Hot Nights and Hotter Days

I couldn't think of another title on the fly, but given the weird and unusual google searches that somehow send people to my blog, I am a little concerned what sort of traffic will wind up at this post, disappointed.

We are now just over a week out from the official beginning of summer and it is hot, hot, hot!
Today marks the official beginning for me. When I walked out of the office and my sunglasses fogged over from the humidity for the first time this year - I knew summer was here. But hey, at least I am not pregnant this year!

Naz has entered the Dubai International Half Ironman in November. So ironically as the weather heats up his training schedule is ramping up also. The crazy man has started cycling at night, and as it gets hotter intends to get up and train between 3am and 5am.
Luckily there is an 85km cycling track out in the desert, not too far from home (pictured above on the morning after a sandstorm), but it's really far out into the desert so I am not that keen on his training plans. He has already stopped running outdoors and moved onto the treadmill, and there is probably 3 more weeks before the sea is too hot for swimming and he will be stuck doing laps in our pool. He is a crazy man I tell you, all of the above is his idea of fun.

Last weekend I joined a girls only stand up paddleboard group for a combined paddle and fitness class on the boards..... which I completely underestimated. I could barely walk the next day - there were muscles hurting I forgot existed. The class is out on the Palm, how freaking cool is that, to paddle around the Palm in Dubai - one day I am going to miss some really awesome things about living here.

Piper's school year is coming to a close, only 5 weeks left before summer holidays. She has bounced back from her operation and you wouldn't know it was less than a month ago. She is back to her usual crazy self - tonight our conversation in the car went a little like this:
"Mum I really, really want to go to school more days a week, I want to go to school on Thursdays too"
To which Naz and I proceeded to tell her 'no way' and explain that this was the last chance she got to hang out at home and have Daddy days, sleep in, go to the beach and just be a kid etc. We told her that in September when big girl school starts she has to go to school 5 days a week forever - until she is all grown-up.
Her response '"umm I only want to go to school on Thursdays because they have spaghetti for lunch".

Frankie is continuing to grow and entertain us. She finally nailed the rolling thing again after giving us the false start weeks ago and then stopping. She is sitting with a little help and is growing so strong - both physically and mentally. She is a fierce and determined little one. At 6 months old she is eating 3 meals a day and snacks in-between, she definitely inherited Naz's appetite. She almost eats more than Piper already!
The one thing Frankie doesn't like.... babies. Hates them. Screams her lungs out if she is put near them. Potentially a by product of spending a lot of time with her Dad and not out and about with other babies, but at least she will be able to name every NBA team and player by the time she is 1.

Then there is the story about the crazy Aussie in purple pineapple shorts who put out a substantial house fire before the fire brigade arrived and then promptly disappeared...... but I will keep that one for another day!

Now this is a desert storm!!

I tried to post a video on Instagram of the storm we experienced on Friday night (you can find my Instagram feed on the far right side of this blog if your not an Instagram user), but my video could not do the ferocity of this storm justice.

Fortunately, some crazy locals were in the right place, at the right time, and captured this amazing video. Be patient and keep watching as first the Burj Khalifa and then the whole city just disappears under the intensity of the storm.

This will amaze even you hardened storm going Melbournites and South Gippslanders!

Summer is upon us so this is probably the last rain for the year!

Ahoy there!

With all the change of welcoming a new family member and then a few medical issues since Frankie and I returned home from hospital, this weekend we decided to dedicate some time to Piper.

On Friday (jammed in between feeds and with Naz sitting outside just in case the boobs were needed) I took Piper for some girly fun and we both relaxed with a pedicure at our local salon.
Then today Naz organised the most elaborate and amazing treasure hunt for her. She is very much into pirates and treasure at the moment and got right into it.
Earlier Naz snuck out and with chalk marked out his crosses and skulls and buried treasure throughout our community - the park, the pool area and around the lake walk. This was all coordinated with a map and instructions he had prepared for her.
Her haul of treasure was a new set of glitter pens once she had located each individual pen!

Back pack organised and ready to go

Frankie slept as usual - and yes she is wearing a beanie in Dubai! Winter has arrived and we had a strangely cold and wet weekend

BBQ Season Begins!

