And the countdown has begun + KIDZANIA MANIA

9 weeks to go and we leave muscat!

The last few weeks have been soo busy. Family and friends visiting, a trip to dubai and not to forget KIDZANIA - incredible.

Check it out here www.kidzania.com.

Kidzania opened in Dubai Mall (Tokyo Pictures above) in January 2010. It is the most incredible indoor play center i have ever seen. Basically the kids get to choose any job they want to be, dress up, complete their task and get paid for that job. They have their own currency and of course a bank! My son loved being a fireman, dentist, driving a car, making his own happy meal and pizza, going to the barber etc etc We are even contemplating a 5 hour drive back to dubai just to take the kids to Kidzania again before we leave. Although I did read that it is going to open in Kuala Lumpur - so not far from singapore - but not until 2012.

WHAT I will say about Kidzania though and this is no reflection on the company but on the city in which it is located!! We did happen to go on a very busy day and friends of ours that were there on the same day, who have been before, said it was not this busy when they went! BUT I was absolutely APPALLED at the lack of manners, recognition of others and just downright chaos that was created due to the lack of manners! Like one expat mum who was standing in the line (oh should i say jumble) said "THEY DON'T GET TAUGHT MANNERS IN SCHOOL HERE!". Now I am assuming she means local schools, as being a teacher in an international school, we certainly expect manners to be used and make them a part of our everyday classroom behaviours!

SO WHOSE fault is it that people don't have basic consideration of others in this type of setting! Here is one scenario:
3 local kids come to the racing cars which have somewhat a line already in existence. The kids go straight to the front of the line - pull up the rope and try and barge their way! Man in charge of this area does not see! OUR KIDS have now been waiting for more than 20 mins for a go! Another parents sees what happened and tells kids to go to back of line! Kids talk rudely to him! Finally he tells the man in charge and he sends kids back! THEN DAD comes along gets kids and pulls them back to the front of the line - this time though can't get under the rope and has to stand on the side - DAD constantly barraging man in charge to get three kids in!!! He does not succeed - BUT I DID SEE SIMILAR SITUATIONS WHERE IT DID! AND my quiet, well mannered children were left to wait again and at one point get trampled by bigger kids and their parents!

SO DO WE BLAME THE KIDS - well obviously not - DO WE BLAME THE PARENTS - well yes - BUT they too have probably been brought up in such a way - A ME FIRST SOCIETY! This is really sad and it does really ruin the reputation of Dubai - maybe not in an obvious way - but there were not just one lot of parents in there complaining!

I AM GLAD THAT OMAN IS NOT LIKE THIS! People are far more courteous generally!

MEGA CRYSTALS

The Mega Crystals of Naica mine!

I just LOOVE minerals and rocks - have been fascinated with them all my life. Probably comes from fossicking in Outback Queensland and Northern Territory, Australia with my parents when I was a child. Digging around in the old mine rock heaps and finding those precious gems! Nothing more than treasured rocks as a child - but now worth soo much more, not to mention the sentimentality. (Even my engagement ring is one of these "rocks"!)

So when I saw this article I was awestruck by the wonders of what our earth can create with a little human intervention!

http://news.discovery.com/earth/naica-big-pics.html

Note how dangerous it is for these people to enter these caves - not only the threat of being impaled on one of these crystals - but the shear intensity of the heat!

Yobbo Aussies

I hate using this term! BUT I hate it even more that it is actually true. It is a disgrace that people are acting in such stupid and unsafe ways, let alone sending it out for the world to watch on youtube! It really makes me sad that my "home" country and more specifically the area in which I used to live is portrayed in such a way. I loved spending time on Fraser Island when I was younger - it's a pity it is receiving soo much negative media attention of late.

It is an extremely selfish act not only to the other Island users but for the people that are involved in helping should something go wrong - the Island is not connected to mainland. There are limited Emergency Services available on the Island and usually a helicopter must be bought in to take people to hospital. There have been MANY accidents recently on the island due to unsafe driving and lack of knowledge in how to 4wd on sand. People don't think that they need to obey the road rules on the island and disregard the conditions that they are driving in.

See the article below for the full story.

http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/story/2010/02/11/youtube-yobbos-fraser-disgrace-disgusted-viewers-c/

Yobbo Definition: (British slang) A rowdy, a ruffian, a hooligan, a disruptive, annoying young man. (www.yourdictionary.com)

Fraser Island is definitely one of the world's most beautiful places. It's a pity some "YOBBOS" have to go and ruin this image for others! Not to mention risk other people's lives who are also driving on those beaches.

http://www.fraserisland.net/
http://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Fraser_Island

HOWEVER I would strongly suggest that if you are thinking of visiting Australia then Fraser Island should be on your list of must sees! There are many beautiful parts of the island and some luxury resorts that are "YOBBO" free!

Chikoo Ice Cream

On the odd occasion i like to get some Mango ice cream from TROPICAL in Al Khuwair. It's home made and really creamy. This time being a little adventurous, as I have no idea what the various other ice cream flavours are (they have Indian names for many of them), I decided to try the other flavours. So I ask the guy behind the counter if I can try the Chickoo ice cream. After tasting it and being completely surprised - it was actually very delicious, I asked him what Chickoo is and he looks at me with surprise and says it's a fruit - like I should know what it is! Well I have never heard of this fruit before and actually don't even recognise it after googling it!

So according to Wikipedia -

Sapodilla (Manilkara achras [Mill. (Fosberg)]) is a long-lived, evergreen tree native to southern Mexico, Central America and the West Indies.^[1] It is grown in huge quantities in India, Mexico and was introduced to the Philippines during Spanish colonisation.
Sapodilla is known as chikoo ("चिक्कू" or "chiku," "चीकू,") in Pakistan & India and sapota in some parts of India (Tamil Nadu, Karnataka)

I have not seen and did not know that London Dairy make a version of it as well - BUT i must say Tropical's home made version is good enough for me! Mango is OUT for awhile!

BoReD

Don't feel like writing at the moment - have too much to catch up on - too much to say, don't know where to start... Well I do feel like writing just not updating on the last few months!

Too tired, a little sick, injured neck, bored - don't want to rest - but no energy to get up and do what I want to do...

maybe some rest this morning and get out with the kids in the afternoon!

Need to get out and about - see more of Oman before we leave!

Less than 5 months to go till we move!

Our couch is sold and gone - I wonder what will be next? Don't want an empty house still have to live!

I have started doing a photography course - not a technical how to course - more of a (well I can't exactly put it into words) see the world through your camera/photography as a journey - I still can't find the right words to express how I see it! Only 1 class and I already feel like I look at photography from a different perspective! Can't wait to get the camera out - but again no energy to go outside and too dark inside the house to get the shots I want!

Got to get better - have to work tomorrow!

This Wed night (beginning of our weekend) we are going to Ali Campbell Concert. Then what to do where to go on the weekend! Beautiful weather!