Saturday 1 May 2021

Week 17 One Daily Positive - Preparing to leave Dubai

I'm more than ready to leave now, many love Dubai but for me I've never really been able to make it home. I'm not a fan of city living or of large crowds of people. 

Too hot to be sitting outside for too long. I'm up at 6am and can manage 2 hours in the garden before the sun comes up fully, it's over head pretty much all day.

114 Saturday Out and about to take photos for my Construction project. Before, During and After. Dubai has changed so much since we first moved here just over 5 years ago, not just physically but how it operates also. I had to return a pair of sandals to Coach for a repair and collect Peter's watch after a repair also. Afternoon and evening spent watching the football and tweeting about it. Really hoping I will be able to get back to St Andrews every week to watch live football again.


115 Sunday To Ibn Battuta where I did some shopping and Peter sold his car.


116 Monday I had the Dr's first thing so walked, caught the train and used a taxi to get to there for blood tests, ECG and x-rays. I travelled home via the metro stopping at Mall of the Emirates for a drink and some food and stopped at the Marina to walk some more as I didn't want to just spend the afternoon in the house.

Mask wearing outdoors is compulsory in Dubai, at 35c it's stifling and slows me down.


117 Tuesday Up early and finally caught up with all my blogging comments, tweet outs and replies. Shipping company came out for a quote. We needed to hire a car but need a credit card for the deposit and as our Dubai one will be closing soon, we had to take a trip out to check our UK credit card was actually working as it's never been used. 


118 Wednesday Out to collect car hire from the Marina, then drove out to Dragon Mart and the afternoon was spent sorting through remaining paperwork, kitchen ware, clothes and garden stuff having a clear out getting rid of/donating items and arranging for the rest to be removed along with all the garden if we can't sell it.

The malls are very big and airy, it's easy to socially distance in them.


119 Thursday I had the dentist at 4pm, getting across Dubai on the weekend, just before fast is broken was NOT my finest idea. It was mayhem on the roads. Had a deep clean of my teeth and gums making the most of the medical aid before it expires on our return to the UK. We looked into keeping it on but at £23,000 per annum (yes, you read that correctly) we've decided not to. 

Sand storm and stormy skies happens as the weather changes, a sign that summer is firmly on the way.


120 Friday Woke up to rain, we decided to go to brunch. The days of walking around and getting your own food have now been replaced with menu and table service. We were at the Hyatt hotel in the revolving restaurant having got a taxi there and back to take advantage of the drinks package.


On the blog this week:

Preparing to leave Dubai.

Post Comment Love - A weekly linky (feel free to join in with any post you've written this week).

Before and After photos 7 years apart. Documenting the ever changing skyline in Dubai.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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25 comments:

  1. It does sound like you are ready to come back to the UK but I bet you are going to miss seeing all the buildings popping up everywhere. Wearing a mask outside in that heat doesn't sound like fun at all.
    Oh my goodness! £23k per year does seem a lot for medical care. x

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    1. I will miss a lot about Dubai, but so excited to be on the count down to leaving

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  2. I think it would be far too hot for me. I hope your journey back home goes smoothly.

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  3. Ooh those desserts look good. I don't think I'd cope with Dubai/UAE. Definitely too hot for me. Hope the wrapping up goes well.

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  4. I think it would be great to wear masks outdoors in the UK but certainly wouldn't fancy it above 30 degrees! #project365

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    1. it makes me feel quite uncomfortable seeing people without masks on

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  5. Mum and Dad had the same issue last year with masks, it's often well over 40 degrees where they live in the summer. Not fun. Glad you are getting things sorted and that the UK credit card worked. Sounds as if everything is coming together. You are not allowed back until you bring hald decent flipping weather with you please. #365

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    1. I'll bring the half decent weather if you can have a word about the hotel quarantine

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  6. I’m not sure I could cope with the heat somewhere like Dubai and it must feel even more stifling with a mask on. Love those trainers. I’m quite shocked at how much medical aid costs – I would never have guessed it was quite that much. Good luck with all your preparations for leaving Dubai. #project365

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    1. I was surprised how much medical aid costs, never really considered it as the company pay for it

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  7. Not sure I could manage with a mask in that heat! Find it hard enough as it is in cooler weather! Sounds like things are coming together ready for your move back

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  8. Not sure I could manage with a mask in that heat! Find it hard enough as it is in cooler weather! Sounds like things are coming together ready for your move back

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  9. I have only visited for five days and although I loved it. I could not live there for any long period of time so I am not surprised you've have enough now. I do really like the wonder woman mask, I am going to have to try and find one of those. Glad you are making the most of the brunches and hope the plans continue smoothly for your return home.

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    1. plans going well if all last minute but that is expat life for you

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  10. Medical care is very expensive indeed. Mask wearing outside when it's so hot is very uncomfortable. I used my mask outside last summer, even though it was not required, and it was not nice at all.
    The pictures from Dubai are gorgeous!

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    1. I'll be continuing to wear my mask when I'm back in the UK and social distancing

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  11. Gosh that must be so hard masks outdoors. I would really struggle too in the heat. I hope you have a nice lightweight mask, some are so thick it makes it much harder to breathe. I would love to visit Dubai one day but would be Feb time when its not quite so hot! Those trainers are so cute, did you buy them? x

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    1. Oh for sure to visit Dubai in February, it's cheap to come here in the summer but way to hot to enjoy it here. Mask wearing is hard work here, but I'm happy to do it. Yes to the trainers, I wear them almost every day

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  12. £23,000! That's a lot of money a year. I love those trainers. Not the same as Dubai but we had to wear the masks all day in France when we visited in August last year. It was weird coming back here when it wasn't really a thing yet #365

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    1. it's really strange being back in the UK and seeing people not wearing masks

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  13. I have to wear a mask 9 hours a day when at work, but couldn't imagine doing it in 35 degree heat. I would love to visit Dubai, but only for a holiday, I could not imagine coping with the heat

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    1. you get used to the heat, but it's never nice

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