Travel

I live in Arabia – well in what is identified as the Arabian Peninsula anyway. It is a huge stretch of desert and at time that sand blows so hard that you cannot see two feet in front of you. The summer heats scorch the ground making it too hot to walk on, and the air is heavy and thick. It seems mysterious at times. It seems even mystical and magical. But it is home. Our daughter was born here. She knows what a date tree is, and she asks for camel milk. She knows what an Abaya and Dishdasha are, and…

We are fortunate in so many ways. First and foremost we have each other. Yup – it sounds pathetic and corny, but given what is happening in the world these days I need to say it. But that is not really my point here. We are fortunate because we both love to travel and are able to do so. In the early days I remember looking at my bank account before a trip thinking “Oh shit – this is not going to be fun.” But I did it. I traveled. I didn’t really care about the latest pair of shoes…

Ramadan is coming to an end, which means that the Eid holiday is near.  There is an excitement in the air as people begin to discuss their plans for the end of Ramadan. The days are longer and hotter and the humidity is starting to grow. The air is heavy and sticky, and all of these elements combined make it the ideal time to take a break, a vacation, a holiday from the sand, the desert, and the dust. A holiday from the sweltering heat. WE. NEED. A. BREAK. Before moving to the UAE, I never really went on vacation like…

I still struggle with the word “home”. Perhaps it is because I am an ex-pat or maybe this would happen if I moved anywhere else other than where I consider my home base to be, but the word “home” can mean a lot of different things to different people. When we first moved to Abu Dhabi five years ago I was leaving what I knew to be my home. I was leaving pretty much everything behind, and it was very clear to me where my home was and where it was not. It was most certainly not on the other…