26th - 28th February 2021 Post Comment Love.

This time last year I was preparing to return to Dubai as my friend and neighbour was following me the next week for a holiday and my Sister in Law and her friend were coming for a visit. Currently I can't even get a flight out to Dubai.

In the UK Covid was still a virus that was in China and had spread to a few other countries. In Dubai they were talking of closing schools and it seemed a bit more real, but there were no concerns about me flying back on March 2nd or my friend joining me on the 6th. 

This week I had the opportunity to join a recording of QI as a member of a virtual audience, I really enjoyed it and hope to be joining in with more shows soon.

Stephanie and I would love it if you joined us at #PoCoLo this week and linked up with any post you've written this week.

Please don't dump and run, it's not fair on the others who comment weekly.

If you share your post on twitter, please tag us and #PoCoLo, it makes it easier for us to share your post back.
 

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What happens as a virtual TV audience member?

This week I was invited to be a member of the audience for a recording of QI. Not giving anything away that could spoil your enjoyment of the show when it is screened later this year, just sharing my experience.

From the right 2 across and 7 down

I've made many a guest appearance on a TV show, usually Match of the Day as a spectator in the crowd and more recently I've been involved behind the scenes as a mic holder on the European Tour, doing my best to avoid the TV cameras, picking up sound and alerting the studio to the action on the course so they can 'go live' (on a delay) camera and commentary.

Studio audiences are a thing, I'm assuming it's similar to sitting in a theatre, a warm up act, an introduction where you're asked to cheer louder, but then in a live show, what happens, happens. Where as in a show being recorded there will be stops, retakes, make up/hair adjustments, 2nd, 3rd, 4th takes.

Never having been to a studio recording I cannot be sure that a virtual audience is the same as a studio audience, but I'm assuming it is.

So how does a virtual audience work?

I had a website to click though and a password to sign on with. There was a dress code, no all white or bright coloured clothing and to ensure I was visible from the waist up, that I wore headphones, had good lighting, no logos or advertising on display in the background and that I agreed to stay signed in for the full duration of the show, as well as not disclosing anything from the recording.

From 6.30pm to 7.15pm I took part in quizzes online, which given information and reminded of the above.

Next, information about when to clap was given and throughout the show there were signs for 'applause' there were no instructions on when to laugh and everyone was informed that they may be replaced on the screen if they weren't t clapping or paying attention.

The show started around 7.40pm and continued till 9.30pm. It just ran straight through with a couple of pauses to fix the stage, costumes and sound issues. I could hear the studio fully but not the other members of the virtual audience and the contestants mentioned they couldn't hear the audience at one point and that our video stream disappeared off their screen at one point, although the audience were muted in parts some of the contestants commented that they could hear conversations taking place on peoples sofas.

At the end of the filming there were a few retakes of the introductions and the endings, but not with any of the contents and answers to the questions.

I've no idea when the show will be aired, it'll be really interesting to see what answers made the cut to get the programme down to its 45 minutes screen time.

On the whole I really enjoyed it and hope I get the opportunity to take part in future episodes and with other programmes.

I'm not sure the cat and dog enjoyed the experience as much, they were a little confused by me clapping randomly.

The road from The Beach to Bluewaters - Dubai. 6 years apart.

My first visit to Dubai was January 2014. The rocky outcrop I'm sat on was the harbour wall for the Marina. It's now the half way point and bridge support to Bluewaters Island. I can only access this spot now from the bridge 30ft above as in the second photo.

Directly behind me (to my right) is the Sheraton Hotel where these photos of Bluewaters land being built in the sea were taken from and Ain Dubai.

January 2014

January 2020

Close up of the differences. 

2014

2020

How many did you find?

You can see the harbour wall from The Beach, where both photos were taken from. This photo was taken from the Sheraton.

Looking back from Bluewaters to The Beach.

