Jule's Hikoi: Roaming

Not the phone kind, the person kind. After a lovely time in Abu Dhabi I got the call to go to my old home, Al Ain. I suspect the team placing us heard me going on about being there and stepped up for me. It was lovely to spend the weekend enjoying my old haunts, wandering around the malls getting the grandkids gifts, wandering through the oasis to my old neighborhood. Exploring Al Jahili Fort and enjoying the Thessinger photographs of the desert and the area in much earlier times. He's a bit of a hero to me, an intrepid adventurer who lived amongst the people while he explored. Not colonised, explored and took the best photos of the landscapes and the people. Of course cocktails by the pool at the Rotana followed, remembering the Thursday after school gathering at Trader Vics and weekends at the gym then pool.

The work is so much easier this round. I know what's expected and what I'm meant to do so that means a little more down time and brain space. It was too cold to swim but not too cold to enjoy relaxing with a book and a drink by the pool in the warm sun. So much better than those grey UK days poor Jules was not enjoying. The oasis has had some development and despite this still was the peaceful shady wander where I centered myself. The palace was shut for renovations so I didn't get inside. I did get a juice from my old local juice shop then stood outside the build which was my home for a couple of years. although I'd walked around in a circle, it was a rather large circle and a taxi back to the hotel seemed like a sensible idea. The week passed quickly with long work days, a writing day then back to Abu Dhabi. We'd been moved to a new hotel, well not new exactly. In a different neighborhood with some cheap local food restaurants and not much else.

The house in France is moving along, well except for the call that the roof was rotten and needed replacing. Sort of expected although we were assured by two surveys and the seller that it was okay and had any leaks repaired. Not so, the pile of wet and rotten wood after some heavy rain was proof of that. Our builder is amazing. She has an eye for detail and where others may have just covered the problem, she investigated. Upshot is we'll have a new roof for her to insulate and line and add the wiring, meaning more headroom and a stable foundation for all the other work. Plus it will be the only time we need to worry about the roof, hopefully! There's a clause in sale contracts about hidden defects in newly purchased homes so I'm looking into what that means. It would be nice to have help paying for the extra work, we'll see. I'm not the sort to chase things like that, and my UAE work covers some of it, the money set aside for a new kitchen. I can't wait to go there and see the progress, for the roof to be done and the inside building rather than demolition work started.

So five weeks of work in Abu Dhabi in the UK winter and NZ/Australia summer meant a trip down under seemed like a great idea. I usually go in school holidays but this time the school kids had all gone back and summer hols were over. Oh well, I still got some lovely time with the Newcastle crew and then on to Christchurch where I now am having a much needed rest day. Noah is off on camp, Tim and Sarah are at work and Otis, the now old dog, is sleeping. Next stop is Brisbane and the girls there, and their dogs and cats, and friends on the Gold Coast.

My life is blessed with the very best friends. Friends I've met while working away, friends I've known for ages. Like Jane, Annie and Rose all of whom I enjoyed time with this trip. Jane has a Japanese student staying so we all went on an adventure, stopping at the Lyttleton market for lunch, then on to Sumner for ice creams, and a sneaky wine, then to the Brighton Pier. There was a baby spotted shag in distress on the pier so after consulting with a vet, we wrapped in a coat, found a box and took it to the bird hospital at Willowbank Wildlife Park. Just what you do here! Apparently the recent wet and windy weather has been hard on the bird population especially the young ones like this one. I hope he lives and gets to fly another day.

Annie, Grant and I enjoyed breakfast at Mona Vale and a wander in the gardens. Repaired after the major earthquake 15 years ago on the same day. Old friends I've know for ages and ages, ones where we pick up where we left off no matter how long it's been. Last evening Rose and I caught up at the local for a wine. Rose and Matt came to stay with us over the summer so it was lovely to hear all her news, and that she's studying. It's stupidly early start tomorrow morning for a long journey back to Aus via somewhere else as direct flights are not that easy to get for some reason. Plus the trans Tasman route has become very expensive.

It seems like ages since I left the UK and I'm almost ready to head home, to stop living out of a suitcase and sleep in my own bed. First it's fun times with those lovely granddaughters and their mum and dad, plus bonus times with my GC friends. I have to make the most of the these down under trips as it's a long way to go, even with the break in Abu Dhabi, and quite expensive. I miss my family so want to make the most of every moment with them. The longer term plan is to spend two or three months in the part of the world each year. Probably a few years away yet.