Another sunny day.....

We're still having some R&R in sunny Muscat - some sailing, kajaking and a lot of lolling about re-bonding with our darling children - already I'm dreading them leaving in less than 2 weeks :(

The staff at The Al Bustan really couldn't be more helpful and nothing seems to be a problem ( they assure me even the jelly fish in the ocean don't hurt if they do sting!)

Breakfast is THE best meal of the day ( and I'm not usually much of a breakfaster!) It starts with fresh coconut water - apparently very good for the kidneys the waiter told me this morning - also hugely energising!! (I can't comment on this as I seem to spend most f the day lying down!)

This morning Boy brought a coconut to the table for me which was full to the brim of delicious coconut water - I had a sip then stood up to go and order an omelette and in the process managed to empty the remainder of the coconut water all over the table - not a good look! Just realised I did the same thing this afternoon with a Mohijto! Not that I am clumsy or uncoordinated or anything .....

Anyway breakfast is FAB - eggs and fruit and more fruit and lots of different Gluten Free breads - even GF Apple strudel this morning though my bikinis would only let me taste it rather than eating a WHOLE slice!! Actually thats such a lie - I ate a huge slice! Pilates 5 x's a week when we return to KSA!!!

There's this really cool raft not far from the beach - I hadn't realised until today it is actually a trampoline in the middle - pretty cool especially when diving in to avoid the jellyfish....

Carole, this pic is specially for you - kids sailing in warmer seas!!! Looks just like Burnham Overy!

Dinner outside by the infinity pool lit by blue lights - very pretty....

Happy Holidays and 2 more days left.....

Pinch and a Punch....

for the 1st day of the month - Hello April! And more importantly Hello FREE working WIFI!

So we have moved hotels and are now happily residing at the gorgeous Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz Carlton delight! Surrounded by mountains and sea it really couldn't be more spectacular....

(Photos curtesy of Ritz Carlton website)

There are 4 swimming pools including a fab 50 metre infinity pool which is COLD!! Some friends very sensibly suggested we take Lagoon Pool rooms - a really good piece of advice - the children can open the doors onto their terrace and open the gate and hop into the lagoon pools...what more do they need?

So we spent the day on the beach - DH and I walked and collected shells and had a gentle dip - the children hopped from pool to pool to kayak and then DH and boy took a Pico out for a sail- we drank delicious watermelon cocktails and now are thinking of supper ....ah holidays!

Happy Easter people eat lots of chocolate and keep warm xxx

Holidays....

Apparently it is ok just to lounge about by a pool all day drinking cocktails - I don't think I have ever had a holiday doing this ( and definitely not since having children! )

So we are now at the end of day 3 of having late, lazy breakfasts, lying by the pool often in the shade drinking cocktails and mocktails until 5ish and then coming inside for a cup of green tea and a snooze   ( there is a little personal pilates done inbetween - Honest!) before a shower and supper. Who knew holidays could be so relaxing!!

The child and teenager spend most of the time in the pool or at the swim-up pool by ordering drinks!!
Tomorrow we will leave the pool and go off sightseeing.... ( pretty sure we said that today!)

No photos today as the internet connection at the hotel is really really poor and very frustrating - such a shame as it is a lovely hotel but I think it might put me off returning here....

Hello Muscat...

We decided it was time for a little trip out of KSA - too much sand and not enough sea!

The children would love a trip and so would we ... so here we are in Muscat in the very beautiful Sultanate of Oman - Muscat sits on the Indian ocean with lovely warm sunshine and some sea breeze -AND alcohol in the hotels !

I had lived in Oman as a child and haven't returned for 35 years - boy has it changed.  Unlikely Riyadh there are lots of tourists and lots of luxury 5 star hotels - Ladies do not have to wear an abaya or a hijab - some Moslem ladies do wear an abaya and/or headscarf but there is also a lot of Western dress - I think as long as you dress with respect and cover your shoulders/knees and cleavage outside the pools/beaches you shouldn't have any trouble....

We arrived on Tuesday evening after a very gentle trip from Riyadh ( 1hr 45 mins with Saudia )

 and were met at the airport by a friend's driver who took us to our hotel The Grand Hyatt  set in 10 acres and by the sea. 2 very happy children on arrival!

We have 2 large interconnecting rooms with huge TV's and big beds - supper in one of the hotels 4 restaurants was fab - we sat outside and the children hung out by the pool and explored the grounds in between courses and we drank cocktails and champagne PERFECT - I had my children AND cocktails!!

The internet is really slow, really expensive (10 OR for 3 days which is about £20 BUT when the room rates are so high it seems a cheek to charge for internet access as well) It takes forever for the photos to download so thats not great and so I won't be posting too many shots til we move hotels later this week ...