 

2021 Week 7 - One Daily Positive. Not doing much.

I'm just hanging around now in the UK, house unpacked and everything put away, can't do much outside due to the weather, but have tidied up the sheds and started a list of outdoor projects I can get onto as it warms up. I'm here till mid/end March when child 4 collects the dog, just need to sort something out with the cat. Can get house sitters but would need two and sorry but I'm reluctant to ask one stranger to hand over the keys to my house to another stranger. For some reason quite a few people think that it's a good idea until I ask them if they'd do it. Will probably put the cat in a cattery for 2-3 months.

Back hurting, probably from Osteopath visits and new exercises. Neck killing me also, but it'll be fine. 

I've been sorting out paperwork, writing letters and packing up gift boxes for birthdays through till the end of June, plus Easter gifts also. It's this type of activity, fine motor skills and sitting, that actually cause me more pain and damage. I've lacked motivation this week 

I can't wait till we're allowed to do garden visits again. Hopefully I'll be able to go back to Dubai by the end of March once I've sorted out a house/pet sitter for the cat, so if anyone is looking for a change of scenery with outdoor space in exchange for cat sitting, do get in touch.

44 Saturday Morning spent in bed other than making tea and toast and putting the roast on. I did some blogging, commented on blogs and caught up with the TV soaps. There was a visit from a friend today, she hasn't seen anyone since I was last in the UK, back in October, so technically she's remained in her bubble and as I  haven't seen anyone since I arrived back, our bubble still exists. 

Cooked myself a Sunday roast because I thought today was Sunday when I'd planned it and defrosted the meat.

45 Sunday Happy Valentines Day and Happy 11th Birthday to Bob the Dog. I didn't get him a McDonalds drive thru as I can't justify that as an essential, but I may get one next time I have to get fuel and am in the retail park. I assembled the last Ikea unit for the lounge so all the boxes downstairs are now unpacked.

46 Monday Exciting day. Osteopath, delivery and windows cleaned. Spoke to more people today than I do in a week. Did little else for the day.

47 Tuesday I spent most of the day in the attic rooms, sorting through my fathers stuff of things I still have to sell that I've been storing, most of it will be on ebay, but I do already have a box of bric a brac, items from the flat I no longer need now our kitchen stuff has arrived.

Peg Solitaire.

48 Wednesday Off to the tip then for a socially distanced walk with a friend and the dogs over the golf course.

49 Thursday I got full on dressed up for my click and collect shop, made popcorn and did very little else for the day.

50 Friday Osteopath appointment in the morning, really feeling the benefit. Walked up into town to the post office, a carefully planned trip. Parcels stamped, list written. PO in town doesn't sell food items and/or magazines. Went to WHSmith, only 4 people in store, but felt incredibly hot and claustrophobic, I'd picked up a TV guide, felt obliged to have to buy it, stood in the narrowest confined space for the queue for an age while a woman was assisted using the self service check out. Left quickly and ended up in Wilko's which was much better as I could get everything on my list and a few things I'd put off getting due to not wanting to go in the shops.

On the blog this week:

Post Comment Love - A weekly linky. 

My Sunday Photo - Happy 11th Birthday Bob.

Trying not to cry over spilt milk and other stuff.

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19th - 21st February 2021 - Post Comment Love

This time last year I was in the UK getting ready to move back here full time when my husband retires next year. The cat and dog arrived the end of January, the house had been reclaimed from tenants in November 2019 and most of the repair work had been done. 

The plan was to return to Dubai month on month. I got back in March last year, but it was touch and go whether I got back, since then I've been back out to Dubai twice and hopefully I'll be able to get back out end March/April so I can close bank accounts, finish the tenancy, sell a car, the garden, close utilities down and arrange the rest of our belongings to come back. 

There aren't any direct flights available at the moment, child 4 and his wife is taking the dog and I need to find a cattery for the cat for a few months, it won't be happy. 

Everything with me has to be 'last minute' I'm not sure I'll ever have any normality in my life.

