Rush and a very busy days of March in Abu Dhabi.

 

LouvreAD, vinneve

RAKbeach, vinneve

JWMM snacks, vinneve

MONfestAD17, vinneve

FalconAD, vinneve

RAK Al Hamra,vinneve

As some of you may know that we are moving back to our home country New Zealand but are retaining our residency in Abu Dhabi just in case we need to move back to be whole again with the family.  

Anyway… life became so very busy last March and it seems everyday is a blur because of so many things to do and many people to meet to say goodbyes to before we leave temporarily.  I say temporary because I realized since becoming an expats the only thing constant is CHANGE.

So here are the ones you would like to try out for yourself when you get to Abu Dhabi.  We definitely did all these things before leaving.  Oh, and we left at the right time as I heard it is now getting hot, early for Summertime!

1.  Meet with some old or new friends and do BRUNCHING.  This is sort of like the normal thing expats do once in weekdays if you have time but mostly over the weekends.  You will be amazed how can you be greedy with foods and will love taking photos of it as they are so pretty for FB or Instagram not to post.
2. If not brunching, when meeting friends or family in the coffee shops and they are tons of them around in and out of the Island.  FYI, in our area, we have a mom’s group that meets once every week and it actually enjoys talking to each of them and seeing how they are after a week or two of challenging days if any!
3. Attend some Women’s group or any other types of group as what they say “nobody will be left out alone!” it is easier to get depressed in the Summer heat of the desert and being with new people and mingling around would definitely HELP.  Of course, you will get to find your long-time friend even as an expat and you know what? I even stayed with one of them in Germany for a holiday!  See my old post.
4. Go and buy yourself all the FUN things to do like Theme Parks in Abu Dhabi.  There are 3 to choose from:  Ferrari World, Yas Waterworld, and Warner Brothers.
5. Go for a walk yes after the heat is gone in the late afternoon but when we did it was wintertime.  Lots of parks in Abu Dhabi especially family parks like the Mushrif Park as per its old name or now it’s called Umm Al Emarat Park.
6. Enjoy all the pristine waters of Abu Dhabi beaches or if you prefer a swimming pool as every hotel offers some family/ friends packages that include food and a pool or other services.
7. GLAMPING – this one we did in Ras Al Khaimah or better known as RAK for short.  It is one of the Emirates and also a beautiful place to enjoy beach resorts, water sports, hiking, and camping or much better GLAMPING as per my previous post please click the link on the highlighted word.
8. Sporting events there are abundant of this prior to Summer and you can actually join in even as a visitor.  Here is the photo from Al Hudayriat Island.  
9. And of course, SHOPPING for your last-minute things to buy because it is double or triple the cost in your home country!
10. Do not forget the Cultural haven in Sadiyaat Island Louvre Abu Dhabi.  Please check my previous post about this as per the highlighted link.  This is not the only museum in the City so please do check them wherever you may be.
11. I almost forgot … LADIES NIGHT!! Yep, it’s awesome for us women as we get FREE drinks and in some places, there’s also a FREE food.  Two of my favorite bars/places to go are ECLIPSE inside Four Seasons Hotel they offer 3 free drinks and a plate of sushi!! and LOCA an award-winning Mexican restaurant and bar offering 5 free margarita flavored drinks!! Well, the foods are great and you can share with your friends and have fun!  We all are momshies and our husbands were good boys enough to take care of our children.  Good eh? Cheers to that! 😉

credit to LINK

 

 

 

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W.O.T.D. – Expectation & Worth

Here I go again… 

It’s been hard for me to write this post as I seemed lost for words and it takes time to tell you, dear readers… I will finally be coming back HOME.  I sure hope it is still “my home” though as I am a bit afraid after about being an ex-pat for more than 3 years without even visiting the place, unlike many other ex-pats.  I have been anywhere except holidaying in my home country isn’t it weird?  It’s because of the tedious flying time of 18 hours straight or cut it in two to Australia 14 hours + Auckland 4 hours = 18 hours. Which is better?  Even going back to my birth country for a holiday is more or less 9 hours away from where we are at the moment (Abu Dhabi) which is really in the middle of  Europe and Asia.  So going to Australasia down under so to say… feels like so far far away!!

