RuthM

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 12 May 2014 - 00:06

I had a similar thing with multiple virtual strangers at my wedding. My father passed away a few years before my wedding and my mother was depressed and on the verge of a breakdown. I was looking at honeymoons in South Africa and it was the first time she showed any interest in my wedding day at all (she was from SA). I had always wanted a traditional English wedding, dogs running around, marquee on a private country estate (where my father had a shooting syndicate and I had spent much of my childhood). But without him there and the state my mother was in it didn't feel right. So I decided to suggest having the wedding in South Africa, she hadn't been home for over 15 years. Suddenly she was happy and interested and organising seeing her family who she hadn't seen in years. I decided in my infinite wisdom to let her invite as many of her family as she wanted. These were people most of which I haven't seen since I was two or three years old. I assumed not many would come, but they nearly all came! Our 'small' wedding of just close friends and immediate family ended up as 8-10 close family/friends and 15 people I barely knew! Furthermore my best friend didn't want to travel alone so she brought a friend who I had only met once. In all honesty though it went really well, I barely remember many of them on the day, we were so busy getting ready, then having photos done, taking our vows etc. and my mum was so happy and that really made all the difference in the day for me. The only thing I will mention is to ensure the photographer knows who the people you really want in the important shots for your album are, many photographers are discreet and will understand this. <em>edited by RuthM on 12/05/2014</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 11 May 2014 - 04:18

DH flies business with Emrirates almost every week. He said since the Qantas deal they appear to have got worse and worse service wise. Price wise the prices go up and up. I'm traveling a lot to/from London at the moment and and booked a single to London as the return London - Dubai - London was less than half what the same flight would cost in the opposite direction. We've just booked Xmas flights home with another airline (from Dubai) for £927 each with 20,000 miles to upgrade to business, you can book and upgrade at the same time. Emirates flights in economy are nearly £800 (nearly £900 for flex fares - often needed for upgrade) and miles to upgrade will be 50,000 - 65,000 although no upgrades are currently available so you have to take a chance a try again nearer the date (after booking the economy flights of course). Last time I traveled with Emirates I was furious. Immigration at SZR had failed to stamp my passport with my visa extension and I was given a fine at the airport (despite having already paid for the extension). Resolving this took several trips back and forth from immigration at the airport and the fines office. After two hours of running around it was finally resolved and I stopped one of the uniformed Emirates staff explaining the situation to her and that I was late going through passport control, please could she advise how far the gate is and that I am on my way. All I got in response was 'mam you are flying business, you must go to the other passport control' despite explaining to her several times that I needed to go through economy to finally sort things in the visa fines office she still continued with the same diatribe, then asking me why I was in wrong section in a very accusatory rude manner and why so late? I gave up wasting time explaining and went on through only to discover the gate... was in the other terminal. So pregnant, angry, exhausted and carrying heavy bag (packed with a coolbag and food as I wanted to avoid plane food) I spent a further 20mins running across Dubai airport. I finally made the flight simply because I think it was easier for me to board than to find my bags and take them off. When I stood up in London I found my back was a mess and I now had sciatica. Not at all impressed with the service of Emirates ground crew in this instance. The only reason why we ever book Emirates for personal use has been recently when I have been traveling pregnant and alone and the flights going into at airport very close to our UK home and with the driver facility has made a big difference in my journey.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 08 May 2014 - 17:20

Has anyone used Hala Taxis, are they reliable or just a bad as the regular Dubai Taxis?, need to be sure of an early booking to the airport soon. From what I understand they go through the same dispatch centre as regular taxis so I guess it depends on if the breakdown in communication that creates taxi unreliability is from the dispatch centre or is driver error. Personally I would book Careem to be safe.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 08 May 2014 - 15:39

I used to use Careem exclusively but found that 'NOW' bookings could sometimes be difficult. So now I use both Careem and Uber. Generally Uber seem to be better for 'NOW' bookings, especially in busy areas and Careem is better for bookings in advance. The Uber app is a bit of a pain to get a location in a housing estate (I have emailed them countless times to ask them to allow you to put in an address) but it is easy to text the driver your address, which I do as soon as I have booked the car and he then seems able to find you. If we are going out we usually use Careem to get there by booking in advance and the drivers do always turn up early. Then we use Uber to get back which works really well. DH also uses Uber from the airport when he's not flying Emirates as advance bookings with Careem were working out quite expensive. So far he has been able to get an Uber car to arrive in the time it takes him to walk through customs and out the door. Does it mean I have to book them in advanced or else they might not arrive? The 'later' bookings work our more costly than the 'now' bookings and as DH might still be able to come get us, I can only book them 20 minutes before. Let's see how it goes today. My recommendation would be to install both apps and see who has cars available when the time comes. If Careem are going to take ages then try Uber. You can watch the car from Uber making it's way to you on the app on your phone with their GPS system I can't remember if Careem has this function but Careem is easier if you are entering a tricky address and seem to find places better (although I just text the address to Uber driver) If you want 40AED credit you can use the Uber referral code when signing up: https://uber.com/invite/cxpg3 There may be better ones offering 80AED off if you google online (I got 80 off when I joined) I assume you already have a Careem one as you've already signed up. I haven't noticed any difference once in the car with either service. edited by RuthM on 08/05/2014 edited to add: Uber Promo for 20% off this week (if travelling before 6pm) https://blog.uber.com/2014/05/03/20-off-all-rides-during-business-hours/ and the code for 80AED off was DubaiLaunch but not sure if it still works. <em>edited by RuthM on 08/05/2014</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 08 May 2014 - 12:58

I used to use Careem exclusively but found that 'NOW' bookings could sometimes be difficult. So now I use both Careem and Uber. Generally Uber seem to be better for 'NOW' bookings, especially in busy areas and Careem is better for bookings in advance. The Uber app is a bit of a pain to get a location in a housing estate (I have emailed them countless times to ask them to allow you to put in an address) but it is easy to text the driver your address, which I do as soon as I have booked the car and he then seems able to find you. If we are going out we usually use Careem to get there by booking in advance and the drivers do always turn up early. Then we use Uber to get back which works really well. DH also uses Uber from the airport when he's not flying Emirates as advance bookings with Careem were working out quite expensive. So far he has been able to get an Uber car to arrive in the time it takes him to walk through customs and out the door.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 07 May 2014 - 14:53

Sun damage & premature ageing? I think not...obsessive plastic surgery is more like it! She looks pretty much like the countless other women who go overboard with surgery.... Sun damage, premature aging AND overboard with plastic surgery. It's a classic combination. The woman was practically orange for quite some time.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 07 May 2014 - 14:41

