Cultural differences!

I didn't forget you while I was away on holidays last month, in fact I prepared a blog in my head, I just forgot all about it!

On the first day, Boo, like any normal, curious 3 year old would, ended up with a couple of showers, when she went to the bathroom.

This is the reason why...



All female toilets in the UAE (and Arabic countries) have the requisite bottom-washer shower sprayer as a minimum. All abodes have a bidet (try explaining that to a three year old).

At some hotels they have the automated version including the attached control panel to choose on-toilet bottom-washing, temperature for said, on-toilet bottom washing, toilet seat temperature, and air drying (of course with a choice of cool, warm, and hot)???

You think all that for public toilets is a treat...

Attached above the hand basins in The Mall of the Emirates in Dubai, is



Yes, it's deodorant (don't worry its the full CFC variety for hygiene reasons). Each female public toilet contained them (my daughter likes to check out all the bathrooms), and each one had a couple of different scent varieties.

Remember this is a country where the temperatures in summer hover around 50 degrees Celsius with about a 90% humidity, and let me tell you there are a lot of people needing this deodorant (though why they would use it in a shopping mall when they don't use it at home is beyond me)!

Our Holiday As Told by Miss 3

The inspiration for this post, comes from Boo leafing through a magazine on the weekend, and proclaiming excitedly "Look mum, Strawberry Margaritas." I later heard her in the play room serving said Strawberry Margaritas to her dolls and teddies!

For the record, I had ONE when we went out for tapas at the beginning of our trip. They have not been spoken about since.

The fact that their brains are huge sponges at this age just keeps astounding me.
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On arrival to our hotel around 3am

Boo - I need a bath
Me - You can have a bath in the morning
Boo - But I always have to have a bath before bed
Touche! The bath was had
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On going across the street to the supermarket on our first morning in Dubai, we see a man dressed in a dish dash (UAE national dress)

Boo (squealing excitedly) - Look mum, its a 'camel man!' Where do you think he parked his camel?

Technically, I guess she is correct with the 'camel man' terminology since its a camel tie that keeps the cloth on their heads and traditionally they did keep camels!
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On shisha

Shisha is only for big grown ups, not little girls, because there is fire on the top!
(Not to mention the smoking and tobacco aspect)
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On driving in the UAE

Why is the steering wheel on the wrong side?

Why do you keep putting the window swishers on?
(Because its where my indicators are at home)
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On saying farewell to the bride and groom

Mum, I've run out of kisses and cuddles for Roxy. Can I borrow some of yours!
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On the traditional dress (black shayla and abeya) of Arabian Gulf women

Mum, can you buy me a black cloak and scarf?
Actually, can I get a pink cloak instead?
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On the flight home

Boo - Mum, can you please make that little boy be quiet and go to sleep, he's keeping me awake. He's a bit naughty making all that noise on the plane, isn't he? I'm very good, aren't I?
Me - Yes, you have been very good all holiday, and I am very proud of you
Boo - At Brunei, can I have some Tinkerbell perfume, and I will be proud of you too!!!

The Wedding and Other Stuff

Roxy and Rob's Wedding was fabulous! The driver from the hospital where I used to work picked us up to take us to the church for the lovely (short) ceremony, and then on to the Hilton for the reception. It was a great chance to catch up with all my old work buddies.

The ceremony happened to finish right before the imam in the mosque next door started wailing the afternoon prayer call.


The reception was around the pool, and surprisingly the under 6 guests all stayed away (and so did those wearing kilts)!


There was a shisha tent for chilling out.


Actually its where the children eventually slept


Boo fell asleep on my girlfriend's ample bosom around 1.00am after a night of dancing, and was very impressed when the DJ played her requests, The Chicken dance and Brown Eyed Girl. And very excited at midnight when everyone sang Happy Birthday to her.

Not sure what time we finished up, but there was a handful of us sharing mint shisha, and reminiscing with the bride and groom.

Day 5
Boo became a big grown up 3 year old.


She thought the champagne brunch was her birthday party. The cake cost at the hotel cost me almost as much as if she'd had a party at home - and they couldn't even spell her name correctly!


This was followed by a trip to the Marina Mall, where we were surprised when the lights went out, and a thunderstorm began, and it began to rain! Yes all of this inside the Mall and man made! Why??? Because its the UAE, and they can! Then out come the cleaners with mops and the Caution: Wet Floor signs...

Followed up by shisha for the grown ups, and ice cream for the little one!


