Mixed fortunes

Things started to look up a bit today. First of all we've employed a maid - again this could be the subject of a long article in itself but I haven't got the energy to explain the trials and tribulations. We interviewed her, or rather her husband as her English is a bit lacking, on the recommendation of a woman Janet has met here. She doesn't want to live in but will do 8 'til 4, 5 days a week - this for the kind of money even McDonalds would struggle to get away with. She's also going to babysit one night a week so that will be a big boon. She starts next week.

Then I got a call from the car saleswoman. 'Bring all the documents for the driving licence to my office', she said, 'I have a cousin in the Traffic Department. He will collect your papers and process the licence tomorrow'. No need to worry about the colour blindness test now, which is a bit of a shame because I've been busy for the past couple of days memorising the numbers used in the test (many thanks to Jim York for the info!).

The kids school is located close to the world's only (self-proclaimed) 7 star hotel - the Burj Al Arab - the one that looks like a sail (and where we had the world's most expensive cup of tea at £30). It is a bit of a pain to get to and it hasn't been helped by the unseasonal weather - very foggy, and a huge sandstorm that was quite scary to be driving in. Dubai driving is legendary and the UAE is right up there with the highest fatality rates in the world.

Janet has been finding the trip hard and the kids have been spending a long time in the car. There is another school, Dubai British School, within walking distance of our villa. It had no vacancies last year but Janet called them in desperation and now they have space. We went round it yesterday and it is obviously a very good (school.ae). Subject to them passing the assessment tomorrow (by no means certain as Ben can be quite stubborn when it comes to doing what people ask him), they are going to start there next week. It means another set of school uniform, and loss of deposits to Wellington School, but it should make life easier in the mornings.

Today I carefully filled in the forms and arranged the multitude of paper and photos (and 160 Dhs) needed for a liquor licence. Ben and I went over to the branch of MMI in the Mall of the Emirates to try and get some wine (which has now run out and we're down to 6 cans of beer). This is a muslim country and going into one of these shops doesn't feel right - a bit like going into an adult shop in England (no windows, all very discreet). Anyway, needs must. The Abu Dhabi visa thing, however, thwarted the attempt. 'Sir, you need a letter of No Objection from the Abu Dhabi police'. Deep joy. How on earth do I get that? Another brush with bureaucracy in prospect. In the meantime I'm going to have to beg my colleague Graham to get it for me again or do the 'booze run' to a dodgy unlicensed place in Ajman, an hours drive north. The only worry with this is if the police stop you - transporting alcohol is illegal and you have to go through Sharjah which is both dry and strict. If I suddenly disappear for a month with no contact then you'll probably be able to guess what happened ...