Friday in Dubai

I wasn't sure if we were going to go. Up until the 11th hour, I had told P that I thought A and I would stay at home. He gets frustrated when A gets 'fussy' at the Co-op...and I could only imagine the horrors of an hour long car-ride (each way) plus lunch on the go, and several ins and outs of the car-seat. "Patience" is only the name of an album by George Michael to P (did I mention I'm going to the concert on Dec 1?). However, P seemed so sad that we weren't going, that I acquiesced, and we boiled up some pasta (now A's favorite food...the only thing she will eat this week) and headed out to Dubai.

The ride out was easy. Our friend Peter M. drove us (as we were going to pick up our new car) and A fell asleep, waking up only when we were in Dubai, and driving along the Corniche. This is very different from the one in Abu Dhabi. You can definitely see how this particular area is more designed for function and revenue. There was a portion of the Corniche where you could still see old Dubai: the run-down buildings, and all the trading boats. I saw a man lift a huge bag of rice onto his back to carry it off the boat. Then there was the 'tourist' area. Little ferry boats, with captains calling out to you, offering you a ride, and parked barges that had been turned into restaurants on the water, where you could stop and dine on the sparkling Gulf. We stopped at Al Abra, and had some fresh fruit juice. P, A and I shared a mango drink. Next time, I'm having the coconut one though, as it is served in a coconut shell. So much more tropical.

After that, we headed over to the Dubai Mall. During our stay at the Millennium Hotel, I had read a magazine where they advertised the Aquarium, located in Dubai Mall (world's largest indoor aquarium). Personally, I am not a fan of zoos, and I didn't like the dolphins living at West Edmonton Mall. I prefer animals to live free, in their own world, undisturbed by man...but I must say, I was AMAZED. This display was just incredible. I have never seen anything like it.

First off, there is the portion that all mall-goers can enjoy: the large aquarium walls, that are two levels high. Then, you can pay 25 AED to go through the 'tunnel' (basically like scuba diving, but with your clothes on) OR you can pay 50 AED (less than $15 cdn) and go through the Discovery Centre on the upper level (where there are many more water animals) plus get 'express' access to the tunnel (this is the option we chose).

I don't have the words to describe the incredible things we saw (so I'll be adding pics). There were penguins, an otter, king crabs, SEALS...and so many more water creatures. A and I got to stick our head into a bubble inside a fish tank...it was so quiet (with the exception of all the screaming Indian kids also in the bubble). Sting rays, frogs, sea horses...jelly fish (black and white). WOW! We took so many great pictures (that I'm posting). My favourite though, is the video (which I will also try and post) of P and the shark. He's so INTO his new camera!!

After that, we picked up the new car (it's great...lots of power, and I drove it yesterday to the salon!!), had some McDonald's (just not the same without McChicken sauce...I'm banning it until we get back to Canada), and started off back home.

The ride from Dubai to our house (as we live in the 'burbs) is a little over an hour. It is pleasant. On the way home we took Emirates Road, and despite construction, we got home very quickly (just as quick as we arrived on the 'fast track' road). I can't wait to go again (for longer!). We'll wait until our housekeeper Rosemarie arrives, so we can do an overnight trip (and Phinn won't be all alone).

Have dog...need catnip....

...for the cockroach(es).

I have noticed a few tiny silverfish in and around our bathtubs and sink. I guess they like moist areas, and paper. Once we get rid of all of our boxes, we will invest in some silica gel, and hopefully that should get rid of that little problem.

Then there's the much BIGGER (and grotesque) problem. As I was heading into the toilet (that's what they are called on this side of the world) yesterday, my eyes caught this brown blob on the floor. For a millisecond, my brain thought it was a matte, from Phinn's hair. And then it registered--the movement.

It was big, and brown and shiny. The antennae were as long as my pinky finger. A was hovering in the doorway behind me, just seconds away from toddling into the toilet. What could I do??? I had to act, and fast...so, I took the clear plastic lid off the cotton swabs container and I TRAPPED the disgusting mo-fo (pardon the language). Then, I took my heavy tub of Aquaphor (A's moisturizer) and I put it on TOP of the plastic cover (I've heard these things are strong). It wasn't dead, but now, it couldn't move!