I went to boarding school, I really enjoyed it. I found less of the cliqueness with the boarders than with the girls in day school the boarders were more like one large supportive family where you might bicker with one person but it was all forgotten by the next day and where you would help someone regardless of whether they were a close friend or not. The majority of the boarders seemed happy and to get on well. I can only recall a few instances of homesick people. Normally this tended to be a brief period after Christmas or Easter holidays as the year took it's toll. But I think it depended on a variety of factors. I can't say any of the people in my school felt abandoned by parents (except perhaps one but she was placed there by social workers - long story). Most of the kids had parents abroad so understood the need for them to be in school. I actually found many boarders formed a closer relationship with their parents. Day pupils tended to hang out at shopping malls after school, sometimes get takeaways for dinner and take their parents for granted. Boarders really looked forward to seeing their parents, it was a big deal for them and the time they got to spend with their parents was more special. This could just be indicative of the people at my school of course. Personally I think under 11 is too young to full board. If your daughter is under 11 I would recommend boarding her somewhere close to Aunts, Uncles or Grandparents who can have her on exeat weekends (when it's unlikely she'll be able to come back to Dubai). The girls at my school who went to guardians for exeat definitely struggled more than those who visited family. Bear in mind once you include exeat weekends the longest time a child is away is not usually more than 3 weeks at a time. Finance depending I would like my kids to experience boarding from age 13, I think it is a great stepping stone for them before university and good for their learning as a boarding school can offer a structure and facilities that would be harder to offer at home. Perhaps weekly boarding from age 11 depending on their maturity level and how they felt about it. To me and those that went to school with me the positive things I can say are: - boarding made you independent with regard to looking after yourself (washing, ironing, cleaning etc.) - boarding made you appreciate your parents and not take them for granted - boarding helped you to always feel empathy and be helpful to others whether they were part of your group of friends or not - boarding helped you to be organised with regard to work time, play time etc. it provided a structured stable environment - boarding gave you great access to hobbies and after school activities, it was compulsory to do a certain number of activities a week and most boarders have continued to do one or more of these things now - boarding prepared you well for going away to University (more day pupils stayed at home during University (some of them to the detriment of their education) and more boarders travelled) - boarders often have great stories to tell of the fun weekend trips they did and the antics they got up to - playing cards in the corridor after lights out, cartwheeling past the housemistress room and of course founders day pranks and chaos - boarders tended to stay children for longer and be more interested in fun stuff (roller blading etc.) than in dating boys, drinking and going to night clubs Obviously this is all based on my personal boarding school experience. Every school is different and a lot comes down to how parents bring up their kids prior to them starting school. At my school the boarders were mostly from a totally different background than the day girls.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 06 May 2014 - 19:02

I'm not sure I'd say she used to be really quite attractive. Perhaps better phrasing would be she used to look less unattractive. In any case if you want an example to stop your kids/friends/husbands from lying in the sun too much and to demonstrate premature ageing... these are some good pictures to show them!

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 06 May 2014 - 18:18

i was set to leave in about two months - to move home and be unemployed until something came along. I was so excited and had so much hope. I know it'd be easy to get a job as the market is great there right now. But alas, I got a call yesterday from a company I interviewed with extensively in October 2013. They have re-opened the position and asked if I could meet with them tomorrow. How ironic?! I'm so stuck. They haven't made an offer, but they have discussed the salary and benefits. It's dreamy and the company has a great reputation/would look great on my resume. But at the same time, I am so ready to be home. But home won't provide the type of salary this company will offer. So, fingers crossed here. I don't know which way it'll go. Why don't you go home? The salary might be more here but the cost of living is also so much here... That's true. I might go. The thing holding me back is what this sort of opportunity could do for me once I do go home. This is a huge company with corporate headquarters in my home town. It'd be great for my career. The money would allow me to support myself and my child here much more comfortably than I have so far.. As someone who has been ready to go home for nearly five years I would still say stay. If this job is going to be a stepping stone to a better job in your career later then it is worth staying for. If you had said it was just better money then I would say leave it and go, but this appears not to be the case. Just my opinion, I'm sure you'll be happy with whatever decision you make.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 06 May 2014 - 15:52

Hi Ruth That's quite a list :-P - not sure how new you are to here and Dubai will never match your list but I've put some places in that maybe you've not been to that might help. [i'>I like green places, forests, trees, mountains would be even better[/i'> Mushrif Park has great trees and is very natural. Safa Park has lovely trees. So does Jumeirah Beach Park. A drive up the back of Nad Al Sheba too is lovely for trees! Hatta for mountains/day trips to Fujeirah. [i'> I like rural areas, mud, country lanes[/i'> It will never be rural or muddy, but have you explored all of the older areas of Dubai? Sometimes when you are feeling that it's all too glam and polished it's nice to go and just walk there - you can spend hours just pottering around there and sitting watching the world go by. The creek with all its hustle and bustle can be very calming :) [i'>When I go shopping I like streets of boutique shops[/i'> There are lots of boutique shops in Jumeirah, especially along Beach Road and around McGrudys . [i'>I like to buy food from farm shops[/i'> Have you been to the Ripe farm shop? Local produce is on the up. Maybe this is something you could even be involved in - have you been reading about how Abu Dhabi has just successfully grown quinoa? This would be an exciting thing to work in as you have an interest in it. [i'> I dislike glamour wealth, flashy things, posing and all the things that seem to go with city living[/i'> Me too but I don't notice it as I don't go to the sorts of places they do :-P [i'>I also miss skiing immensely[/i'> Places like Lebanon/Kazakhstan are a short flight away and perfect for a weekend! I hope you feel more settled soon. Good luck to everyone leaving on new adventures! :) :( :) Thanks for your tips, I have explored the UAE quite extensively and found a few things which I will make do with whilst I am here. My UK sun loving friends all think I am mad for not loving the place more. But everything here for me is just halfway measures. There are good things, I don't drink so the non drinking culture is a bonus, although amongst some expats the drinking culture is worse here than the UK! I can get lots of halal food, the halal sausages and bacon here are much better than that in the UK. I try to look at the best I can. I was impressed with Safa park and we often go through Nad Al Sheba. But dogs are banned from everywhere and it's still not green or muddy enough. It just doesn't smell right, it smells like sand and city, it's hard to describe, my landie in the UK smells of gun oil, wet dog and mud, sounds disgusting but it's the smell of home. I've been to Fujairah four times in the last few months, and to Hatta and Al Ain mountain. It's nice enough but the air is wrong, there is something about proper mountain air. It's not just the way it looks it's the cool crispness of it all. The creek is my worst nightmare! For me calming is a mountain, DH, me, the dogs, walking in the treeline and snow (which really insulates sound so perfectly). Or just walking in a thick forest with leaves on the ground. The desert is the closest I have found in Dubai, but it's so open, it's just not quite the same and so often we find trash which is horrible. Kashmir and Iran have amazing snow and Turkey has some good skiing. but flights out of Dubai are pricey, cheaper airlines are not well set up for carrying ski equipment, the infrastructure is poor and I have no one to ski with and have yet to find any suitable race camps or technique workshops. The plus side is not skiing and being pregnant is giving DH some time to practice and I am hoping by the time we leave Dubai we will be able to ski together. DH works on mega projects and has work all the way across Asia and Africa, some are partly in Europe (Turkey) but more are Middle East, Far East and Africa. Europe and the US simply don't have enough mega projects on at the moment and he doesn't want to move as it will involve working on smaller 'boring' projects. We have considered moving to Asia where it is greener and wetter. I do love parts of Asia, so much rain and forest :-). But presently Dubai is a good base and I am not sure about expats with dogs in some parts of Asia, at least Dubai has a good number of dog owners.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 06 May 2014 - 13:56

