Some Say it's Warm

Hi All,

Monday 3p

Some say it's warm , I say it's HOT - 106 F today - and it's only going to get hotter. Add to the heat, the humidity here. Being on the ocean , we have high humidity which just makes things even worse. I was asking a sales rep here - who just so happens to have gone to school in Albany NY which he preferred, the hot or the cold - he immediately answered the cold - as you can always put something else on to get warm , but when you get down to your skin, there is nothing else to take off and you are still hot !

Alex - our son at the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, USA ( chuckle Christine) received his class ring and has sent me the attached picture. We are certainly proud of him.

Well saw the same villas and townhouses I saw on Saturday so nothing to report. I think I'll continue looking - as my first priority needs to be a car. Trying to get to the DMV is the problem. Guess What , they close between 1 - 4:30 - then open back up til 7p. - I don't know why. They just do. Also need to get my Emirates ID card. that's about 400 AED. The drivers lic. is about 300 AED - If you haven't figured it out, although there is no tax here, there are these "hidden" taxes - everyone has their hand out for a fee along the way.

Well until I get home to post some other pics, that's all I have.

Take Care

Love to all.

Scott

Visa and Visa

Hi All,

Thursday 7:30 p - the weekend has arrived.

Well good news - the residence visa is in hand. Was promised on Sunday - well the guy in HR takes the day off. I hit him up on Monday - Nope - tomorrow - by 3 is the promise - Tuesday - 2p - email sorry no visa - tomorrow - Wednesday for sure - No there was a problem went to collect the visa - they said there was a fine - what? - return it tomorrow -Thursday - I call - he's not in today - I'm screwed So Igo over to check out on the tickets for Christine and I'm all set to complain to his boss - and he's there! Told him I thought he called in today and he just came in late - Common for a local. BUT just at that moment in walks my visa ! Yippee. we make copies , I go down to see the ticket agent in the hospital and lo and behold - I got my first run through to choose from. Then the HR guy catches me again to start the paperwork on Christine's Visa - What am I dreaming? actual progress -Huh- will wonders never cease. I need to provide ( which I have ) our marriage certificate - yes - Must prove we are married - no living in sin here. Oh the good news doesn't stop - then he hands me my income letter for my drivers license- Yes to get a drivers licence , you must have - Passport, residence visa, passport photo, your drivers licence translated into Arabic and a letter from your employer stating your employment and your income plus 100 AED ( $27) Well at least I have everything and I'm good to go. But of course they are closed on the weekends

The other Visa -

Christine got a call yesterday and she and I just so happened to be on line with each other. Apparently someone got my visa card number and charged $1.50 through the New York Times - but then "bought" $865 worth of sewing materials - all from someplace in the Netherlands - Well I haven't been there for over 25 years and Christine hasn't been there either so we canceled the card and now I need to get a new one. Visa will send me mine via FedEx - well if you recall - there are no street addresses here - only PO box numbers and FedEx doesn't like PO boxes- So FedEx will have to deliver to the hospital then call me - and bring it to me there. I'm still trying to figure out how in the world the UAE can be so modern but have such a piss poor postal system.

Looked at one flat - brand new -on Tuesday after work - 250,000 AED per year ( about $70K). I didn't like the place at all. Then the guy offers to pay me a kickback of 20,000 AED ( $5400) if I took the place - remember the hospital is paying for my place and it's easy money for him - well now I'm really leery - too much to lose for such a stupid reason and plus it's just plain wrong so I ran away and didn't look back. ( I'm cheap but not that cheap -now if the offer would have been....)

I ate at a Paki restaurant on Tuesday after running away from the crooked landlord and had mutton ( Jerry Seinfeld would have been proud) It was fantastic, spicy and with freshly made flat bread, a small salad and a Pepsi couldn't be beat - and all for 15 AED ($4) BUT all was eaten WITHOUT a utensil or napkin in sight - they have a sink by the front door to wash up prior and after the meal - all eaten with the hands - even the salad.

Well that's about it - I'll be out and about tomorrow with my camera so more pics are in store. Take care my family and friends

Love You

Scott

Air Race Prelim photos

My "home" Al Manzel Hotel -the pool is up at the top where the horizontal slots are.

Ah the beach is GREAT

The 2nd largest flag pole in the world Was #1 until Jordan built a bigger one. This one is 123 meters or 403'

Pic of Pilot on the big video screen

And there he is making a crazy turn.