Time now to join up with Stephanie and I for this weeks #PoCoLo

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Crying over spilt milk and other stuff

I didn't spill the milk, but I did run out last night. I managed to get a click and collect delivery for today after signing into every account I now have. I struggled to get an order up to £40. I find cooking for one difficult so I've been cooking for 2-3 people then freezing the spare portions, when I checked the freezer I had 11 meals, 7 days worth of breakfast and 5 light lunches/snacks. Some meal planning and rooting through the cupboards and I only needed to order dairy, frozen fruit and veg. 

The wine, radox were added to make up the minimum basket shop and the chocolate eggs are for child 5.

I then decided to try click and collect orders for the other stores at the retail park while I'm there, but I need to collect either within the hour or place the order tomorrow or wait 2-3 days for everything to be in stock, so I cancelled that idea. I'm trying to avoid going out/near people other than daily dog walks.

I got full on dressed up to collect my shopping today, I stopped smoking end of last year and have been none stop thinking about not eating as a way to combat stopping smoking. Not thinking about cigarettes has been easy, but the 8kg weight gain now has to go.

I was home by 9am and spent the rest of the day sorting out paperwork and tidying things around. There's only me here and it's easy to get stuff out and not tidy up afterwards, although I'm not, never have been and never will be trying to create a perfect home. I like the lived in look and feel.

 At the moment I can't get a flight to Dubai booked, I've managed to sort out the dog as child 4 and his wife will be taking him in, but I can't get a house sitter to commit to more than 2 months and the cattery is coming in at around £1000 and one place has closed after a foreign traveller gave them all covid. Not one place has offered a long term stay discount, is this common for the UK? 

I'm also making sure that all birthdays, anniversaries, events etc are covered between the end of March and mid June when I hope to be back, I have to arrange, shop and post early and from now on no response that something has arrived = nothing arriving next year. Harsh but tough. I don't want gratitude. I'm trying to keep lines of communication open, which obviously aren't wanted everywhere.

I've found a parcel post box down the industrial estate which will save me a trip to the post office, but I have a few to post abroad and require proof of postage so will have to go to the post office this week, where I will be able to pick up a couple of cards, tv guide and some treats for the week. I'll do that tomorrow after seeing the Osteopath. Then I won't have to go near the shops or other people for a week or so.

This constant adapting to climate, covid regulations, travel requirements, culture, home, being alone is all really wearing me down now. I can't even get the dog food order right. I travel with a 30kg suitcase but appear to have no idea online how large 2.5kg is when it comes to buying dog food.

I've given up trying to get the contract with the shipping company fulfilled, my sofa still sits in the neighbours garage. Every box has been unpacked, rooms just need rearranging and then hopefully by this time next week I'll have finished and given the house a clean from top to bottom.

I've been putting off taking the cat and dog to the vets for their (late) annual jabs. Bob requires a sedation and my stress levels are rising just typing this.

I've no idea what day of the week it is, Friday has just arrived again.

Happy 11th Birthday Bob The Dog

Happy 11th Birthday Bob the Dog. 

You can read more about Bob the Dog and Pushkin's journey from South Africa here

2021 Week 6 - One Daily Positive. Finished the unpacking.

Bloody hell it's been cold this week, foggy and some snow. Heating on full time and sitting in the house wrapped in blankets. This time last year when I was in the UK I was working outside in the garden fixing the shed roof and digging up plants, shrubs and small trees so I could have a new fence. The dog really isn't impressed with cold, he's either getting grumpy in his old age (he'll be 11 on Sunday) or he just hasn't acclimatised to the cold yet. the cat still wants to go out, but she comes back straight away when called.

All the unpacking is done, all the boxes, paper etc removed from the house. I'm now rearranging rooms and putting things away. I have some more Ikea furniture to assemble and I should be done by the end of next week. Just have the sofa in the neighbours garage to deal with, lacking people to help with the carrying. 