Finally the weather is cooling down - by cooling down I mean today was the first day under 35 degrees in 6 months. 
It was still a very warm 34 but by 5pm it was cool enough to move outside, enjoy a gentle breeze and our first proper BBQ of the season in our new backyard. It was beautiful while it lasted but unfortunately by 7:30pm the humidity had rolled in the breeze departed, sending us back indoors.

Finally able to enjoy this beautiful space as a family

Not sure if it was the angle, the light or the silly trying not to laugh face , but I can see so much of Naz in this pic of Piper

Moving house and a sand storm

We moved house over the weekend, although we had removalists pack and relocate our furniture and goods it was still exhausting work.

The weather over the past week has been hot, hot, hot.... there is still no sign of winters arrival at all and this combined with a bored 4 year old, 7 and a 1/2 month pregnant me and stairs almost killed us.

But as you can see below, two kids quickly settled into their new surroundings. Who would of thought having grass would make us all so happy. Looking at our yard you would hardly believe we are now living out in the desert (my water bill will certainly reflect it next month though)

We are almost settled in and fully unpacked, with the exception of a nasty sand storm yesterday afternoon everything has gone well. I will write a blog post soon about our new community with some more pics of our new home.

Helping Dad build Ikea furniture



The sand storm hit from nowhere as Naz and I were driving home yesterday, thankfully Piper was at home with our nanny who had the good sense to get everybody indoors quickly.



Interesting drive home - this is just near the entrance to our community

This morning as we drove to school and work Piper commented 'did they just put the trees back up?',  we laughed before looking out the window and realising that in fact all 3 trees that had been blown over the previous afternoon were now standing back upright. I don't even know whether to laugh or cry at this stupidity, but given sand storms are predicted for the next two afternoons I will be staying well away from the roads and trees!
There are just some things that the words 'only in Dubai' describe all too perfectly.

Sandstorms, rain and the craziness of Dubai!

This weekend was like no other I have experienced in Dubai.

On Thursday local news reported sandstorm warnings for the weekend, not unusual for this time of year as the temperatures start climbing towards summer. The media was full of warnings to stay indoors and reminders of the effects on respiratory health.

Friday was pretty standard, lots of sand and dust in the air and the strange yellow haze that comes with it. But nothing extraordinary or alarming.

By Saturday morning however, the winds whipped up and heading outside the house was near impossible. Piper and I played indoors and cooked pancakes for lunch to pass the time, it was after cooking the pancakes I turned around and noticed just how bad the weather had turned.

View from our balcony early in the afternoon, on a clear day we can see the Burj Al Arab in the distance!

Taken from a friends apartment on Sheikh Zayed Road later in the afternoon (this was the only time we left the house, to briefly celebrate a birthday)

On the left is our usual view over Downtown and the Burj Khalifa from our living room. On the right is our view on Saturday afternoon.

That evening not long after putting Piper to bed the storm took a severe, turn. Although the windows and doors were all locked the wind was whistling through every crack and a layer of sand was settling on everything indoors. It was about this time out the corner of my eye I watched our large, balcony couch cushion base sail up into the air and over the balcony into the beyond. I then had to brave the winds and scramble to pull everything from the balconies inside (I had actually completed this the day before, and wrongly assumed I had removed anything that could fly away). On the upside I got a free sandblasted facial!

Everything not secured at the building site of the new mosque next door was bashing and crashing, visibility was non existent and cars on the road below were basically stopping and parking to wait out the storm.
Then the rain came, and with it all the drama when you combine water and Dubai (the once or twice a year that it actually happens).

Let's just say with Naz still in Australia I did not sleep a lot that night. The wind and rain eventually eased and so too the constant police sirens, honking horns and screeching car tyres navigating the wet roads around us.

I have to admit I was actually pretty freaked out on Saturday night, and I have been quite happy to read in the paper over the last few days that even hardened locals were concerned, while others have commented there hasn't been a storm like it in 20 years!

How was your weekend?

Heating up...

