1st Oct 2009 I just watched the sun dissolve on the horizon. It was spectacular, happening in only seconds and would have been missed in the blink of an eye. A small canoe makes its way back to the beach where I am chilling under a palm and dreaming of Cape Town. Mangrove Village communal area is bustling at this time of day as adults and children return from their day’s activities to jump in the pool, play in the park or compete in a game of tennis. To comple...

27th Sept 2009 I’m gonna try and keep this one short and sweet because I fear the next one could be rather long, interesting and informative. A lot of people have commented on how inspired they are by what I am setting out to achieve and by the enthusiasm in my blogs – I thank you for this as it gives me more passion and determination to carry on. I’d love to have more feedback and a better knowledge of who I am writing to – whether it is friends and fam...

19th Sept 2009 This is actually the best chocolate cake I have ever eaten! The main reason being it is not sickly in the slightest, nevermind the huge wedge it is! I’m sat in the communal area at Mangrove Village, enjoying the evening heat, calm atmosphere, sound of water and my chocolate cake! So it’s been a little while since I wrote my last blog and surely I must have something to show for this – well not particularly. I guess I should say I have been r...

11th Sept 2009 When travelling, everyone says the journey is just as important as the destination. So on Wednesday when I set out to look for jobs and had positive results, the real feeling of success was the fact that I had finally used the bus! With a determined outlook on my plans and the will to not spend a lot of money, especially on taxis, I casually stepped on and enjoyed such a service! From my previous bus trials, I understood you 1) needed a card which...

6th Sept 2009 So I’ve been in Dubai for three days now and really starting to get used to my surroundings and the lifestyle. My trip into the village with Mo on Thursday morning was really lovely; the souk was quiet because of Ramadan but was nice to wander around with no worries – and not many people looking at you. Mo wanted to show me the Shangri-La hotel next door – it was beautiful! We pulled up outside in what should be a golf buggy, next to stunnin...