I have been wondering the same thing. I have found some malls have a free luggage storage service. Whether they'll take car seats and how close you can get a car to drop you to them I don't know. I do use Careem and Uber, but I wouldn't be sure what kind of seat I'd get. We booked a Hertz rental car for some friends in Dubai and ordered a seat for a four year old. It was booked months in advance, they sent us a seat for a 0-12 month year old and were unable to change it as were out of stock. Careem may be more reliable.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 06 May 2014 - 01:19

Although most items are cheaper on Amazon, I find that the shipping cost soon makes up for it. It's astronomical! Use Shop & Ship instead of Amazon international shipping, then. edited by Madge_Gustard on 05/05/2014 Depends on what you are shipping. Books are cheap and heavy so shipping is shocking, they are also tax free so you don't even save on that. However Amazon is awesome for other items like lego, DVDs etc. where you have the tax removed, they can estimate import tax (if any) and last time they estimated mine it wasn't charged and I got it all refunded afterwards! Saved so much on Xmas presents last year by ordering from Amazon.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 06 May 2014 - 00:17

Never! :D This is, was, and always will be, home. :) In negotiation with DH. Wanted to leave since before we arrived... He has a latest deadline of 2019 with an option a, b and c early exit plan (based on school/nursery starting dates) inbetween now and then... fighting a losing battle :-( RuthM, I find your post really sad. I don't think you will ever settle or feel happy here until you accept that you are in this for the long haul and you must adjust your way of thinking if you want to feel at home. With such a long stretch ahead of you, maybe it's time to take a different tack towards life here. Have you made some good friends? I have plenty of friends here. But will never like it and will always want to leave. DH asked me if he has to move abroad where would I agree to live and I said Zurich, Vancouver maybe east coast US or Chicago (where I have family). He ended up with Dubai. I like green places, forests, trees, mountains would be even better. Dubai will never have that. I love seasons, autumn is my favourite with the changing colours and dry frosts, winter second favourite and I enjoy the change in spring, summer is my least favourite. I hate long summers and enjoy rain, snow, frost and the log fires that go with it. Dubai has all round summer. I like rural areas, mud, country lanes, walks where you never see another person until you get to a pub, historical ancient architecture, buildings that are hundreds of years old, stone walls, picturesque villages, second hand bookshops, tweed, flatcaps, shooting, chalk stream fly fishing, real muddy Land Rovers, real muddy dogs, real muddy wellies, real muddy mud, that's not Dubai. When I go shopping I like streets of boutique shops, I hate places like Selfridges, Harrods and shopping malls. I like brands with quality and history and service from staff that greet you by name and know and love their brand. A brand that is preferably made by traditional craftsmen/women and has been made the same way for a hundred years, a brand without a label on the outside. I like to buy food from farm shops the small amount of local produce in Dubai isn't quite the same, in fact I am hoping one day when we leave I will be able to have a smallholding. I grew up in a wealthy environment surrounded by wealthy people but it was understated. No one wore fashion labels, no one was fashionable. My dad wore moleskin trousers or breeks, brushed cotton checked shirts, a simple watch and plain brown shoes. I dislike glamour wealth, flashy things, posing and all the things that seem to go with city living. Despite having some great friends here, Dubai, like many cities, still has far too much of that for me (although not as much as I was expecting). I also miss skiing immensely, in the UK I could get a weekend in Switzerland easily with ski buddies that could ski at my level, or join an intensive race camp or technique workshop. Ski Dubai doesn't even have a group for my skiing level where I can work on technique (which is possible despite the confines of a small slope). Sadly they put level two skiers in level four classes who then understandably are not happy when I join and question why I am taking skiing lessons. Then all the instructor does is asks me to demo for them which is a good way to lose a popularity contest and learn nothing. Finally there is nowhere to practice my religion here so I am disconnected from that and with a baby on the way it is even more difficult knowing my child will be disconnected from it too. This is why I want to leave Dubai, it is simply is not the place for me, it may be for others but not for me. I didn't expect it to be and will be relieved when finally we can go home or to a country more suited to what I am comfortable with. But for now I have to wait until DH is ready to move and he is still really enjoying the professional experience he is getting within the region.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 05 May 2014 - 17:39

In negotiation with DH. Wanted to leave since before we arrived... He has a latest deadline of 2019 with an option a, b and c early exit plan (based on school/nursery starting dates) inbetween now and then... fighting a losing battle :-(

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 05 May 2014 - 15:13

Personally I love Land Rover but I come from a Land Rover (well original real Range Rover classic) family who used them for shooting as well as day to day commuting (what they were originally designed for). But (and my father will turn in his grave) Toyota do some great trucks. The Prado is a good allrounder and comes in seven seat version. However I have had issues with Toyota sales and servicing and find their attitude abysmal. The Nissan is another option, a friend has an old one still going strong. I have a friend with a GMC Arcadia, finds it very good, it is cheap fully loaded but I am unsure about American maintenance costs, reliability and resale value so cannot recommend. However if you do not need the seven seats and simply want a five seater 4x4 and will never go off road I recommend the VW Touareg. It is very popular for good reason, has good safety tests, reliability seems reasonable, we've never had any issues in the VW garage and it comes fully loaded at a reasonable price. <em>edited by RuthM on 05/05/2014</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 05 May 2014 - 14:40

I didn't see the original thread. But in all honesty religious requirements aside if he doesn't regard the dog as part of the family then sadly it is probably not the best place for her. It is a shame there are many places in the world that consider dogs dangerous or unclean for a variety of reasons. And thousands of years ago it is likely they were and rules were justified. But present day pet dogs in wealthy countries that are vaccinated, regularly wormed, fed appropriately, bathed, brushed, trained and looked after are not alike to dogs in poorer countries or dogs thousands of years ago.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 05 May 2014 - 13:53

