Firstly we apologise if you have been trying to access our annual Newsletter at the usual site – our ISP decided to discontinue their services to us, just after we had organised our Christmas cards, so they were sent out with the old address.
As ever it has been a pretty busy year - we are still in Abu Dhabi despite a few false alarms as to whether we were moving on. 2013 may see us in a different place but that remains to be seen. The good thing about thinking we were going to move in the near future was that we both resigned from various committees leaving us with fewer commitments.
In January Kevin spent 3 weeks working in Jordan on a water related project. We did think we might be moving there but that didn’t work out. Just as well as the sailing in Amman is non-existent – due to a distinct absence of water. I was pleased to have Sophie and my aunt Ann visit for some of the time he was away. They enjoyed all the sights of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Ann in particular was fascinated by the architecture and the planned developments. She also enjoyed visiting the 7 Star Hotels! When they left I started work again - 4 months in the British School teaching ICT.
In March Kevin attended a company conference in Los Angeles. The team building exercise was a sailing regatta in a fleet of 35 foot cruising sailboats off Dana Point. Not bad!
In April I was 60 - so I celebrated for three weeks - firstly nipping back to the UK to share celebrations with my Dad and my niece Caroline - we were 85, 60 and 25 and so had a joint Birthday barbecue. I then had a sixties themed party here for friends, at the Club. Then my brother Andrew and sister-in-law Kathryn came to stay. We did all the sights and enjoyed a birthday afternoon tea in the Burj Al Arab. Andrew loved the abras on the creek in Dubai and we even got him in a dishdasha! One afternoon Kevin and Andrew sailed a dinghy from the sailing club to Marina Mall (about 7 or 8 miles). Kathryn and I followed in the committee boat. Kathryn was very pleased to see dolphins on the way.
At the end of May Kevin and I set off on a month long mega trip (after much research on optimum routes and ticketing). We had round the world tickets calling first at Perth (via Hong Kong) where we stayed with Julia, Chloe and the new baby Emma Louise. (My nephew John was off surfing). We also met up with Perth friends, Pam and Peter, for breakfast and Nancy, Jimmy and family for dinner. Lovely to see everyone!
We then moved on to Melbourne where we enjoyed a long weekend at the Gippsland Lakes visiting Matt, Nikki, Jasmine and our new granddaughter Isabell Rose. We hired a 36ft sail boat which we nosed up to the lake’s edge very close to Matt and Nikki's. This gave extra bedrooms when Tom, Aiden, Dan and Lizzie were there too. Lovely for us all to be together - only Sophie missing!
The second week we stayed with Tom and caught up with Melbourne friends Liz and Gary, and Gillian who we met here in Abu Dhabi.
Next was the long flight from Melbourne to Los Angeles (Qantas A380) and a weekend staying at Venice Beach, walking to the Santa Monica pier and making sure we saw the Hollywood sign and Malibu. We then flew via Miami to Panama (with an unscheduled overnight stop in Miami at American Airlines expense – the only connection on the whole trip where things went really wrong) and had a brilliant few days with Frans and Kathy (Canadian friends we first met in Abu Dhabi) including watching the Panamax container ships passing through the locks in the Panama Canal. All too soon we were back in the air and off to Chicago. This was mainly to attend the wedding of Katy and Ryan (who I met in Hong Kong) in Cedarburg, but we also really enjoyed sightseeing and the theatre in Chicago.
Finally a few days in Rome. The first time in Italy for both of us – we really enjoyed it. We stayed in a boutique hotel in the centre of Rome – the Campo de Fiori – lovely. Then back to Abu Dhabi (via Jordan with an impromptu stop at a military airport because of thunderstorms) and reality. A total of 2 days 6 hours in the air (and countless hours in airports) but only at this last stage did our luggage go astray. It arrived in Abu Dhabi the day after us.
A month later I was off to the UK over Ramadan and summer. I was in the UK for 6 weeks - visiting Mum and Dad, sailing at Menai (Kevin came over for 10 days to join in) and helping Sophie to find a house in St Neots and then helping her to move there from Newark.
Back to Abu Dhabi in September - and we have not stopped since. Our usual pastimes are sailing - most Friday afternoons in an RS400 - and being involved in the Amateur Dramatic Society. This year we have been set building and back stage for The Browning Version, Dial M for Murder and most recently the pantomime Cinderella (in which we did end up on stage as the obligatory pantomime camel). We also took part in a Titanic evening.
On the family front Tom is still managing the workshop for the taxi firm in Melbourne, and has just moved house to cut down his commute.
Dan has graduated with his second degree, and starts work with Newcrest (Australian mining company) in Orange, New South Wales in January.
Matt has started work for a Catchment Management Authority and is based 20 minutes from home – so a 9 to 5 job for him for the first time ever.
Sophie is now settled in a permanent job teaching chemistry in Huntingdon.
That brings us up to date - and we can't wait for Christmas and the New Year - we are spending it in Australia with our family, Sophie is also flying over.
Best wishes for Christmas and we hope 2013 brings everything you wish for.
Sue and Kevin
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