Enjoy

Good News and Good Times

Hi All,
Friday 8:30p
Wow what a week. It's budget season at the hospital so lots of work to figure out what I need for 2010 - Yes budgeting already - system is so archane that it takes 8 months to get a budget submitted and approved by the Health Authority.
Well the good news is that all my paperwork has finally come together and I have submitted my passport and visitor visa to the Immigration Authority and will have a residence visa sometine next week. YEAH - now I can get my insurance card buy a car rent a villa or flat - it's the keys to the kingdom - literally
Well I got home last night and came in , changed and went out to find a barber shop for my first haircut here in the UAE, Well someone told me of the one across the street. It's a 3 chair place and the Indian barber took me straight away. After telling him how I wanted it, he started what was at least a 1/2 hr. in the chair -with the last 5 -10 minutes getting a head massage - Oh My how relaxing -and all for about $8.20 US.
After my haircut I took a walk - it was a lovely evening and found the FedEx storefront I was looking for and inquired how much it would cost to send something to Corydon. So for a box up to 10 kilos (22 lbs) it would cost 650 AED or $177 US - Well my idea to send some dates and bakalava back home came to a screeching end. Figured I could buy lots of that back home and still be cheaper than the shipping costs.
Well today after breakfast I went to the pool and hung out there for about 2 hours. I got my iPod working and was grooving to the tunes and the excellent sun. We had a semi dust storm so the sun was partially obscured and made being out much more comfortable I know - sound weird .
Well came down to the room, got cleaned up and decided to take in the Red Bull Air Races today ( prelims) and as you can see I got some great photos. Took the bus there and back. Well I know you have all seen the photos of people hanging from the roof of busses in India - well if they allowed that here , it would be exactly what it was like - I couldn't believe the number of people on this bus ! Nut to Butt - and me the only white face in brown man crowd. In fact the girl at the front desk of the hotel looked at me as if I was crazy when I asked her what the bus number was that I need to take - " Your taking the bus ? ! The look on her face was priceless - and now I know why!
Well the Prelims were really neat and I may go back tomorrow to see the finals. Crowds were not huge as I suspect they will be tomorow. Well - Enjoy and love hearing from you .
All my Love
Scott

Medical and Housing

Hi All , Wed. 4:30p here - good morning to you.
Well today I went to the Employee health office and just as I had thought , the xrays had gone back to the department but no one read them so no report . However Employee Health wrote me a note, I hand carried the xrays up to them, got a doctor to read them and to write a report. The report then went back to the typist. I reported this all to the Employee Health doctor who then sent a porter to pick up the report who then included it in my file who then forwarded it to the Medical Director where it now awaits his signature and stamp - BUT I understand he's pretty timely and they should get my file in HR tomorrow and then call me to deliver my passport and visitor visa so it can be sent to the Authority to be stamped as a residence visa. ( again with the stamps) So hopefully in a week, I'll be a resident of Abu Dhabi - UAE.
Now about Housing- I've been asked what that's like so I'll just include it here so all can read.
I currently live in downtown Abu Dhabi in the Tourist Area ( I have no idea why it's called that ) It's about 1k from the beach and the neighborhood is filled with 20 story apartment buildings. Al Manzel Hotel Apartments are new - I think 2005 and I'm in a 1 bedroom efficiency apartment. The kitchen is small with 3 electric burners - no oven or microwave - I do have a refrig/freezer. there is a shower w/ sink and toilet off the kitchen - I never use it and the bedroom has naturally a full bath and a bidet. _ I've tried it a few times and it's an odd sensation and concept to us USA people. The apartment has a small dining /living room area with a table and 4 chairs, then a sofa, love seat and a separate cushion seat also a coffee table. I have lots of storage space for clothes and both the living room and bedroom has a flat screen TV . TV sucks here - maybe about 15 English stations - but they are a mixed bag of bad, worse and most worse. The bed is a king size and is comfortable. I'm on the 12th floor. The roof floor has a pool - small splash pool 6' to 3' in depth a sauna, a jacuzzi ( small) and a gym with weights bike. treadmill etc. . I get breakfast everyday in the dining area included in the meal - eggs made to order, breads, lots of fresh fruit, cheeses of all sorts, yogurt, juices olives cereals , beef and veal bacon's, - I don't go hungry. I eat at work and usually rice w/ some type of meat - usually lamb and I eat it with Arabic bread. For dinner , I've cooked quite a bit of meals but with out a stove , I'm limited on my menus. So there you have it. Hope that answers some of your questions. BTW - do not send snail mail - I'll never get it. Christine has sent 2 cards so far and they haven't arrived. Email will do just fine.
Love to all
Scott

Orientation, Medical and Rules

The Ruler of Abu Dhabi - Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Note the construction in the background.