My cat originated from a East European kitty mill, she is now 8 and apart from a bite infection has never been sick. That's okay then, as long as you got a healthy cat the cruelty in those farms can go on and on. For reference cats are generally much hardier than dogs in bad conditions in any case. <em>edited by RuthM on 05/05/2014</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 05 May 2014 - 13:31

Here is some information on Eastern European puppy farms. Almost any puppy bought in a pet store in Dubai will be from one of these farms. (normally I hate the DM but it has some actual useful information here) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2515297/Foreign-gangs-rabies-appalling-cruelty-The-sickening-truth-cute-Christmas-puppies-sale-internet.html The embedded RSPCA video is very informative. Dispatches (C4 in the UK) has also done a programme called 'Undercover Designer Dogs' that also exposes the shocking conditions of the dogs exported from Eastern Europe. http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/episode-guide Lastly some general information on puppy farms themselves: http://www.animal-rights-action.com/puppy-farms.html But remember even if the dog is from UK it does not guarantee a healthy dog, you NEED to see the pup with it's mother and meet the breeder as well as paperwork from a local vet (that you can check is genuine with the vet themselves) to be sure.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 05 May 2014 - 12:58

Here is some honest advice from both sides. Buying a puppy in Dubai. DON'T. If you want a puppy and it must be a purebred then buy one from a reputable breeder in the UK (or a similar country with a kennel club and good breeding schemes). It will be an expensive process. A reputable breeder will want to meet you. They will want to see at the very least pictures of where you live. They will effectively interview you to ensure you are a good prospective dog owner. Expect them to even keep in contact with you after you have bought the dog. Any breeder that tries to 'sell' you a puppy is NOT a reputable breeder. Think of it more as going to an adoption agency and being interviewed to adopt a child. Any breeder who does NOT do this is NOT a good person to buy from. Many breeders are only interested in the money and not the welfare of their dogs, they will most likely overbreed and not look after their dogs properly. This is detrimental not only to the dogs but also to you as a potential owner of one of the dogs (health behavioural issues etc.). This is why NO puppy sold in a pet shop in Dubai will be a good pet, as no reputable breeder will have sold their puppies to a pet shop to be shipped half way around the world to an unknown buyer. Here is a summary: Reputable breeder from UK or similar (my choice): + get a puppy with a better chance of good health + get a puppy from a home environment that has had the best possible chance at early socialisation + get a puppy that has been separated from it's mother at the appropriate age lessening chance of behavioural problems - expensive process you will have to personally visit breeder to convince them you are a good prospective owner will also have to pay import fees, arrange vaccinations etc. - long, time consuming process. Visiting breeders and finding a breeder that is good and also willing to sell to someone abroad will take time expect a long relationship with the breeder even after buying to pup Rescue Puppy (also a good choice): + a reasonable chance of a puppy with good health + get a puppy from a rescue environment or foster home where it has been cared for by loving volunteers increasing chances of good early socialisation + get a puppy that is separated from it's mother at the correct age (hopefully) and providing she had no behavioural issues (which you can ask the carers about) the pup has a good chance of less behavioural issues + you are saving a life - some street dogs do have issues with parasites etc. and you have no family history of the parents so there may be a possibility of health issues with some rescue pups but you can ask regarding this - it is sometimes difficult to tell how big the puppy will grow (they can estimate) and what it will look like Pet Shop and Europuppies/online (very very bad choice) + you can get a purebred puppy immediately - almost guarantee a puppy with health issues due to overbreeding, a strong likelihood of unhygienic conditions in dodgy breeders (ask any vet in Dubai how much money they get from owners of pet shop dogs) - almost guarantee a puppy with poor socialisation skills, these breeders keep the dogs in outdoor overcrowded kennels with very little human interaction, what interaction there is is often negative these puppy farm breeders do not like dogs - almost guarantee a puppy with major behavioural issues, traumatised from being separated from it's mother too early (who will likely have had behavioural issues herself from bad treatment), before being shipped half way across the globe and stuck in a cage with uncaring pet shop workers - doesn't guarantee a purebred, for example the regulation for a Golden Retriever in Romania is not the club standard you will see in the UK (I've seen funny looking retrievers the size of ponies in Dubai) - contribute to the inhumane treatment of dogs and fund these puppy farms to keep on churning out more and more puppies, before exterminating their breeding dams once they are no use any more not to mention the puppies that don't get sold (brick, bin bag, Dubai Creek?) or that get sold to people who dump them after a year contributing to the street dog problem A few final points: - PLEASE ensure if you get a dog it is for LIFE, it will be a member of your family like a child. - Find out the procedure to take the dog home when you leave Dubai, make sure you have funds put aside to do so and all vaccinations are kept up to date so that should you need to leave suddenly (work issues, family emergency etc.) you can take the dog. - Ensure EVERY person in your household wants this dog and the family collectively decides a dog is right for them. - Remember it WILL be a dog for 90% of it's life not a puppy and one day it will be old and frail and smelly and cost lots of money at the vet. - Read about dogs (if you haven't already) ensure you have the time to devote to training, exercising, loving and looking after a dog. - Ensure you are aware of dog health, do not feed it table scraps, find out what foods are toxic to dogs (some unassuming foods like grapes, raisins, chocolate, onion etc. are very dangerous) and feed the dog a good high quality pet food (not pedigree chum), weigh it's food and do not allow the dog to become fat, it is not healthy or nice for the animal (especially in Dubai heat). So there are some honest hard facts, I hope you make the right decision and wish you the best of luck finding the right new member for your family. <em>edited by RuthM on 05/05/2014</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 03 May 2014 - 22:15

http://www.officeoneuae.com/files-filing-accessories-hangingsuspension-files-c-274_427_352.html