WOTD Expectation

What to expect?  I am freaking out actually.  I heard so many stories about ex-pats coming back home realizing it’s NOT the same as before or perhaps WE ARE NOT THE SAME AS BEFORE?.  Even the roads will not be the same as when we left New Zealand in 2015 there are a lot of road works going on and adding some lanes and a tunnel etc.  I’ve read that the almost rural place we go to for Farmers Market and now in demand and becoming posh suburbs that we cannot even afford to buy a small land. Auckland is now one of the most expensive Cities in the World.  Though our place is farther away from the City it is still ridiculously expensive!  Good thing we have a house to come home to.  There’s a scarcity in the housing market.  A big problem indeed.

I think it’s better NO EXPECTATION.  It can save me from whatever fear facing the future.

WOTD Worth

One thing for sure we will try to make this worth it.  My son is growing and need more stability as for the past 3 years or more he has been to 3 different schools.  Yes, it’s hard to say goodbye again.  I cannot say No to being an ex-pat again if this is the only way our family can stay together.  Depends on the next contract of hubby.  Just hoping he will also come home to us for good, that would be great! though not financially.

Now that I finally adjusted to the life here, I will miss a lot of brunches, friends parties, events and celebrations around here.  I surrounded my life with many groups of moms like me in school, in our place, my closes friends and even acquaintances. FYI, I am one of those they call “trailing spouse” so yes I choose not to work (after working almost my whole life in 3 different Countries) so I am the nanny of my own child but unlike with nannies, I have a much better social network. It took me two long years to finally adjusted and accepted the life here and now we have to go for personal reason that cannot wait.

Life is easy here and less stress (except when driving haha!!) and I get used to this somehow that having to begin a new life in NZ seems a bit scary though exciting too, to be honest.  So many things to do and see places perhaps seeing it as an ex-pat.  We have to be re-acquainted to the Country.  I am hoping we can adjust quickly… hopefully!

Anyway… I often read some advice and hopefully,  I can be able to apply it.  Here are the LINK1 and LINK2 if you are curious and have time to read.

Are you an ex-pat who came back home after years of life overseas?  Please tell me your stories and perhaps I can learn from those.  Feel free to give me an advice.  Thanks!

Any ex-pats coming home to New Zealand like me?  Let me know or you can PM me.

Thanks for reading and cheers to the next journey!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wondering & keep wandering!

It’s been a very long time since I post about what’s going on in my brain haha!  Every one of us are wondering what the future brings and what to do in life that will make us a better person or be successful and get what we want in life.

Being an expat is not that easy.  I keep on missing the old life and my home Country but come to think of it, I may not have this chances if we stay in our comfort zone.  Sure, it’s not an easy road but hey, I came back to where I belong I guess.  I will keep on wondering and wandering as both keeps my brain going.

So much for my riddles.  Allow me this time to show you some but not all, of the places that I have seen and experienced in my life and how beautiful our World can be.  I can never experience this if I don’t come and follow my heart.  Life for sure will be more different. More important is, I am with people who matters most and that is my FAMILY.

Fronalpstock, Switzerland

Venice, Italy

Paris, France

Frankfurt, Germany

Miracle Garden, DUBAI, UAE

Dead Sea, JORDAN

Rotorua, New Zealand

Bali, Indonesia

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

St.Mary’s Church, Sydney, Australia

Piha, West Auckland, New Zealand

Milan, Italy

Stilts in Calatagan, Batangas Philippines

Las Casas @Bataan, Philippines

Taminaschlucht & it’s Village named Bad Ragaz

Went on a day trip with the grandparents! A place that’s dear to them in their younger years.

Altes Bad Pfafers – is now a spa museum but the story begins in 1240 when 2 hunters discovered a thermal spring that the nearby Monastery found the river to have a healing power. Many famous people came here to bath since then at their own risk.

Now they have some better arrangements in the village and visitors can now bath at their comfort thru this LINK . No more being lowered down into a gorge in a basket!

The water coming from these Rocky Mountains comes down to the very fast river that’s so strong it’s necessary to have fences for safety along the pathway. It can be deafening too.

