Ramadan kareem

Or have a blessed Ramadan (I think). Ramadan, as you may (or most probably not) be aware in the UK, is now well underway. The most noticeable effect is that you can't eat, drink, smoke or have sex during daylight hours. I can't say I've noticed any real difference apart from the coffee.

Working hours are shorter for Muslims, although there are still plenty of people working long hours in the baking heat without water. Schools also work shorter hours so the kids get a bit of a lie-in. The fast is broken with a meal (Iftar) and all the restaurants jump on the bandwagon with an 'Iftar Buffet'. We went to one at the swanky Shangri La hotel (but made sure that booze was included!).

In a typical case of cart before horse, after umpteen helicopter rides, I finally completed my helicopter and sea survival training this week. The worst part is definitely when they strap you into a tin can, sink it and then turn it through 180 degrees. To make it worse, as water pours into your nose and you haven't got a clue where you are, you have to count to 10 before you are allowed to escape (otherwise you might congratulate yourself on escaping and lose your head on the still spinning rotor blades). In real life things are complicated by having to push the windows out, get past 12 big roughnecks and not breathe in aviation fuel or drown. Mind you, it's still much, much safer than driving here.



Janet (who has got a driving licence) finally got her new car yesterday, the Dodge Durango 5.7 litre 'Magnum', which gets a very creditable 12mpg. It's good to join the rest of the UAE in doing our bit to hasten global warming. You'll thank us next summer.

Finally, I called my mother yesterday to wish her a happy birthday (only a week late). "I've been reading your web pages" she said. Echoing Janet's sentiments, she went on "it's very boring. Are you writing your life story?" And they say that children say the cruellest things...