Rugby 7s

So after missing out last year due to the pandemic, the 7s returned this year with a bang - Friday was as busy as I have seen it and it was good to catch up with some old faces as the UK contingent who traditionally do corporate hospitality were out in force. 

Deserved champions were South Africa for the men’s cup wand Australia for the womens.

For some reason - possibly COVID related - there was a GB team rather than separate England, Scotland and Wales teams and they won the plate competition. 

Spent Friday watching the action with J and D in the DHL stand and yesterday in the new look corporate section - food and drink was free flowing so felt somewhat weary this morning! The closing fireworks were very good!

National Day - bonus post

Having spent the last 30 odd days in mining an increasing thin seam of creativity for 2021’s November post a day, today presented some pictorial opportunities that cannot be missed. E. and headed down to Kite Beach this afternoon for a pleasant stroll in the sunshine and then this evening, we were treated to some fireworks outside the back bedroom window to celebrate National Day as recorded below.

All about V.

V.  continues to enjoy her Art and her creative writing and will most commonly be found engaged working on her latest drawing project on her IPad in her bedroom. 

After a long period of remote learning, she is now back at school and, while she is still finding it a challenge, she seems to be a gradually getting used to the routine of in person teaching although due to the long periods that she was out of the classroom, she has a lot of ground to make up in terms of GCSE materials that she has missed. 

For someone who has always prided herself on doing well in class this has proved a major cause of anxiety particularly with her mocks coming up after Christmas and her Exams in May - she is making good progress but there is a lot to be done so fingers crossed that she is able to continue on her upward trajectory.

She has maintained her close circle of friends (although most of their interactions are on line) and as the weather gets cooler she will hopefully feel more inclined to venture out and about a bit more and I am looking forward to resuming our rides together. 

In terms of school subjects, English and Art remain favourites although most recently she has been full of anecdotes from her chemistry classes - as mentioned in an earlier blog, the interaction between students and various practical experiments has been a rich source of excitement and potential jeopardy which seems to delight and appall her in equal measure!

All about A.

So our eldest and tallest child has flown the nest and headed off 3000 miles North to University after a very successful set of A level results in the Summer which allowed him to get into his first choice. We were obviously delighted with his results and he was clearly relishing the chance to spread his wings.

Due to V. starting the new term at the beginning of September, E had to remain in Dubai so A. and I headed to UK for a week’s worth of quarantine down in Devon with my Sister and her family and then a rather hectic couple of weeks catching up with everyone after over 18 months of pandemic induced absence in Dubai. This included Grandparents and my Cousin C who had contracted a very nasty immune system virus which reduced him to a wheelchair (fortunately walking again now).

A. is attending the same University where E and I met and it was a real trip down memory lane (he is also in the same Hall of Residence where I started off). The weather and campus were at their best and I managed to look up some of my old haunts - it was quite piquant to say goodbye to him in his new room surrounded by unwrapped duvet covers/new cups and kettles, and assorted other paraphernalia of student life. 

He seems to have settled in well although all of us remaining back in Dubai (including the cat) have missed his presence - they always say that nothing prepares you for a new baby but I think the same can be said for the departure (even if temporary) of your first born.

Boosterism

Readers of this blog who have even following my adventures of late will have surmised that my Covid test (undertaken in the wilds of Crayford) was negative given my reappearance in the sandpit and there was more Covid related news today when we finally received our notification of eligibility for the Pfizer booster shot. 

My original vaccination was completed in March and I had rather hoped to have had the booster before going back to the UK and had been following the various updates on eligibility and availability avidly. 

To date, the Pfizer booster had been limited to various at-risk categories of people and to those who had originally been vaccinated with Sinopharm so the text both E and I received this afternoon advertising the booster was welcome news and so we have both booked in to get our shots tomorrow afternoon - sadly the vaccination centre next to my office has closed but the alternative near Mirdiff is reasonably convenient so we will be meeting there.

In other news, A. sent a photo of him sitting in the snow outside his Hall of a Residence at University looking very pleased with himself and V. spent 6 hours in her Art mock GCSE today (with 4 more hours tomorrow).

Bicycle race

 

Early start this morning, but as the pictures show, this morning’s practice ride at Al Qudra

was played out in near perfect riding conditions. There were over 400 participants following a 45

km loop in the desert passing various wild-life including Oryx. Managed to keep up with the rest of the team - this was the second practice ride with two more to come followed by the main race in February next year over 92km so still a lot of work to be done but given the fact that I have spent the last week eating and drinking for England on holiday, reasonably pleased with the days work.

Lounging around

As I was flying overnight, I decided to upgrade my economy seat for business class for some airmiles and £90. The Emirates lounge at Heathrow was open so I was able to enjoy some nice food and a couple of glasses of champagne - definitely worth the investment and I was able to enjoy the bar on the A380 as well as a foldout bed. 

Whilst the 6 hour flight was not really long enough for a proper sleep, I certainly arrived back at DXB more relaxed than normal,