Hey there All,

It has been a while since my last real update. For those following the blog there was some editing required. Cafe has a whole new meaning as does beverage. You will get the picture.

I have the internet in my room and have already seen the Saudi Arabia warning that a web site may have inappropriate content. So I have to be a little careful.

Anyway the news is John is leaving us, but Trudy and Kellie have joined us. It seems I am one of the few Australians here not from Victoria. I first bumped into Trudy and Kellie when I saw them briefly getting off the bus at Al Issa Souk on the day after they arrived. This is not the place to go while suffering jet lag. I admit I was not the most helpful as I did not recognise them as new and they were looking for a supermarket to get some food. We all remember the arrival food pack I discussed in an earlier blog. Well at the end of the shopping trip I apologise and John, Penny, myself and the other Western Expats took them in and help them establish. Further emphasises the need for a survival guide.

They are both from Wonthaggi (not sure of spelling). Trudy is in med/surg and Kellie in Labour & delivery. They are enjoying orientation in the same way we all did.

More to the point we caught up with Sid, Rose and the gang from the other compounds and introduced them to the social life of Dammam. Dancing and partying with some of the other Expats in Dammam.

Now as for the fish. I was in Rashid Mall the other night getting a new pair of glasses as my other pair went under a bus in the taxi rank while Adele and I were climbing into a limousine. I went for dinner in a Chinese restaurant and was seated all alone in the Bachelor section next to the fish tank. I image Mr Creosote coming in... That would be Mr Abdullah Creosote. But the fish just stared out pleadingly. Time is getting away from me I will come back to this blog entry later.

As promised it is later and I have returned to this blog. I expect it needs some editing. I have the day off as I have a throat infection, and given the panic here about H1N1 it was best I did not hang around the ED coughing.

Adele is a new name in the blog world here. She is a South African Expat and a team leader in ED. She has been 'loving' Saudi for the past 3 years. She took me into town and introduced me to the cheese cake shop and helped me enrol in my English language exam for moving to England. Yes apparently the Australian accent is sooo different it is not recognised as English. Adele has to sit the exam to move to England as she trained in a University that is English/Afrikaans. Well that briefly introduces Adele. Another life saver.

My glasses are due to be ready on Thursday and my eyes will party. Also I went to Debenhams in Dhahran Mall and bought some 'trousers' (see my English is improving) and have to return them as they are too big. Unfortunately there are rarely change rooms in shops. You guess your fit and return them if they are wrong.

I am attempting a trip out of Dammam on my days off this week, assuming my head cold clears up. I want to take the inter hospital bus to Al Ahsa and find my way to the Oasis and Date farms. There is apparently a camel auction there as well. I shall head off tomorrow, with the fall back plan of staying overnight in case the buses back are as reliable as all other hospital departments. Wish me luck, but all being well I will get some photos and make an album about Saudi Arabia not just the hospital life.

Hope everyone is well.