I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to touch it. It seemed fairly stocky and heavy...what if it flew at me? What if it was really fast and ran up my arm? I couldn't squish it--I didn't want to clean up the goop left behind. I couldn't flush it...what if it had it's bronze medallion and swam back up and hid under the rim of the bowling...just waiting...(you see where I'm going with this).

So, I quietly shut the toilet door, and got my mobile. I texted P: 'big beetle. trapped, but not dead. you can dispose of it when you come home.' After all...that's why he gets paid the big-bucks, isn't it?

Then A, Phinn and I fled the villa, and went out to the park which is kiddy-corner to our villa. We returned minutes before P arrived. He too, was disgusted by the invader, but he took care of it, and sent it packing down the toilet (I've checked the rim...it isn't there).

Now, I am keeping the toilet door closed at all times. I've been reading on the internet that catnip tea is a good and natural deterrent against cockroaches.

That's the next big purchase on my shopping list: catnip.

That said: today we are getting lighting installed in our villa (as I type actually). We should also be getting our couch and our TV (wow! it's all coming together). Our weekend starts tomorrow (Friday/Saturday over here) and we're heading off to Dubai to pick up our Outback.

Yesterday I saw my second gecko (hiding under the shipper's boxes...I had to take away it's shade)...the first one was in the evening in our park (b/c we're the only ones that use it).

A drove both P and I nuts last night. She woke up at 11 and then didn't go back to sleep until 1 am. I must add that she also drove Phinn nuts, as he wanted to sleep and she wanted to use him as a furry pillow. She literally followed him back and forth around the room, on and off the bed (I think she would've crawled into the kennel with him if the opening was big enough). I finally had to shut the door on his kennel (she can't open it)...and then just pray.

To Market, to market to buy a fat fig...

Is it wrong that we spend the majority of our free time (weekends) shopping? Just so this isn't misconstrued as a sexy and exciting activity, let me add that we are GROCERY shopping.

Today we have gone to 'the co-op' (Abu Dhabi Co-operative Society in Mina Centre), the fruit and vegetable market (the ports area) and LuLu Express (Al Raha Mall). All in the search of food.

And it IS exciting. Every time we find a familiar North American brand, like "Kraft" or "Dole", it's like winning the lottery. Today's big prize: it's a draw. Was it the Newman's brand salad dressing (no Italian sadly) or the Starbuck's Frappucino beverage? Or maybe the Mott's jar of applesauce? I'll let you decide.

Due to circumstances, we decided to purchase the white ash coloured 'floor model' of the Stiby TV storage unit we wanted. Circumstances may be defined as: (a) we did not want to wait 2 months to set-up our tv, b/c IKEA had no idea how long it would take to get the black version (which goes better with our furniture, which is mostly dark) (b) they will deliver it on Sunday, and so we can unpack and get rid of a few more boxes (c) the price was right (almost 50% off). Due to the colour though, this created a challenge in co-ordinating the remainder of our furniture. We did end up FINALLY find the perfect complementary couch for our living room (2XL), and a cabinet to help tie everything altogether. I am very excited to be getting our TV storage unit from IKEA, tomorrow night. One more step closer towards settling in!

The fruit and vegetable market was interesting. If A hadn't been tired (shopping is as much her thing as it is mine) we would've gotten out of the car and walked around a bit more. As it was, we did a 'drive-through' the market. Lots of fresh produce. P brokered a deal that net us not only delightful Turkish grapes (they are tiny, sweet and seedless...like big juicy raisins really) but also a free box of cucumbers, and two golden delicious apples (that were truly delicious...and that's saying a lot from a non-apple fan).

Our prize find was the LuLu Express market. Not only is it 15 minutes away from our home (really MUCH closer, but the 'humps' on the road slow down the drive quite a bit), but it caters to the ex-pat community and so it has a lot more of the products that we are familiar with. I believe this is one store we will be adding to the weekly shopping rotation (heck! it's so close we could go there after P comes home from work in the evening!).

We should be getting a vehicle of our own, very soon. Looks like we will be driving a Subaru Outback (which will be my primary vehicle). P is looking into getting something smaller (perhaps a mini-Cooper) as our garage really doesn't accomodate two vehicles. So, he will be parking down the lane, and wants to minimize the space he takes up.

Our Christmas present to our family will be arriving in early January: our Filipina housekeeper, Rosemarie. Although we would've loved for her to come asap, we also wanted to give her the opportunity to spend the holidays with her children (she has three). Coming from North America, I cannot imagine how she can sacrifice so much--leaving her children behind in order to make the money she needs to provide them with a better life. It's quite a common story though, in the Phillipines. We are really very lucky, growing up in North America...

