Time flies.....

Hi folks - I just realised its about 6 weeks or so since my last blog. I am not sure where the time has gone to be honest - I haven't been exactly busy work wise but have been doing assignments, etc for my NVQ. I am busy with the Canberra reunion also on and off, so guess I have had a few things to keep me occupied.

Life seems to be flying here really, which I am glad about, as its getting closer to when I can escape from here really! Now looking at the beginning of next year around March time, but that is pending change if something better comes along of course! I have practically given up with looking for work in the UAE - the agencies just really do expect you to drop everything to go for interviews there, let alone the fact that they want you to pay for going, and I just find I cannot commit to going with 2 days notice - why they cannot do a first interview over skype or the phone I don't know. So I have just told them to stop looking for now. They wanted me to go for an interview in the middle of a hen weekend this weekend too when I am with my friends and I just wasn't up for it! I just wanted to go to Dubai and not have an interview for once and enjoy it! I think the best option, if I do decide to go there, is just go for a few weeks from here on my way out of here and if nothing comes up, then go home. I have plenty of folk to stay with so that isn't a problem... to be honest, the jobs have been quiet from there anyway so far, so I think the UK is having a knock on effect really...

My NVQ is going ok - I am nearly finished the second assignment now - so not much more to do - done ok so far though! There seem to be plenty of jobs in the UK for NVQ Assessors so I should be ok if I come home. Still not 100% sure what I will do - it is very difficult to leave the money here, but I seem to be spending that much on escaping all the time, I am not saving that much! My 5 years is up in December anyway, so it seems a good time to leave or around then anyway. Fancy doing a bit of travelling too first (Oz and NZ and Canada) then will come home and see what happens... but, who knows. Anything could happen!

Things have been busy socially - there does seem to be alot more going off here really and Bahrain is still a bit up and down with demonstrations happening every weekend and lots of tear gas flying around. But, the F1 is still going ahead - which is good as the island does need some money injecting into it for sure... We have been over on and off and never see much trouble apart from police check points. Most the demos happen in the villages...

I have been at Fitness First in Bahrain doing a bit of shadowing for personal training and learning how to use my TRX suspension system - you will have to google that one - I love it altough it is challenging! I am just teaching PT now but do some cover classes starting next week.

I went to a bike ralley on camp with Ayon - felt like I was in Matlock Bath to be honest - very surreal! The other photos are of Tracy's birthday in Trader Vics - we had a very nice time - for some reason I always end up with the bill and can never seem to get it right - obviously my years on the desk on the cruises didn't help me with counting money! And also Michelle had a Bollywood party so I dressed up for that!

This weekend is Chrissie's hen weekend in Dubai - we are there Weds - Saturday. Should be good fun although I hope I can keep up with going out so much! So a short week next week but I have a dive meeting Sunday, teaching Monday and the PAWS yard sale Weds/Thurs. I will be glad when the 30th March is here and I can have a rest!

I am in Dubs again in May doing another sailing course for 5 days, then home for two weeks

31st May - 14th June so looking forward to that. Its been a long spell away this time ...

Home again in August for a month (with a holiday somewhere!) and I will be away somewhere with Tracy in October as we have another week off - so the end of the year is all holidays. And I will definitely be home for Christmas this year too! Or I could leave by then maybe also....

Anyway, thats all for now. See you soon,

Jill

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End of January already....

Hi folks

Here I am again - its been a busy few weeks. I was in Dubai (again) a couple of weeks ago - I stayed with friends who used to work in Saudi so it was great to stay with Kerrie and Simon and catch up - they live right in the marina area too - so great for the metro and getting around to the various malls. Met up with friends - went to Frankie Dettori's restaurant for dinner and then went up to Abu Dhabi on the Friday to see friends up there and went out again! Had a great time!!

I have been very busy in the week with my personal training and teaching still so that is keeping me busy. I have up'd my own training now and am soon to start on TRX suspension training when I get the equipment - you will have to google that to read what it is! Also been doing loads of stuff for PAWS - we have had quite a few cats for re-homing and I think I have re-homed around 6 in the past week which is great news... we have the yard sale next weekend too to raise a bit more money!

