Week 1

Can hardly believe we have been here a week and still finding our feet!

Day one Rich was off to work so the girls and I figured out the important things, where the pools are and where to buy a decent coffee (we have no idea when our stuff will arrive here so no coffee machine!).  The girls seem pretty pleased with the pools, virtually empty.

The Patch Pool, 2 mins walk away.



Later that day out shopping to buy food only to find everything closed due to Ramadan, oh well chance to wear mt abaya. 

Day 2 guess what dragged to the pool again, it's a hard life but you really do need to cool off in these temperatures.  Ordered take away as still hadn't made a successful trip to the supermarket.

Day 3 is Wednesday, the end of the week and the chance for a drink.  Lovely to sit outside in the evening and enjoy a drink.

Day 4, Thursday (Saturday here) and off to the supermarket which will hopefully be open this time, success.  Although we were thrown out of Costa for Prayer Time - hopefully I will eventually get my head around Prayer Time and fitting in shopping.  Strange going into Costa and when you sit down it is all small family like cubicles which separate you from others.

The supermarket had many western products, obviously a bit pricier.  But overall plenty to choose from even found Dorset Cereals.  Both girls love the local flat bread which now seem to accompany every meal.

Day 5, lots of relaxing, swimming and starting to feel like we almost know which way is up.  We took the girls bowling for the first time, Maddy was desperate to have a go.  In the heat and wearing flip flops (or thongs for the Austrailans reading this, Paula) we didn't even think about socks to wear with the lovely bowling shoes so poor Rich had to nip home in the heat to find socks - will definitely remember next time.  It is also lovely that a couple of girls have introduced themselves to Isy knowing that she will be in their class.

Day 6, first day of the working week (Saturday over here) and our House Boy arrived.  A very pleasant man called Rizwan who has received the Maddy treatment most of the day, will he ever return?  After hearing her call "House Boy where are you?" on several occassions, we made her try really hard to remember his name.  Rich came home and commented on how sparkly clean the house was, clearly not used to living in a home like that!

Day 7, really getting into the swing of it.  Woke Isy and Maddy up at 7 so we could make it to the 7.30am cvircuits session in the gym, personally that is a bit early for me.  For anyone reading this who goes to Trevor's class be grateful, we started on a minute an exercise for the first circuit!  Anyway all felt much better for the exercise and the children were happy as I bribed them to come and watch with the promise of a Cinnabon (or should I say their favourite the Chocabon) straight after and coffee for me.

Big day for Isy and Maddy today, school assessments and meet the teacher.  I think everything went well, I just sat and waited in the school entrance.  Both seem very pleased with their teachers and cannot wait to start school on 10th Sep, always a good sign.

More pool time and the promise of some form of pool toy to be bought on the next supermarket visit