RuthM | ExpatWoman.com
 

RuthM

RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 11 September 2013 - 12:36
Speaking to my gardener and he said there was a notice up in Sahel gate 4 I've never seen it but noticed said to remove any damas trees I have a total of 26 in my back garden. Yes some stupid idiot planted 26 trees. Landlord wants nothing to do with it won't pay for removal says its down to us as tenants. Paying holy **** at the minute with them. Total nuisance and killing my grass. :-( that idiot wasn't me lol edited by Allisonmason98 on 11/09/2013 Have you tried informing the landlord that he is responsible for the maintenance of his property? So if those trees weaken walls, grow into his water tank (or a neighbours) or even worse weaken the foundation of his house then it's his problem. That said from his current attitude he sounds like an **** that may try and blame you so I would exit fast! Our landlord just removed all the damas in our garden at his own great expense.
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 07 September 2013 - 01:51
I signed in just to reply to this! I love Koh Samui so much but there aren't really any hotels with kids clubs, except the four seasons and it is very expensive and isolated. There is a kids club at centara but it is just a small room with nothing going on. Langkawi is lovely, hotels all have kids club, we stayed at four seasons last year in a two bed beach villa, it was really fantastic and great for kids (ours now 5 and 7). The only problem with Langkawi s changing airports and a connecting flight (you also have connecting flight for koh samui, but not the hassle of changing airports which we were unaware of until we landed in KL). Have you considered Mauritius? It is a five hour flight, same time as Dubai and they have fantastic kids clubs there, the prince Maurice (or sister hotel) has adjoining rooms with bunk beds, we are going for Eid, book air Mauritius though, cheaper than Emiarates bit same plane! We stayed at Le Touurok and it has the best kids club I have ever seen, treehouse, pool, indoor / outdoor play and they do lizard and frog hunting every evening so keep the litte nippers entertained. Good luck with your decision, phuket is now a direct flight but we went in Ausust and it rained continuously for three days so we went to Koh Samui instead, stayed at Sala Samui, lovely resort, no kids club but still very kid friendly. Sorry just wanted to say in Kuala Lumpur you only have to change airports for Langkawi if you connect with Air Asia. Malaysian Airlines is in the same building for domestic as international. <em>edited by RuthM on 07/09/2013</em>
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 06 September 2013 - 16:53
We have stayed at the Four Season Langkawi twice now. We don't have kids ourselves but they have a kids club and we have decided we will go back there when we have kids. The accommodation options are either having two rooms one above each other (50% discount on second room) or they have these amazing (but expensive) beach villas which have a second twin bedroom for kids. These villas are huge, we had the non family version (the second bedroom is made into a personal spa room) and it was one of the best rooms we have stayed in, you have a small pool, an indoor and outdoor shower, a study which is the size of most bedrooms and a bedroom the size of the ground floor of many open plan villas in Dubai! All the rooms have this awesome bathtub which is the size of most bathrooms. I think you can have a rollaway in your room too. There are two pools, one adult only pool (for while the kids are off playing in the kids club maybe) and one family pool. The wildlife there is beautiful, monkeys, lizards, birds etc. Some people complain about the cement factory but you can only see it from one end of the beach it is miles away and really not noticeable at all (ask for a room/villa at the Kelapa Grill end). http://www.fourseasons.com/langkawi/services_and_amenities/family_at_four_seasons/kids_for_all_seasons/ Four Seasons also have a kids club in Koh Samui the one in Langkawi is age 4+ and Koh Samui I is 2+. So we plan on trying Koh Samui first (when we have kids). I haven't been there before but a friend stayed in the Four Seasons there and loved it. They also have family villas. http://www.fourseasons.com/kohsamui/services_and_amenities/kids_for_all_seasons/ I haven't been to Koh Samui but the only bad thing I would say about Langkawi is the sea. The trash in the sea is horrible, the government really need to do something to clear it up and stop people littering. We normally love swimming in the sea but we stayed mainly in the pool while we were there.
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 06 September 2013 - 15:22
My cousin makes these ones: http://www.mpowercup.co.za/
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 05 September 2013 - 23:13
I second Lakshmi comments about trainers. I did a tour around our local fitness first and saw a lady badly arching her back, core not engaged and flaring her ribs while doing a dumbell clean and press The weight was obviously too heavy for her and her posture was terrible. The trainer did nothing to correct her, a recipe for a very badly injured back. That said I would never go back to Core as I was messed around by their trainers (kept on cancelling) and the owner so much and I think they are even worse at paying their staff than FF were before they changed hands. Independent trainers are probably a good idea or try other smaller gyms. Otherwise negotiate with Fitness First for a trial day with a trainer (before joining), and purposely make sure you use some bad form (i.e. arch your back, flare your ribs and maybe even lift your heels on a squat (be careful and don't do this with weight!), or lunge with your knee over your toe and let your body drop forward. See if they correct you, if they don't challenge them and ask them why they are not correcting you. I need a PT because although I start exercises in good form by the end I am shattered and start getting sloppy. Being unable to see what I am doing having someone to correct me is required. This to me is the most important job of a PT, the second part of their job is to create exercise sets that will challenge but not injure you. Good luck finding someone!
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 05 September 2013 - 22:59
I was leaning towards Dubaian, thanks!