And they call it 'puppy lo-o-o-ove'...

I have just experienced an amazing day.

It has been so beautiful, seeing just how much a baby can actually love her pet. A has spent the entire day following Phinn around, force-feeding him food, sitting down beside him while he chews his tendon, caressing his fur. We read a book (all three of us sitting in the same chair) and after she turned every page, she leaned over me and roughly (we're still working on 'gentle') scruffed him on the neck. When she heard we were all going for a walk, although she was tired and grumpy (who was up dancing with the dog all night?) she bee-lined for the door and Phinny's leash.

She just fell asleep, after nursing, stopping every few minutes to check and see that Phinn was still lying at the foot of the bed. Right before she rolled over and closed her eyes, she looked one last time, and there he was, giving her the peace of mind and heart she needed, to drift off into dreams.

Donny and Marie: is this what they call 'puppy love'?

The prodigal son returns...

...he wasn't partying and wasting his life in cow-town...rather just biding his time...but guess who's back?? back again?? phinny's back--tell a friend (apologies to all the Shady fans...but I feel like singing, I'm so happy to have my whole little family together again!!).

We had arranged for Boomerang Pet Shippers (http://www.boomerangpetcarrier.com/) based in Calgary to take care of all of Phinnaeus's travel arrangements. Apparently it is very challenging on the Abu Dhabi end of things to make arrangements for the import permit, and clearing pets at customs can take 3-4 hours. I figured that with all the stress we already had regarding the move, this was one thing I would happily hand over to someone more experienced.

So, three flights later (Calgary to Vancouver, Vancouver to Amsterdam, Amsterdam to Abu Dhabi) Phinn is finally here, and resting peacefully in his kennel, while I click away at my update.

We were expecting him to arrive sometime between 2 and 3 in the morning today. The BritVet clinic here (http://www.britvet.com/) had arranged for a driver (Fahad) to pick him up from the airport. I have to admit, I was very nervous; everything that I have read makes it clear that Islamic attitudes towards dogs are not positive. I was pretty stressed out that he would be waiting at the airport for 3-4 hours with someone who wouldn't consider the fact that he was a sentient being, and take the time to soothe and calm him. Around midnight, we got our first call from Fahad. From what I understood (and it was difficult to understand b/c (a) we were sleeping, (b) Fahad was not a native English speaker (c) nobody seems to have a land-line anymore and so it's bloody hard to hear people!! (d) I got the message relayed second-hand from P who is not known for his excellent communication skills) he was going to the britvet clinic to get some papers, and then to the post-office (?) and then he would call us again in an hour.

An hour later (very reliable) we got another call. This time, P handed the phone to me. It seems Fahad needed Phinn's vaccination documents--the originals--not copies and did I have them? I told him that the originals should be with Phinn, as the pet shipper had made it clear that all the ORIGINAL documents went with the dog (this was something I had asked about). Then I ran around looking for Phinn's 'passport' (yes...he has one...from our vet-basically it is a listing of all of his shots) as I knew I had brought it with me. This was challenging as we do not have any lights in any of the rooms (just the halls, and a few floorlamps). Suffice it to say, I did not find it.

The whole time I was looking for these documents, Fahad was still on the phone. He was telling me about 'his baby' and how he was going to take his baby, and not let them quarantine him. It took me a few minutes to realize that 'his baby' was actually MY four-legged furry baby, Phinn...and then I began to panic, wondering where this stranger planned on taking my dog. Eventually, he told me that they were releasing Phinn with the 'copies' of his vaccination certificates, and that I should follow up with the BritVet clinic, regarding the originals. He then said he would bring my baby home within an hour.

At this point, with my adrenalin jacked, fearing for the safe-return of my dog, I could not sleep. P was a sweetheart, and despite my protests, slipped on an episode of the Office for us to watch to pass the time. That made me laugh, and helped me to calm down.

Until the phone rang again.

Familiar voice: Fahad. He said: "Go alone outside your home, and take only your phone. There will be a white van parked outside your gate...do you see it..?".

Seriously. Now...that kind of freaked me out again...what was going on?

