Our Last Days in Dubai (or so we thought!)

In March we thought our days in Dubai were numbered.

So while we waited to settle up with the radio station and sell all of our furniture we spent some time enjoying the sunshine on the Dubizzle beaches

While Burtie was at home helping with the packing!

Ravi did her fair share to help as well.

Burtie was ready to go before we even were!

I wanted a few more hours in the sun...

and Kenny didn't mind using our beach chairs one last time.

But.... WE'RE BACK!!!!

A Night in Global Village

During the winter months in Dubai Global Village is open. It is crossed between the fair, epcot center and the flea market.

When you go in you are surrounded by different buildings. Each representing different countries around the world. Inside there is shopping, food and sometimes entertainment from each of these different countries.
Most of the things you can buy are things that are better left there! Tacky souvenirs, cheapo things that will most likely be broken before you get to your car sort of stuff.

Kenny was not all that happy with the experience of being crammed in a small aisle surrounded by people clawing at each other for cheap knock off purses. I weaseled my way through like my mother demonstrated for me many a time at huge fabricland sales and we made it out almost in one piece on the other side of the building.

After vowing not to go into any more of the "shops" we ventured out into more open spaces.

We were 10's of 1000's of miles from home and you would still think you were at the Freedom Festival in Windsor or the Fulton County State Fair in Ohio to see the rides.

EXCEPT FOR ONE MAJOR DIFFERENCE...

To ride the rides you had to stand in line (no different than home)
with your own gender.

That's right. All the girls stand with the girls, all the guys stand together in the next line.
When they load the rides up, they take turns loading girls than guys.
One line is covered all in black and the other all in white.
There is a pile of sandals at the entrance of each ride (especially the ones where your feet dangle) and a mad rush to find your pair when you're all done getting twisted and turned in not natural ways.

Relived to be out of the china pavilion

"Look I have enough room to spread my arms out!"

Our standard self portrait

"I'm the only blond in the Village"

The locals trying their hand at American Football type midway games
and Kenny not giving them much moral support!

Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey Ladies...

All the fellas in the house

Arabic Drivers Education

It's really not that much different than driving for real here.

It was a multicultural night and we had a great time (except for the crazed shoppers in the china building).
Will we go back this year... that is yet to be decided!

The Dubai Pimps

Kenny has been playing softball here in Dubai since shortly after we arrived.
During the summer months they call it the "sauna league" where everyone that can stand the heat comes out for a bit of practice and if enough people show up they will throw together a game.

But as the heat cools off the regular season begins.
During the 07-08 season Kenny played with a team called the Dubai Pimps.

This team should have been called the Bad News Bears. It was made up of guys that barely knew each other, some who hadn't played in years if ever and needless to say they weren't especially good at the start.

What did happen though is we made some of the best friends we could ever have imagined on softball nights. People we spend a great deal of time with to this day.

While they didn't win very many games, we had the loudest cheering section (next to the Filipino team in the b league) and a fantastic time at the ballpark every week.

Here are some of the shots of the last game Kenny played with them before our quick departure of Dubai in March.

Jane finding a new use for Angela's homemade pom poms

Endless was to accessorize with plastic garbage bags...

The team had a little pizza party for Kenny's going away

The Pimpettes...
Jane, Erica, Angela, Carina

Our Pimps

The Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon

One of the remote broadcasts that Kenny had to do for the Coast was the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon.

It was the richest footrace in the world with a $1 Million Prize for anyone that could set a new world record during the race. The prize money for first place was already $250,000 but a cool million on top would be a great reason to lace up the sneakers!

Haile Gebrselassie, the current world record holder was there and so was every Ethiopian in the city of Dubai! It was amazing to see the way they chanted, cheered and sang their way through the day.

He ran an amazing race but came up just short of his world record time. This year he will get a shot at a $2 million prize for breaking his record!

We enjoyed the entire day. From early morning very cold (for Dubai) temperatures, to the drums, to the climbing wall, to the balloons, to the racers, to the carnival type atmosphere. Even the cup o soup was fun!

