The month of frequent flyer miles

They say that once you go to Business Class, you can never go back to flying economy. So what am I meant to do now that I have been teased with the luxury of a first class emirates experience complete with dom perignon? Oh, what first world problems. July saw me graduate from Emirates blue class member to a shiny silver club membership thanks to a quick dash to London followed very shortly with a trip back down to good 'ole Sydney town. But...I am getting carried away with myself. Let's go back to the very beginning.

Before heading off to London, Brendan and I decided to brave the heat of the desert one more time before summer well and truly set in. We headed out into the sand dunes early one evening to jump on some ATV's and thrash around the dunes. After 15 months with no rain in Dubai, when do you figure we might get hit with the first rain pour? Oh that would be when we get within about 1km of the dunes! Perhaps it is a sign of living in a desert for too long, but we were actually quite excited and scrambled to find the camera to take photos of droplets on the car windscreen. Small things.... After a manic hour of hooning around the dunes we left hot, sweaty and covered in sand, but all bones were still intact and we had a great time!

The first of my two work trips in July was to London for a training conference but I was lucky enough to sneak in a weekend trip south where I caught up with Patrick, Emma and Mathew. Aunty Kate certainly enjoyed some catch up time with her favourite little nephew and it was great to see my brother and sister-in-law shortly before the arrival of the next addition to the Gregson clan.

After a 1 week stopover in Dubai...to water and feed Brendan...I was flying to Sydney. I wasn't too impressed when they kicked us off the plane for 30 minutes at the Bangkok stopover, that was until I was handed a new boarding card at the gate and it said first class across the top! That will do just fine. Oh boy, cattle class is going to be a rough adjustment when we start flying again on our own dime. First class was simply lovely - silverware, table cloths and champagne. If it wasn't for the turbulence I would be forgiven for forgetting I was in a plane.

After I got the work commitments out of the way, Sydney was a whirlwind week of catching up with as many family and friends as possible, consuming copious amounts of great food and wine and mostly enjoying the torrential rain which just kept coming and coming. Mum and I caught up on some much needed mother/daughter coffee and cake time and Dad and I went for a great adventure on my last day through the blue mountains to the lovely Lithgow where I was treated to a fantastic lunch (and I just happened to know the lovely chef who cooked it for me....more will be said on this event on the food blog in the week to come). We also had a great day up at San Remo with Pete & Bronwyn and caught up with a high school friend who I haven't seen in ages and met her beautiful daughter (thanks Winnie and Queenie for coming up). Oh, and we had a garage sale...why not?

Now back in Dubai, I have reintroduced myself to my lovely husband and the heat of summer is well and truly upon us. Today was 47.5 degrees in Dubai. I will leave you with that lovely thought and look forward to talking / skyping / seeing you all soon. 

 //Kate