The Red Palm is our home for the next few nights basically it is a budget guest house with very strict rules but a very friendly atmosphere. Everyone must remove their shoes at the door and there is no alcohol allowed in the house although you can drink in the garden if you want. We were struck by how respectfull everyone is to each other here. It's very quiet at night despite the fact that people are coming and going all the time. (Although the noise from outsid...

Where to start! The journey here was amazing, we flew with Emirates and although we were in economy with barely enough room to get your legs in they really look after you! On the leg to Dubai we had a wonderful meal of lamb curry and complimentary drinks. then we slept quite a lot as the 6 or so hour flight left at 9:00 pm but miraculously due to time zones and that we arrived at about 7:00 a.m. We had about two hours to explore the airport and look at all the am...

People keep saying "Haven't you gone yet??!!" No we haven't! not till 9pm on Monday. It can't come soon enough for me. I went in to work for the last time this afternoon to sort out a few loose ends then we packed our rucksacks for the last time before we leave England. As Mandy says if it's not in there now we will have to do without it. I have spent a couple of hours going through all the documentation and making sure that we have two copies of ever...

Well, Its all beginning to get to me now! we have just got back from the Royal Oak in Clatford where the team put in yet another awfull performance in the Wednesday Quiz. We (prematurely) celebrated Mandy's birthday (its tomorrow) and when we came to leave, everyone was saying goodby like we were off to the other side of the world! Martins double booked the transport but if that means that we get to the airport earlier, for me that means the holiday starts ear...

Well! time for another little ramble. Ive just been looking through the blogs of some of the young travelers on the offexploring site they are amazing, travelling thousands of miles through wilderness, mountains, jungles and desserts. One of the bloggers was concerned that she was being woken up at night by hyienas in their camp! I feel such a fraud here in the heart of rural Hampshire where the height of excitement is a drive down to Bournemouth to see Doddy! Mi...