37 Saturday Out at 7.30am with Bob the Dog with every intention to walk up the Malvern Hills, except we couldn't see them so walked around the town instead. I stopped smoking before Christmas after 33 years of around 10-15 cigarettes a day. It;'s amazing how easy it was to walk up a steep hill and be able to talk at the same time. It should help with the 6kg I've put on from eating crap all day long instead of reaching for a cigarette. I had planned to go to Worcester on Sunday with Bob to take photos of the new bridge build and food shop, but as the River Severn is flooded and with temps plummeting below zero and snow forecast I decided to go today instead, quite quiet, in and out, minimum hassle apart from a woman wearing a lanyard who said "I'm wearing a lanyard, I'm exempt from wearing a fucking mask' I just asked her to step back from me in the queue 'being exempt doesn't stop the fucking virus spreading' was my reply. I got dragged into an argument with a guy on twitter who said it never happened, I blocked him.

38 Sunday mornings are blog commenting time. Followed by a hill walk, more unpacking, sorting out attic rooms and finally everything is now on the correct floor and in the correct room and roughly in the correct place.

A friend sent me this G&T gift.

39 Monday Blood test at Doctors surgery as requested by Haematologist last week, I had emailed him to say I couldn't get the bloods taken in Dubai as I'd been working and then had to isolate on my return to the UK. He'll call back the end of next week to discuss either iron infusion or whether he feels a blood transfusion is coming sooner rather than later. He asked about bruising and B12 and I had to contact my Doctor in Dubai to get all my records sent over and uploaded onto my NHS records. I took Bob with me and we walked on down to the retail park for a take out coffee.

Walk home via the Industrial park.

40 Tuesday started the day the same way I finished yesterdays, in pjs and in bed. I've been in agony this week with my back again but I've been sitting on the floor and on the sofa, stretching and twisting. My iron levels have also dropped again and I'm struggling for breath walking up the stairs. I'm also bloody freezing. Took Bob for a walk and sent some birthday gifts and cards off to family and friends, was miserable early evening, then kicked myself up the butt and got on with stuff.

I baked bread.

41 Wednesday I'm completely disorganised in regards to a routine, shopping, order of importance to do things, so day spent getting myself sorted in regards to meal planner as I'd run out of milk, but had topped up with fresh veg, meat etc on the weekend. Ready now to get through till this time next week before I need to go near a shop again. Took Bob for a walk, ordered new walking boots, sorted and wrapped up gifts for birthdays, valentines, etc.

This cat just constantly monitors my every movement.

42 Thursday Managed to get an appointment with an osteopath approved by the medical aid. She's starting with sorting out my back then will move onto the neck issues. I received feedback from my MRI and X-rays. I have an additional rib and Brachial Neuritis Syndrome. I suffered an injury at work 25 years ago, I've also suffered with migraines since I was a toddler, I just now have a name now. It'll make no difference to my quality of life or my treatment, but it might mean I can access treatment earlier when I need a boost.

2nd walk of the day, is that allowed?

43 Friday Out early and wrapped up warm with Bob. The rest of the day was spent tidying things away, a door step collection for the last of the packing boxes, a nice hot bath, followed by a facebook call with a friend, alcohol and TV.

Local children requested some more stones today.

On the blog this week:

A woman's place is ..... where she chooses it to be.

Post Comment Love - Happy Valentines Day. A weekly linky to join in with any blog post written this week.

My Sunday Photo - New Roads in Worcestershire.

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12th - 14th February 2021 Post Comment Love

Happy Valentine's Day, even if you are on your own. I forgot to leave a card and gift for my husband this year. Where ever I am in the world I always try to make sure that gifts and cards for family and friends is dropped off in time, often left with them 3-4 months early. Especially Christmas. I left everything for Christmas with Mums side of the family with my niece, she also had birthday cards, covering events from November through to February. 

In previous years if I've been on my own, I've taken Bob the Dog out for the day. It's also the day we celebrate his Birthday, he'll be 11 this year. There will be a drive though McDonalds for him on Sunday and the cat will get her share as she loves the fries.

