Dubai 16 Mar 2017

Not much to report today as we really haven't done much. To be fair, there's not been many days that we haven't been busy for the past seven weeks. Someone even said relaxing and doing nothing is part of being on holiday. That said, I don't think I could take a holiday that involved just lying on a sun lounger day after day. For me, part of the reason for travelling is to experience new places, people, food and a different way of life. I accept that not all experiences are positive, but unless you try, how can you judge what is good or bad in other countries.

Although whilst travelling you see things that wouldn't be acceptable in UK or indeed Europe, you have to accept that habits and practices are not the same as we are used to. We are quick to criticise those visitors to UK that wish to change our habits and customs, but then can't accept things are different overseas ourselves. Arabic customer, habits and lifestyles are very different to those in UK and can be difficult to understand, but as visitors, we have to accept their way of life. The alternative is not to travel and that is simply not an option for me.

I like to think I travel with an open mind, but confess I do see and hear some things that make me wince. I suppose, for some visitors to UK, it must be the same.

It's been overcast a lot of the day and late afternoon, the breeze suddenly picked up. I heard some bangs and crashes and looked over the balcony to see the parasol over the tables in the small restaurant had blown over. In fact, it had more than fallen over, the pole was snapped in half and the rest of it wrapped around the railings, tables and chairs were scattered around too. The security guard and a waiter attempted to move it, but the wind was too strong and the parasol got shredded as they tried to move it. As I write, it is still flapping around!

Being Thursday here in the UAE, the weekend starts here!