the ski slope. You forget where you are in Dubai - there are that many places that make you feel like you could be anywhere in the world!! Bit like Vegas, but without the casinos!!

Anyway, another week has gone by - work was pretty unremarkable for a change! I went to boot camp last Monday and then Tuesday evening went to look at a car - Ford Focus -for sale. Nice, but a bit out my price range, so still in negotiations! Going to look at a VW Polo shortly - will update you later about that...

So, flew to Dubai on Weds night - journey was pretty straight forward from Dammam to Sharjah and then taxi to Dubai. We were staying at the Merdien next to Dubai airport. I travelled with Gay, Jason and Rebecca and their 18 month old William - who was such a good boy all trip!

Hotel was fine - apart from noisy air con (which we had fixed) and no decent hairdryer - but they bought us a better one! Rooms were a bit dated but the pool area and restaurants were great and it was such a bargin price for 3 nights (150 quid between 2 of us!) so was fine for the money.

Spent the first morning by the pool, then went to meet everyone at the mall - did a bit of shopping, went to see The Proposal - you must see that film if you havent done so - it was so funny. We laughed all the way through it. Then we went to Apres - a bar and restaurant overlooking the ski slope - William loved watching the people ski-ing! We had a nice meal and a few drinks and then went back to the hotel.


Friday, I went for a massage at the Dubai Mall.

As you can see by the photos - there is a huge waterfall with these metal men diving down it and then this huge aquarium with sharks, rays and a diver feeding the fish! Madness in the middle of a mall. Went to my massage which was 90 mins long - really nice - although the massage rooms were just off a chemist shop, which was a bit odd!

Then I had to taxi it up to the Meadows - where I met Jade and paid some of the money towards my personal trainer course in October and had a catch up with her. Taxi back to the hotel and chilled out for a few hours. Then, went to Raffles where my friend Neil was staying with his girlfriend - had a few drinks in there and met up with Hettie and Scott - I know Hettie from Saudi as he worked here and now works in Dubai - so good to catch up too with him. Some other friends tried to get up to Neil's room but security wouldnt let them for some bizarre reason so we then left and went to Vintage wine bar. Noticed that Keane has stayed in the hotel too the night before - we saw their signature in the guest book! They had done a gig there!

This is Hettie and Scott...

Had a quick look around the Wafi Mall too - very traditional middle eastern look to it and also very expensive shops in there too!!

Went to Vintage wine bar then and met up with a load of friends from Aramco and to celebrate Lindsey's birthday too. Had a few drinks in there and then went on to my hotel and to the Dubliner's Irish bar for a few more and then to this place called the Ware House and had a few more! It did end up being a bit of a messy night, but I had a good laugh - although my head regretted it the following day!

Saturday I just lazed around and we had lunch then went to the airport...

So, I looked at the car - it was nice, although has a bit of body work that would need knocking out - not a bad dent and it needs the windscreen wiper arm replacing cos it fell off! So I have made an offer and will see what he says and Paula has accepted my offer of 14k on her Focus, if this person looking at it later, isn't interested. So, now I have to wait til tomorrow!

We also went to see Mr Jama - Director of housing last week too - myself and Lorraine went along - it did get a bit heated at times and we got slightly irate, however, he has promised more houses for the females, so all we can do is wait and see. I seem to be becoming well known as a ring leader on Aramco at the moment! As long as I am diplomatic, all we be fine!!

Anyway, mad weekend - Jasmine's tomorrow night for a party, town Thursday saree shopping for a friend's wedding, comedy night Thursday night and possibly squash on Friday!

And only 3 WEEKS TIL I AM HOME! Not that I am excited at all!

Be seeing you soon,

Love

Jill
xxx

Bit of a fuzzy week

Hey folks

How is it going? Hope you are all keeping well. Last week was fine - bit slow at work, but as usual, I seem to find stuff to do!!

Im all signed up for my personal training course anyway in October in Dubai. Its a 4 day course and makes up one part of the qualification, so I will be there again next year by the looks of it, to complete it.

Had a pretty busy last few days of the week. I attended a smoking cessation lunch on Monday last week - not that I smoke of course - but I had sponsored some friends to give up and got 565SAR as a thank you - not bad going really! Tuesday I was back in the gym and then Wednesday was cat catching night. There are loads of strays on camp - most of them still with kittens, it seems - anyhow - managed to catch one female I have seen who has had 3 kittens. It took 3 attempts. The guy who is feeding her and the kittens was completely useless and not helpful at all, so I had to sort it out myself. He is happy to feed them, but thats it. I had to rig up the cage so I could stand above it, on his verander, and shut the trap shut myself with a stick, when the female went in it as she was too light to set it off herself! Managed it eventually. Then I couldnt get a taxi to take me to the vets, so had to call on Ayon to drive me there - I had a car (I am borrowing Herb's truck) and it makes it so frustrating when you want to just go somewhere and cant!!! Anyway, after going the wrong way to the vets, we finally got there, dumped the cat and I am fetching her to release tonight - next stop is the kittens who just run off when you go near them - that could be interesting!

Ayon also managed to cut this Saudi guy up on the road and he was yelling out his window at us, so I told him to calm down and stop shouting, which made him more angry! Then he pointed out that we were driving dangerously and could have injured his daughter who was sat on her mothers knee in the front seat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When I pointed out that he should have his daughter strapped in a seat on the back and he could kill her if he wasnt careful, he shut up! Moron!!!


Lou came by for dinner later and then Thurs we went at 7.30am to Bahrain - pay weekend, kids off school - we had to set off early... had my nails done, did a bit of shopping and then went to TVs for lunch...















Met up with the girls and Andrew (in the photo) - he is actually my financial advisor and is also from my home town of Mansfield - he lives in Bahrain - so had to catch up with him to talk money and about Mansfield too! He went to the same school as me (few years below me) and lived around the corner from me too! Small world!

Anyway, came home at 3pm and straight out to a masalama (leaving do), then to Jzala compound - its a bloke's compound in Dammam - it was ok - caught up with a few folk but not really in the mood to be out, so left at 12.30 and eventually, an hour later, the taxi turned up!

Friday I had a very busy day - delivering garage sale stuff for PAWS and I played squash - really enjoyed that so might take up lessons - if I can fit them in! And easy, nice night in, just chilling out!

The inquest for my brother-in-law's death finally happened on Monday and a verdict of Death by Misadventure was given on Tuesday. That means that it was a mixture of Paul's fault (as he never hooked himself up to the safety cable) and his company for not training him properly also. Kelly was ok with the decision - she said it was the best result they could get. So now, she has to see if the company pay out or if they have to sue the company - she should know something further this week.

Anyway, thats about it - here is a photo of the kitten we found, with the different coloured eyes - it was so sweet. My friend Kelly was looking after her, but let her out the other night and she has disappeared - I hope we find her again - she was so sweet and friendly...


Anyway, thats all from me folks - blog will probably be late next week as I am away in Dubai for the weekend as we have Saturday off work...

See you soon,

Jill
xxxxx

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