November-December NZ

December 18, back in NZ.

Nz colour

Michael’s 14 year Prison work recognition

 

At ceremony

Grant’s 100k row

Wanganui cemetery

Chapel at cemetery

A garden tour

Art by Emma

Piano tutor’s garden

Hanging with Jen

Trish and me

Our dear friends, Ian and Jill

The Waimarie and a Duck Race

Time with my boy

Pukekura Park

Family in Oz

Hulk and Widow missing family in Oz

Ninja And The Water Hose

Farewell to our Dear Jeddy

 First Christmas in NZ for a few years. 

There goes Santa

Kidsmastree

Christmas Out on the farm

Liam made these cool steel decorations for Lea and me. A nice backdrop also.

Two Christmas Dads

Engelbert and Pap chilling at holiday house Number Sixteen. Thats the street number. They don’t own 16 holiday houses.

Deck workers

While home i managed to get the deck cleaned and re-oiled. The car also broke and needed sorting but overall it was a fruitfull time. While I was in NZ Jeroen joined his parents for a couple of weeks. 

Family chat

 

Missing these two

  Meanwhile, back in Africa...missing these two friends, Petra and Debbie.  Also in Angola, someone’s finally leaving after 7 years and many failed attempts- all the bestest repatriating to UK, Sarah.

Suitcases in waiting

And a followup on a story from Luanda last year...remember i visited the vet and was greeted by three receptionists-including a chimp? Well young George-the-receptionist-chimp has been rescued and is now in a Sanctuary in the Congo. Check out the Jane Goodall Institute for more details.

George and his caregiver

 

A flight to Auckland

Niece on a lake

Take me too Nana

Precious time at home and its time to head back to the Middle East.  New Years Day and the neighbour is up early with a bulldozer flattening the land where a mansion stood before i left. What will come next?

Demolition derby 06:30 New Years Day

 January 4, already i have been offered a super deal which will expire on December 32, secured a tourist visa at airport by myself (not complicated but certainly a process), and been driven around by my newly Kuwait registered driver, Jeroen. 

The Custodian of The Two Holy Mosques

Water towers

In Kuwait water is stored in these towers assigned to each area. Each tower holds 3000 cubic metres of water. With an average 110mm rainfall per annum in Kuwait and no fresh water streams, 90% of domestic water demand is met through seawater desalination. Beng an arid country Desalination has been part of Kuwait water history since the early 1950’s. Following Angola’s water supply from dubious sources, dubious delivery and with poor quality testing, carrying a high risk of cholera, typhoid fever and e-coli dodgy tum, we are more than glad to drink from the tap here. 

Fresh herbs

I love these fresh herb stands present in every market and am enjoying adding them to home cooking. Hoping to discover what and how they’re used locally. Jeroen sent this pic of his latest trip to Holland. Our nephew Jelle is now at Twickle College near my in-laws. Spot his bike!

Where is Jelle’s bike?

 Haha, as of today i have 13 followers...i dont think i will make it to big-time Liam!  The real January 4, out with my friend Jo, from Hull. She loves the book you gave for her Mam.

Jo from Hull

 

Poor earthcare

5 January, out to discover new local supermarket and took my trusty Dutch shopping bag  (its not organic but is second hand from my lovely MIL and is well used) along as usual. Looked away from the checkout guys for a minute and ended up with 8 items packed into one box (cabbage) plus 4 large sturdy plAstic bags inside my Dutch shopping bag. I will be more vigilant next time. There does not seem to be any form of recycling here in Kuwait.  12 January, shopping yesterday at Sultan Centre, Salmiya where i spotted condoms for sale on the shelf in heavily locked, large plastic cases. Homosexual behaviour is illegal, and so is any public display of affection between men and women. Co-habiting of unmarried partners is also considered illegal in Kuwait (taken from Kuwait Guide, Rules). And yet a favourite blogger here http://248am.com/ described a vending machine for free condoms and tampons ...in the mens toilets at a large shopping mall.   

Commodities

  Afterwards i took a waiting taxi (normally i will call and wait for a known taxi service) and we sped off before i even had my seatbelt on, to discover....there was no seatbelt! ‘Its ok, my friend, i am taxi driver 24 years’ the driver told me. Well thats ok then. He then offered me his cigarettes and lighter.  January 17, still waiting for our sea shipment from Angola. It’s had several false start loadings, also sailed via CapeTown and supposedly made it to port here on December 28. Many visits to offices later and one port visit (all by Jeroen as women are not allowed to do this kind of thing) ...maybe we will see our shipment in a week.  Shopping at local supermarket Co-op and spotted these drinks. All fruity flavours looking like beer.

Non alcoholic

 There was a huge selection of water drinks- mint, flower, sage...and look closely you will see one called Water of Diabetes...not sure if its to help or hinder diabetes.

Waters

  I managed to convince the shop packers (2 to each checkout) to use my re-usable bag so i got away with no extra plastic bags. I Walked home much to the dismay of the taxi drivers (they seem to honk out at any pedestrian they see on the street).  A bit of a challenge although as there are few decent footpaths i still encontered many obstructions.