Have I missed Jif Lemon Day? We don't get the adverts abroad so would always remember it after seeing everyone else's tweets.

Stephanie and I would love it if you could join in with any blog post you've written this week on any subject.

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A woman's place is.....wherever she chooses it to be.

'I decided it was up to me where that was.'

I find Louise's story of why she joined the Royal Navy very empowering and she makes a very good point.

My current place to be is in the home. I am a home maker, home executive and housewife. Well that's what I've had written on my visas in my passport for the past 10 years. No idea how it would've read if the roles had been reversed and my husband and I swopped jobs. 

It hasn't defined me. It's upset me, my ability not to be able to work, for me not to have had the choice for 4 years when we moved to South Africa, my identity took a huge knock and then again when the kids left home at the time we moved to Dubai. But after almost 2 years in Dubai. I then made the decision NOT to work and focus my time on our adult children, all by now NOT living at home.

I've never had a life plan, I've never had a plan for my children either. It's not about rebelling, having a strop, being a feminist or a tom boy. It's not even about being different or difficult. it's about doing whatever is best for you (and your family) at the time. 

I left school, I wanted to study for the Royal Navy in the Lake District. I passed the entrance exams but couldn't get a guarantor to secure the funding I needed for the first year. Then I just drifted, I worked, moved away, tried life abroad, had a child, bought a house, got married, had another child, started a PGCE, had another child and abandoned studies, divorced, met Peter, inherited 2 older children, moved, resumed studies, finished degree got a job, a career, packed it all in, followed willingly my husband abroad, fought against it every day.

I'm 50 this year in June. A few years ago I stopped worrying about how other people saw me, was my tummy too wobbly, was my hair right, should I be wearing more make up, should I be visiting the beauty salons for procedures like everyone else, did I need a career to define me? 

The answer was and still is NO. There is no life plan, circumstances change our plans, change us. We may have to sacrifice something in order to be where we want to be. There are very few people in the world who actually have it all. We may perceive that they do and measure our achievements by theirs.

I want to be the homemaker. But I have the choice to return to work. I have the choice to say NO today, I'm doing something else. But I'm also part of a team, my family. I can be selfish, without behaving selfishly.

I no longer need to prove to anyone else or even myself that if I want, if circumstances allowed, I can do anything I want to and be anywhere I want to be.

This was my latest role.

A woman's place is on the golf course.

New road build in Worcestershire - A4440 Worcester Southern Link Road. Carrington Bridge

I've no idea when these road improvements started, but I've found minutes of meetings from 2014 discussing planning permission and compulsory land purchase orders to be made.

My normal route from Birmingham airport for the past 10 years has been down the M5 to the M50 and off to South Wales. In 2019 I started repeating a familiar journey to our home in Malvern. A journey that takes 15 mins and covers 8 miles from the M5. The Worcester Southern Link Road from the M5 J7 to Powick is just over 3 miles, but in reality can take over an hour each way on single carriage way, hence the improvements.

The A4440 Worcester Southern Link Road, is one of Worcestershire's busiest roads, accessed by over 30,000 cars each week day.

I can't find a date when the project will be completed or the total cost spent, estimated around £33 million. There are footbridges, cycle paths, work to the railways, flood plains, roundabouts increased in size and almost all of the route is now dual carriageway.

The photo of Carrington Bridge is taken from the Ketch roundabout. Back in October, 6 steel girders 70ms long and weighing 70 tonnes were lifted into place by a crane 180ms tall. I watched them doing it as I drove past, but couldn't find anywhere to stop to walk back and take photos. 

This is still two way traffic until the new bridge and viaduct is finished at an additional estimated cost of £54.5 million. I have no idea of the completion date.

Carrington Bridge is only one of two bridges that crosses the River Severn in Worcestershire, the next nearest crossing is Upton upon Severn to the South and Stourport on Severn to the North.

