My 50th Birthday Celebration....

I decided to treat my wonderful friends - as a thank you  - to my 50th Birthday celebrations.  I wanted to go to the same place where we celebrated Hisham's 50th birthday in 2010 - the Dubai Golf & Creek Club.

They do a great brunch there - so I celebrated early - on Friday 13 April!  Just for good luck!  They revamped the place, it is a great venue.  The weather is still nice and we can sit outdoors on the deck and enjoy a great view....

I am very blessed to have my dear friend Jenni with me!  Jenni and her sister Gill arrived on 12th in Dubai for a 3 week holiday....

It is a perfect day, perfect company, great food and lots of memories of Hisham....and we have a  life jazz band playing in the background.

Janine, Andy and beautiful Holly

Gabija and Ray

Rima and Basma

Jenni and Gill

Walid and Basma

And the kids.... they had their own play area and their own food... Even Holly went with the fairy to play.... at least the parents could relax, knowing the kids were looked after....

And on my actual Birthday - 16 April - Jenni and Gill took me out for a meal.... and I got a cake!  Make a wish......

What a great 50th Birthday!  Thank you to all my friends for your company, friendship and the great presis!!!

Oh and not to forget - I had another cake at work - I treated everybody to a yummie carrot cake...

Lots of love

Sabine

Misha'al's Memorial

We heard the news via friends and facebook... Misha'al Al Quraishi has passed away.  He was an ex-colleague of mine at Nutricia in Dubai, and a wonderful person.

He had been on my mind lately, I had wanted to visit him in Zurich - his place of residence...but I never got his contact details and never did see him.

Never, put anything off in life - you never know what tomorrow will bring - or whether there will be a tomorrow.

We are all very upset about his death - he was only in his mid 30s - God bless his soul.

His friends in Dubai organized a memorial for him on 3 April - it was very nicely done!

I am upset, as I never managed to do something like this for Hisham when he passed away..... I feel bad and very sad!

God bless his soul..... Misha'al and Hisham - I am sure will get up to some mischief on the other side.....

Sabine, Dougal, Lionheart

Dubai: A new Chapter begins....

It is Saturday, 31 March... my last day of freedom....Tomorrow I have to start work.  In a way I was lucky to get this job, as nothing else has eventuated.  I really want to stay in Dubai for a while - not ready yet to return to Australia.

But I have a bad feeling about this job, I did not want to take it, but all my friends insisted I'd take it so I can stay in Dubai. Oh well, we will see....

It is a long drive into the desert, takes me about 40 minutes, towards the Abu Dhabi boarder on Emirates Road.  There are 4 buildings and nothing  much else.  It is passed the new Maktoum airport, which is currently for freight only.

My colleagues are very nice, the boss is a strange lady.... but it is early days.

The Drive:

I can see the buildings....

The backside - car park

The view from the office....

My little cubicle....

And in between the 4 buildings... an oasis of green, trees and water....

And the way home....sometimes you get an amazing evening sky or lots of dust and sand....

My new life.....sometimes everything feels very surreal... I am still sad - miss Hisham a lot!

But life goes on and I have to do what I have to do....

Thank God for my friends and for sheisha!

Sabine, Dougal, Lionheart