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 05 September 2013 - 16:30
Before jumping on the iPhone restore there are many other things you can try. Try a hard reset. Hold down the on/off button and the home button keep holding them until the screen goes black and the apple logo reappears, then release. http://www.wikihow.com/Hard-Reset-an-iPhone If this fails I suggest a software upgrade. To be honest an upgrade is a good idea anyway it's best to keep the software up to date. If your firmware is out of date it's even more crucial. Let me know how you get on with the soft reset and I'll post instructions on how to do full backup and upgrade next (bit short on time now sorry). The final step after the upgrade will be a restore.
RuthM
1042
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 05 September 2013 - 14:42
Sorry if this seems like an obvious question but have you checked the 'silent' switch on the top left side? It is a physical switch that can easily get caught on a pocket or something. When you switch it a bell with a line through it should appear on the screen to show it is in silent mode, in this mode the phone will only vibrate. A bell without a line will show it is not in silent mode. the + and - buttons beneath this button allow you to increase and decrease the volume when switching to not silent mode (iPhone needs to be unlocked at the time of moving silent mode switch) Here is some more information (images are iPhone 3 but the switch is in the same place) http://www.imore.com/iphone-101-iphone-ringing-meet-silent-switch Image of iPhone 4 showing switch (ringer button) http://ipod.about.com/od/introductiontotheiphone/ss/Anatomy-Of-Iphone-4.htm If you have tried this switch then there is a possibility it is malfunctioning. There are a number of forums I can direct you to for possible solutions on this if it is a malfunctioning switch (of course if it is a hardware fault then it will need repair).
RuthM
1042
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 01 September 2013 - 17:04
I have an acute sinus infection. It is not contagious. I have had a course of antibiotics and have just started a different course. I cannot delay my return flight any longer. My UK consultant has said I am fit to fly if I take medication and has passed my case to a colleague in Bahrain. I have had chronic sinusitis for nineteen years. The cough is caused by a post nasal drip which irritates the throat. The blood is just because the throat has been so irritated from the coughing and mucus dripping down my throat. There is my full medical history for those accusing me of all sorts of hings. I think I will pour out most of the bottle at home and bring a bottle with enough for just the flight. Then throw the bottle away before landing. Thanks to those who had some helpful advice.
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 31 August 2013 - 18:56
Unfortunately getting a doctors note on a weekend in the UK is next to impossible. I have no idea what else would be suitable. I don't plan on taking it off the plane so will not be bringing it through customs, except for the medicine ingested.
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 31 August 2013 - 16:01
I've had a really bad cough for about three weeks. The doctor has given me a cough suppressant for my flight back to Dubai tomorrow night. But I've just realised it has Codeine in it. Would it be okay to take it on the flight to get me through the flight then bin the bottle on the plane before arriving in Dubai? Then I can see another Doctor in Dubai to get a new medicine when I arrive. There is no way I can get through a flight without something, been coughing so hard chest is now painful and blood coming up. Also the other passengers on an overnight flight may not thank me for hacking all night.
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 18 August 2013 - 10:13
I second Siemens. Also Miele make exceptional washing machines, I imagine their dishwashers and fridge freezers would also be good.
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 18 August 2013 - 01:36
Appliances UK uses the same voltage and plug type as Dubai. DH and I have high quality Miele appliances and plan on taking them back with us when we move back. We brought a number of things out with us Pioneer TV (overpriced in Dubai), B&O stereo (which we already had). We plan on taking these all back with us. If you have good quality appliances (German, Japanese or Danish made) with the 3 pin (type G) plug then I would take them with you. Education There are a number of options - State school - based on the national curriculum. Apply to the local council and you will be provided a place at a school in your catchment area (home location). - Grammar - selective schools for 11+ based on academic ability. - Academies - independent schools that do not have to follow the national curriculum but are publicly funded can also take some voluntary aid (these are new). - Voluntary Aided Schools - mostly faith based (many are Catholic but some CofE) follow the national curriculum with the addition of religious education. - Private Independent and Public schools - fee paying schools which do not have to follow the national curriculum, can be faith based. Most have small class sizes, can be selective based on ability (academic, music, sports, arts etc.). Public schools are the old schools with history many are boarding schools and are often considered prestigious. Some of the highest results come from grammar and private schools and many new academies are also producing good results. However questions have been raised as to whether this is more due to the selective process these schools often have than the teaching quality being superior. Personally I would go private or grammar but my family have always attended public independent schools and DH went to grammar so I am biased. If you are going state you will need to apply to the county council for school admissions. It is a good idea to research and find the school you want before looking for somewhere to live as the closer you can get to the school the more likely you are to get a place. However you won't be able to apply until you have somewhere to live. Obviously if you are going private this is not so much of an issue. Where to Live As for areas to live I am not sure which airport you are referring to with Cheltenham. Depending on where you need to fly to and how often you could consider a number of other areas. Main airports in England include London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London Stansted and Manchester. Other smaller airports include London Luton, Birmingham and Bristol. Birmingham and Bristol are both about an hour from Cheltenham. Heathrow is a very busy airport therefore if you look to move close