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>DECEMBER 2007
our last week in dubai
ski dubai in the mall
Well, here we are in December again. Last December brought the end of the first term at the Ulaanbaatar Jazz Academy, and a year later, 13 weeks of lessons have spelt the end of the first term's teaching in Dubai. It seems like much longer than 13 weeks since I started teaching here, and the summer of scorching Arabian desert heat is now far behind us. There are a couple of concerts to participate in and a couple of student ones to watch, then home again.
It is very fitting that we are flying direct back to Birmingham on December 19th, since it was from BHX that we began our 20-month trip to Russia, Mongolia, China, Oman and Dubai. It was also when I first began writing this website diary. It has been a great way to keep in touch with family and friends, and a good barometer for how well things are going, both musically and personally, in our lives in the different countries we have visited so far.
Our thoughts are understandably dominated by the idea of returning home at the moment, and it still seems impossible that we'd be able to board a plane, travel for 7 hours, and arrive back where we started as if nothing has happened in-between. Life does indeed go on regardless and we're certainly not expecting balloons and banners upon our return! Just to see everything as we remember it will be enough of a treat.
One thing we are absolutely, desperately even, looking forward to is being rained on again! The last rain we saw was in July 2006 back in Mongolia, except for a light drizzle in Shanghai and an even more pathetic spray over here in Dubai a few weeks back. Like most people in the UK we are also hoping for snow for yuletide, and maybe this year's festivities will be snow-coated ones! Of course, Dubai being Dubai, they have the indoor ski centre at MOtE with real snow and minus celsius temperatures (see left), but it's not the same is it? The kiddies lap it up at Ski Dubai though, and as their veiled moms watch on, they pelt each other with snowballs and learn to snowboard for a few hours.
Tues 18th December 2007
It's our last night in Dubai before the trip home. We've packed 99% of our stuff into the suitcases ready for the off and it's just a matter of waiting around now for the morning. I can't imagine what it's going to be like going back and am a bit nervous really. It's been a long 20 months! I recorded some piano yuletide music the other day at work and so thought I'd post up one for you all as a special website bonus track (if you excuse the out-of-tune piano!). Click to play: Stille Nacht. Have a peaceful solstice and look out for some more postings in the new year or before!
[Diary continues in: TRAVELS ITALY]