The marathon was not only an amazing chance to see some of the best runners in the world but to really enjoy the day as well.

Here is our recap of the day...

Kenny & Erica and the Search for the Wild Wadi

OK. Back in time again we go. Last year about this time we set out to make a visa run to Hatta with Oliver and Accalia. Unfortunately for all of us, I screwed that up with a misunderstanding of reading a simple stamp on my passport. So, instead of crossing into Oman and visiting Muscat for the day we decieded to choose another adventure.

We had heard of wadis in the area that we gorgeous to see and well worth the trip out of Dubai for.

I think we were there at the wrong time of the year! There was very little water anywhere and all we really found was a crappy old campsite and a longway around the mountains home!

It was a great day inspite of all of it and our thanks to Oliver and Accalia for keeping us laughing.

For some of you this story may sound familiar... It was an older post I made last year. If you want to go back and see the pictures that we took on this day feel free to do so here

Or you can watch this highly entertaining video version of the day's events...

What Bird Brains!

Right in the heart of Dubai is a place that they call Ras Al Khor Bird Sanctuary.

We had tried a few times to go in and see the flamingos and other feathered friends but to our non-surprise, there were no clear signs telling us how or when to get in!

On our way to Ikea one day we noticed the gate to the sanctuary open and quickly turned around. (20 minutes later) we pulled up to the gate only to notice they were locking it again.
We rolled down the window and asked as politely as possible where the f'ing sign was to tell us when to come back. The caretaker told us the "timings" and we returned, cameras in hand a few days later to take some snaps of the bird brains that lived there.

Here are the results...
















It is the only protected wildlife reserve in the city and is taken care of by the municipality of Dubai.

They'd probably have more visitors if they would post a sign or 2 on when they're open... but that would make sense!

Samar's Surprise Baby Shower

For all you baby lovers out there....
I was lucky enough to be invited to a surprise baby shower about a year ago for our friends Samar and Waleed.
Sorry it took me so long to get this up guys...



and happy 1st birthday to Lara! (even that is belated!)

Our Lovable Cats

Now for something totally different!

The Main Event--

Jones vs Jones in the Sandstorm Smackdown!

Let's get ready to rumble...





They really do love each other can't you tell?

Does it make us bad people because we think this is soooo hilarious?!?

Our Escape from Al Ain Video

Told you I had some stuff to finally add on here! I've been promising these videos for so long that most of you I'm sure had forgotten that I even mentioned them. Well, too bad, your stuck watching our home movies for the next couple days as I post them all on here!

This one is Kenny and Erica Jones and the Escape from Al Ain



Al Ain was the first day that we had seen rain in over 7 months! It was a great day filled with mountains, hot springs, good food, a swim in gorgeous mountain top resort pool, forts and rain!

Here is the link to see the original post pictures and the story that goes along.

Bab Al Shams Desert Restaurant

Here is the video from our night in the desert with Accalia and Dawn. What we failed to capture was the staff rolling us out the door after we finished eating! You have no idea the amounts of food we can pack away...
Thanks Accalia and Dawn for the great company on our desert meal under the stars.




Here is the link to get back to the first Bab Al Shams post (it was over a year ago I wouldn't expect any of you to remember that far back... even we had trouble remembering and we were there!)

Since this is where we left off...

OK, since our trip to Musandam with Oliver and Accalia was the last post on here I thought I'd add the video that goes along with it first.



It was a great day and to read up on the adventure we had that day here is the link to get back to the Musandam Visa Run Post... click here

I Know--- It's been awhile!

Hey everyone!
We are soooo sorry for the lack of posts that have been coming your way.
This year has been one full of all kinds of stuff and we really should have been updating you all on it!

Well here goes...
for the next few days you will see a barrage of posts on here with videos and pictures that we've been hiding away on Erica's trusty mac and on tapes tucked into suitcases.

Please, add comments, visit often and subscribe to our updates.

Huge hugs to all

Kenny and Erica!