Heat and dust…..
I have not yet described the heat to you. It is quite remarkable. Here instead of sheltering inside shopping malls against the snow, sleet and rain you shelter from the sun.
I remember once in St Petersburg in December Rupert and I decided to walk from the Grand Hotel to the Hermitage (like you do). “You’ll never make it,” said the concierge. He was right. Despite regular sips of blueberry vodka from a hip flask, we had to take shelter.
Here it is the same but it’s the heat that will hinder your progress. I couldn’t imagine walking from here, for example, to the Corniche, which would probably only take fifteen minutes. I would melt en route. Even with an umbrella which I have noticed lots of people carry as a sun-shelter. There is no relief from the sea either. We went swimming yesterday. I kid you not, the water was as hot as a bath.
It’s strange though, I don’t dislike it too much. I find it quite comforting. It really is like walking into a steam room every time you go outside, the shock of it hits you and doesn’t lessen. But rather that than the Russian winter. The paper we’re going to work on here seems to be staffed mainly by Canadians, no surprise that.
Meanwhile our housing crisis lurches on. All being well (or Inshallah as we say down this way) we will be transferred to another, nicer, bigger hotel apartment today. Our dream flat is still not ours on account of our inability to come up with two annual salaries in one day.
But we are settling in. Suda our Sri Lankan cricket-playing taxi driver is a gem. The kind of man who is always calm, kind and charming. The children love him. He has his own family, but they are in Sri Lanka. He only sleeps three and a half hours a night so he can support them by working practically around the clock. I guess there are thousands of people like him here. We are all so spoilt in comparison.
Talking of spoiling, my new friend Amanda and I are going to have our hair done today and get manicures which I think will make all the difference. Not only to my hair but to my state of mind. And I will never complain about lack of sleep again now that I know what Suda does every day, day in and day out.
Copyright: Helena Frith Powell 2008
14 Aug 2008 helena
First to comment! Yeah! Run around room waving arms madly!!
Hello H,
As you know I once lived out that way in Dubai, back last century - no kidding the road to Jebel Ali was only half tarmac. We were put up in the Golden Sands apartments elbow to elbow with all the other Brit expats. I hated it, never having lived in an apartment. You will love this place once you reclaim your life and find your way of living and most importantly FIND your tribe. Look at the way and where the Lebanese and the French live, they seem to always get it right. I predict that when one day you leave you will cry, as I did all the way home.
Julesritter.com
PS Forget M&S go see what the tailors can do for you down in the Souks.
Glad that the new adventure is going well so far.
Makes you think doesn’t it (regarding Suda): we are all so lucky and take so much for granted. It is amazing what people are able to give up to support the people that they love yet so sad that they (and millions like them) are in a position where that is the only option.