But, it was Phinn...and so, prepared for any kind of ransom request...I slipped on my sandals and out I went. There was the white van...and two, young Middle Eastern men. They opened up the back doors of the van...were they getting ready to throw me in? Where was P???

Instead, I saw what I had been waiting for since October 1. The cream coloured vari-kennel carrier, with a little brownish bump inside (that's all you could see). They passed him over to me gently, and I greeted him with with a soft 'hello Phinny', and suddenly, there was P, ready to take him inside.

I still had the phone to my ear, and Fahad was saying "Do you have him? Do you have my baby? I wait three hours with him at the airport, and now I am waiting with another dog...a big one. My son is bringing my baby to you. You love him, and you take good care of my baby. You happy now?"

And I was...very happy.

Fahad needed to talk with his son, and so he asked me to pass over the phone. I also received a lovely letter from my nephew, Sahil, with his second grade school photo. I miss that guy!! He's going to be so big the next time I see him!

So, with that done, the young gents left, and I got down to the business of loving my dog. We showed him where his new bathroom was, and he took some time to explore the house. He was parched and almost drank a whole bowl of water. I had also made him a 'welcome home' egg, which he wolfed er..pommed.. down, and then proceeded to eat all of his kibble.

Once he was sufficiently calm, we decided to head upstairs. This entire time, little A was sleeping, with promises of her 'brotha from a different motha's' return in the morning--and we wanted to keep it that way...at least I thought we did.

When we got into bed, A woke slightly. I was going to feed her, and send her back into dreamland, but her pappa had other ideas: "Look who's here....Phinny's here"...it was dark, and all you could see was his tented ears...but that was enough. She was up instantly, and crawling all over him. Then he got up and the two of them danced around the room. About an hour later, he got tired and wanted to sleep, but A still had not had enough. She was rolling all over him, and giving him the mmmmm-aaahs!!(kisses) that he had been missing for over a month. And she was pointing at him, and talking and laughing. It was delightful...but not so much at 3:30 in the morning.

Finally, I had to call it. I think it was almost 4 when I enlisted some help of the pharmaceutical variety, to help her fall asleep. I think we (Phinn included) were all thrilled when it kicked in, and she closed her eyes (and her mouth) and went to sleep.

When P's alarm went off, what felt like seconds later, I cringed, hoping she wouldn't wake back up. She didn't, and frankly, neither did P. He was exhausted (not many of us can survive on that little sleep...how the heck have I been doing it for so one year and five months...and counting...I'm a MACHINE!!).

Tired as he was, that good man still had the energy to peel and slice some mango for us and leave it in the fridge, before he went to work. We had it for breakfast. After we ate, we all went out for a little walk around the 'hood (see pics above). A has decided she is the new boss of Phinn, and therefore, she must hold his leash the whole time. Nevermind that her chubby little legs can't keep up with his pace, or that her 10 kg weight isn't enough to make him stop when she wants him to. Phinny has marked our flowerbed a few times (it's HIS after-all) and also decided that the lovely patch of green grass at the end of the lane, just wouldn't be complete without some phinn-spuds (don't worry...I cleaned them up).

Finally feels like home now.

More pics of the villa to follow (just need to clean it up a little).

How was the first day?

Well, by some miracle (Obama maybe??) there were THREE taxi-drivers who all wanted to take me to our villa, although one of them had no idea where it was. One driver offered me a trip for 50 AED, while the other wanted to take me for 40...one guess who I chose. I had to direct him by misleading him into thinking we were going to the Al Raha Beach Hotel (it's very close and got us going in the right direction). I was amazed at my ability to arrive at the villa with no problems (considering the language barrier...the taxi cab driver kept saying 'mall-oom' which I think means "I understand"...when he really didn't).

P was already there, as were the men delivering our goods from Edmonton. I picked up where he left off, with A always close by. With the exception of our one leather chair that has a rip in it (OUCH!), everything looks okay.

I started with the kitchen. It was challenging unloading things with A running around. Then she discovered my baby doll, who had been sleeping in A's bassinet, and she discovered her own 'maternal' side. This was good for keeping her busy for a while, until she decided that I should carry her AND the baby doll around the villa.

We got a surprise visit from Abu Dhabi Gardeners, which was quite pleasant, as the usual language issues were not a problem; these gents were from Lahore and spoke Punjabi fluently with me. Unfortunately, these were not the guys P had lined up...so...not sure what we'll end up doing.