I went to a pantomime too - the British Aerospace guys performed - Ryan and Stew were the dames - they kept fluffing their lines but to be honest it made it funnier - I haven't laughed so much in ages!!!

I was in Bahrain last week - things are still a bit "iffy" over there - it is nearly the anniversary of the shootings last year when the Pearl roundabout was in the news. There have been protests and tear gas going off - this happens most weekends but it is getting worse. The anniversary is Feb 14th - I just hope its not a repeat of last year. The area where the roundabout was is now a new junction but is still closed even a year after the event. Not sure when it will open!?

I went to fitness first to do some personal training shadowing - it was a really good few hours and gave me a good insight into how a normal gym operates and it was great to speak to the trainers.

Went out with my friend Chrissie who lives in Bahrain and her fiance for dinner later - had a really nice curry.

Am in SA this weekend - got the girls coming over tomorrow and then am having to get Ayon to drive my car to the garage on Thursday (as we cannot drive out of camp) to get a new tyre, then there is a bike ralley on camp, then party later! Another busy one!

Work is the same - I am still doing my studying which is passing the time...

Anyway, over and out from me.

Jill

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It's about time!!!

Hello - its been a while I know - but what with going home and Christmas, etc, I just haven't got round to writing a blog. I had a great time at home in December - went purely to see Motley Crue and Def Leppard - MC were amazing - it was definitely worth the trip back - I was transported back to being an 18 year old again!!! Met up with a load of folk I hadn't seen in ages too... I didn't do a whole lot why I was at home - I hadn't told many folk I would be home as it was just for a week, but I did a bit of shopping and caught up with a few close friends and also K, K, G and Dad.

So, back to Saudi and Christmas wasn't far off. Work is still as dull as ever but I am now doing an NVQ Assessors Course in preparation for coming home (for good) at the end of the year. That is taking alot of my time up so might as well make the most of the fact that my boss doesn't seem to think that I am actually capable of doing anything. There have been a few changes at work - we have another acting Manager who I don't really like now too and our GM has been promoted so he has moved. So, all change again in CFPD... not long left now though to put up with it.

So, I have decided I need a taste of the real life and will look at leaving in December or thereabouts - financially it is worth me staying til then and with holidays, that is only around another 10 months.

So, Christmas was ok - we had to work - my boss was totally bar humbug - we had a good party over in Bahrain though the weekend before Christmas and had a lovely Christmas dinner with 20 odd friends on Christmas night with secret santa and the like. New Years was much the same - at the US Consulate - but no pics from there as we weren't allowed to take cameras or phones in! But it was ok - my boss was yet again bar humbug and made me take an unpaid day off NY day - so down one X day already and we have only just started the year! I did find it really hard being away from home and equally worse that we had to work all the time!

I have been busy with classes (boot camp) and also personal training - I have around 3 clients which is enough really and gives me time to train. I have an injury though from running so had that worked on yesterday and now have a very bruised IT band muscle on my leg! It kills - hope it goes away soon!

So, busy with my course - it should set me up to assess in either customer care areas and fitness hopefully. Apparently there are a shortage of assessors in the UK and I would love to combine my fitness around assessing. Didn't think I would want to come home, but I do miss reality and there is only so long you can deal with life here - there are quite a lot of my friends leaving over the next year - we are all at 5 years - so a good benchmark to go....

Got a few trips planned this year - am hoping to be somewhere in April for a week - not sure where yet - June I will be home for a wedding and download festival and then a few days in Mansfield. August, I am looking at taking a month off and having a few weeks in Canada and the US maybe - need to plan that yet! And then Morocco in October and then leave in December for Christmas this year. Might then take off to Australia in the new year to visit my friends there before finally having to find a job!

Anyway, thats all for now. Enjoy the update!

Jill

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Its been a while....

Hi everyone

I think its been a few weeks since I last did my blog - well before I went on holiday..

Work has still been pretty quiet for me and continues to be so. I am seriously looking at moving to either the UAE or coming home at the end of my 5 years now (end 2012) but as of yet, just don't know. I am trying to get to the UAE for now - it is hard work though and means I have to keep flying backwards and forwards for interviews... but its the only way it can be done...

