my uae debate

It's been on everyone's 'to go' list in London for the past few years.

Instead of escaping to Egypt this year, it's about trying to combine business/travel holiday to the UAE. The recent recession has put a damper on claiming it as a business trip, but there are more than a few in the city that have not been affected and therefore could still do the combined trip.

A few friends have mentioned they are tempted to pick up and move out there for a year or two because of the money and proximity to travel India and more of the middle east...which means a free place to stay in a very expensive city...

I'm tempted to go there to see the crazy excess (and wadi world) similar to the reasons why we turn our heads for a car wreck and make several journeys to Vegas. However should I support the soulless nature of these cities, the lack of environmental concern (though recently Dubai water taxis went eco-friendly)? Also the idea of travelling only because it does have the crazy excess seems strange…… I normally travel for the history.

And there's just still so much to see on this continent...

Image via - Istockphoto.com

iconic London lit up

It was no surprise that London decided to go all out for Christmas. Despite being multi-cultural, it's a very traditional city with a large focus on materialism. To be honest, it's worth all the christmas jingles and ads as a decked out London is stunning.
Images lights leading up to the London eye and Carnaby Street at night (not mine!).

Venice is sinking and of course I want to swim

this is not another tragically hip song randomly foreshadowing the sinking of a city. Venice has had massive floods over the past two weeks resulting in a high alert for anyone travelling to the area and some very amusing shots of locals have breakfast in wellies, raincoats and their cappuccino. I guess I'll have to go sooner rather than later before it becomes a 21st century version of Atlantis (shot of HSBC print ad of water metropolis). (HSBC effective print ad to India to raise the profile of its eco-charity)

Images via venice, hsbc print ad

Back with a vengeance.

Back and with a purpose to the blog. For too long I've been blasé about the style and topics of my blog. For now - I'm going to be rather travel and London centric (with a bit of euro design, euro trash, and British fabulousness thrown in). Also for too long, I've just not been blogging. A lot has happened in the past month and a bit in my life... and no word of lie - it was just too crazy to sit and write. So suddenly not blogging for a few days became a few weeks and now it's almost Christmas and I've been as silent as a mouse.

But to give myself some excuses and a bit of a break - changes in my life included:

• having L2's sister and husband visit and me so cheerily giving them my stomach flu. I know, I'm a great girlfriend but I did make up for it and L2 and Kaili know how!


• tonsillitis (almost three weeks of fever, chill and bone splitting headaches) and penicillin for the first time. I could do without both ever again.


• The job. Not to be discussed but things changed. And for the excited better.


• Visit to Cambridge (which really isn't an excuse...)


• Trip to Copenhagen (which will be subsequent posts)


• Christmas shopping before 10 December (which really meant 4 December as L2 and I were away for the weekend and needed to buy boxes, gift wrap, etc) as airmail last posting date to Canada really shortens your shopping time.


• Trying to book ski holidays - it's surprising how that did take a lot of time. Which got quickly destroyed due to job…..Also I was starting to organise our big trip next spring... Morocco! So all selfish but good for more topics.


• Lost 7 pounds (but not in that healthy way - blaming the tonsilitis and stomach flu) but still hoping to keep it off as I'm about to have the family photograph. The last one taken was in 1986/87 and my cute button nose was the only thing I needed to look good then....


• plan the trip home - booking hotels, ferries, buses and well getting family members to give concrete times a month and a bit in advance was a bit strenuous. Well only one person was strenuous....


• consider volunteering for something that made me feel good - Crohn's society in UK. I have it, I'm in remission, I could help and understand the daily traumas and frustrations of living with the disease. Something that is always good in a volunteer.


• Christmas season. It's crazy here and that means something every night and not a lot of sleep to go on….

So perhaps nothing that crazy – just life, but still blogging just kept dropping off the list… I'll be better though, and I'm blogging over the holidays!