Back to the big wet

Since we missed out July altogether we havent had the enormous wet and windy period that JAFFAs and NZers in general have had to put up with. it seems that the weather pattern started as soon as we boarded the plane on July 4 and I can tell you that we've had rain everty day since we've been back.

but despite the wetness that we've had, Winter is turning into Spring and we've had lovely walks in the Botanical Gardens Viz:The Tui Tree, only 10 in it today

Then wandering lonely as a cloud in the daffodils

Looking good eh. the sun is getting through now and again, certainly long enough to make our excursions really pleasant. Distant thunder tonight though which caused the washing to come in in prompt fashion accompanied by the furious stacking of outdoor chairs.

Meanwhile the pruning in my garden's running late but finally done but the lawnmowing is no where near happening. I suspect my lawns would look likew a ploughed field if I so much a stood in parts of them.

After our UK trip we thought it would be easy to simply usew our airpoints gained from Emirates for the upcoming Sydney trip. Well no. I think it took 2 hours for us to stuff around and book flights and that was finally with real money!! Emirates for a number of reasons are not our favourites right now. I'll be interested to see how my string of complaints to them turns out.

Anyway looking forward and not back, Matarangi is looking good for next weekend and Sydney is looming over next month's horizon, so we're certainly looking forward to that. especially the proposed canberra adventure.

I see Ben's had his birthday according to Houghton Heights, but unfortunately caught the family out of the house when I rang earlier. I guess they were all having their walk to the blue penguin for ice creams or possibly the monster teacakes!

And lastly, Dubai

The first thing we noted was the sky, dust:

The second thing development everywhere:

We landed but the way out wasn't as bad as we expected, we were met by a representative who took us to Le Meridien. Unfortunately the wrong one:

The good part was that it was 20 mins away from where ours was and we got a great city tour for nothing. The views were relentless, 20 mins of hotels:

and more:

Even a Las Vegassey one:

Even the highest building (office block) in the world (when its finished) 750m?:

finally we got to our Meridien, (one of 7, I think) Meridien Dubai

and finally our room:

Two pools there was a lap pool which we started off in but found the water was too warm for laps, so we went to the other one with the bar in it. pen is seated with her Stella at the bar:

later on we had dinner at the hotel and our best ice cream ever:

the following day we trolled off to the city centre mall, I'm sure it was within easy walking distance but bcause everything goes by car it took ages through the serpentine highways. needless to say it had attractions, here;'s Ella's dream:

actually we not only did the shoppy thing but also went to the supermarket for a takeaway dinner for later

that evening after our regulation swims we were off to where? Unwisely I chose the gold Souk thinking it would be a great shopping complex. Well it was:

Trouble was that every single shop was selling gold in some form or another:

there were some places where the guys hung out:

but that was at the seedy edges of an area about the size of old Papatoetoe.

The trouble was that although we were close to the places of rather more variety we couldn't tell exactly where to go. We decided to take a taxi back. that was an adventure, battling all sorts of nationalities and the parking cops to get hold of the infrequent taxis who would be attacked by the cops or their fares before reaching the kerb.

we made it back though.

I reckon we had a great goodnight swim, the same lifeguard was tending us the towels as had been on duty that morning and finally turned in.

Next morning after the usual fabulous buffet breakfast we were off to the airport for home. there must have been a real problem for Gulf Circle tours who did the transfers because this time we had nobody turned up. we had the Meridien transport instead, but if we'd known we could have eaten less hastily.

then it was all go into the Crappy Emirates Airbus again for home. and here we are!! in that wet and wild place, NZ.

So that as they say, for our simply wonderful holiday that we thank you all for making us so welcome all across the globe:

Muscat re-visited

Well I thought about editing the previous blogs with pictures. then I thought I'd simply go over it again, much more fun.

In Lee we took last looks at the view across the Solent to the Isle of Wight, but now it had become dull again:

Needless to say Nicola had taken the facepainting thing from our trip out and had launched into it big time:

It wasn't long though before we were on the road to Gatwick. After a huge coffee and browse time we said our goodbyes for now and off we went:

Soon we had the awful flight change at Dubai overloaded airport where everyone sleeops on the floor and on to a quick hour's flight to Oman where we could see for the first time for me, an Arab nation:

After a lightning trip in Linda's Toyota Landcruiser, we were home.

It wasn't long however before we were out and about taking in the views. we went to a Jebel overlooking the "compound " where all the Oman Petroleum people hang out for leisure:

A sort of integrated beach, pool, eating place and fitness centre. Obviously it was well accommodated and they had security to stop all the hoi polloy from coming in. every day we would trot down with Linda to sign us in as guests.

Anyway there was a lot to see so the next day we went to the local shopping centre. It had a tiny mall:

but picturesque I thought. We bought a green glass candle holder thingy. looks ever so good on our sideboard.

Then it was lunchtime, We went to an excellent cafe place, probably not the right name and had a great eastern style buffet lunch for about $NZ 5 each!

of course we did a lot more sightseeing and headed off later to the Souk. We went through the 'burbs:

We saw castles:

and the Sultan's palace (from the outside)

Finally we arrived a the maze of little streeets that made up the Souk. some were really narrow:

But a number were quite spacious:There were a lot of things to look at:

the next morning we had brekkies at the compound:

then we got rigged up for going to the mosque:

We saw it was huge:

It had lovely collonated passages along the side with inset mosaics, starting at one end in the oldest tradition and tribal stuff (recent?) at the other end:

finally we got to the hugely elaborate prayer hall. Stuffing around earlier had made us late for some reason so we fond it was actually closed when we got there. quick talking by David and Linda got us all a 10 min visit inside:

Then it was back to doing what we're best at- Relaxing at the pool or at the beach.

That evening we had a barbie on the shore:

The next day we were off camping. we went through town there were elaborate buildings everywhere, this is a roundabout!

finally we were out of town. They say this is a geologist's heaven. the brown bit on the top of the hills over there is part of the earth's mantle usually 60km down in the earth:

we passed villages:

then we really got into the hills:

there was very little obvious wildlife around. even the donkeys were a rarity:

We were soon at 2800m and you wouldnt have known it except slightly cooler. the countryside was rugged:
While we pitched camp, (more getting picnic chairs and cooker out) the girls found the female numbers of a family under the next tree:

After chatting and getting mint tea they returned with pomegranates, mine was lovely:

after a geological tour, finally we had tea:

with the aid of a campfire:

we laid down under the stars on our camp beds (Penny and me that is). We were up at donkeyrise, we could hear them in the early morning:

then we breakfasted:

after striking camp we motored off again this time to Diana's view:

This is a mini Grand Canyon:

We took a walk here among terraced gardens:

tortuous tracks:

Through old villages:

Finally back to our start:

we drove home, again through all sorts of quaint villages and of course while David rushed off to prepare for work tomorrow, we did what we do best, Laze:

This by the way is the house David and Linda are about to move into:

Next morning bright and early we were at the airport again and off to Dubai:

Now we travel from a rock desert to a sand one