Last night I swam a 1000m (40 lengths of our little pool – I’m sure you have all seen pictures……) with, it has to be said, some ease. Now that I can do this I thought that I might try a long bike ride (we can borrow bikes from the hotel). I sort of have a route mapped out in my head although I’m not actually sure where the track though the desert actually goes……..just take plenty of water was the only advice I got from somebody ! So I am going to scout the route over the weekend (probably tomorrow) but I am going to struggle to work out how to measure it somehow. I’ve looked at it on Google Maps on my iphone so I know I have a map of sorts, so I doubt I will get actually lost but it will be interesting none the less !
That only leaves the 3rd part of the Triathlon which proportionately should be about a 10km run, which is just about the distance from the hotel to the camel track and back – so watch this space (I think it might be wise to breath whilst you are waiting though……..)
Now I’ve done the swim on one day, I’ll do the bike ride on another and then the run. I think then I’ll combine two of them, and then another two and then the last two. After that, then I might feel confident to do them all on the same day (I’ll have a word with Phyco and see what she thinks !).
Well……..I have to have some interests don’t I !
On the subject of interests – yesterday I decided (although I’ve been thinking about it for years) that I would try Tai Chi. I have subsequently ordered a book and a DVD so that I can see if I can grasp the basics whilst I have time (because if there’s one thing I seem to have an abundance off here, it’s time !). It might turn out to be a none starter but at least I’ll have satisfied myself that I’ve tried it and didn’t like it/ couldn’t do it, rather than continue to wonder what it’s like and whether it would do me any good or whether I’d enjoy it.
The other thing several of us here are trying to do, is to arrange some proper Arabic lessons. One of my colleagues has got the number of the Principle at the local Technical Collage and is going to make contact to find out is they either have classes there or whether there is a teacher there that is willing to give us some “freelance” lessons at the office, probably one day a week after work, in one of our conference rooms – I’ll keep you informed although once again I wouldn’t hold your breath waiting for me to arrive home behaving like Lawrence of Arabia !
Today is a rather short (if shocking) blog, based largely on the fact that I’m writing this at work, because (don’t tell anyone……..) I’m ahead of my programme and don’t want to get to far ahead in case somebody notices and gives me extra work to do ! It’s also because the internet is bloody awful at the hotel, as well as the desk/ chair combination is making my shoulders ache. The downside to this arrangement is that I have to remember to bring pictures into work so that I can give you something colourful to look at !
Shortly it’s is my intention to give you a scenic tour of my city here in the desert, at some point in the near future anyway – I’ve been amassing pictures for just such an occasion. It might be Saturday if I’ve passed through the town on my bike and taken a picture of the latest land mark to come to my attention.
I had a AED 20 haircut on Tuesday – with a free head massage, well I say massage but the mental image conjured up by the word massage does not really match the reality of having your head slapped all over by a barber. Still, I like my haircut (how difficult can a no.2 all over really be ?) and my head has suffered no ill effects from it’s beating so it must be worth the money !
So once I have a picture of that, the shop where I buy my cigars, and possibly the Football Stadium, I’ll add those to the collection I already have and we can have a big picture day (with not very many words !). InshaAllah, as they are fond of saying here. I used to think it was a bit like Manyana (the Spanish for “maybe tomorrow if I can be arsed” – if I haven’t spelt it right I’m sure you all know what I mean !) but actually they mean sort of “God willing”. I think they mean well but it’s in every sentence as a sort of religious arse covering exercise.
Have a good evening and see you all over the weekend.
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