It's getting hot in here.....

The temperatures are certainly rising in Dubai as summer is now well and truly upon us. Our afternoon walks around Dubai Marina are slowly being pushed back to 8pm walks, as it is only around this time that the temperature dips below 40 degrees and we can make it around the walk without losing litres in perspiration.

Lucky for me, work offered me a week of relief from Dubai's heat and sent me to a conference in Cambridge for a couple of days. Flying business class for the first (and probably the last) time in my life, I was like a kid on Christmas day. I spent most of the flight playing with the seat controls that included built in massage functions and moved the seat from an upright to flat bed position. Oh, and the flowing Champagne wasn't half bad either. Sleep, nah, there was way too much fun to be had!

I was also lucky enough to score flights that meant I had the weekend before the conference to spend with my brother and his family in Kent. We don't get to see each other very often, but it was really nice to spend some time together with them and even beat him in a game of scrabble (and I will vehemently deny any claims of cheating or bribery). It was also a lot of fun to see my nephew for the second time and see the transformation from a baby to a bright and bubbly little boy in only a matter of 5 months or so.

Leaving Kent I took the train to London and then made my way up to Cambridge. I had been to Oxford about 10 years ago, but never to Cambridge. It is the kind of place that makes you want to pick up an old dusty book and go and learn something. I loved it and only wished that I could have had more time to explore all the small, windy roads and venture into the amazing book shops and tea rooms. The conference I attended on International Intellectual Property Law (no yawning please) was really interesting and has definitely renewed my interest in this area of law. Who knows what will come of it.....

Back in Dubai now and after 2 days of more or less sleeping, I think I have recovered from my whirlwind trip and ready to get back into work. Brendan has been a busy bee in my absence, with our apartment now all set up and our 5 trillion electrical devices all talking very nicely with each other. He also took Mo for a trip to the car doctor and Mo is now looking better than ever with a nice shiny rear bumper bar and is humming along.

Time for me to get going and head out for our nightly walk around the Marina. This month is going to be an interesting one - Ramadan has started which means no public eating or drinking between sunrise and sunset but it also means that come sunset, the Iftar feasts begin. Towards the end of the month we are digging out the 'ole backpacks and heading to Lebanon for a week which should be incredible!

Lots of love to you all - and a big happy first birthday to our nephew Mathew!!!


//Kate