to there you may wish to ensure you are not on a flight path. I only really know areas in the south east. Kent, Sussex and Surrey are all areas close to Gatwick. Tunbridge Wells is a beautiful spa town (much like Cheltenham) is is accessible to Gatwick (45mins) but also not too far form Heathrow (1hr) as well. Cranbrook has a fantastic grammar school and is about 15-20mins from Tunbridge Wells, Cranbrook is more of a village. Sevenoaks is a great town although expensive. It is 25mins to London and very close the the M25 (London ring road) so accessible to Gatwick (30mins) and Heathrow (1hr). These three towns are my favourites, I am from a Kent town a bit closer to London but DH and I moved to a village outside of Tunbridge Wells before moving to Dubai. I do not know Surrey well but have heard good things about Guildford (Gatwick 40m, Heathrow 30m), and obviously Richmond (a London borough) has a good reputation. However Surrey can be very expensive! If you are considering the West Country and around Cheltenham you may wish to also look at Cirencester. In that area I can also suggest looking at Bath and Bristol, from friends I know in that area I also hear they are great cities with Bristol airport very close although major airports are further afield. North of the river there are some great towns in Buckinghamshire (very close to London Heathrow) and Hertfordshire (very close to London Stansted) although I do not know that area well at all perhaps someone else can advise. Other Some links which may help you: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/9124194/Relocation-hot-spots-20-of-the-best-towns-in-Britain-for-those-fed-up-with-London.html?frame=2159003 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/buyingsellingandmoving/9857544/Top-20-towns-and-cities-to-buy-homes-in.html?frame=2475066 http://rankings.ft.com/secondary-schools/secondary-schools-2012 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/leaguetables/ I'm sure you will find somewhere nice to live, I wish I was moving back to the UK. <em>edited by RuthM on 18/08/2013</em>
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 16 August 2013 - 01:49
DH went to Northumbria, back then it was Newcastle Polytechnic he did quantity surveying not business and management. Its proximity to Newcastle may make for a better social scene, although I believe Coventry is close to Birmingham. The subject rankings seem to be contradictory, one puts Coventry as higher for business and management the other puts Northumbria higher. Can he not take a trip over and have a look, see which one he gets a better feel for?
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 14 August 2013 - 16:27
I'd like to know the answer to the first part of this question. How long does it take for the baby's UK passport to arrive? Or rather what is the shortest possible time from birth to travel in Dubai?
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 14 August 2013 - 11:30
I am also interested in knowing about this. Our landlord has verbally advised us he 'may' want to move into the house himself next year but has not yet provided us with notice. Once he provides us with notice firstly is it another full year from the next contract start date? I would assume not as our contract started 1st August so it would in effect be two years for him. Secondly if for example he notifies us in January, I would assume we have a year from January, therefore would the last four months of our contract be on a month by month pro rata basis? In such a case would we no longer be tied into a lease from 1st August next year (therefore the final four months) and if we find somewhere in say October could we terminate early from our end (obviously this would make finding a new property easier for us and give us more time to find something)
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 04 August 2013 - 18:49
Grumbles in Pimlico is a hidden secret. It's more of a bistro restaurant. It's quite small although has an upstairs and downstairs so it would depend on the size of your party as to if it would be practical. Food is generally good. Everyone I have taken there has loved it but it's certainly not your usual pretentious upscale gastro pub in Chelsea. http://www.grumblesrestaurant.co.uk/
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 03 August 2013 - 02:08
In the UK the clippings belong to whosoever tree they were previously attached to. If it was your tree a polite neighbour would ask if you wanted them back and if you decline then it is their responsibility to dispose of them. If it is their tree they should come and collect their clippings (with your permission) and dispose of them themselves. Throwing clippings back in either scenario is illegal in the UK and can constitute fly tipping regardless of who they belong to.
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 01 August 2013 - 11:08
We bought the Sony HX853 which is an amazing set. We still have our old Pioneer KURO considered by many the best consumer display ever made but the Sony is probably on a par with this. My mother previously had a 32" and I just bought her the 40" version of the HX853 and she is really happy with it, she didn't want a big set in her living room but as her old TV was so bulky the new one with the slimmer edges is physically not much larger. Unfortunately Sony have dumbed down this years sets I suspect in an effort to push their 4K technology, however they are still fairly decent albeit it the beautiful gorilla glass is gone. As a general rule the best LCDs are made by Sony and Samsung (personally I don't like Samsung). The best plasmas are made by Panasonic. Everything is 3D now but you don't have to watch in 3D. Personally I hate 3D but I did try one movie on the new Sony set and was actually very impressed, the modern TVs do 3D a lot better than the cinema. Try What Hi-Fi, Tech Radar, CNet, Trusted Reviews etc. to look at some sets before buying.
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 01 August 2013 - 10:57
How much extra do people normally give for food and how much for toiletries? We are looking at employing a Sri Lankan maid and were initially planning on letting her eat our food. But my Sri Lankan friend advised me she is probably vegetarian so I want to give her the choice when we make the job offer. We do not currently have any children so were planning on starting her on a lower salary and increasing it substantially as we have children and her work load increases (probably about 50% first child and maybe around 20-30% for second). Does anyone know if there are any good courses for maids in childcare in Dubai that we can offer to her if she is agreeable? Which will justify large pay increases and also improve her opportunities for her next position elsewhere.
