July 2021 One Daily Positive, Project 365. Northern Ireland, Unpacking and family.

We had a trip to Northern Ireland to collect the dog from child 4's house. They collected the dog in April to enable me to go back to Dubai for the last time. We explored the north coast, visited a lot of the tourist attractions and spent a couple of days on the beach. 

Our container arrived but not without hassle which you can read about here. The dining room is being used for storage, a sofa bed, fridge freezer, garden furniture and bedding is going to my mums for her new place in September, there are several boxes of kitchen items we won't need until we get a new kitchen and a dining room table and another sofa that are waiting for an extension to be built. We've no idea when any of that will happen as we're struggling to get hold of builders.

Other than that there have been lots of dog walks, good foods, baby cuddles (next door neighbour had a little girl also) and time with family and friends.

Day 182 -  212

182 crops are in. Rhubarb has been stewed and potatoes baked and in the freezer. The rhubarb is waiting for our DILs apples and will be made into crumble.

183 our grandchild decided the lawn needed mopping on their visit

184 a visit to our great nephew born in April and collect MIL who is house and cat sitting for a few weeks

185 on the ferry to Northern Ireland to collect Bob the dog from child 4s house where he's been since April when I went to Dubai for the last time

186 Bob the dog and his friend Molly

187 Football Euros

188 exploring the northern coast, Giant Causeway

189 more football

190 Crocs from child 4 for my birthday

191 I said 'go to bed' they have a bed each

192 Dog walking at Divis

193 12th July

194 another beach visit

195 Dark Hedges

196 on the ferry home

197 a walk round Malvern

198 sorting out the garden planting

199 driving into Wales after dropping MIL back home

200 these two are taking a while to settle back to being together

201 so in charge of this house

202 Container arrived

203 a swim in the Wye with a friend

204 Friday night chips in the garden with my friend and neighbour

205 BBQ in the garden

206 it's a dog's life

207 dining room being used as storage

208 meeting my great nephew for the first time

209 another spot the cat competition

210 a walk up the Malvern Hills

211 wetting the babies head

212 more cat sagas

I'll be back next week with a summary of August, then back to weekly posts.

 

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My Winter COVID Vacation in Dubai

Yes, I left the UK during lockdown to go to Dubai for 2 months over winter. I'm not an influencer and certainly wasn't getting free accommodation in exchange for a few Instagram posts, but I did have a couple of hotel stays in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but there was little beach and pool time as it's too cold at the moment. Ok it's still 25c, but when you're used to temps in the 40's in the summer, the sea does feel quite chilly.

Dubai's covid rules are different to the UK and change as the virus changes. At the moment no more than 4 in a coffee shop, 7 in a restaurant to sit together and tables 3ms apart. No indoor groups, but gyms and hairdressers are open. Malls and shops operating as normal, whilst Covid compliance officers are checking on numbers of shoppers, working practices, use of masks and hand sanitisers there's no one counting you in and out and taking your temperature any more.

Life in Dubai is very different to the UK, FULL STOP. I've family and friends around the world, locals and expats like us. Apart from a few countries with completely different demographics, Covid is behaving the same around the world. The number of deaths and cases differ depending on how or if they are reported. The UK is different because it's made up of different people, attitudes, entitlement (yes really). We don't choose to eat out often in the UK or go to the cinema or even visit nail bars and hairdressers. We spend our time in the UK with family, out door activities and with friends and as expats even though I'm back in the UK, I can't do any of that anyway, so it was nice to be able to have the option to be elsewhere.

I was in Dubai because I have a visa to live there with my husband for the past 6 years, however I've been spending more and more time in the UK over recent years and with us reclaiming our family home and relocating the cat and dog to the UK and covid hitting in March 2020 I've only spent 18 weeks there in the past 12 months. Only 14 weeks actually with my husband as he was away for one week with work then he managed to get shut in Saudi for an extra week when they closed their borders over night, I spent time in hospital with a slipped disc, had surgery and had then time in Abu Dhabi working on the golf.

I've received quite a bit of indirect criticism about being out in Dubai, but it's been my home for the last 6 years and my husband still lives and works there. I certainly wouldn't be contemplating travelling for a holiday, I'm more than happy to travel between the UK and Dubai as I have a home in both countries and can afford to isolate and pay for a hotel stay for quarantine purposes. 

There have been brunches, coffees with friends, cinema trips, using public transport, pub quizzes, walks on the beach as well as:

8 x PCR tests

2 x hospital stays

2 x hotel stays

2 x working at major sporting events

Early March 2020 schools closed, by mid March Emirates stopped flying and the end of March, Dubai closed its borders. Curfews in place and permits required to leave home.

June and residents and citizens were allowed to fly back in. My husband wasn't allowed to fly as he was over 60. Under 12's also weren't allowed, as well as no access to malls. 

July tourists allowed back in. Permission to travel from both UK and UAE required.

August and Peter was allowed to fly. 2 weeks isolation in the UK, then a PCR test required to fly back to Dubai. Same for me for my trip in September and 2 weeks isolation back in the UK.

October and citizens PCR on arrival, tourists PCR prior to travel and on arrival also. Isolate until results arrive.

Abu Dhabi has different rules which still require anyone entering to wear a tracking device while they are isolating for 10 days. A PCR test is required for residents of the UAE to cross the border also.