I had a great time at home. Spent time with Dad, K&K and George who are all fine. George was sporting a toothless grin, having lost alot of his baby teeth! I caught up with most friends to, but as ever, there were a few I didn't get chance to see unfortunately. I had a lovely day at the spa with Caroline and also had a personal training lesson which gave me some really good ideas. I have passed my personal training qualification now and am going to be busy teaching now on and off. I am taking the classes outside, when I can - however today it is raining here in Saudi!

Had a pretty mad night out with my fellow rock friends in Nottingham and it was decided then for me to fly home in December for a few days to see Motley Crue and Def Leppard who are playing in Notts. Mad, I know, but I really would like to see them again...

I spent a few days in London also on a circuit course, which I thoroughly enjoyed. We also played star spotting as the Strictly Come Dancing crew were rehearsing there so we saw Holly Valance and some of the other dancers.

I also caught up with my old school friend, Katrina, who I hadn't seen for around 18 years, so we had a lot of catching up to do - spent the night in Notts again... also took George ice skating which was good fun and he was really good too. But, unfortunately, two weeks flies, so in no time at all, I had to come back.

To be honest I have been very busy since I got back. Basically, it is year end - so as ever, everything has been left last minute at work. I am busy teaching personal training and also my classes begin again next week - I am doing more boot camp style stuff this time taking some of the class outside (before it gets too dark!). PAWS is keeping me busy as I am trying to find folk to donate prizes for our events next year and I have a quiz night on Thursday also.....

Been busy socially - it was my birthday last weekend so we went to Bahrain - had a few folk over on the actual day too (Tuesday 22nd) which was nice. Really had a lovely time in Bahrain... This weekend is the PAWS quiz and then next week I fly home for 5 days to see Crue, Dubai the following weekend and then Bahrain again for the weekend of the 21st December - Christmas to us in other words as we all have to work over Christmas this year with it being mid week. Can't say I am looking forward to that but hey ho... Not sure about NY yet - Coldplay are playing in Abu Dhabi so I may go over to see them if flights aren't too much....

Anyway, thats all from me. Will blog again soon...

xxx

Dave's 50th, Cheryl and Chrissie's birthdays and Octoberfest!

Hi folks - here are me the the girls all looking glam outside Sofiotel in Bahrain - its a new resort and really nice - the brunch was great. We were there celebrating Chrissie (middle in long blue dress and Cheryl's birthdays - Cheryl is second to the right in the blue top. We had a lovely afternoon. The night before had been Dave's 50th birthday at Jim's in Bahrain - same place where I had my 40th!

This is myself, Martyn and Cheryl.

Congratulations to Mark and Chrissie who just got engaged too this week - so happy for them! The wedding is next June in the UK so we will all be over for that one!

Dave and Matthias at his 50th birthday...

Here is an updated photo of Charlotte - she has fluffed out quite a bit now since the last lot of photos. I love her to bits and could not imagine life without her now...

The past few weeks have been busy - not really at work - but that is nothing new - still hoping to get out of here asap and have a few things in the pipeline still to look at. Plan B is to stay here til the end of my 5 years and then go off and do a load of sailing! Good to have a plan A and B!

I have been at the gym alot - really working hard down there and also teaching a few clients. I have my final exam next weekend so am currently revising for that.

Went to AD last weekend (last minute inpromtu trip that had to be done!) - Weds was the PAWS garage sale set up - I was racing around camp for 3 hours - I was shattered - helping folk load up yard sale stuff, making sure stuff got delivered, signing folk into camp!! Then went to a 40th for about an hour, then to bed, up at 4.30am for Abu Dhabi - flew there and back in the day, then went to Octoberfest - see above photos. It was ok I guess - very expensive night out though, but a laugh!

This week I have been at the gym, revising and then we have the Marine Black Tie event on Thursday which I have helped organize. Hopefully should be a good night and Friday I am going sailing at the ladie's day at the beach...

Thats about it really - not long til I am back in the UK either - another 3 weeks or so.../

See you soon,

Jill

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The past few weeks with Athens thrown in!

Going to do this blog backwards with the photos. Above is Joe - who has now left Kingdom for pastures new is now in Jeddah - we will certainly miss his fancy dress outfits! Also a birds eye view of the infamous JJ's bar that I speak so much of - looks just like any bar in the UK!!!

