Monday 16 March 2020

How complicated is your life?

I've not really been settled since we relocated abroad to South Africa in 2011, since then the last 2 kids have left home, we moved to Dubai, my father died, we had a grandchild and I moved back into our former family home, with the cat and dog joining me in February this year. There has been a lot of change over the past 9 years.

Life is just ticking over at the moment. I'm moving between the UK and Dubai each month. Not really getting a chance to settle down and get into a routine before I'm back on a plane.

In the UK I'm restoring our former family home, walking the dog and catching up with family. My current trip to Dubai has been spent with friends and family from the UK who have taken advantage of us still being out in Dubai for a holiday for our last few years in Dubai.

Last year I completed 134 hours of flying time, with a long haul flight every month as child 3 lives in Australia and we had 2 trips back to South Africa as Peter has been working there more often so I've accompanied him when I can. This year I've already completed flights in January and February with my return trip to the UK next week and another return fight booked in April/May. I'm hoping to keep my silver status with Emirates for next year as flying is a lot easier without all that queuing at check in and getting on the plane.

I'm planning to return to the UK from Dubai on March 24th. We have visitors this week and I have to sort all our furniture and personal belongings into 2 piles. 1 for the new apartment Peter will be moving to in May and the other pile for its return to the UK. I also have to apply for a ToR (Transfer of Residency) so I don't have to pay tax/duty on our personal belongings and list every item for this as well as for insurance purposes.

I will be back in Dubai to help with the move and the packing, however I'm sorting this all out now as I have no idea whether I'l be able to travel back into Dubai with Covid-19 not due to peak until the summer time.

I have a wedding in the UK in June so I've packed my dress and some summer clothes in case I can't get back out in May and I have house sitters provisionally booked who may not be able to travel to the mainland from Northern Ireland to do so.

I'm remarkably calm about the whole situation, there's no point being anything else as all this concern with travel is out of my control and it's not like I'd be stranded in either place and with this move there are no visa requirements, so no time scale other than vacating the villa on the 25th May, but I'm sure we could extend month to month if needed.



8 comments:

  1. I hope you do eventually get settled when Peter retires.
    I am feeling pretty settled at the moment and like I have a really simple life. I like it x

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  2. Here we can always tell when things get TOO complicated because we start misplacing things and forgetting what's important.

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  3. I wonder if all of your international travel will be curtailed now due to the coronavirus. We had 2 trips canceled already!

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    1. Already had to change a flight, fingers crossed i can still get back to the UK on tuesday

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  4. Wow that is a lot of hours of flying! Hope Covid 19 doesn't spoil your plans! #PoCoLo

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    1. All travel plans are on hold now for the foreseeable future

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  5. You zip around a lot! Hats off to you, I couldn't do it.

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