Dubai Life: We have Gas!

The gas company came to the villa this morning to set up our cooking gas (everything else in the house is electric).  Up until now, we haven't been able to cook and I didn't realize it would affect me so much.  Sure, we did fine with an electric kettle (soft-boiled eggs!), a toaster (meh) and a slow cooker (bought this weekend) but I wasn't really able to labor over food preparation and meals the way I like to...and it really bothered me.

I used to wonder if all the effort I put into cooking and preparing our meals from whole/fresh ingredients was really worth it.  It takes so much energy, planning, and money (since I also tried to source good ingredients) and I sometimes doubted whether I was still getting the satisfaction from it that I used to.  Yes, we were eating nutritious food - but was is still a labor of love?  Well, after going about 6 weeks without cooking (a month of traveling and 2 weeks in Dubai), I am finally sure of that answer.  Yes, it's absolutely worth it.  And yes, it's still one of the most significant parts of my day. 

The dishes, on the other hand, are a totally different story.

Cooking gas cannister installed in our front yard

Hooking up our oven (which he was nice enough to also fix)

Me today. I don't even care that he showed up 5 hours early.

My First Few Days in Dubai

I've been in Dubai for about 10 days and I feel like we've done so much.  Most of it is mundane but still necessary - trips to the grocery store, acquiring furniture, scoping out a new washing machine (because ours is broken), and generally figuring out how to "do life" out here.

Steven has been such a sweetheart and spends most of his non-working moments taking me where ever my heart desires.  Husband of the year award. <3

Wowwwwww at the Dubai Mall

Skittles drink, anyone?

 

Kitty litter in the potting soil...kinda the same?

When you buy a 6ft ladder and drive a Fiesta (rental car).

I love this lego camel

After much consideration about our "car strategy" (Steve's words) we bought a Volvo S80 from our neighbor

My sweeties enjoying a moment on the patio - even though Sven is staring at his phone and PB is being a creep and staring at me

Flying to Dubai (aka Longest Flight Ever)

I made it! I'm here! 

The Emirates flight from SFO to DXB was incredibly long (15 hours) but still decently comfortable for flying that many hours strapped to an upright seat (ie - coach). The plane was the enormously impressive Airbus a380 with 17 flight attendants who spoke 18 languages and ~500 passengers on board.  Everything was immaculately clean, staff was polite, and in-flight entertainment was plentiful.  Not bad for $1,000 to go all the way across the world. But Emirates is most famous for it's luxurious amenities for Business and First class and of course, now I'm curious. Maybe we'll try it for the way back (if we save a gajillion travel points).

Steven patiently waited for me through a few minor delays that took a few extra hours. But when it was finally done it was sooooo good to see my bushy-bearded mister. Culturally, the UAE discourages PDA so it was just a quick hug and HUGE smiles. Phoebe, on the other hand, couldn't keep her cool.  She was so excited I thought she was going to have a heart attack (at home not at the airport).

Luggage: I took one 40L backpack carry-on and checked three 29" bags under 50lbs (which they only lost once for about 45mins...)

I loved the twinkly lights on the plane ceiling

Cabin for the crew in the back of the plane (with bunk beds!)

Together again (at last)!

Family time: 3 weeks on the road

After putting the house up for sale, I've spent the last 3 weeks traveling to see family.  It's been such a wonderful time and I'm sad to see it end. In the past I've only stayed for a day or two, or I've also juggled working remotely, or Steve and I shuffled between our 4 families (yep, 2 families each).  But this time the only thing on my agenda was spending time with everyone. It was the kind of trip I've always wanted to make but always seemed too "busy" to actually take.

I'm so grateful that I finally did.  Here are some random clips from my camera roll, though I wish I had taken some more photos.  Next time!

Multnomah Falls with Jewelia. In any given photo, there is a 65% chance my eyes are closed.

Iriee is such a great reader!

Climbing into boxes as I get to know Mav better (so fun!)

There was a moment early in the trip, when I was marveling at my sisters and their children, and wondering exactly when we had all grown up.  Part of me was a little sad thinking that our care-free and youthful days were behind us.  But right at that moment Jinny jumped inside a kid's play tunnel and ran around the house chasing the little ones and everything was filled with shrieks and laughter. It was a great reminder that even though we're getting older, there is still so much fun to be had.

Jinny saves the day (kids are out of frame but I can still hear their hysterical laughter ringing in my ears).

And now it's time for me to fly to Dubai.  I leave in about 14 hours and I'm so excited to see Sven and the Pheebs.  Apparently, they've been bored with out me.

Goodbye Gig Harbor!

Last week, I finally finished packing, organizing, and moving.  My dad swooped in to help (again) and he took the last trailer-full of our belongings for storage.  Where would we be without our Dads?!?!!

My Dad's tetris skills are on point.

Being the hyper-organized person that I am, all our boxes are now labeled with the room they belong in and a unique number.  And I have a spreadsheet that lists the number of each box and all the contents.  Yes, sometimes I walk the fine line between super awesome and super crazy.

On the way out of town, my little sister J noticed these hilarious additions to the credit card machines at the post office (every single one).  Apparently, my fellow neighbors aren't very good at waiting. 

wait wait wait wait

Our Dubai Villa

When Steve and I first started researching where to live in Dubai, my mind was filled with images of skyscrapers and impossibly posh apartments.  I looked at hundreds of listings for beautiful high-rise apartments with great amenities and impressively high floors - the view from the 47th floor is crazy!  But in the end, we chose a single-family house with a large yard in a dog-friendly neighborhood.

I'm not gonna lie - it's more space than we need and maybe even a little bit of a splurge.  But since Dubai has strict laws about dogs in public, we thought it was important to have a large yard for Phoebe to get plenty of exercise.  Heheh, and of course I think the best part is that houses are all called 'villas' over there.  We live in a villa.  So fancy!

Bon Voyage: Phoebe moves to Dubai

Yesterday, I sent Phoebe on a direct flight from Seattle to Dubai where Steven has been waiting for her.  I'll join them in a few more weeks (have to finish packing and put our house up for sale), but now I'm even more impatient to just get over there already.  

Phoebe prefers full body contact: this is how we talked with Steve each night

Because we are crazy about Phoebe, we booked her a direct flight on Emirates instead of the more common, multi-leg journey through Europe.  The flight itself was 14.5 hours, but the entire process was quite a bit longer.  We've been working on the shots and paperwork for several months and the last 48 hours were quite the scramble.  In all, Phoebe spent about 24 consecutive hours in the travel crate, which isn't ideal but was certainly our most attractive option.  And to be honest, it was probably more nerve-racking for me than her.  I wasn't very keen on sending her alone all those miles away.

When she realized I wasn't coming with her

But my cool-as-a-cucumber, steady-as-a-rock husband picked Phoebe up from the airport this morning and all is well.  She is happy and healthy and checking out the new digs (here's our new house in Dubai).

Steve's comment: "New bed and new dog bed. Lays on floor."

I can finally breathe easy - this was the part I've been most nervous about.  Now that it's gone off without a hitch, I am sooooo relieved!