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 01 August 2013 - 02:31
I have no idea of London prices these days but most supermarkets try to be competitive. Sainsbury's and Waitrose probably have the widest Organic selections. Daylesford Organics are fantastic (I love visiting their store) but very expensive. Ocado are an online delivery service which are also quite good. Otherwise you could try Borough Market which is worth a visit in any case (it's like one of the oldest market in the UK). Or leave the city and shop at some local farm shops there are some great places in Kent. Finally you could also try an organic box system like Abel and Cole. Organic brands to look out for: Yeo Valley, Rachel's, Laverstoke Park, Daylesford, Lye Cross Farm, Helen Browning, Stonegate, Duchy, Grove Fruit Juice, Tideford etc. You can always compare some prices by visiting the stores online: http://www.sainsburys.co.uk http://www.waitrose.com http://daylesford.com/shop/ http://www.ocado.com http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk http://www.abelandcole.co.uk
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 01 August 2013 - 02:12
I don't know about the OU but London External is where DH and I have both studied, he also studied a PgDip on external learning. http://www.londoninternational.ac.uk I had some problems with the materials being sent out later than I'd hoped and of course the post in Dubai just being rubbish, I ended up skipping the first year as they arrived so late. I got them sent to an Aramex address the second time which was much more efficient. London External sends out all the information at the beginning of the academic year. I've just started studying but DH did his law degree with London External and his PgDip with Queen Mary's on distance. With his law degree it was all exam based so he had virtually no interaction with his tutor. There are forums, chat rooms etc. to discuss with other students but he studied independently and still got a good grade. For his PgDip it was more assignment based so he was regularly interacting and submitting work and being issued work by his tutor so much more feedback and ongoing support. I think it depends both on the course and on the provider as to how much tutor interaction you will have. If it is assignment based I would expect to see more going on throughout the year, but for exam based it seems they just give you all the information at the beginning of the year and leave you to work through it independently
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 28 July 2013 - 13:06
Nineteen Eighty-Four Farenheit 451 Animal Farm Brave New World Catch-22 Neuromancer Slaughterhouse-Five
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 28 July 2013 - 13:04
http://www.amberleycastle.co.uk Yes it is a castle. http://www.gravetyemanor.co.uk http://www.southlodgehotel.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE_HOTELS/the_hotel.aspx http://www.pennyhillpark.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE_HOTELS/the_hotel.aspx http://www.hshotels.co.uk/bailiffscourt-hotel-and-spa http://www.hshotels.co.uk/ockenden-manor-hotel-and-spa http://www.ashdownpark.com (home of Winnie the Pooh) http://www.goodwood.co.uk/the-goodwood-hotel/the-goodwood-hotel.aspx <em>edited by RuthM on 28/07/2013</em>
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 28 July 2013 - 12:22
Sumo Sushi & Bento at media city is good. http://www.sumosushi.net
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 15 July 2013 - 20:52
BA would be the last carrier I would book with, based on their strikes, they cant be trusted.... such a shame they do not consider their customers as important, they dont deserve our custom... There has not been a BA strike for over three years and no strikes are planned at present. There are currently air traffic control strikes in Europe which will affect all carriers this is not a BA issue and there is nothing BA can do about it.
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 13 July 2013 - 11:02
BA would be the last carrier I would book with, based on their strikes, they cant be trusted.... such a shame they do not consider their customers as important, they dont deserve our custom... Sorry what strikes? I have been flying back and forth to the UK with BA for the last four years. I fly two to three times a year, I have also flown to Bermuda, Caribbean, South Africa, Mauritius, US, Switzerland, Canada, Italy, Austria, Portugal and Turkey with BA through London. Yes Emirates fleet are nicer and the food is better and the lounge in Dubai is better (although the BA lounge in London is at least as good). Emirates is also two-three times the price (for business). As for reliability I have never experienced a single delay with BA. Not once, nor a cancellation and so far no lost or delayed baggage either. On one occurrence Heathrow was closed because of the snow and BA gave me the option to change my flight in case of delay, which I did, they were flexible with dates and allowed me to change it to whenever I wanted to. On another occurrence, when I was coming back from Geneva there were further snow issues and again BA allowed me to change my flight in advance without any problems. In fact they have always been very helpful with changes, I once arrived five hours early to the airport in Switzerland and they allowed me to jump on an earlier flight without any question or additional cost whatsoever. All in all BA are not the most luxurious airline but in my experience they reliably get you from A to B without any issues. Finally their T5 terminal in London is one of the most efficient and smoothest running terminals I have ever passed through. You've not heard of the BA strikes? Count yourself very lucky, considering you say you're a BA frequent flyer. Oh my mums BA flight was delayed a few months ago due to strikes. French air traffic control strikes that is. Welcome to Europe where we don't have virtual slavery and workers are permitted to take unified action against their employers.
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 13 July 2013 - 02:16
BA would be the last carrier I would book with, based on their strikes, they cant be trusted.... such a shame they do not consider their customers as important, they dont deserve our custom... Sorry what strikes? I have been flying back and forth to the UK with BA for the last four years. I fly two to three times a year, I have also flown to Bermuda, Caribbean, South Africa, Mauritius, US, Switzerland, Canada, Italy, Austria, Portugal and Turkey with BA through London. Yes Emirates fleet are nicer and the food is better and the lounge in Dubai is better (although the BA lounge in London is at least as good). Emirates is also two-three times the price (for business). As for reliability I have never experienced a single delay with BA. Not once, nor a cancellation and so far no lost or delayed baggage either. On one occurrence Heathrow was closed because of the snow and BA gave me the option to change my flight in case of delay, which I did, they were flexible with dates and allowed me to change it to whenever I wanted to. On another occurrence, when I was coming back from Geneva there were further snow issues and again BA allowed me to change my flight in advance without any problems. In fact they have always been very helpful with changes, I once arrived five hours early to the airport in Switzerland and they allowed me to jump on an earlier flight without any question or additional cost whatsoever. All in all BA are not the most luxurious airline but in my experience they reliably get you from A to B without any issues. Finally their T5 terminal in London is one of the most efficient and smoothest running terminals I have ever passed through.
