Feeling Hot Hot Hot!!

Well here we are!! We made it to the sandpit and crikey it’s hot!! We had a few stressful weeks before we left, trying to see everyone we wanted to see, and to get all the things done before it was too late. It was really hard trying to make sure that no one felt neglected, and sometimes it seemed that no matter what we did we managed to upset somebody.

Firstly, I have to explain that I have been lying in my own blog! Now that we have told everyone I am happy to say that S and I have tied the knot! The day that I described a few posts ago where our families got together for cream tea and crocket… that was our wedding day! We didn’t want people knowing about it as I felt it might detract from next year (which we are still having and I have ordered my dress!!) but once the day had finished and the rings were on, it didn’t feel right not telling people, it was like we had done something wrong and I disagreed with taking our rings off etc when we had plans with someone who didn’t know. So finally the right time came and we told our friends and family at our leaving do that we are married. It was a little strange really, I don’t know what I was expecting but we had some very different responses. Some people thought we were joking, others were upset that they weren’t there and some didn’t seem to really care at all. Well anyway, here we are, Mr and Mrs on our first adventure.

So how did we get here? The journey to Heathrow was an adventure in itself. S had been told he had to spend the night with his mum and I stayed at my parents. It meant that to get to Heathrow at the same time, I had to leave about an hour earlier, which wasn’t a problem until 15 minutes into this journey… the car’s engine warning light came on.  My dad did an epic “Captain Scott” impression – “Ive got no power, there’s no power!!” and we elected to “Go around, Go around!!” which in layman terms means we drove all the way home again to jump in a different car! In the end we were only 10 minutes late but I think we all could have done without the initial stress. We said goodbye to our families at the airport and although I tried my best not to get upset, I cried all the way through security. I know that I will see them again, I know I will talk to them soon but there is something about waving goodbye to your parents that jerks at your heart strings and makes you wonder about the decision you have made. I will and do miss them terribly. In the same breath, I know they are proud of me and agree that this is the best decision for S and I that we could have made. I just hope that the 7 hour flight becomes well known to them as if I had my way, I would have them to visit every fortnight.

So we arrive in Dubai airport (having flown economy! Hmph) and a gentleman takes us through the ‘landing formalities’. Whilst doing so, he takes a peak at S’s entry permit, which has his occupation on. Instantly, instead of calling him “sir” as he has been, it is now “Captain”. “Oh Captain, how was your flight?” “Can I get that for you Captain?” “How many hours do you have Captain” “Wow you must have bee young when you started Captain” and so on… Needless to say S was loving it! He walked with his head held higher, his back straighter and his “serous voice” on. I on the other hand, walked slightly behind ‘the Captain’ and tried not to make it obvious I was laughing. It is going to take me a little while to get used to being invisible. I keep answering people when they ask us questions, only to realize they are not talking to me but to ‘the Captain’ and even if our answers are the same, it is not the truth until the Captain says it.

Anyway, after about 45 minutes of Captain this and Captain that, the Captain strode off (with his newly elevated head position) to find our bags. I have to admit at this point, that the new status suits him. I like how it obviously makes him feel and how proud he is. He reminds me a bit of a robin who has fluffed his chest feathers out. If anyone deserves to be called Sir or Captain then S does. He has worked extremely hard to get to where he is and I am glad he is finally getting the respect that he deserves. His family are not in aviation and sometimes they don't understand the work that has gone into getting where we are.

So while the Captain was otherwise occupied, our guide turned and asked me what I did, I was not surprised at this point that he hadn’t bothered looking at my entry visa and his reaction to my answer was one I wish I could have captured. He was very quiet for a fairly long period and then simply said “A family of Captains? That’s a new one.”

We made it to our temporary accommodation and I went to let us in, as I opened the door 3 cockroaches fell on me!! NOT what I was expecting, and I managed to keep my cool until we ventured inside to find the place full of the hideous creatures. It brought back so many memories of cockroaches in Hong Kong that I was temporarily paralysed and S had to jump into action and began stomping on them left right and center. After a night of not a lot of sleep, I regained my composure, told myself off for being such a girl and although I couldn’t step on them like S did, I was happily throwing my wedges at them if they dared come out into the open!

We have since bought bug spray and the sightings seem to have gone down but then we haven’t spent a lot of time in the flat. Today is S’s first day at work and the past two days we have spent touring around our new city and enjoying being tourists. More on that next time, Internet access is limited and I have a new apartment to find! All I can say to anyone who reads this is “Welcome to Dubai, it’s hot and it’s Ramadan…!”