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 03 May 2014 - 13:26

but the speed limits on some roads are 140.../quote'> ............. http://www.emirates247.com/news/emirates/dubai-police-releases-speed-and-radar-limit-on-major-roads-2014-02-13-1.538065 <em>edited by RuthM on 03/05/2014</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 03 May 2014 - 13:16

or just drive to the speed limit... hehehe was thinking that but of course there are roads that you can drive over 120 beeps! and still within speed limits. I wasn't joking - 120 is plenty fast enough to drive here im not its perfectly ok to drive at 140 remember it was 160 on the main roads before, its the ability of the driver and driving and concentrating on what you are doing, rather than talking on the phone, driving with your feet, etc etc.... u should tho have an advanced driving course before starting to drive on the roads here it will certainly help. Yes because if someone in another lane does something stupid or falls asleep at the wheel and swerves into your lane or if there is an accident ahead then you can use your exceptional driving skills to avoid a major accident. Alternatively you could simply drive at the speed limit and be safer to begin with. edited by RuthM on 03/05/2014 but the speed limits on some roads are 140.... i have discovered a sixth sense here driving for so long, and you can anticipate a lot of what is going to happen by being observant and understanding the "way people drive here" and "certain cars" etc etc of course speed does have a factor in things but its not all about speed kills, you can be driving along at 10kph and somebody does something stupid. so its about speed and observation, and to be honest not a lot of people have good observations skills, i do, i always notice people in cars, mobile cars, hiding police cars everything around me and so i have done pretty good at driving around these parts for as long as i have... and no we are not going to start up another discussion about speed on the roads as we get them many times a year... but i would like to point out that its not all about the speed limit on the road, its about the how good the driver is in the first place. Regardless of your legendary driving skills going slower (i.e. within the speed limit) will give you more time to react in a situation and as there are so many drivers here creating bad situations by chopping and changing lanes then additional time to react can only be a benefit. Frankly anyone who is unable to comprehend that simple fact cannot feasibly be that amazing a driver. Also speed does actually kill, again something simple to understand. You do not hear of many joggers running into each other at 10kmph and dying from impact. A high speed impact is far more likely to kill than a low speed impact. So much so that a car traveling at 65kmph is four times more likely to kill a pedestrian than one traveling at 50kmph. Something many mothers in Arabian Ranches fail to realise as they race around the ring road with their little 'Child on Board' signs on the back of their cars. Bear in mind impact speed is not always translated as traveling speed, one may brake prior to impact, skidding which can increase speed or successfully braking which can decrease speed. But in any case traveling at less speed to begin with (within reason) gives an all round better chance of avoiding impact, and avoiding serious injuries should there be an impact that cannot be avoided. As for speed limits I am not aware of any roads that have a 140kmph limit, however for some reason some areas have a 'grace limit' although this does not mean you need to race along at that limit as standard. I am quite sure the speed limits are set for a reason and the traffic department who set those limits by studying traffic flow and accident statistics probably know a fair bit more about driving in Dubai than anyone on these forums. It's like preaching to teenagers sometimes.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 03 May 2014 - 11:49

or just drive to the speed limit... hehehe was thinking that but of course there are roads that you can drive over 120 beeps! and still within speed limits. I wasn't joking - 120 is plenty fast enough to drive here im not its perfectly ok to drive at 140 remember it was 160 on the main roads before, its the ability of the driver and driving and concentrating on what you are doing, rather than talking on the phone, driving with your feet, etc etc.... u should tho have an advanced driving course before starting to drive on the roads here it will certainly help. Yes because if someone in another lane does something stupid or falls asleep at the wheel and swerves into your lane or if there is an accident ahead then you can use your exceptional driving skills to avoid a major accident. Alternatively you could simply drive at the speed limit and be safer to begin with. <em>edited by RuthM on 03/05/2014</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 02 May 2014 - 00:03

5) Jiggles his big feet in bed at night making the whole bed shake So glad this is not unique to my DH... drives me mad at night!!!

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 01 May 2014 - 21:24

Never uses the toilet brush...

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 28 April 2014 - 23:32

Depends on what the experience is? Are they a standard QS? Do they have any specialist experience? Have they worked on contractor or consultant side? Have they managed jobs? Assuming it is someone in mid 20s with bachelor degree, chartered and five years experience working for a contractor DH says up to 25k a month. But if they have claims experience, have further qualifications (especially legal) and very strong writing skills (not copy paste men as DH calls them) then could be more. Although DH hasn't recruited anyone at that level for a few years, he's always looking for dual qualified or working towards dual qualified people.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 28 April 2014 - 19:40

It is quite nice, albeit there are always a few posers with some very young (perhaps paid) underdressed women. I think they recently changed the spend as it used to be only for men but now I think it is a spend per person. The dress code is 'smart casual' the details are on the website where they ask for 'jeans with dinner jacket for men'. This made me chuckle but I think they mean sport coat rather than a DJ with jeans which would be a bit of a weird combo. (Love it when pretend posh places look silly with some of their rules and policies).

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 28 April 2014 - 19:29

DH flies to Istanbul a few times a month, always business. From Dubai he prefers Emirates. He finds the food particularly inferior on Turkish and the service is not great - they push the food out quickly with little attentiveness. From the UK to Istanbul he prefers Turkish to BA Club Europe. The seats in BA Club Europe are poor recliners and the cabin space is limited. That said he does find the service on BA better. From a personal point of view Turkish fly from Gatwick as an option which is better logistically for him. Lastly he said some pilots on Turkish are a bit crazy. <em>edited by RuthM on 28/04/2014</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 28 April 2014 - 02:03

You can order from here, they should ship internationally or you can shop n ship. Not sure where to find them in Dubai, only seen the mesh raised beds where you have to put a mattress on top which my dogs duly remove and tear to bits. http://hik9.com

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 27 April 2014 - 23:45

Tavola do alcohol free vanilla extract, it's not technically vanilla extract under US FDA regulations as vanilla extract needs to have a solution containing a minimum 35% of alcohol and 100g of vanilla beans per litre. However it is derived from natural vanilla beans using CO2 method rather than vanilla essence which is most often synthetic vanilla flavouring.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 27 April 2014 - 11:47

'Traveling as cargo' simply means they go in the hold of the aircraft and not in the cabin, so your cat will be on the same flight as you. Never managed to get our labradors in the cabin as excess baggage always had to go in the hold! Travelling as cargo as others have said is a UAE requirement not the airline requirement. It means the animal will be booked separately to you and charged at cargo rates not excess baggage rates. You need to book a separate ticket through Emirates Sky Cargo in advance for the animal and ensure you have all the appropriate export/import documentation, dogs need to be wormed before flying (not sure about cats). In the UK you get a DEFRA form and fit to fly certification from the vet a few days before flying. I believe the animal and it's paperwork is checked over by a vet at each end of the journey in the cargo holding area. The animal will need to be dropped and will arrive at the cargo terminal not with your other baggage in the passenger terminal. However, you can book the animal onto the same flight as yourself (but it will be as a separate booking). We did this with our dogs from UK and dropped them at cargo before checking in ourselves. I still confirmed with airline crew to check with ground staff that the dogs were on board in the pressurised/heated part of the hold before takeoff.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 26 April 2014 - 10:03