RuthM
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Latest post on 12 July 2013 - 22:03
Back to the original point, the manky tart now wants a reduction! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2358413/Josie-Cunningham-Model-regrets-5-000-NHS-boob-job-wants-reduced.html I don't normally read the DM but was looking for the article to show to a friend, after he told me about a DM article about how people are going to evolve to have tentacles and colour changing skin, as well as the possibility of human beaks. Hmm perhaps a beak will improve her chances of a modelling career... <em>edited by RuthM on 12/07/2013</em>
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Latest post on 12 July 2013 - 21:52
My flight to the UK was fine and arrived early! The efficiency at T5 was so good that I was in the car leaving the terminal with my luggage before the scheduled arrival time of my flight. Just hope the flight back is okay.
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 10 July 2013 - 18:29
We have one it is great for quick cleanups sometimes we use it for stubborn fur on the furniture. Although I wouldn't want it as my only cleaner unless I was in a very small apartment. Dyson do a slim upright the DC40 which I got for my mum and she loves that. I have a friend in a small apartment who swears by the DC50 which is even smaller still.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 08 July 2013 - 00:25
In most religions many years ago women were illiterate. I think reading was originally intended for religious studies (certainly in other Abrahamic religions) to which men not women dedicated themselves to. It would be men who would then study other things such as medicine and female doctors in most parts of the world were almost unheard of a few hundred years ago. With this in mind is this idea that it would be preferred for a woman to see a female doctor a modern day idea?
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 05 July 2013 - 11:14
Slightly related question if anyone knows. If your land lord gives you 12 months notice can you then move out in say. Four months even if your lease has six months on it or are you also obliged to remain for the rest of the your lease. Obviously if you can move out at any time during the 12 months it will make finding a new property much easier without the time constraints generally associated with moving. Also does he have to give notice in writing? Or just verbally?
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 05 July 2013 - 04:10
Also water early morning and at dusk - pointless watering during the day as about 50% just evaporates. Yes we did attempt to explain this to the gardeners. We are getting the 'Engineer' round this weekend and I am going to have sarcastic words with him. They will start with 'EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THE **** MAKES YOU AN ENGINEER?'. And most likely end with 'YOU ARE SACKED'. I have just examined the lawn and from the frequent short watering they have been doing which does not get to the grass root, there is actually little grass left and instead just green weeds.
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 04 July 2013 - 00:37
Ruth, I cannot tell you the cost of watering a garden nor how long to water one for, but yours seems too much, did they leave the water on all day and night? We think they put the sprinklers on for three mins six times a day. It was originally set to twice a day. The old bill when we had guests (so five people in the house) for April and May (we had three sets of guests) was 3000-3500 AED for water. The last month there was only myself in the villa for two weeks (to be honest I generally shower at the pool - it's free and take maybe one bath a week at home) and another two weeks there was no one in the villa and the bill jumped to 7000 AED. It would make sense as I suspect based on the bills of friends who have apartments most of our bill is water for the garden (say 2000 AED) so if they tripled the garden water then the bill tripled as well.
RuthM
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Latest post on 04 July 2013 - 00:12
Well it looks like it was the moronic gardeners. We turned the water for the garden off completely and went out for four hours and the water went up by 0.013 so not much if there is a leak. Therefore they have clearly decided our garden (which is pretty small with only a patch of grass) should be transformed into a tropical rainforest. DH is going to chuck a mental at them tomorrow and refuse to pay them as they have cost us so much on DEWA. Can anyone advise how many times a day they water their garden and for how long please?
RuthM
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 04 July 2013 - 00:06
It's a shame there isn't a sort of system whereby you could contribute towards some NHS treatments. I for one would be more than happy to pay, say, 25 pounds for a dental check up or physio appointment (in fact I would be chuffed at that!). It would make such a big difference to the system. But I think, fundamentally, paying to see a GP is wrong. Just my opinion. A dental checkup is almost £20 on NHS anyway! As for physio many areas in the UK have a 3 month waiting list, frankly you need to break both your legs and arms and splay around on the floor for a few days to get to see an NHS physio. But you can see a private physio for around £35 in the UK. It's only in Dubai where physios are magically more expensive than doctors and dentists are strangely cheaper than massage therapists.
RuthM
1042
Posts
EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 03 July 2013 - 18:00
We ordered ours online from White Company UK much cheaper than buying here especially with the weak pound atm. I don't recommend high thread count or cotton sateen. After much research and three sets of 600-800tc sheets I discovered that lower thread count cotton percale is actually cooler to sleep on despite not being quite so lovely and smooth. Although we have 100% linen now which is cooler still. Lastly I don't recommend Ikea, the sheets we got from there are a little scratchy.
RuthM
1042
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 03 July 2013 - 14:01
I don't know about your landlord issues but with regard to the fine it is not as shocking as some might think. My visa was cancelled in February as DH changed jobs. We went on holiday three weeks ago and the fine was about1800 AED. I think the fine is 25 AED per day.
