Wading Through Treacle

Today is Friday, February 29th and the first day of the weekend in Islamic countries. I spent the morning catching up on some emails and doi...

Running short of essential supplies (green tea) and in danger of death by minibar chocolate, I decided to walk up to the Mall of the Emirate...

Every time I try to use my mobile phone I get a recorded voice in Arabic and I can't progress. Sending a text, a message comes back ...

On the bus this morning, as we were going to work, and were stuck in traffic, we saw a wonderful little wildlife scene. At the side of the r...

Logged on this evening from the hotel and the edit page came up completely in Arabic - Blogger being too smart for its own good. After a det...

At last we’ve been introduced to a more tourist-friendly part of Dubai. One of the team, an old Dubai hand, took us to the coastal resort of...

“Ooh” she squeaked. “You’re going to be met at the airport by someone from the hotel.” “The difference between you and me, Clare,” I said, “...

My assignment amid the windwept rain- and sleet-lashed towers of Canary Wharf completed on Friday and I retured to our little Penton Corner ...

The "Wonderland" series last night profiled people who get romantically linked-up on Second Life . The main pair comprised an Amer...

My back is 95% OK, showing I didn't seriously damage it last Sunday. I do however have a nasty streaming cold (too much information!) an...