The kitchen is almost set-up, and after the washer/dryer finally arrived, we decided to call it a night. A fell asleep immediately on the drive home, and took her medicine in her sleep (she is an amazing little baby).

After I have my Millennium Club Brownie, I'll be joining her.

Hallelujah!! So Many Things to Be Thankful For...

I can't believe the day is finally here.

We arrived in AD on October 1. Here we are on November 6, after one month and five days of hotel living, finally getting ready to move into the new villa.

It is a wonderful world we are living in: Obama is set to be president of the 'free-world' (does anyone still call it that anymore, or am I have flashbacks to the days when Hulk Hogan was the living embodiment of a 'real American'?); we are actually moving into our villa today (or at least our stuff is...we'll probably spend one more night here at the hotel); and little A has just settled in for a morning nap (which will probably be cut short for our taxi ride out to the villa).

There are a few characters from the Millennium Hotel we will miss: Faizel, the lobbeyman (dubbed 'the African' by P, for the costume he is always wearing, he is actually Sri Lankan). He was (like many) captivated by our little A, and worked very hard in the time we were here to get her to release a smile from her cool, ice-princess like exterior. I wish I could say there was a thaw, but in all this time, he still gets the 'serious' look, accompanied by a shove. The Club Lounge ladies, who allowed A to wander all over, drink the freshly squeezed oj, and to make a toy out of the packages of sugar which she dumped out and trumpeted like a horn. I don't know many lounges where a baby is allowed to work the room, but this one was her home away from...well...let's just say an ever-shrinking hotel room (good ol' 617). The housekeeping fellow, who sometimes gave us two waters and sometimes four (those were the good days). He will probably be VERY HAPPY to see us go...A's diapers are becoming more and more rank as the days go by...this morning I actually dumped the bin MYSELF (the amoxycillin seems to be giving her some diarrhea...which is very FRAGRANT) as the odour was beginning to seep into the room. All of the room service gents, who I believe are responsible for reinforcing A's 'hi' and 'buh-bye' vocabulary. And, how can we forget the pool crew, headed up by Tilak, who gave A the little pink nylon PollyOtter shoes (which will fit her one day) which are her very own well-loved ruby slippers. Due to the questionable chlorination at the pool (and the bump on my baby's bottom), we have not seen the pool crew for over a week...they probably think we have checked out! Last, but not least, are the gentlemen who are not in the hotel, but very much a part of our hotel lifestyle: the Laundrymen. These guys are the MAVERICKS (thank-you John McCain for re-popularizing that word) of the laundry-world!! Never before in my life have I had my laundry washed, ironed, folded (with paper to help keep its shape), hung (pants and dress shirts) and then wrapped in a pretty little package (of plain newsprint paper). I shudder to think of the number of trees that are chopped down so I can have my classy laundry service (but...of course zay are using zee re-cycled paper...non??). I just discovered yesterday, that they managed to get the BANANA stains out of A's little Gap shirt with the ties on the sleeves (that was heading toward rag-town) yesterday! I'll say it again: Mavericks!!

On to the villa: we were greeted at our front door by little yellow desert flowers...they were planted by the developer outside my front gate. Very welcoming (and definitely not there a month ago when I first laid eyes on it). And...did I mention that the villa is HUGE??? The rooms are huge!! All of them (okay...not the servant's room and not the 'two car' garage) the kitchen, the dining room, the living room...there is nothing but space. Add to that the extremely high ceilings, and I feel like a hobbit wandering around the villa. The light is amazing, and we are lucky that the main floor does not have any rooms that get direct sunlight, which will help it stay cool. We have been advised not to bother getting curtains for our main floor, as it is likely we will never open or close them. We will heed this advice and save ourselves some $$ (wishing we'd done that in Edmonton too). We also have TWO fountains (seriously...) and a rooftop patio (which we might use for a garden...we will see). The yard looks like a huge sandbox right now, and we have hired landscapers who are coming out on Saturday. It's amazing to think they will be able to make things grow in the sand (most likely they'll be mixing in another kind of soil).

The lady we hired to help us clean, Narissa, only managed to finish the main floor in 8 hours (and I don't think it's because she is slow). The place was filthy, drywall dust and sand all over the place. I cannot say much for the quality of the workmanship either--P and I both agreed that had we paid for this place to be built, there is no way we would have taken possession of it: cupboards are dinged, wood is scratched, and the caulking looks like what P did on our shower over 4 years ago (he's a pro now). I guess we're just supposed to make notes and pass them onto our landlord (who we will probably never ever see).