Whilst a Land Rover fan we decided to save some money in Dubai. I prefer European cars (personal preference no real reason). No idea the prices on the other cars you mentioned, we got a VW Touareg last year and have been really happy with it so far. I kind of consider VW as a German engineered Ford. Since having it we have noticed it is actually really popular and see tons of them around. A friend has the old model and also really likes it. Couldn't find NCAP for the most recent model but the older model scored well. On some US sites the recent model has also scored highly. May be worth a look if it is within the price range you are considering. http://www.thecarconnection.com/review/1078737_2013-volkswagen-touareg_safety_5

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 24 April 2014 - 07:28

Why would any dog lover leave them on the streets? Because when you lose your job in Dubai you have to leave within a certain time frame. Some people are in financial difficulty and do not realise the difficulty and expense involved in exporting their dog. Dubai has little in the way of rescue centres for dogs and leaving them with the municipality means certain death. Otherwise they may leave them with a friend who promises to look after them then changes their mind, there are a variety of reasons why some dogs (and even more cats) in Dubai end up on the streets. <em>edited by RuthM on 24/04/2014</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 24 April 2014 - 00:29

Bit more information for those interested: http://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/scifi/star-wars-episode-vii-disney-head-talks-casting-production-release-dates.html

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 23 April 2014 - 23:34

We have a villa for the exact same reason, our dogs tend to bark at the slightest thing, not for an extended period just 30s - 1m but long enough that with the wrong neighbours in Dubai we could have problems we would simply rather not have. We're lucky enough to be in the ranches but it is getting pricey now. I had a friend with a lab in JVT, the villas seem very nice, gardens are spacious, they said the only downside is lack of facilities and the road layout changes every day! I also don't know what the prices in Victory Heights and Silicon Oasis are like now but they were cheaper than the ranches for a while (may have caught up). You should also look at DEWA (electricity/water) costs with villas which can be quite high especially if you have a lawn which I recommend avoiding if you can! You could consider an apartment or villa apartment, it is possible in an apartment block your dog may bark less as the noise he hears will be more frequent so may desensitise him. Part of the problem for us is we lived in the countryside in the UK (us and a farm) so any outside noise was infrequent and now in the ranches it is also very quiet but I think maybe if there was noise all day the dogs would get bored of it. As rents are going up and our dogs are now very old we are considering an apartment or a townhouse. I don't drive either and use Careem too, it's a great service. I also use another car service called Uber. Careem is good for booking in advance, I find Uber is often better for getting cars immediately (they don't take advance bookings). Someone has already given you a link to Careem but here is a link to Uber: https://uber.com/invite/cxpg3 You may also be aware the price for importing/exporting a dog has gone up recently. Please ensure you have funds available and keep your dogs vaccinations up to date so he can return home with you when/if you leave. So many people here arrive with dogs and their circumstances change suddenly. They are then forced to leave them behind due to finances or logistical reasons with quarantine. The dogs often end up on the streets, where they suffer terribly or eventually if they are lucky with a local charity who may be able to rehome them or if they are unlucky with the municipality where they are destroyed. Good luck and hope you can find a suitable home for you all. <em>edited by RuthM on 24/04/2014</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 23 April 2014 - 21:22

This is happening an awful lot in London, it is not specifically Arab people who are being targeted. its any wealthy area. Scary ! I lived in London for 9 years and in those 9 years, My house was broken into, Car radio stolen 3 or 4 times maybe and husband was held at knifepoint at a cash machine. Friend of mine was mugged on the kings road last week and was hit over her head from behind.. I dont feel safe in London . You must be very unlucky! I lived in London for 28 years, during that time I had my pocket picked once at a rock concert. My parents live in a wealthy area and someone stole the lead flashing under the front window of the house but they've never been broken into and never had cars broken into. That said a friend of mine borrowed my car (my mother lent it to him) whilst I was in Dubai and parked it in a really dumpy area and the radio was unsurprisingly stolen - needless to say I was pretty miffed. I think all cities have their fair share of crime and dodgy areas. However London is certainly not the worst in Europe. By some recorded crime statistics London is considered to have a lower crime rate than Rome, Paris, Naples, Athens, Milan and Brussels. But if you are in a big city, with a mixture of wealth and nationalities, with a mediocre benefits system you can expect crime.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 22 April 2014 - 04:17

It would see husbands left alone is not a unique problem to the UAE... :-) http://themetapicture.com/your-wife-loves-you-when-you-get-home-and-see-this/

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 21 April 2014 - 00:32

Hi Rose, I can try to understand the difficulty in finding a suitable psychiatrist that you can work with. My father worked with his doctor for several years. His doctor was Egyptian and semi retired some time ago to spend several months of the year with family in Egypt. During his last 'near manic attack' in 98 my father had to see a different doctor, the doctor basically told him to pull himself together, my father who had never previously been aggressive (he goes euphoric manic) became angry and stormed out. Luckily his original doctor consulted by telephone and managed to change his medication to get him stabilised. I am sorry I cannot recommend anyone in Dubai, although even if I could every person is different and some respond well with a doctor that others would not get on with at all. I can only suggest trying another psychiatrist until you find one you feel you can work with. You will probably need to give any new doctor several sessions to try and get a sense of if you think you can make progress with them. Sadly Dubai may not be the best place for mental health treatment and I imagine experienced psychiatrists are not common. But it is important you are seeing someone, even if only to monitor medication. I would be concerned regarding a psychiatrist who tells you to have 'self control' really they should be teaching you strategies to help you gain stability but simply telling you to magically become more in control is probably unlikely to help. I cannot comment on medication. My father was on I think four maybe even six medications. I know for sure he had lithium (mood leveller) plus a couple of things in the morning to help him wake up and something in the night to help him sleep. A good psychiatrist may spend some time finding the right combination for you. As for keeping busy I would suggest adding productive learning skills. Gym, cinema etc. is great in fact exercise is very important. However you will feel satisfaction from improving a skill and producing something. Many bipolar people are very intelligent so it is also good to keep your mind engaged and working and learning a new skill can help with this as well. This is why mental hospitals spend so much time on recreational things like woodworking, sewing, art etc. I hope you can find someone to help you stabilise and be able to learn the best strategies for yourself. If you haven't already I also suggest doing as much reading about the disease as you can. A good place to start is Mind (a British mental health charity). This is their page on bipolar if you haven't already read it: http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/bipolar-disorder/about-bipolar-disorder/#.U1QmoF7dvbU If you have any further questions or would like to know more please let me know.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 20 April 2014 - 22:20