2021 Week 5 - One Daily Positive. Out of quarantine

1 email, 2 text messages and 3 phone calls from the UK Government/Public House to ensure I'm following the ever changing rules in regards to my arrival in the UK from either the United Arab Emirates, Rawanda or Burundi all within the first few days of my arrival and this was after I was questioned about my movements and informed of the rules before I departed Dubai, on arrival at passports and then further questioned by police before I was able to collect my luggage. 'Why had I travelled? How was I getting to my quarantine address? Did I live with others? Did they know the rules? This was my 7th flight since March 2020 and all flights have been during lockdowns. No one has questioned me before.

Spent time blogging and catching up with video chats with our kids and grandchild as well as friends. Cooked every night enough for 3 spare portions to go in the freezer, had a bath and been in my PJs by 7.30-8pm to spend the evening in front of the TV.

I'm really pleased with my progress this week, all the boxes have been labelled as glass, living room or books. I have to unpack and carry items up and down 3 flights of stairs as there is no help available.

30 Saturday Made an effort to get quite a bit unpacked and put away today. Sadly a lot of things broken, mainly things that can't be replaced, it's annoying but our last move other than internal ones which we'll do ourselves from now on. Never had anything broken in previous moves. It snowed late afternoon but didn't stick.

31 Sunday Downstairs is unpacked, the dining room is being used as storage for the empty boxes and glass ware until my new units arrive. Today was mainly taking items up 2 floors and unpacking the last boxes to find the fittings for the units I needed to assemble prior to unpacking to save moving everything twice, but labelling that box was be too logical for most.

32 Monday Door step delivery from IKEA. Furniture assembled and put into use with immediate effect. I baked some gluten free blueberry muffins as the fruit was going soft and the eggs were near their end date. 

33 Tuesday Put the washing on, changed the bedding and took the car for a drive to the test centre in Worcester for a PCR test under the International Entrant Program as requested by Public Health England on day 7/8 of my return to the UK. The rest of the day spent in the sheds sorting through things and finding new homes.

34 Wednesday Day spent on the middle floor, sorting out the bedrooms, not finished yet, but all rooms now accessible. Still a lot of things to be put away and tidied.

35 Thursday Flat packed all the boxes and loaded the car for the tip. Have someone coming to collect some boxes and some will be stored in the attic rooms in case we have to move again. I did some cleaning and rearranged a few things to make room for other things to be rearranged.

36 Friday I'm out and free and two runs to the tip with the cardboard boxes no interaction or came within 20 ms of another human. Got take away coffee, only customer in store and staff member behind plastic screen whole time. Busiest place was M&S food hall, but I was in there at 8.30am when it opened and no queues for tills. Walked Bob to the pet shop to get cat food and replace broken litter tray. Afternoon spent on the sofa watching TV, dinner and started to wade through some paperwork and invoices I need to submit for work done.

On the blog this week:

Post comment Love - A weekly post co hosted with @Lifeat139a

My Sunday Photo - My winter holiday in Dubai.

What could go wrong with an International move?

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5th - 7th February 2021 Post Comment Love

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie and I and who would've thought February would ever arrive?

Sorry I was late with the commenting and post sharing the past two weeks. As is typical for me, it's all or nothing with my life. I've had a busy week with the golf in Abu Dhabi, then back in the UK unpacking 99 boxes of our life back into our family home.

It's so very strange putting things back in the same place they came from 10 years ago having moved to South Africa then back again via Dubai.

I've obviously been isolating for the past 10 days. I'm allowed out tomorrow, but will only be going dog walking. I may try an actual shop next week, but I suspect I'll be doing click and collect from now on.

I've got to sort out pet/house sitters for mid April till end of June so I can return to Dubai to sort an internal move and spend time with my husband. No idea if I'll be allowed back in or out again and now we have to be prepared for a 2 week hotel stay (at our expense) if required. Fingers crossed it's still PCR on arrival otherwise I have to drive to Bristol for private testing.