As you can see, Charlotte the cat is making herself well and truely at home. She does seem to think she is a dog at times and now fetches her bouncy ball in her mouth to you and drops it at your feet to throw it again!

Looking through my diary I have been pretty busy. We went ice skating the other week - there is a full size rink here in Khobar - was a good laugh and I did manage to pick it up again ok (I used to be an ice skater in my youth!). There were a few bruises sustained tho! Classes have continued to be busy and I have now started my personal training final module on line. The exam for that is 20th October I have just found out - then, I hope, I will be fully qualified - finally.

Athens was really good - we stayed just outside in an area called Glyfadda - we were opposite the sea (see pic of view) but the road was a bit like wacky races at times! Andy, our friend from Riyadh (and a Nottingham lad!) joined myself and Tracy. We had a few good nights out, did the sites and more in Athens and finished up in an Irish bar! Also visited Poros, an island around an hour away on hydrafoil - really pretty place - went to the beach and chilled at the bar!

I have been told this week that I can take some extra time in November to come home over the Hajj break so am flying back on the 1st November and am there til 14th November. So, if you want to catch up, let me know... I have a course in London (circuits) 9/10 Nov and thats about it so far. Be good to see some of you.

Still planning on escaping. I have had a few phone interviews, with a few more lined up. There is a Lawyers in Abu Dhabi who are interested in me also so I am hoping to have an interview in person with them soon. Everything just takes time over here though so all I can do is wait... I am over in Dubai and AD next weekend and have managed to line a few agency interviews up then also. Work is pretty quiet still - there is something happening - ie as in a shake up we think as there have been lots of closed door meetings of late, but nobody knows what is happening for sure as usual!

Anyway, I am excited to be home again - if I end up moving jobs soon then it could be a while until I am back again (ie next year).

Bye for now,

Jillxxxx

Diving in the Red Sea

Hi folks - above are a few pics from my diving weekend in Yanbu a few weeks ago. Had a great time - my diving improves every time - I think I am up to almost 30 dives now - I did suffer from ear problems again but have found some tablets and sprays on line which I am hoping might help in the future... Didn't see anything major this time - the usual rays and morays - some of the guys did see a hammerhead shark tho... I did 6 dives in total and a snorkel - had a really good time and the group we went with were good fun too...

In the top picture is Charlotte - it was going to happen soon enough - I took on a foster cat and ended up keeping her! She was found straying on the beach in Jubail - so she came to me to be re-homed and now she lives me me. She is around 6 months old and a Persian mix we think - very sweet but also has a mischievous nature too! Great company though!! She has a yellow and a blue eye too!

Being back at work the first few weeks after my holiday was pretty busy. I had 2 courses I did also, so wasn't really in the office much. Ramadan started (we are now over half way through thank goodness!) so it went from being mad with me playing catch up to now being completely like a ghost town everywhere! I am still feeling very unsettled so looking at other options now for sure... Classes are busy which is great - I teach stability balls and bands now on a Monday and have had 20+ students so am going to carry on with that for the rest of September.

I did a PAWS event last weekend. It was a skool disco theme - see me and the winner Butty Bacon (I don't know what his real name is!) - made a good amount of money for PAWS. The event was held at a BAe compound here and unfortunately, they are very strict regarding security getting in and out the place and there were in all 7 incidents where folk upset security and 7 guys who sponsored these folk into their compound, got into trouble. I have taken it very personally - so have told folk I am taking a bit of a back seat now with social events until next year. Such a shame - it is strict here and everyone knows that and should respect the rules.

PAWS will be fine though - we have the garage sales to see us through the rest of the year. I have asked for volunteers to help with events but had no offers really - apart from offers to help me with the next event.

I am in Bahrain tomorrow - thank goodness - my friend Chrissie is having a get together. I am shopping and getting my hair done. I need to get out for a few days for sure. And then, in 2 weeks, I am in Athens for 5 days with Tracy. Really looking forward to that!

That is all for now. I hope to be home before the year is out, but what with me possibly moving elsewhere, holidays are really up in the air right now...

WRITE TO ME SOON!

Jill

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