Well summer has arrived and boy has it arrived with a bang! A lot of locals and long-term expats have been commenting over the past month or so how long the winter has been and how lucky we were.

It has been absoultely beautiful the past month, mid to high 20's, occasional low 30 and nice cool evenings.... until last week.
The temperatures rose rapidly and summer looks like it has well and truly settled in for the next 6 months. The forecast for the next week is nothing but 36 and 37's with overnight lows of 26 - 27, I could cope if that was going to be the summer heat but it is pretty much the lowest temps we are going to see for a long time.

This change in weather is already posing a few problems:

•  Poor Lily can only be walked in the early morning or very late evening, I am sure she will get used to it but it has been nice taking her for lots of strolls when we visit friends or get a coffee
• How to keep Piper entertained indoors for the next 6 months..... now this is going to take some creativity
• My plants - If you know me well you will know that I am the world's worst green thumb, I have never once in my life managed to keep a plant healthy and alive (2 year olds I can do, plants no). On a whim 2 weeks ago I dragged the family to the plant markets in Satwa on the hunt for a Bougainvillea and a Frangipanin for our balcony. One to help create some privacy and the other because I love the flowers and they remind me of home and a close friend. So basically I have already forgotten to water them at least 5 days out of the last 10 days since they were purchased...... they are not going to survive in this heat with me as their Mum (sorry Mum, I know you are shaking your head at me as you look out the kitchen window at your beautiful garden)
• Netball - Ugh although summer netball is indoors, there is just no escaping the heat. Last night's game was a struggle and my body is feeling it today. I woke dehydrated and with a headache even after 4 bottles of water last night.

This list was off the top of my head and doesn't include all the summer 'fun' we have to look forward to like the beach water being warmer than a bath, yuk. Cold water out of the taps at home being so hot you have to switch off your hot water tank and run your hot water as your cold and your cold as your hot... true story!

Oh well enough weather bashing, only 1 week and 2 sleeps til we are off to Sri Lanka!!

Edit: I started this post yesterday and although the temp was forecast for 36 today.... it has just reached 43 degrees!

A timely reminder we live in Arabia....

This weekend we were pretty much house bound for the entire 2 days due to severe sand storms!
The wind whipped up on Thursday evening and by Friday morning it was horrendous.
I am still getting my head around the fact we are on the otherside of the world... when I read the weather report as strong southerly winds I expected a cold snap with freezing winds NOT nasty, dry, hot winds that bring sand storms!
It was so bad we had to get a taxi instead of the 5 minute walk to the mall for our groceries and that was the only time we left the house and Lily just completely refused to pee outside in the wind much to Naz's frustration!
The downside now is that we need rain to clean everything...... it has only rained once for 5 minutes since we moved here 5 months ago so that is not likely to happen!
I bravely wrapped a scarf around my head and ventured out to take some of the photo's below.

Looking out or window first thing in the morning.... the pool is still blue and not the sandpit it became later in the day

You can only just make out the buildings in the distance on the right

If you know this area at all you will realise all the buildings behind have completely disappeared

Weekend Camping Trip

Last weekend we embarked on a camping trip with friends. Originally we planned on heading to the Empty Quarter down near Saudi Arabia, however, on Friday we woke to one hell of a sand storm! So camping in the middle of the world's largest sand desert was certainly not going to be a good idea.
We revised our plan gathered up our passports and drove north accross the UAE to the northern most point of Oman and camped at a beach called Dibba. Thankfully Dibba is surrounded by mountains and cliff faces so we were quite sheltered, unfortunately a lot of people had the same plan so it was a busy little camping hole.
Dibba is small Omani town on a large bay, popular for it's beach and sand dune 4 wheel driving fun. As the crow flies it is only approximately 60 kms from Iran across the Strait of Hormuz (which goes somewhat to explaining the strange night sky activities, no heart attacks please Nanna's we were safe).

Naz and the boys had purchased a sand board in preparation for the Empty Quarter so they were more than happy to test it out at Dibba. We also kept ourselves amused with lots of swimming, sand castle building, beach cricket, mountain climbing (although the O'Briens only made it half way up the mountain..... it was difficult carrying Piper and then Lily decided she was going no further and dug her little paws in).
As much as Piper loved running around the beach and swimming nudie rudie for a weekend I think the happiest O'Brien of all was Lily! She swam, rolled in the sand and dug her little heart out.