Nothing runs smoothly for us, EVER. I've linked up this week with the unpacking saga and share with you some tips on how to move your furniture abroad. You should know me by now that it won't be a practical step by step guide like the 'experts' regularly share.

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What can go wrong with an international move? Things you don't get told.

From experience anything that involves sub contracting around the world is doomed from the start. It doesn't matter if you have 3 quotes, get everything in writing, have a personal consultation, take a personal recommendation, if something can go wrong it will.

There's also an element of 'How do I know what I need to know?' which is my biggest issue when trying to do anything.

Moving between countries means forget how everything works where you are now and start again. And know what you don't know such as in general where the local council in the UK is called a Municipality in other countries and things like electricity and water are government run and to get a sim card you're required to have an attested copy of all your documents or a physical entry stamp on your visa or buy from the airport on arrival and the breakdown you've been having wasn't necessary.

I will say if you cut out the middle man, HR and a relocation company who just refuse to deal with the spouse, despite it being the spouse that orchestrates practically the whole move, then things do go a bit smoother. The issues still happen, but the timescale of resolving the issues is reduced greatly as is some of the stress, by being able to yell at people directly, rather than yelling at your spouse to yell at HR and Relocation company to find out a delivery date.

So despite having done 3 International moves, here's what I've learnt I needed to know after the packing had been done and invoice paid.

UK to South Africa - Insurance is an additional 3-5% of the value of your goods. The value of replacing those goods in a new country and must be itemised.

Not only are you responsible for costs if your container is picked at customs for a check but you'll pay the storage costs for the delay.

If custom checked you'll need to know your container number, which you'll be asked to confirm on delivery also.

You can't ship your container ahead of you until you have a visa, either in place before you move as in South Africa. However moving to Dubai, your container can be shipped but not released until your visa is in place. This also means any air freight will arrive after your shipping container so don't bother and save your money.

Check yourself exactly what you can and can't take. For example food, alcohol and tobacco is a NO. You'll also be told you can't take certain items such as bikes and out door equipment to South Africa and into Dubai you can't take Christmas Decorations or your family bible, you of course can.

Ask for the contact details of the receiving agent in the UK. Contact them and ask for their time scale from when the container arrives to their delivery times.

A new one for us with this move of things we needed to know that we didn't know about are......

How to obtain a BoL from the shipping company. What is a BoL? Bill of Lading. It is one of 3 crucial documents used in International Trade to ensure that exporters receive payment and importers receive the merchandise. In other words, along with proof of insurance and and invoice, these documents should be handed to the shipping company ( you'll need to know who they are also) who should, in theory, pass this on to the receiving agent to get your container released from the port, after customs clearance.

To obtain the BoL you'll need remarkable detective skills and the help of total strangers off of Twitter to make calls on your behalf and do the job you've paid someone else to do. Whilst doing this your packing agents, receiving agents and shipping company will all tell you it's not their fault or problem, stop answering their phones and replying to emails.

You'll get the money back from the Insurance after threatening the company with legal action and the police.

Your boxes will be delivered at 6pm on a Sunday night, your sofa left in the neighbours garage and no one wants to take responsibility for the fact you've paid the agent for a full unpacking and rubbish removal service and for the first time ever the packing is done so badly you actually have lots of things broken and no insurance to make a claim from.

I'm left with a room full of boxes and packing materials to get rid of.

This is how items were packed.

These glasses were wedged together and could not be separated.

Placed at the bottom of a box without any packaging under neath to protect it.

I have sent an invoice to the company in Dubai I had the contract with for 6 hours work by 2 people to unpack to surfaces, the cost of removing the uPVC door to put the sofa back inside the house from the neighbours garage and the cost of removing the packaging totalling £624/AED 3,130. I've also informed them they are clearly in breach of contract and as advised by Consumer Law in Dubai that I will make this a matter for the courts on my return.