Renovations everywhere

Car obstruction

This is our street. Street 2, Block 6. The building next door has been removed and now we wait for its replacement. There are renovations galore in Kuwait. For now, this is how it looks. 

Our house

  We joined a gym last week-The Palms Beach Club and Resort...sounds very fancy and it is! I was lucky to find a couples membership at a bargain price in the Classifieds.

The Palms

Really enjoying Body Balance classes (combined Tai Chi, Yoga and Pilates) abd looking forward to getting into the pools soon. Saying that, its winter here now- daily temperatures between 8-22 deg.cent so there wont be many braving the outdoors. I saw this people-mover arrive at the gym and wondered if there was a Princess inside...the doors opened and there were around 15 princesses! Seemed to be one young girl’s celebration as she was dressed Very Formally and the rest were in their finery.

Pink limo

3 wheels

Tiling with imprint

A beautiful looking traditional French Sweet and Chocolate shop...we didnt go in 😢.

Chocolatier

A photo from home taken by Liam...nice shot, son!

Mokau River, NZ

 January 22, our long awaited Angola shipment arrived today...there appear to be no breakages or looted boxes this time!

Now where to put it all?

Rolls

A nice simple breakfast at Prime & Toast where customers can doodle in the menu books.

Doodle art

 February 7, National Day coming up here soon. Houses are being decked out with flags and trees are twinkling with lights in the shopping areas. 

National Day Kuwait

I had a great walk around Bayan and past the Botanical Gardens near us. Note: no graffiti on the walls and the grass is so green. Ok, on closer inspection the grass outside the walls is artificial.  Looking forward to visiting the gardens which are only open on Thursdays.

Walking past Botanical Gardens

 

A peep inside the garden area

Our supermarket

On the left in this photo is the Bayan Co-op. These are Kuwait owned and located in every area. Ours is a 5 minute walk from our home. I love rummaging through the aisles.

More obstructions

The walk around the gardens is quiet with wide paving however away from there footpaths are a bit more hit and miss. 

Eerily familiar

This house reminds me of a certain house in a certain shower curtain twitching film!

Water

These water facilities are found all over Kuwait. They are presented in many different forms. I think they are for the street tradesmen to take water from. But i will confirm if this is true.

Meow

Another bin kitty wanting to come home with me.

Bayan

These street signs indicate where in the block you are located. As you can see, i am located between blocks 2&3.

Construction update

The house next door is coming along quickly. The workmen with their huge industrial coffepot for smoko are there from 0500 most days. Concrete was again poured at 2200 the other night.

RIP Ambassador Sengwe

  This week we received the sad news that the husband of my dear friend Loriat has died. Ngoni, you were so kind to Jeroen, Liam, shani and me and anyone you met.  RIP dear man of God. February 8, out with Jo yesterday to two great places in Al Salam Mall.

Al Salam

  RIVA is a Kuwait clothing store, mostly for women...most of you will be aware how tall i am and how difficult it is to buy clothes long enough....well imagine my surprise and delight to find mist of the clothes instore fit me! For bargain prices. I bought one pair of trou, one skirt snd one cardigan...all for $30! The staff were all chuckling to see me whizzing around oohing and ahhing over the long clothes. Super happy. I heard (but also need to confirm) Kuwait women may like their clothing to drape the floor-they’re definitely not extremely tall like me.  Another favourite to visit was Lulu’s supermarket...great bargains here too. I will be visiting both these places again real soon. Here’s a building i often admire as we drive past. Al Zumerida appears to be an event hall. Its beautiful to see in daytime but really a sight at nightime. Loving the trees on the roof.

Al Zumerida

 February 16, trying to buy nutmeg for a couple of recipes...and discover i won’t find it in Kuwait (indeed in most Middle East countries) as it is banned and considered a drug. Kuwait has been in international news this week as The Philippines issued a ban on workers coming to Kuwait following the torture and death of a maid and investigation into other possible murders. Currently Thousands of overstayers are taking advantage of an amnesty and repatriating to their homeland. 

Street Art

Driving around Kuwait and i see one of my favourite street art murals. There is a volunteer group (Jedareyat) in Kuwait who set up to beautify ugly and abandoned buildings or walls and transform them into more positive images. Check out this article for more info. http://studentalk-online.com/jedareyat-the-changing-face-of-kuwait/

Graffiti or art

Hoping to get out on a street tour to find them all one day.  Coming up next weekend is Kuwait’s National Day. Celebratory decorations began weeks ago. 

I HEART KUWAIT

Valentines Day

Resident moggy

Fabric stash

Jo and i have been back to stash more fabric from the souq, and picked up more fresh dates and olives. 

Does this colour look good on me?

 

National Day fabric

 Out looking in furniture shops. Everything very sumptous and blinged.

Kuwait decor

One thing i love to do is puruse the online classifieds. Always something interesting to see and plenty of stuff we dont need but always fun to look at. There are plenty of ‘dinning sweets’, ‘6-sitter sofa’ and thousands of vapes.  We did buy a few things already-office furniture and a leather chais lounge which needs a small repair but is so comfortable. The couple who we bought from have been expat here for 20 years with lots of stories and memories to tell of their second home.   

Shani is a pop-star...boom boom!