RuthM
1042
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 01 July 2013 - 15:20
I am pretty certain all doctors have to complete a minimum of 30 - 35 hours per week within NHS hospitals. They can then operate their own private practise and run it like a business outside of those hours. So we would have Drs who would do their morning shift in the NHS units and then in the afternoon start their private clinics at say 3pm. The difference in waiting lists was incredible. Working for GOSH in the neurology department, we would have parents whose children were having 40 seizures a day and I could only manage to schedule in an MRI for 4 weeks' time. If they were willing to pay for private, I would be able to slot them in the following day. Broke my heart. When we go back to the UK at some point in the future, I would most definitely pay for private healthcare, simply for this reason. The only reason why I would prefer cancer treatment on the NHS is because of the research they are doing in cancer and the opportunity to both have the benefit of that research and be a benefit to that research. If I could be part of it by paying privately I would. For any other treatment I would go private and I wish those that can afford to go private would do the same, to take the load off the NHS for those that can't.
RuthM
1042
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 01 July 2013 - 15:16
It seems crazy to me that you can be responsible for your maids actions when she is not with you. Just like my husbands company isn't responsible for what he does on his own time.... But if that is the law then It is what it is, we will never know why there are some crazy laws while other things are perfectly legal that shouldn't be and or hypocritical and contradictory.... Actually this was discussed recently. I personally know of a case where the wife of an Employee was accused of trying to convert a Muslim to Christianity (she was the preachy type). She was arrested her husband (and Sponsor) was arrested and his Employer (the person on the business licence) was taken from his home on a Friday night to be questioned by the police. He was detained for two days. Her and her husband were deported, the Employer lost a lot of money and time over all the proceedings and cancelled visa costs, not to mention spending a few days with Dubai police. This was a professional Western Expat.
RuthM
1042
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 01 July 2013 - 14:54
Please may I ask a genuine question and I do not wish to offend anyone. If the below is the case (you can go back to the UK and re-instate yourself as a resident, therefore use the NHS), then I wonder why Natalie Creane (the Emirates Palace lady who got hit on the head) stayed such a long time in the UAE, getting a huge bill at Rashid Hospital for brain damage. She kept falling into comas but had time to get married and be up and about so I guess they could have transported her back, thus avoiding the huge expense. I was following her case and really felt for her, so wonder why she did not head back and get treatment on the NHS. For those complaining about the NHS, I worked for both the NHS and private hospitals for some time and the only difference is the facilities (private hospitals look like a hotel) and waiting lists, as they have the same doctors. In fact, quite often they have the best facilities in the NHS hospitals as they are teaching hospitals with the latest and best equipment. For example, babies with serious problems born at the Portland were frequently transferred to GOSH. If anything serious happened to me or my family we would be straight back to the UK. Plenty of Arabs at the Cromwell and Wellington for cancer treatment - never seen so many Arabic names on file when I worked at them! I have no idea. The only reason I can think of is perhaps she did not want to permanently return to the UK. As far as I am aware anyone resident in the UK is entitled to NHS treatment regardless of nationality. Perhaps proving residency is the problem? With regard to NHS vs Private you are absolutely right, often equipment etc. in the NHS is better, and all the good private doctors also work in the NHS mostle teaching hospitals and also often lecture at Universities. However you generally cannot choose your hospital or doctor in the NHS and the waiting lists can be terrible, also doctors can be treated like factory workers and often do not have the time they would like to have to spend with their patients. This is a reflection of the system not of the individuals working within that system.
RuthM
1042
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 01 July 2013 - 14:37
We didn't use an agent in the UK they all seemed a rip off. I got quotes from Virgin, Emirates and BA. At the time Virgin was cheapest, then Emirates then BA were astronomical. Furthermore BA were unhelpful. Virgin advised us of all the paperwork we needed but in the end we went with Emirates as we were more concerned about the Dubai end of things. Emirates were equally helpful. We used DKC in Dubai whether or not it's needed I don't know but we decided to be cautious. At the UK end we did everything ourselves. It was very straightforward. We got the rabies shots and pet passports issued from our vet. Then a rabies serology certificate. Copies of all went to DKC. Then we contacted DEFRA who sent the form to our local vet. Just before travelling the dogs had to visit the vet where they were wormed etc. and checked fit for travel and the DEFRA certificate issued. Then we dropped them the airport and off they went. DKC picked the, up in Dubai for a nominal fee and brought then to our villa. I flew on the same plane as them and they arrived within minutes of me arriving. This will help: https://www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad <em>edited by RuthM on 01/07/2013</em>
RuthM
1042
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 01 July 2013 - 13:51
For those ladies who said they would be straight back to the UK if they were ill, I have a genuine question. If you are non-resident, can you still go back and utilise the NHS? I thought that once you were non-resident you couldn't? Do you still pay taxes in the UK on your / your husbands salary, does that then make it okay? Am very confused! If you are non-resident you cannot make use of the NHS in the UK. However there is a cooling off period where you can if you have only just moved abroad (I am not sure of the timescale). Also if you 'move' back to the UK i.e. if you need cancer treatment you may decide to move back, then redeclare yourself a UK resident you can use the NHS in the UK. But you cannot fly in and out and use it willy nilly. Although I know many people that do and it drives me mad, mostly they think because they are British citizens it is their 'right'. It is the right of a British resident not a citizen. In fact a UAE national who is resident in the UK has more right to NHS than a British expat. However a British expat has the right to return to their home country and resume residency. I have an international health policy and would go back to the UK as a private patient not NHS, I have already done so for some treatment. Unless it was a complex cancer in which case I would move back and use the NHS. But if it was cancer I would anticipate long term treatment and I would not return to the UAE, if only because I would want to remain with family after that kind of scare. But also because in all likelihood the private health plan here would create problems for me coming back anyway.