I can say, honestly, there is only one thing about staying downtown that I will miss: the Corniche. The aquamarine colour is so soothing on the eyes first thing in the morning, and it's so easy to strap A into the stroller and walk over. I will also miss my "Goodmorning" friend, the customs agent, who was always so nice and friendly and ALWAYS greeted us when we walked. He was so very sad when he heard we were moving, and no longer would be walking. Maybe we will be able to squeeze in one more walk tomorrow. P says the Corniche extends over by our new place, so we'll have to check that out.

A and I will be taking a taxi out there again, shortly before lunch. We are supposed to meet the shipping container, and ensure that all of our boxes are accounted for. This will be interesting, with A running around...but we'll see how it goes. First things we'll be setting up are the kitchen and the baby gates, b/c A LOVES the stairs!!

Obviously one VIP member of our family is still MIA. Phinn is still doing well in Calgary. He is scheduled to leave there on Saturday November 15. He will fly to Vancouver (and overnight in a pet hotel). The next day he flies out to Amsterdam (and spends another night). Finally, the last leg of his trip brings him home to us, in Abu Dhabi (right to our doorstep). I can't wait!! I am so grateful to my family in Calgary, who have been loving him and taking care of him for us this entire time. I've been asking A if she remembers Phinn, and she sticks out her tongue and pants (for those of you who are unfamiliar with baby signs...this means 'dog'), so I'm very happy to report that she still knows her 'brotha from a different motha'.

Driving home from the villa yesterday I felt so wonderful. Obama had won the election. We were finally on our way to getting settled in Abu Dhabi. A was napping. Like America, I am hopeful again...for new things...for what happens next. It's a very exciting time in our lives.

Boil Bum...Boil Bum...Bum!Bum!Bum!Bum!Bum!

I have been practicing the art of 'if you don't have anything nice to say...' and so I've had to take a bit of a break from blogging. I am dealing with my frustration of still being in the hotel, and eating hotel food...which is maybe great and fun and delicious for a week...and then it becomes over-salty, cold and tasteless. Perhaps we will be moving into our villa this week...perhaps not. Supposedly we have a delivery of a bedroom set and dining table on Wednesday (purchased at the lovely Home Centre)...but we'll wait and see until Wednesday comes. P has scheduled the delivery of the shipping container for Thursday, and we hope to be sleeping there on Friday, giving us the entire weekend to settle in...but again...I'm waiting to see.

Poor little A has missed her second Halloween. Last year, she was sick from her 3 month shots...and this year her costume was stuck in the shipping container, and we were in the hotel. There is not really any indication that Halloween is happening here. No costumes, nobody dressed up, no mass trick or treating in the malls. I heard that out in our future neighbourhood, A's little twin friends (they are twins...not friends of A who look like her) did some trick or treating door-to-door...but, nothing for us. I plan to take a day after we are settled, pull out her costume and take many pictures to send out to family and friends. At A's age, dressing her up is really more for our enjoyment anyways.

We have had our first experience with the health care system in AD. And we are giving it two thumbs up (so far so good, anyways). On Wednesday last week, I noticed that A wouldn't let me carry her in the usual straddling position. When I changed her diaper, I found what looked like a small blemish on her rear end. What made me nervous was the swollen mass that you could feel (loonie-sized) around it. So, I treated it with baby Polysporin (every mom needs some of that) and we soaked her in an epsom salt bath. The next day, there was little or no change, and that evening I made P look at it. Although A's personality remained quite chipper and happy, she had difficulty sitting and lying down, which made diaper changes and feeding nearly impossible. We continued our treatments, and then finally, on Saturday, the 'boil' (which is what we started calling it after some internet research) burst, and the blood must've freaked P out, as he insisted we pack A up and take her to the hospital.