Bipolar covers several conditions, it is like saying you have cancer, there are many different types. I would be concerned if your doctor has not advised what type you really need to know. My father had Bipolar I which is categorised by severe manic episodes often followed by depression. It is most commonly diagnosed following a severe manic episode which will generally come out of the blue and take everyone by surprise. Prior to his first manic episode most people would consider him sometimes a little down (typical moody bloke) but certainly not angry or manic. His first manic episode ruined his life, he never recalled any of it as he was completely delusional but within the space of a week he managed to get himself banned from entering a commercial airline, to lose all his money/give it away and sign up to a deal that resulted in several million pounds debt later on. We were on holiday and sent him back home by private plane (as we had no idea what was wrong with him), once he returned home he became worse and the neighbours called the police. I do not joke when I say the entire road was closed off, and the police turned up with a helicopter and assault rifles, he featured on the front page of local newspapers and we had weird people cruising by our home looking for where the 'axe man' lived for the next few months (we had one axe, in the garden shed which was locked and never opened). His second manic attack was milder (or we caught it earlier) but he still claimed to be the messiah, threw away a little more money (he was going to save the Bosnian war) and the depressive episode following that was severe. He had to be put on suicide watch and sectioned to a special part of the hospital where we were not even allowed to take in pencils or shoe laces. I was at boarding school for the third and we caught the fourth and changed his lithium before he became manic (handy as our insurance had stopped covering us for in patient care). He was then stable for seven years before he died, if we discount the fourth close shave he was stable for eleven years. His psychiatrist (who became quite close to the family) was considering trying him off medication as he was so pleased with his progress. If you have bipolar I, I would seriously urge you to leave Dubai. This is not something you would want to have in Dubai, I do not believe the authorities here are understanding regarding mental conditions and if my father had his first manic attack in Dubai or even the second with the religious nonsense he was spouting then I suspect he would still be in jail now. I am not sure what Dubai in patient care is like, but this may also be something of consideration. However your description sounds unlikely to be Bipolar I, in all honesty it could be BPD, depression or anxiety but if it is bipolar it sounds closer to cyclothymia (my cousin has this), or rapid cycling. You didn't mention depressive episodes. If your psychiatrist has not given you information on your condition and what type you have I would suggest you seek a second opinion, you certainly do not want to start treatment for bipolar unnecessarily and it is very hard to treat. You can expect to be on medication for life, or certainly 10 years plus and regular visits to your doctor and blood tests will be required to monitor your medication as it needs adjusting. This said please do not be disheartened, you can lead a normal and happy life if the condition is managed properly, just if it is something else it may be much cheaper and easier in the long run as some other conditions can be very severe at the time but then not so life long. Suggestions. Most bipolar sufferers become obsessive about things, they will bury themselves in perfecting a skill it is a way of managing the mania side of the disease as well as preventing the depression. My father mastered gardening, car maintenance, countryside management, tying fishing flies, fly fishing, shooting and decorating/plastering/wood filling all to a high standard. These sort of hobbies are good therapy, find something creative (something where you get a result) and immerse yourself in perfecting that skill. If you drink alcohol stop. It will make medicating much harder. Any drugs or alcohol can cause massive issues for bipolar sufferers. My father had issues with drinking but had to go teetotal, he could not have even one drink. If you have sole control of your assets get a counter signature now. You do not want to have control if you have a manic attack. This was my mothers issue even after we realised what was going on with my father and he was in hospital he still had access to a fax machine and phone and this is when he did the most financial damage. She had no power to stop what was going on we went from very rich to millions in debt in a week (although it took a few years for the worst issues to unravel). Try to stick to a regular routine, and it may sound simple but try to eat a healthy balanced diet, these things do have an effect. Get enough sleep, this is more important than you can imagine, you must ensure you get a good amount of sleep every night. This is probably one of the most vital tips. One thing I can say is my father was a brilliant man, he was highly respected both personally and professionally. He was truly skilled at anything he turned his hand to and after he passed away we really were touched by the things people wrote about him. Westminster Council planted a tree at the request of the public in the area where he worked. So do not think being bipolar can make you a lesser person. If you want more information let me know. I can post email.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 18 April 2014 - 13:57

Last time I went away for summer DH couldn't remember what setting to put the sheets in washing machine (he only washes his own clothes as he is worried about being told off if he damages things). When I came back he was sleeping in the spare room. It seems we only had four sets of sheets for our bed so when he ran out he moved to the spare room and used the sheets for the guest bed (different size). Of course I came home with six sets of sheets to wash!

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 17 April 2014 - 22:32

You can't transfer her contract to dubai,unless you transfer her visa to a new sponsor working in dubai. Sorry so when DH Fujairah visa is cancelled in March next year and he is issued a Dubai visa we can't transfer/take out a new Dubai visa for the maid it has to be a new sponsor?

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 17 April 2014 - 22:30

We are intending on a month for every year worked it's pretty standard redundancy pay in the UK Are you in the UK ? Why are you comparing maid end of service here to the UK? Is your maid British? Of course, she graduated in hospitality from Les Roches, Switzerland and was employed as Head Housekeeper at Sandringham House prior to her move to Dubai. Where else would we get a maid from?!

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 17 April 2014 - 22:12

RuthM, Your maid will only need to take her contract to the Polo office to make her papers before she is traveling back home (which will allow her to exit the Philippines to return to UAE). By that time you will have transferred her to a Dubai visa, and then you just have to list the salary a a being over Dh1470 or thereabouts. ETA or you can go and change her contract when you require it to say the amount necessary. edited by CrashingWaves on 17/04/2014 Great so we can just transfer her visa to Dubai before she travels then she can register at embassy. Thanks very much for your help.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 17 April 2014 - 21:55

It is the same in Sharjah, you pay salary mentioned in contract x 12 months, this is why it's the norm to put a salary of AED 600 in the contract. I'm not sure If it works for all nationalities, for a maid from the Philippines the contract should mention AED 1500 even if you're paying her less. When our maid started & was still under probation she asked for AED 1100 (we hired her through agency with no experience), but her contract said AED 1500 as it's her government min requirement. She earns more than AED 1500 now but her renewed government contract & embassy papers are still AED 1500 but in Dubai it's a fixed amount of AED 5000. My advise is to check with a maids agency in Fujairah to see how you can go around it. I don't think it is an issue for the 1st 2 years if you mention AED 600 in the government contract as I think she doesn't need to register her contract unless she plans to travel to her country then comes back. If she is already here you don't need to deal with her embassy at all, you only need to do some paper work with her government if you are hiring her directly from her country & it should be done through an agency. So did you have to pay 12x1500?! Or did you put 600 with Sharjah visa then a separate agency contract for 1500 with the Philippine embassy? We employed our lady directly as she was already in Dubai and recommended by someone leaving the country. DH visa is being moved to Dubai next March and we will move maid too but that's a whole year away.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 17 April 2014 - 21:46

