NYE in Riyadh.. just wasn't gonna happen... Beiruit here we are!

Part way through the looong night



Just practicing...


Still practicing... Tabitha and Kat


All ready to fly home... all good things come to an end...

Pre party cocktails...

and still more..

Waiting for the shennanigans to begin... OmMahani, Simona and Tabitha


Tabitha setting the scene...







After a 'dryish' Xmas four of us decided to go to a New Years Eve party in Beiruit.. only for the weekend BUT what a weekend.

Simona, Tabith, Kat and myself made the most of the short time we had - although I can confess to canning out about 2am and leaving them to party till dawn!

Of course we were ill prepared for the exchange rate - taking out 200 Lebanese which was about 10 pounds UK. I manged to get 1million - it's true - a whole million (see receipt below) from my BNZ Visa account to pay for the accommodtion.. and party we did....

'Self made' Xmas in Riyadh... not easy in a Muslim country!

Arriving back a week before Xmas wasn't easy.. and to discover I had very little sight in one eye (surgery to come later!) although at this stage I had decided it 'would fix itself' before learning the retina had detached itself for no apparent reason.

Xmas in the apartments was kinda fun.. we had some 'moonshine', ovens that didn't work so cooking the turkey took 12 hours - ready to eat at midnight!! ... but we got creative and made the most of it.

Holiday in New Zealand

Finally a chance to get home so following the 2009 summer I trekked across the world to my niece, Morgan's wedding, in Auckland. Had a fab time, sat and failed an exam (well whaddy expect - more fool me for even doing it then!) and subsequently returned.. late.. to experience a 'Xmas' in the sandpit.

Oooh it's been such a long time.. and I've been to so many places

A group of us being 'exploited' - as western women we were invited to a marketing event.. th first time most of the Saudi men here had ever been in direct contact with western women!






A little bit of London in Riyadh.. Xmas shopping in a London Cab


Well one has to try and down out the black

This is how 95% of women you see in the malls are dressed... cool ay?
Thought it was about time I updated this so I can continue with an upcoming two month trip around France and Eastern Europe in the 'summer' - which to me now is July/August.. gosh how times change.

Have added a few 'everyday' photos from general life in Saudi to start as that's where I've been based for the past 14 months. Can't say it's all been a bed of roses.. but more interesting and a culture shock!

Egypt - Luxor

Egypt - Alexandria and Cairo