This, in turn, freaked me out. We had read so much about the modern facilities here, but at this point in time, we (A and I) still don't have our health cards, and didn't know whether we should trust the medicine over here...what if they made things worse? P had looked up Al Noor Hospital, which had a very positive write up and was less than a block away from us. This surprised me, because I have walked the perimeter around our hotel, and I have never noticed a hospital. So, we were surprised when we walked toward the Abu Dhabi National Bank and looked up...way up...and saw that huge towering building beside it was the Al Noor Hospital, and not another office tower or apartment building. Cut us a break though. When we asked the worker from the Co-op (which I believe is in the same building?) where the hospital was, even he got confused. Luckily, someone overhead us on the street looking for the hospital, and sent us in the right direction (which was towards the BACK of the building...thank goodness this wasn't an emergency). So, we entered a very small and crowded room, with two elevators and a very helpful Filipino fellow who was directing traffic. As we were looking for Paediatrics, he sent us to the 2nd floor, where we encountered another reception area. After taking our 2nd right and then a left, we found our destination. We were lucky number 49, and our turn to speak to the receptionist in Peds came very quickly. As we had no health card for A, we provided her name, date of birth, a mobile number and her country of origin. That was all we needed. The secretary asked us which doctor we wanted to see, and as we didn't know who was good, we were happy to take anyone. Our primary concern, which we shared, was that the doctor be able to converse with us in English. We were assigned to Dr. Rim Al Choughri (one of about six doctors working) and sent off to wait some more.

The waiting room was very simple: chairs and more chairs. At some point in time, someone took it upon themselves to paint two murals (one with a very rudimentary Winnie the Pooh and friends) on two different walls. There were no toys, and no little 'play areas' for children (although there was a room set aside for nursing).

P and I didn't know what to expect. We knew we were 4th in the queue...but I had only seen one family go in and out of the Dr's office. Our biggest fear, as we heard the chest-rattling coughing echoing around us, was that A would come out of this room sicker than she was when we brought her in. Time was our enemy.

We were amazed then, when we heard the doctor herself call out for us. For two reasons really. The first: she pronounced A's name correctly...a feat that rarely happens in Canada. The second was how quickly we got in to see her. We showed her the 'boil' which she termed 'abscess'. Our heart rates both acclerated a little when she mumbled a little something about sending us up to surgery to have it drained. She must've noticed the paling of both our tanned complexions as she decided instead that she would attempt to drain it herself first, and advised us that if we needed to come back for further drainage, then we should go to surgery.

So, I held A down in the front and P held her legs. She was actually quite cooperative (even the Dr. commented on it) considering how uncomfortable she must've been feeling. She prescribed a 7 day course of oral antibiotics (Augmentin, which is amoxycillin) and an ointment called Fucidin. This was to help ensure that the infection did not spread. We were also given some alcohol wipes, and told that we could also drain the abscess if needed. She did not mention how A could've gotten this infection, but I have my suspicions that the daily visits to the pool had something to do with it.

Next we headed down to the Al Noor pharmacy on the main floor of the building. We were directed by a big sign that said "Prescription drop-off here", which lead to a small box (seriously) sitting on top of the counter. There were about 8 'pharmacists' (maybe...not sure...I hope so) working behind the counter. Minutes after P placed our form 'on top' (as per the written instructions on the box) we heard A's name (pronounced properly again) and we stepped up to receive her medications. There was no special counselling by the pharmacist, just hand-written directions of the box, and then BAM! We were out in the sunshine, heading back to our hotel.

The entire experience (including walking time) was about an hour and a half. Wow!

We paid 250 dirhams for the hospital visit and 40 dirhams for the medication (about $96 Cdn) for the whole adventure, which will hopefully be reimbursed by P's company (since their slow paced action is the reason we don't have our health care cards yet).

So...we get home and check out the meds. Seems that the oral medication comes in powdered form, and P and I have to mix it into a syrup (with water) ourselves. Is this what we pay our pharmacists the big bucks for back home, I wonder? And also...I am allergic to Penicillin (apparently had a very bad reaction as a baby in India), and what if A was too? I made sure that we gave her the first dose early in the afternoon, when P was still home, so that in case anything happened we could head on back to the Al Noor Hospital.

So...here I am with this little blip in A's health behind me (and knowing there's sure to be another one coming). The abscess is shrinking (without any home drainage), and the only negative side-effect of the meds so far is a 'runny' one (and I don't mean that A has become a sprinter).

A few things I've learned:

1. Epsom salts are not really salt (they are magnesium sulfate). Over here they are only sold in small 250 g containers (not big bags like in Canada) and they are used in treating constipation (not for soaking your tired worn muscles).

2. The Health Care system is pretty solid over here. That's always good when you have little ones.

3. No more swimming in the hotel pool.