The Emirates Palace hotel - HUGE Upscale and will visit when Christine gets here.

This was taken when I went to the beach and swam - these guys have Arabic music playing on a boom box and they are dancing. The tower in the background is part of the Marina Mall - so are theose other tent like structures near it - all part of the complex - and they are still adding on

Hi All Tuesday 8p here

Well since I posted last , I've discovered that there is nothing wrong with me , I had a 2 day orientation program and went to SEHA to hear more rules on how to order supplies. Let me digress. The medical - well last week I had my physical and they had a question about the chest xray. So I got another xray and all is fine - well now they are having a time trying to get the radiologist report that I am fine - then Hmm where is that medical chart Hmm of we'll look tomorrow so as of today - still no official clearence and no getting the residence visa - yet it will come.

The orientation program is something that all hospitals give and I've been to my fair share - well here was no different - but OMG at least 50% had no relevance to me at all and 20% was only partially relevant - On day one afternoon a group of Indian Nurses said they watched me fall asleep my head bobbing then jerking up - not completely out but wish I had been. Then every 15 min break we'd get, I 'd run back to my office do 10 min. worth of work then come back for more torture.

Today I and a few others went to SEHA - like the governing body of the hospitals in the UAE and we talked about contracts, the difficulties of dealing with the long lead times - 60 - 90 days on supplies and our apparent difficulty at Mafraq on using contracted suppliers. My staff has some changes ahead of them.

This weekend is the Red Bull Air Races and I'm looking forward to a weekend with a different venue. Take care my friends.

Love Scott

Fish Market

The end result - spicy shrimp and OMG was it good. Not hot spicy, just spice spicy. That whole meal cost less than $20 cooked and packaged to go.

The little shop where you can have your seafood cooked for about $5

Looks like Jerry got the fish - sign above one of the kitchens

They clean and gut them for you too.

My fish monger - one of a hundred stalls in the Fish Market. I also figured out that the order of selecting the photos is first - last but they show on the blog last to first so next time I'll try to get them in the correct order.

Photo's

Street scene crossing over the street on elevated walkway. Building w/ sky bridge is Abu Dhabi Mall about 2 blocks from my hotel. Note the people in the grass in forefront. Any green space is used to get out from the apartments.

A tupical vegatable store. maybe 20 ' x 20' . Very typical size of small shops in all the buildings street level. Note the different kinds of banana's in the window. Fresh fruits and vegs are big and meat is the small portion of the meal .

Must be where all the tents come from??

Last pic was dark so here I am again in the Marina Mall in front of one of the fountains. This mall put's Mall St. Matthews to shame. Combine it with Oxmore Mall and you may be coming close.

Picture from out the front window of the Marina Mall - note the boats in the marina and in the far right upper window is a Dhow ( look closely) -it's an old style sail boat - this weekend is the Dhow races - Also note the skyline in the background. That area is called the Corniche - which are the water front properties w/ a very nice park that runs the entire shoreline between the beach and the high rises. it's about 2k long

As promised -Here are some more pictures.

Medical and Weekend

Me at the Marina Mall

Amr ( Egyptian ENT ) smoking Sheshia as we have Turkish coffee at Cafe.

Blury night scene at Meridian Hotel across street from our hotel at a outdoor cocktail lounge. Construction on island in background has 13 highrises going up at same time.

Hi All,

Friday 10am and it's the weekend. Well this past week has been stressful. I had my physical on Sunday and got a call on Wednesday that the xray showed a infection in my left lung so off I go to employee health and they send me to a Pulmonologist for a consult. I go to the Medical clinic for this and I'm "escorted" to the location and then left to my own devices - so I find registration and it's a mob scene After showing my doctors orders I'm told it's the wrong place - go to and points - I think he means admissions to get registered. Off I go - they tell me - go to Patient Affairs - for what reason I have no idea - I finally find it and get queued up and seen. They make an appointment for me on the 23rd -not good- ( and by the way, I'm listening to my cheapo laptop speakers I bought - much better than the built in one and -Kevin - As my Guitar Gently Weeps - is on - for all who don't know this is Kevin's "it" song ) So then I must go next door to see some guy who stamps these papers - ( stamps are big here ' The Official Stamp" ) signs off on them and sends me on my way. I return to Employee Health and tell them what has transpired and the Doctor takes my papers and disappears - she returns in about 15 min and I have an appointment for yesterday Thursday.