RuthM
1042
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 01 July 2013 - 13:19
When I lived in the UK, I had a lump on my thigh. I went to a private hospital and they said it was a bruise, i went to another private hospital and they also diagnosed it as a bruise. When I went NHS, they knew straight from the ultrasound and MRI that it was cancer. So my point is NHS isn't that bad, yes I had issues when i gave birth there due to lack of midwives and having my daughters first checkup when she was 3 weeks old instead of 3 days old but if it wasn't for NHS i still would presume I had a bruise on my thigh. This is very strange. Only because nearly all the consultants working out of private hospitals also work in the NHS. So in reality you would have been seeing the same doctors the only difference is that in the NHS they would have less time to see you. Not wanting to insult the NHS as they do their part but by the same token I strongly believe in private healthcare as well. I can compare that with: 1) NHS GP treated me for a cold and respiratory tract infection for over three years and around fifteen courses of antibiotics (am now resistant to most antibiotics and OTC painkillers). After insisting on a private referral I saw an ENT (who works both NHS and private) and he found a piece of bony cartilage blocking my sinus passage which required surgery to clear. 2) NHS GP treated me for sore throat, fatigue etc. recurring insisted I didn't have tonsillitis as tonsils were not enlarged. Went back to same ENT surgeon who removed the tonsils, they were shrunk not enlarged, because they were rotten little balls of pus, from when the sinuses had been draining down my throat untreated for three years. The rotten tonsils were continually reinfecting my system. Note NHS GP wanted to give me SSRIs to treat me for depression as clearly all my nose and throat symptoms were because I was 'depressed'. Perhaps I was, this illness all resulted in my dropping out of university twice. 3) NHS GP saw me for a funny growth on my toe. Informed me it was a corn. Wanted to 'file' it off. I could clearly see the tissue above the growth was pink and when pressed went white (i.e. blood flow). Insisted on an x-ray which found nothing, they still insisted it was a corn. I went to a private orthopaedic surgeon who did an x-ray from a different angle. It was a bony tumour, it had to be removed surgically. 4) NHS GP saw me for back pain when training at the gym. I asked for posture exercises or physio referral. I was told to take joint ace tablets and stop gym training. A year later I got a herniated disc, the pain was from a bulging disc the herniation could have been prevented by an appropriate exercise regime. 5) NHS GP saw my dad for a cough. He was a heavy smoker. They did two x-rays. They gave him several courses of antibiotics. It was only when a friend of his who happened to be a lung surgeon heard him cough a few months later that he insisted on his own scan and found he had cancer. He then died. 6) NHS GP saw my gran for some funny skin on her nose. Said it was dermatitis. With my father's treatment in mind she insisted on a referral to a dermatologist. It was skin cancer. Fortunately they managed to remove it without a problem. 7) A friend who needed surgery in the UK was advised by three NHS surgeons she needed a hysterectomy. A surgeon friend of mine successfully did the surgery privately without needing to take such drastic measures. I could go on, although these are the most significant. This is why I always say a balance between NHS and private in the UK is ideal. Which is also why most top doctors spend time working in both systems. No one system is perfect. But if you do your research you can get the best treatment with the best doctors privately in the UK and they will have more time to deal with you. Unfortunately in the NHS you don't have a choice who you see and they don't as much time. But for emergency services, I always believe in the NHS, I do not believe private hospitals should even offer emergency services and the NHS do an amazing job for emergencies. Also for cancer, HIV, diabetes and other chronic illnesses that require research I would always go NHS (once you get past your GP). <em>edited by RuthM on 01/07/2013</em>
RuthM
1042
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 01 July 2013 - 12:52
On topic: As for the original point the boob job and later the gender reassignment bblue replied : Oh sorry - an addendum to which I omitted. One of the hospitals was conducting a gender realignment surgery on a 39 year old man that day a d paid on the NHS - we know how much that style of surgery can amount to!! (and incidentally who was not British). Absolutely no way condeming but my boys had a chance to survive! Where is the justice in that!! I do not see the comparison here. My father, who ironically worked for the NHS, spent four months seeing an NHS GP for a bad cough, he had two NHS chest x-rays both on outdated non digital equipment that were too blurry to show anything. Eventually when treating one of his own patients (who happened to be a lung specialist) his patient insisted he had a scan at his private hospital (fortunately we had private cover) where they found he had lung cancer and he subsequently died a few months later. If they had found it four months previously there is a good chance he could have survived, he was young and never even got close to retirement age. But I am not going to blame a few people having gender reassignments and boob jobs on the death of my father, this is such an insignificant impact on NHS funding and really does just make good headlines. There are far bigger issues to be concerned about as to where NHS funds go. Furthermore we do not know the ins and outs of these issues and why people had gender reassignments and boob jobs, in all likelihood they will have been pushed through as mental health issues. As previously stated in my last comments mental health is the most expensive thing to treat so if these surgeries are going to solve someones mental health problems then they are actually cheaper in the long run. I can assure you if gender reassignment had solved my father of bipolar his entire life would have been for the better, in fact he'd probably have never got lung cancer and he'd still be alive and he would have cost his health insurer a tenth of what he ended up costing them, albeit I'm not sure if I'd have wanted to call my dad, mum. And frankly with regard to the guy not being British I don't care if they are from planet Vulcan providing they are UK residents.
