The Exit Year

G'day

Well, another year has been and gone and this is our exit year. We return to Australia in June having had a wonderful Middle Eastern experience. While we are looking forward to getting home, we are not looking forward to leaving our many friends who have made our stay here special.

The good news is that many of them have promised to visit us at some future date and we also plan to return in two years for a week or so. So, it's not the end, but a change in where we are ... hopefully our relationships will continue indefinitely.

During my time here I've realised that democracy isn't necessarily the best form of government; benevolent dictatorships (or perhaps a better word is "directorships") work too. Not every country has an excellent industrial relations system with avenues of appeal, equal opportunity and rights, occupational health and safety. I've learnt that exploitation of our fellow humans, often akin to slavery, is still alive and well, even in a country whose citizens claim to be religious and pious people.

I've gained a great deal of respect and affection for the many Asian and Indian people who work here, mostly with very low salaries, poor conditions of service, away from their loved ones, but who remain pleasant, civil and genuine people.

They set an example of work ethic and humility that most of us in Australia could benefit from. Not surprisingly, if you treat them with dignity and respect, they will do almost anything for you.

Above all, I've learnt how very lucky I am to have been born in and lived most of my life, in Australia.

Cheers.

Robin

Happy New Year

G'day

http://www.dwave.com.au/ppp.html
We hope you had a wonderful christmas break.


I had to work, but Christina and I managed to get out for dinner with some friends and enjoyed a wonderful evening of good food, good wine and good company.


Dale, Meredith and Tory back in Central Australia visited their friends' place for the day. They have three boys around Tory's age, so apparenty they had a good time.

The photo of Meredith and Tory was taken in our house on 25 Dec 07 and is one of the best we have.

New Years Eve we are off to the Al Ain Golf Club for a bash with around 18 other people in our group. We'll no doubt run into others we know too as the circle of places to go here is small, despite the city being sprawling and having around 400,000 people.

We hope you have a Happy New Year event and a 2008 with all that you wish for.

Best wishes

Robin and Christina

Four Days in Damascus, Syria

G'day, Having been to Damascus during the National Day holidays in the UAE, I thought I'd best give a report. It was a busy weekend with a flight out of Dubai early Friday morning and arrival at Damascus early morning. We settled into our hotel and after a short break hit the pavement. Needless to say, we went to the souks (markets) which are huge and extend for miles. You can buy almost anything from needle and thread to food and canvas goods. You want it, they've got it.

Much of the stuff they have is available in the UAE, but Syria is much cheaper as their currency is worth almost nothing. Damascus is in a bad state of repair reflecting the difference between the oil abundant UAE and their dirt poor Arabian cousins. I never saw an Indian or Asian person while there (unlike the UAE whose population is mainly Indian and Asian) until we got to the departure line at the airport. White Caucasians like us and our travelling companions were also scarce which meant that everyone had a good look, even small kids, who had probably never seen whites before. Interestingly, jews, Christians and muslims all live together in Syria and do so apparently harmoniously sharing religious icons, churches, mosques and so on. It's an example that could perhaps be helpful in other less tolerant places.

We did a day trip to a place 60 kms away called Maalola and visited the Marsarkis Monestry built in the fourth century AD and naimed after Saint Sergius (Sarkis) whoever he was. We also toured The Monastery of Saint Takla which is set amid sandstone cliffs and while we were there, churchgoers were singing and the sound was broadcast around the neighbourhood.

During our stay we contributed to the gross domestic product of Syria while attending several lovely restaurants, most notable of which was yet another Golden Dragon (I've been to dozens of these!). The food was lovely and of course, our six companions were lovely to be with too.

Despite arriving back at Al Ain around 1:30 am the morning I had to front for work, it was a wonderful experience and made me yet again aware of how lucky we are that we can hop on a jet anytime and return to our beautiful country. We don't have to beg for a permanent visa or citizenship. Australians really do live in a Lucky Country and we should all visit overseas occasionally to remind us of that.

Double click on the photographic strip to make them larger.

Marselama.

Robin

PS: I love a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains ....

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