Thursday I head off to the clinic and my appointment but first I have to get registered at Admissions where they will "make my chart" which they do and I go over to the medical clinic - again a mob scene. I get queued up again and finally get to the head of the line - If I haven't told you , line jumping here is the national sport, don't matter , don't wait , barge to the front and interrupt the clerk who is working with another patient or customer and get your problem taken care of NOW - so odd, I was actually Guarding my place in the front of the line to discourage line jumpers and still some guy slips past me and - naturally the clerk attends to his needs over mine - why - it's the national sport . Again so ODD by western standards.

Well AGAIN the guy sez - not here go somewhere else - I think he says Employee Health - ARGH so I walk back over there and guess what - not open - So I ask this other person in the lab and he walks me right back to the same place in Medical BUT through the back door and into the inner sanctum itself - AHH I'm a line jumper now - I get it - screw them - just jump the line ! So now I'm in the corridor and I get the attention of a nurse - which here they call "Sister" so this sister takes me to another sister who then takes my vitals and gets me set to see the doctor - SO I'm standing in the corridor again and another nurse escorts me to a room to wait in , I finish 2 games of backgammon on my phone games and get called in. Doctor takes my medical history - all the while they are searching for the xray - which after 20 min they give up and the nurse goes to look - HA - 15 min she returns - no xray - so the doctor ( who worked in Millersburg VA for 20 years) sends me upstairs to get another xray and to return with them - I go up , they all wonder why I'm there again and one guy gets pissed and says not to get my xray as HE will find the original - he sheepishly returns in 5 min - says get your xray - I felt like - No Shit Sherlock - but I smile and head into the room with the attendant. I get my xrays and return to the Pulmnologist and he looks at the films and lo and behold - there's no problem at all.

Whew - I think I felt my blood pressure dropped 20 points. So now I'm waiting to see if my chart now ends up back at Employee Health so they can then then get a report from the Radiologist and the consult and send it to Human Resources where then I will be cleared for the residence visa. To get this, I send in my visa, my passport and the clearance letter from the hospital and the AUTHORITY stamps( another stamp) my passport/ visa and returns them - all in a week. The wheels turn slowly.

It's Friday and Marcel ( from Ghana but is US citizen) and I made plans to go to the fish market for a late lunch today at 3. .

I need to do grocery shopping , get a haircut and get a iPod cable - lost mine along the way somewhere and it's lost it's charge.

Well that's it for now from Yabba Dabba Abu Dhabi

Shout out to Roger and my pals at RichO's, all My friends in and Family and my lovely wife Christine.

Love to all

Scott

Banking and Medical

Hi All,
Well the past two days has been very productive for me in the banking front. I was paid on Sunday - but couldn't get to my money until I got my ATM card - which arrived on Monday by courier. You have to activate your card by calling a phone number ( which is also normal in the US as well) . Then you have to take you card to an ATM machine which I did after work last night and create a PIN number for it. So far so good. Checked my balance and my pay was there , Got some cash out and headed for the grocery store sorta like a Walmart super store and bought a set of cheap laptop speakers so I could crank some tunes . I had loaded about 100 CD's into my laptop before leaving and when I got home , I had Pink Floyd ripping through my apartment. Far cry from the Arabic music you hear everywhere - It's like "Guys get a tempo, a beat -take me to the bridge - where's the hook - something "
So I get back to the apartment , make myself a cocktail and eat , by now it's 8:30 and I log onto ADCB - Abu Dhabi City Bank - and register to use Internet banking. OK no problem - then I need to transfer funds to Christine - OK register that account - OK no problem - OK now transfer the funds. OK no problem - except that they will call you to confirm this transaction - so I click transfer and it goes through - phone rings 30 seconds later. I pick up phone and I lose the connection - Phone service here is good as in everyone has a cell phone - as in EVERYONE. problem is that it's over burdened and you get a lot of dropped calls. So I have to call this morning and confirm the transfer and all should be OK. ( and Christine will have her money in her account in Corydon )
So my next thing is the Medical -( we call a physical ) You have to have one before they will stamp your visa with a residence stamp ( remember you have to be a resident to get a drivers licence to own a car to rent an apartment it's vital to have that stamp - so I had my Physical on Sunday, - blood test checking for HIV, Hepatitis and blood sugars and a urine test for I assume drugs and a chest xray for TB. Doctor who sees me - takes my weight - don't ask- and height, takes the stethoscope places it on my heart , listens for 10 seconds - I'm out the door. - What that's it?? So all I have to do is wait for the lab tests to get to HR where I will then be summoned with my unstamped visa and passport and will have them Officially stamped and thus have residency status . I then submit a copy of my passport, copy of my stamped visa and a passport photo of myself and it gets sent to the health insurance people who then issue me my health card - with this health card I can then schedule a visit with the doctor here at the hospital clinic to get my prescriptions written and filled ( at no cost)
One step leads to another - what a journey.
That's all for today and I do promise to post some more photos soon.
Scott