RuthM
1042
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 01 July 2013 - 12:43
In support of the UAE hospitals - I recently had an op that they no longer perform in the UK, NHS or otherwise - so very pleased about that. This surprises me why would they not offer it in the UK privately? Unless it is one of those things that have ethical issues and is against the law in the UK. Off topic... The NHS cannot be compared to private in the UAE. The NHS is free private is paid for. Therefore you can only compare private in the UK to private in the UAE. I have always had private health cover and only ever used the NHS for GP appointments and A&E, mainly the time when I was twelve and my face was pulverised by a golf club. I was seen before I even had a chance to sit down in the waiting room and they were very good but this perhaps was because of the horror on most peoples' faces in A&E at the kid with half a face pouring blood everywhere (they normally shift the bad injuries and the noisy drunks first - anyone noticed how many town centre A&Es have closed and moved to more remote areas? A&E runs much smoother without any drunken walk-ins!). The NHS do have a good, free, efficient A&E and this is one of the most important things. But for almost all the other treatment I have had I have used private cover. I have had five surgeries, four of which were private. I have also been treated for multiple sprains, broken bones, ear abscess, sinus drainage. My father had at least four inpatient visits to mental health hospitals (all privately) and was treated for bipolar for nearly twenty years privately, during the entire time our health insurer in the UK covered us without any issues whatsoever and we all received first class treatment. Which is my first note, health insurers in Dubai are beyond belief awful and expensive. Never in my life have I had so many issues with health insurance. I sent a friend to a surgeon friend in the UK for surgery she could not have in the UAE. The surgeon cannot believe the hassle he has had chasing UAE health insurers (it's an international policy). I know medical professionals in the UAE owed hundreds of thousands Dirhams from insurers that have failed to pay for treatment from patients on time. I can only say I am glad I hung onto my policy in the UK for when we move back there. As for treatment, UAE private healthcare vs UK private healthcare and as someone who has barely used the NHS service in the UK and almost always gone private I can categorically state in my and my families experience the UK is better for private treatment. Simply because it has a larger population, which means more doctors which means a greater selection of doctors for you to choose from. Because the UK has a larger population then more international pioneering doctors want to work there for at least part of their career, because it has a larger selection of patients to work with, which means they are more likely to get more interesting cases. And finally because of both these things, when an interesting case pops up somewhere in the world that has a smaller population, they often go to the UK (or US or Germany) for treatment, which means even more interesting patients and even more UK based doctors getting even more varied experience. This is not because the UAE is a bad place or the doctors here are all awful. It is simply because it is too small and doesn't have the population to manage an enormous amount of doctors treating illness, discussing illness, because there are not enough sick people. However for routine things such as maternity the UAE is probably great and perhaps for health tourism like IVF or plastic surgery. Also maybe diabetes, as they have a large number of diabetics. But if I had a tumour in my brain or spine or other complicated cancer I would be on a plane to the UK (or US or Germany). With regard to the NHS, it is my firm belief too many people rely on it and take advantage of it for unimportant ailments, wasting doctors time which could be used with genuine sick people. I believe the NHS should always inform people of the cost of their treatment to allow reality to hit home, it may be free to go to the doctor with a snotty nose, but it actually costs the tax payer money. An annual invoice may be a good idea. They should also fine expats for taking advantage of the NHS system while living abroad tax free, or just charge them all their taxes for however long they've been abroad as nothing annoys me more than expats ripping off the system in their home countries, especially the expats that rip off the system then complain about all the largely tax paying 'immigrants'! (not accusing anyone here but I know of people that do).
RuthM
1042
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 29 June 2013 - 17:23
Same thing as Madge here. DH changed jobs in January. He took his new salary certificate to the bank before his visa for his previous company was cancelled to advise them he had a new job. They never even froze his account. The new visa was as expected slow to come but there were not any problems with the bank. He has accounts with HSBC and Emirates NBD. He only has a credit card with HSBC though and no loans. He does work in a free zone however his new visa was transferred to a different free zone in a different emirate. I would suggest getting a salary certificate as soon as possible and taking it to the bank before your visa is cancelled if possible. Otherwise a job offer or any evidence of your new job may help.
RuthM
1042
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 29 June 2013 - 09:33
I'd like to know why everything here, fish burger, chicken burger, regular burger has to come with processed cheese. Even if you order it without cheese you still get cheese it's like built into the burger.
RuthM
1042
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 29 June 2013 - 09:29
Why doesn't the employer mention to the potential employee the marital status of the current employee at the same time as educating the potential employee about the laws of the country they will potentially be working in? It does not make me feel any better about the status of the company, however, that the potential employee was happy to tell the potential employer about the current status of their love life. Nor does the fact that the potential employee may or may not know about the marital status of their current lover make me feel better about the wisdom of hiring said potential employee. edited by Quinn10 on 29/06/2013 As previously mentioned they work on the same project making it an office romance which is commonly disclosed to Employers in other countries to ensure there are no working issues and that there can be no allegations of sexual harassment at a later date. Regarding the marital status when working abroad how is someone to know if the person they are in a relationship with is married or not if their spouse is elsewhere? It is amazing how sneaky some people can be. Finally you contradict yourself on the one hand you criticise the Employer for being a nosy gossip but now you want them to get involved in the relationship by advising of the marital status of the other person. All the Employer is interested in is the legality of this issue and how it will affect them.
 
 
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