Having actually read her twitter page and not just some junk article from the Daily Mail (my most hated newspaper) it would seem she is simply trying to raise awareness that PTSD is not a condition exclusive to war vets. The issue seems to stem from her stating she has PTSD caused by extreme online harassment only to be attacked further by posters telling her it is a mental condition exclusive to combat vets. In particular it would seem military persons themselves have been attacking her telling her her illness is nonsense. From other articles across the web certain Americans seem to believe this and harass and belittle PTSD sufferers who have suffered alternative traumas to combat. She has in clearly stated: "I don't discount military vets PTSD. I care about everyone with PTSD. I want people to realise it is not a military only condition" Most of her past twitter page has been feminist, lesbian, transgender and anti religion (humanist) activism which she appears to be professionally involved in. Frankly being that the US military is not exactly well known for their tolerance of any of these topics I am not surprised she has experienced harassment from military persons and their supporters. But regardless the fact is she is mentally ill, she has been given a name for her illness by a psychiatrist. Now perhaps that psychiatrist is wrong but if so surely they are the guilty party here? She is simply defending the illness she has been diagnosed with. If you were suffering long term and finally diagnosed with an illness then someone said 'nonsense you're not sick enough for that' you'd probably get upset and frustrated as well. She clearly is suffering from many issues, depression, anxiety, OCD and a hate campaign against any person, no matter how mentally stable, is bound to have its toll.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 17 April 2014 - 20:17

Well it would seem the Daily Mail is doing its usual accurate reporting of facts without exaggeration ha ha ha. From what I can tell she is simply stating PTSD is not a military only condition. She would be absolutely correct, it is most often caused by a traumatic event (car accident, terrorist attack etc.) but it may also be caused by prolonged abuse, neglect and bullying/harassment. In all honesty the woman clearly has mental health problems, whether from this harassment or whether she had an underlying issue to begin with. Belittling her illness is not really something I find acceptable, obviously she should not be comparing her illness to others either but we have to bear in mind she is ill, therefore should not be held accountable for what she says and does whilst she is recovering from her illness. Anyone who is mentally ill and suffering from anxiety, depression etc. can only reason with their own condition and often cannot fathom that someone else may be suffering as severely or more severely than themselves. This is a core mark of depression it is a hugely selfish illness but this is a symptom of the illness. Beside which is it really fair to say this illness is worse than yours? If a diabetic has to have their foot amputated would you say 'oh at least you didn't have both your legs amputated?' People should be sympathetic to all illness regardless of severity, sadly mental illness is one that is wholly misunderstood.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 17 April 2014 - 19:17

DH refers to me as the 'Kitchen Engineer' and refuses to set foot in the kitchen. That said he does do some of his own washing and takes clean washing out the machine for me since I've had back problems. He actually loses weight whilst I'm away as he seems to live off granola and cheese sandwiches! So I can completely sympathise with the OP. As for what to do as others have said putting meals in the freezer is good, Skype/FaceTime him as often as possible and luckily I have some friends who that seem to feel sorry for him whilst I'm away and insist on feeding him!

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 17 April 2014 - 19:00

We are intending on a month for every year worked it's pretty standard redundancy pay in the UK and more than generous if she is leaving you. However if ours leaves to go and work elsewhere (under a cloud so to speak) I don't think I'd give her anything. Is it common to give cash for birthday and Christmas? We were thinking of a small gift for birthday and a months salary for end of year bonus every December.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 10 April 2014 - 19:25

Managed to get one at mediclinic. They said everything looks fine but they think I had a severe gastric infection as I had watery stools followed by blood (on its own). It's been suggested to go to emergency gastroenterologist for stool sample/tests in case it's something that can affect baby. Do you mind me asking if you had to follow up with tests etc after your food poisoning? Thanks.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 09 April 2014 - 08:42

Actually the first person to suggest moving the cat fostering and TNR was in fact me. I go round the cat, most people on this forum would go round the cat. BUT we live in Dubai, a place where the municipality policy is to destroy feral cats. A place where there is very little guidance on animal welfare. A place where there are hundreds of different nationalities all mingled together with different views on animal welfare, some of those views are wholly negative. A place where recently someone who was feeding a stray that had been TNR and was very friendly saw someone purposely kick that cat in the face right in front of her because it 'ran' too close to them. The best thing that can happen for this cat is that it will be fostered and the kittens will be adopted. But I question if this does not happen and this cat continues with this aggression with passers by is someone going to go down there and put up signs stating 'FERAL CAT WITH KITTENS - PLEASE USE ALTERNATIVE ROUTE'?! Because if it attacked the OP's dog walking down the street minding her own business not once but twice, and the second time the attack escalated, then who is to say it will not attack someone else, someone who is not as much of an animal lover, someone who will kill this cat or call the authorities to have it removed. Therefore as previously stated. If it cannot be fostered then stopping it from coming onto the street is hugely beneficial for its own safety. I will try to simplify this: Favourable option 1) Move/foster cat save kittens TNR Unfavourable option 2) Keep cat from coming onto street attacking passers by as human contact at this stage could be dangerous for the cat Other option 3) Municipality or security remove cat with negative fate As for my dog picking a fight, my previous posts and the OP post explained the cat picked a fight with the dog 'passing by' and that my dog has already had a tussle with a feral that attacked my other dog. She is a Labrador yes, but she is also trained to hunt and flush prey to field trial standard. Field labs are nothing at all like show labs, it is almost a different breed, we have one of each and they are so completely different. This said said would not flush a cat, she cannot smell cats, until this tussle with a feral she had zero interest in cats, she would see them run, give chase for about three steps, smell that they were not game and walk off in disgust. Her nose is very focused whilst our typical lab finds anything he can on walks, biscuits, leftover trash etc. she walks straight past them (until she gets upset seeing he has something), she can only smell rodent, fox and game bird, a very different dog altogether. But if she was attacked she would not run like our other dog did, she would fight back and she already has when our other dog was attacked a few years ago. We must remember not everyone is like us, I personally find it cruel that someone would use aversion training methods in the home. That's my opinion, with a home trained animal you have the relationship, bond and time to use positive training. But this cat is in a public place, 'coming our of nowhere' attacking passers by she feels threatened by and not all passers by are going to be as patient and understanding as people on this forum. The OP, someone who clearly likes animals, her first reaction was of shock and disbelief. She did not understand why the cat was doing this and there are plenty more people in this region who would not only not understand but also not care, they would just want the animal removed, they would be afraid. Animals in the wild are trained to stay away from people for their own safety all the time.

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