Hubbly Bubbly

Hi All,
I hooked up with Amr and we went out for Turkish coffee and he smoked a waterpipe of Shesia - commonly lnown as Hubbly Bubbly. These Hookah parlors are interesting as this one had video poker - don't know if they were paying out or not and also backgammon games going on . We actually sat outside and enjoyed the cool breeze. Following the coffee, we walked down to another street known for it's Lebanese food and stores. We bought a Gyro w/ lamb meat and sauce - not the cucumber sauce we are accustomed to in the US. It was only 5 dirhams - or about $1.40 US The cooking is done in the front window where thay can also sell to take out orders. We got it to go and continued walking. As I was passing by another restaurant, there was a big wok in the front open window and I investigated and it was full of hot oil. The cook saw me and offered me a golf ball sized item. Amr told me it was a falaffel - turned out it was a veggie fallafel - veggies and grain mixed then deep fried. I have had them in the past in the US and found them dry and unappitizing however this was moist and tasty. Amr told me thay were better over at the Egyptian restaurant across the street. Folowing that we hiked up to the Hotel Meridian were I had been on Friday and I showed him around. He hadn't been ther before and it was beautifully decorated out at the bar. I took some pictures and will load them now that I'm learning how to do it. After that we returned to hotel, and I talked to my sister Ann on Skype with audio and video over the internet. It's the videophone we all learned about in gradeschool but never took off. Well this is a free service and works out great. .
Today is Sunday and I'm at work , I've had my medical check up and with that will get my visa stamped as a resident. That gets me my health card and I will be able to buy a car. I also learned that payroll has submitted my pay to my bank, I got a call from my bank that my debit/ATM card will be delivered to me tomorrow ( without it, you are unable to use the internet banking) and I should get an SMS ( text message ) that my account has been credited my pay.
Things are looking up.
I also got the name and number of a American family here who are friends to my wife's cousin ( ok as convoluted as that sounds) I've been invited to call them to meet and get some helpful tips on navigating my way through the UAE experience.
So far so good.
Scott

Sunny Saturday

Hi All,
Well today started out dark and dreary but has turned into a beautiful day. After breakfast I went returned to the room and read the paper then I noticed that the sun was coming out. I changed and went to the roof top pool where I joined quite a few other expats enjoying the sun. Stayed out only about 45 min as not to burn and then went into the sauna and sweated out yesterdays Vodka and Tonic's - yum. Caught up with friend Amr - from Egypt, he's an ENT doctor and he and I are going to go to have Turkish coffee at 6p tonight and he will smoke some shisha (sp) water pipe with tobacco or some variant. Not me - I had that shisha stuff for about 2 puffs and you can keep it. I'll take my camera along to record the event and will post pics at a later time.
Hopefully will go to the fish market later on. If not there's always another day.
I got an SMS - ( text message) that my bank has sent my bank card - evidently nothing happens without it - and I should receive shortly Another step closer to being "settled" in country.
More later
Scott