Day 6
Boo and I went on a camel hunt. One of Boo's requests was to ride a camel in the desert. Well, I suspected I knew where to find one in a big city.


The man did say she could sit on it, but she wouldn't go very close to it in case it spat at her!!! She was just happy to see one in the desert!!!

We took some photos.



Met some friends at the Abu Dhabi Mall for coffee as they were flying back to Wales that evening, and that made for a teary farewell. Boo had bonded so well with them both, and they had been absolutely fantastic with her.

This was followed up by an all you can eat and drink dinner with the Scottish contingent, where maybe I had a little more than my "all you can drink" share!

Day 7
We farewelled Roxy and Rob on their honeymoon to Bali, and of course there was more tears flowing, before a day at The Club with the water babies. At The Club, I managed to catch up with another couple of friends, albeit briefly but glad I had the chance to see them.

That night Boo and I went to my favourite Abu Dhabi pub, The Captain's Arms to meet up with another couple of friends, and we had a pleasant evening in the beer garden.

Day 8
Boo and I said our farewells to Chloe and her parents, and to Abu Dhabi, and drove to Dubai where we met another couple of friends at the Ibn Battuta Mall for an early lunch, before heading back to The Mall of the Emirates for coffee with yet another friend, on her lunch break.

I offered Boo the opportunity to play in the snow park at Ski Dubai, but instead she chose to have a play back at Magic Planet.

We then went to Annah's for a Vegemite Sandwich (does that sound like Day 2)??? We managed to see Grant very briefly before we headed off to the airport around 7pm, homeward bound.

NB Excuse the quality of the photos. I used RAW for the first time and they all seem to be blurring when I convert them!

The Holiday - Day 1 to 4

Finally, I find a spare moment! Boo is having sleeping issues, not sure if its related to the 5 hour time difference or the fact that she was out so late every night we were away.
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Day 1
Was spent flying, and in transit for 4 hours at the very exciting Brunei airport. Thankfully I had the foresight to pack some snacks, and Boo's craft activities as there really was nothing to do at all. Boo ran around the quiet airport for about an hour before our plane departed and then found a TV with Hi-Five, before we started the next leg of our journey.

Day 2
We arrived in Dubai and were in our rental vehicle by 2.30am local time. We had left our house 23 hours before. Despite requesting a car seat, Budget had none!

Boo was tired and the guy just kept trying to talk to her through the window, which wasn't making matters any better. He then suggested I sit her in the front seat. I am sure the look on my face was priceless, when I calmly replied that children don't sit in the front seat for safety reasons. There is also a law in the UAE about children in the front seat but no law about restraints or seat belts for them. You often see children climbing all over the back seat! He also asked why I didn't travel with anyone else to help with the baby!!!

After some much needed sleep, we negotiated the dreadful Dubai traffic. Anything goes, rules wise in the Emirates, and its even worse when you are trying to remember how to drive on the right hand side of the road.

My girl friend Annah phoned while I was negotiating roadworks on a four-laned roundabout, to say she wasn't free until after 12pm. So Boo and I stopped at the Mall of the Emirates to pick up a booster seat (it was cheaper anyway than what Budget would charge to hire one - if they had any of course).

The Mall also gave us the opportunity to check out Ski Dubai



And Magic Planet


Before heading to Annah's for a Vegemite sandwich (her husband's an Aussie) and meeting her gorgeous daughter for the first time



We drove over to Abu Dhabi in the afternoon, and spent the early evening with Roxy (the bride) before heading off to her mother-in-laws for dinner and drinks. Boo was so excited about going to a party, and having her hair swooshed up like Roxy's (Roxy is such a girlie-girl so Boo thought she was fantastic straight away)!

Boo fell asleep in the taxi, slept through the party and of course woke up as we were getting in the taxi to go home!

Day 3
Boo met her new friend for the week, Chloe. And as for 18 month old Chloe, well she became Boo's little shadow. We stayed in one of the doctor's flats, with Chloe and her parents who were out from Northern Ireland.

We all spent the day at The Club, with two little water babies.



After the two little water babies had napped, they went on a girls night for tapas followed by shisha (or hubbly bubbly or hookah). Well okay two little girls played by the sea looking for fairies with two very clucky (maternal) friends of mine, and I enjoyed a little rest with my strawberry shisha!

Day 4
The day of the wedding, and Boo headed out in the morning for her first mademoiselle manicure and pedicure. While the four ladies she was with had their manicures. One of Boo's trip highlights!

The wedding was fantastic, but I will do a separate post!

But here's a photo of us