So far we've eaten in 3 of the restaurants - all delicious but my fave is the South East Asian style restaurant MARJAN by the swimming pool - delicious Thai Beef curry and the children loved their Chicken satay followed by Nasi Goreng ( they also do super watermelon cocktails in the swim up pool bar!) Dukan seems to have got lost this week!!!

Trip to the Souq and a new dress....

I can never pass up on a shopping trip and one to the Souq is still an exciting one for me! So many bargains and unusual things...

Boy wanted a traditional Saudi Tat alarm clock... basically a mosque with the alarm sound is someone calling the people to prayer...They are truly fabulous and kitsch

and the sound is utterly compelling and you really would get out of bed on hearing this! He can't wait to take it back to school and drive all the boys crazy in his dorm - not sure how long it will last!!!

He then spent his pocket money on a shamarg and our driver thinks he now looks like a Saudi Prince...

He is such a poser!!

Daughter had  a marvellous time trying on more abayas and looking at handbags!!

I bought a gorgeous dress - Saudi-style from one of the shops in the Souq - a bargain at SAR120 ( approx 20 UK stirling) Lots of beading and very flowing - best not stand too close to a naked flame - there is nothing natural about the fabric whatsoever!!

                          (Can you see DH sleeping on the swinging bed in the background!!)

All the above photos were taken by my fab photographer........

So we are off on holiday today to Muscat in Oman and we are all so excited to see the sea!!

HOME safe and sound

Thanks to the lovely Tegen ( and a few taxis!) our children are home safe and sound after their epic journies from Norfolk and Berkshire to Riyadh via taxi, train, tube and aircraft!! They were very chilled I on the other hand was a total wreck by the time they arrived - 36 hours after leaving schools!!

It didn't help my anxiety that winter had returned to UK with a vengeance and a helpful friend tweeted me to tell me on Friday morning that Leeds and Belfast airports were closed and more closures expected...the children were flying out of LHR at 1220pm.....

At last they were taxiing into Riyadh...and I waited nervously at the aircraft doors with our fab broker Mansour who smooths all our exit/entries in KSA

DH had the Iphone camera ready to photograph them as they arrived - they look a little shell-shocked! Welcome to Saudi!!

A good sleep that night and Boy was up ready for a swim!!

Followed by a quick trip into town and we are all happy!

Thank heavens for school holidays - oh how I have missed these two!!

A new find in Riyadh...

Whilst I was in London over half term I was offered the chance to try some eyelash extensions - I'm very lazy with make up - Some Chanel Teint de Lumiere foundation and lots of Mac's Ruby Woo Matt red Lippy

 and I'm good to go.  I have short stumpy black eyelashes and I NEVER wear mascara. My sister in law convinced me once to have my eyelashes dyed ( she was having hers done and they always looked good...) apart from thinking I was going blind driving home afterwards I couldn't really notice the difference ( and as it turns out she has lovely long thick lashes anyway!!)

When the children started at boarding school recently and I was constantly crying I did have the lovely lady in MAC on Kensington High Street fix some fake eyelashes in the hope I would stop crying to attend a business meeting - it did work for a day!! They were a little too long and theatrical for everyday but such fun...

So when a friend suggested eyelash extensions I wasn't that keen.... it was cold and miserable in UK in February and my skin felt grey so I gave it a try. Here are the initial results.... (please ignore the lack of foundation and terrible old looking sun-damaged skin!)

I LOVED them  (but the ones in the corner of my eyes were a bit annoying in the morning when I woke up - small price to pay!) so now I'm back in Riyadh and some have fallen out so I had funny empty spaces, so yesterday I found a salon that does refils ( actually I think they are called infills!) at a reasonable price ( I did call one place Luthan Spa and Salon and they charge SAR 1500 which is about £250!!! They were less than £80 in UK!)

Maison de Joelle is on Olaya Street in Riyadh opposite the Jarir Bookstore - or that is what it said on the website and when I called to book an appointment. Actually it is down an alley opposite ZARA on Olaya Street near to New Look . My friend and I found it totally by chance. (There is an alleyway next to New Look walk through here, go down the steps turn right in the car parking area and go up the next set of steps and turn left - Maison De Joelle is here)

it really is a great salon - lots of reception staff, clean bright waiting area. They have a hair salon off to the left with lots of basins and chairs and mirrors , a nail salon with Essie polishes and they also do gelish and gel nails.  The beauty salon is off to the right and all the private rooms are individually decorated ( and very tastefully done!) So this is the result ( note no gaps now and I had shorter lashes put in the corner near my nose and they are so much better!)

If you haven't tried eyelash extensions before and have stumpy lashes like me it is so worth a go!!

I paid SAR300 for the infils and they charge SAR150 for removal ( i think it was SAR600 for 1st set) They come in all lengths - I have 8mm in the corner and 10 mm elsewhere - my girlfirend has 12mm an mybe next time I would have longer.....its after looking at all those beautiful camels!! Eyelash envy!