Hi All
It 's Friday and it's the weekend. Went to breakfast at 8:30 and ate with some of my Mafraq friends talked hospital politics and relaxed. After about an hour back to my room to check on the load of laundry I put in and just read the paper while listening to some of the music I loaded into my laptop before I left. My morning radio station comes out of Abu Dhabi , has Brits as hosts and is a Disco format. Luckily I only listen to it of about a 1/2 total before I'm out the door. Absolutely possible - but then my other choices are Islam call to prayer and frankly that doesn't trip my trigger at all !
Changed into gym shorts and went up to the roof top pool and read until it started to sprinkle. Moved into the sauna and sweated for about 15 minutes returning to my room about 1p. Got cleaned up and walked over to a resort hotel and checked out their spa, pool and facilities - squash gym beach etc. Cost of the membership is WAY out of line - as in $3000 USD per year per person - not worth it lots of other places to check out But I have to admit it was a nice place - just not that nice.
So I walked down the street to the grocery, picked up some basic and also bought some pickles from the deli - local fare - quite good. and also bought 2 salmon steaks for under $6 - guess what is for dinner tonight. Back to the hotel, having a vodka and tonic and watching "A Few Good Men" with Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson.
My Love to all
Scott

Hi All
Check - What Check??
Got word that my "check" was actually going to be a deposit into my account - Ok no problem - Next call - Um your deposit won't happen until Sunday ( remember work week is Sun - Thur) - so I'm going a weekend without my pay BUT I'm one step closer to getting this resolved - Here in UAE it's it will happen - in good time - don't worry - Uh Huh - worry and press or your screwed. But I have to tell you even ith all the "hassles" it's still an enchanting place and I look foreward to more adventures. This weekend - The Fish Market whre apparently you can buy a fish then have it cooked for you - araibic style - or any style you want. Should be interesting. I'm also told the vegatable market is across the street A BIG veggie market Hmm I'm intrigued.
That's all for now. Enjoying a rum and coke and relaxing for the rest of the evening.
Scott

Bank Account FINALLY

Hi All,
Sorry about that comma in the website , It's dark in my apartment ( I think they put 3o watt bulbs in to save money) and it's difficult to see the keyboard.
Speaking of being dark, you know dark blue and black slacks look almost identical in low lighting. My tie is tan and black - to match my shirt and pants - should have been tan and blue. Noticed it when I got to the bus stop.
Opening a bank account here is also a matter of an excercise in patience. For me it's handled thru HR - they send the papers over for me to sign - leave the spaces blank except phone number and email address ( getting a cell phone here is also a process)
So I send the papers over last week, and the bank guy comes and picks them up on Thursday ( our last day of the week) I'm told I will get an SMS - their version of Text Message - when the account is opened. It will have my account number and to expect a ATM to be delivered to me in about 4 days.
I'm supposed to be paid monthly and it is automatically deposited into my account - yes - if you have no account, you don't get paid. Hence my anxiousness to get the account. WELL Sunday and Monday - no SMS - I call Tuesday - Oh Mr. Scott I'm so sorry our system was down - It will be today - HA - no SMS - I call Wed. Oh Mr Scott I am very sorry , your papers were submitted and there has been a delay you will get by 3p. HA - I call this morning - Oh Mr. Scott they are working on it now. Well I just got the SMS I have an account. - but no pay as I missed the end of the month and no account to deposit it into.
But I kinda figured that this was going to get screwed up so I talked to the HR guy early in the week and said - no bank account - but I want my pay. OK - Ok I will get a check for you . No check Tuesday ( the end of the month) no check yesterday and when I called him this morning - I will get it for you by 1. I called about 10 til 1 and he said he'd call me when he got the check. It's now 1:22 and no call.
ARGH

Hi all, well just an update, I arrived her on March 13 sans luggage. Took 4 days to get 2 of my bags with the thirs and last bag on the 6th day. Was very frustrating and the people in Cleveland should be shot for not forwarding my bag onto Toronto But Oh well it's in the past now. But by day 4, my clothes could stand in the corner by them selves.
The 8 hr time difference had my jet lag raging for about a week.
I'm living in a hotel apartment w/ a small kitchen - which has only two burner surfaces - no microwave, no oven. Cooking is a challenge trying to keep all things moving and timed to serve at the same time.
Mafraq Hospital is out about 20 miles into the desert . I'm in awe of the vastness of nothingness.
We've had windstorms which pick up the sand and blows it across the road like snow being driven and rain storms which are rare at this time of year.
One interesting thing is the law requires you to have a clean car. Dirty cars can be ticketed. If you know my Dad, he'd be in dire trouble as I could probally count on one hand the number of times I've seen him wash a car in all my years. He's a purist - nature dirtys it, nature cleans it.
Sorry Dad.
Well I promise to write more.
Thanks for your support and for taking care of Christine. She needs all your loving.
Scott

Please check this out for updates to my adventure