Sunrise - 'thanks Piper for making sure we were awake early and did not miss it'

Piper, Lily and Laura

Mornng sand board and play in the dunes 'best friends'

Yes that is a streaker on the cricket pitch!

I think her favourite thing about camping was swimming and playing nudie rudie

Aargh still having camera issues. Mountain climbing.

What's been happening lately!

It has been awhile since I have written a blog post and update on what we are up to in general over in the land of sand so here it is..... sorry in advance it is rather long!

The weather has currently hit a ‘cold snap’ over the last week and it is expected to last another 3 days, but thankfully back to nice winter 26 – 28 by the weekend.
At the moment in Dubai we are getting lows of very low teens and 17 – 19 during the day, which may not seem cold to a lot of people but believe me we have most certainly acclimatised and our blood thinned and it is freezing outside. The winds have been strong and very chilly blowing in off the back of a nasty cold front in Iraq. Perhaps the only thing worse than the cold weather is the SAND!!! It is everywhere coating everything possible. I am sure it is not called hay fever but my sinuses and head sure feel like hay fever they are so clogged with sand and dust. We have had several days of sand storms and very low visibility... Yuk!

It is a big week in our house – Naz is competing in his first marathon on Friday! Yes you heard right, my crazy husband is running 42 kilometres on the weekend just for fun!!!!! It has always been a bit of a goal for Naz and given the Dubai marathon starts and finishes on our boulevard in Downtown he couldn’t resist. Stay tuned for an update and photos next week!

We are also in the middle of buying a car over the next fortnight – a task we have put off but really need to do. It is a bit of a nightmare but thankfully my colleagues have all been through it already and learnt the hard lessons. We are a bit excited, it will give us a lot more freedom and less stress caused by crazy taxi drivers!
So along with buying a car we also have to buy new camping gear. Desert road trips and camping are popular pastimes in the UAE with so many different areas to explore from mountains to beautiful beaches, deserts and some of the biggest sand dunes in the world!
We have our first camping/road trip planned in 2 weeks time with a group of friends to the Empty Quarter. The Empty Quarter is a unique desert area at the northern tip of the UAE bordered by UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen so it does belong to somebody..... they just haven’t bothered to draw lines in the sand or lay claim to it. It is only inhabited by nomad’s and even then only at certain times of the year. I don’t actually know what is there really other than some of the largest sand dunes in the country and of course camels!! Stay tuned for a post road trip update!

Overall life is treating us good and we are all healthy and happy! Ok so that might be a stretch for everyday but terrible 2’s end eventually don’t they?
Piper is growing at a rapid rate lately – I am looking forward to some toddler shopping in Melbourne, almost all her pants are halfway up her leg! I am starting to think she may not have inherited my height genes after all!

My work is going well and Naz will hopefully have some exciting news soon but in the meantime he has taken on an events management contract for the next month. I won’t name any brands on here but he is managing a 4 day launch for a new luxury car at the Yas Island Formula 1 track in Abu Dhabi next month. I should mention that other than the 4 days in Abu Dhabi and the occasional day down there he is doing this work from home so is still looking after Piper!! I know... I am a very very lucky wife!

Finally a big blog world hug and kiss to all of our friends and family who have popped out beautiful new bubba’s over the past month! We cannot wait to meet you all and Naz just wants all the baby photo’s to stop because you are all making me clucky for more xoxox

Day at the beach in the middle of winter

We are just past half way through winter and I really cannot complain about the weather!
The past few weeks the weather has been averaging mid 20's with the occasional colder 22.
Today is the coldest day so far and I have clearly acclimatised.... I almost stopped dead in my tracks when I left for work this morning to discover it was a chilly 14 outside, of course it didn't last and a nice sunny afternoon is blossoming ahead!!
This weekend the weather was a nice warm 28 so we hit Jumeira Beach Park for a few hours on Friday! The irony of living in Dubai is by Summer it's too hot to go to the beach!