The village of Bad Ragaz has an old charm of its own. It’s boasting not just a majestic Rocky Mountains but also conveniences to visitors like train station and bus station nearby some small boutique stores, cafes and restaurants.

You can choose to hike up to Taminaschluct (Tamina Gorge), by bus or by horse wagon that goes up in the mountain. It’s definitely nice to hike but beware it’s a long rough road and you have to give way to the a bus or horses. You can be rewarded with beautiful scenery along the way and the fast raging river. We chose by bus and it’s like an adventure as the road is very narrow and the rocks looming over you.  Please bring coins only 5SF per person as you need it to enter the gate to the gorge.

This place is under the Canton of St.Gallen.  It’s a special place indeed!  Wait for my St. Gallen post next time.  Tschuss!!

 

Sunsets in 3 different World of mine

This is for the Weekly Photo Challenge : RISE/SET

You live in the image you have of the world. Every one of us lives in a different world, with different space and different time. Alejandro Jodorowsky 

I don’t know why but I don’t think I ever have a sunrise photo in my lifetime which is a pity! Perhaps it’s because I am a “night owl” than an “early bird”… but this one thing I know, wherever you are in the World, whether it’s sunset or sunrise, you make the life more colourful as long as there is LOVE and PEACE in your heart and yes, keep dreaming (but do something about it) to reach your goals!

pinterest.com

pinterest.com

 

 

 

Now presenting the three homes in my life through it’s sunset setting. Enjoy!

The Philippines, Batangas province SUNSET

friends&sunset, vinneve

United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi SUNSET

AD, vinneve 

New Zealand, Auckland SUNSET

AklNZ, vinneve/Jun

Cheers! Thanks for reading or browsing… 😉

 

New Year… new beginnings!

True, right?

Last year was not an exception…

pinterest.com

WINSOME 

AZ quotes

LIFE is like a winding roads…  be brave, be steady!

It is like a water that flows in the river… sometimes you have to go with the flow.

Be grateful.

Cheers to all of us!

My Desire and the Road Taken… however Against the Odds & it’s Shadow etc.

This is in response/s to the Daily Post/Prompts & Weekly Photo Challenges:  Desire, The Road Taken,  Arid, Against the Odds, Superpower, and Shadow.  The last but NOT the least… WOTD Desire from a Word Challenge group.

Please allow me this opportunity to express myself and my thoughts thru these challenges and yes it is literally a challenge about LIFE... our life, besides CHANGE is the only constant in life. Please click the highlighted in red above & below to go to another window for my previous post.

Last year I had to choose 3 options where to live for the sake of my happiness and my son’s future.  You may say I am fortunate but yes perhaps having some options are better than none, however, confusing and complicated it may be in the long run.

MY DESIRE, THE ROAD TAKEN, AGAINST THE ODDS and SUPERPOWER

The road we took is different to what my heart desires beautiful as it may seem like the ever famous and colourful beauty of both Switzerland and New Zealand. Poles apart. One my son’s half identity plus the other half and our “home” that we left behind for the meantime, so the family can be whole in UAE.  You see, how can I decide so easily if being happy is not also complete without the other half and against all odds? And so…the latter mentioned, the road taken and the decision is made because… FAMILY THAT STICKS TOGETHER STAY TOGETHER! 😉

IF I have a superpower… I will definitely be flying and live each week or month in each place so I will not feel homesick, feel deprived of my own opportunity or feel guilty about one way or another.  But alas!  I am only human.  In reality, it is impossible as it is not normal and I want some normality in my son’s life as possible.

Switzerland

Near Zurich, vinneve

New Zealand

somewhere in Hawkes Bay NZ, vinneve photo

UAE, Abu Dhabi

Between the bridges, AD UAE, vinneve

You are probably surprised that there are some similarities with these 3 Countries but yes different lifestyles (Switzerland – Sophisticated; NZ – laidback; UAE – luxurious) and definitely different cultures and values… but one thing is again common it’s FAMILY. 

For people who have never been to the Middle East… who would have thought that an ARID land can turn out to be a mysterious beauty and more?  I appreciated what is life offered us here and are grateful for the new experiences.  It’s definitely different but nevertheless, it’s an adventure of a lifetime!

My Family, vinneve