More of the christmas holidays ...

Sorry still not put on any photos mummy and daddy are a bit rubbish at letting me play with the new camera so there all still stuck on it I will get hold of it and sort this out soon, well I’ve been busy with Christmas, parties, presents, parents and grandparents, it is lucky I have mummy to drive me around because I’m not sure we would all fit in the old rental car. Anyway I will tell you some of the stuff which I have been up to – this is in no order as daddy forgot to write down when we did what.

One day mummy and daddy took me, nanny and granddad to the royal stables then mummy and daddy went off and left us three there it wasn’t the same as my normal pony club but I got to ride (Dr) pepper, and we went for a long ride along the forest trails, it was really good, later on we all went out for dinner to a place called ‘The Meat Co’ which turns out is really good place to eat as they do lots of meat which me and daddy love (unlike veggy mummy), daddy and granddad had a steak called ‘Tomahawk’ which was almost as big as me (well kinda it was still on the bone and the bone was bigger than the WHOLE of daddies arm and the steak was bigger than a normal size dinner plate).

Another day we all went out to a big hotel ‘Al Raha beach resort’ for something called brunch, we all had loads to eat and then went to the pool and beach where I pushed daddy in but no way was I going in it was freezing, I then spent time on the beach with nanny and granddad whilst daddy warmed up, sunning himself on a lounger.

Now I know this day this is the day Santa came …. He left me loads of presents which made me happy and he left snow all over the floor which made granddad grumpy, hehe. So in the morning when I woke up, I waited day we went to the Hilton beach club which was really good as there pool is warm and they have slides I had loads of fun there splashing everyone and going down the slides so many times and granddad was also going down them too, I tried to tell him that he was too old but he was having none of it.

And another day I took everyone to the zoo as only me and daddy have been there before (it is the place where I cuddled a lion cub) and I thought everyone else would like it and I think they did, mummy spent the time trying to tease and play with the lion cubs, I got to hold a massive snake and a baby chimp, granddad feel in love with the tortoise’s they must have been very old as they were bigger than me.

On new years eve Pretty nanny and granddad went home back to England I really didn't want them to go and I got upset saying goodbye but we gave them all a massive cuddle and kiss goodbye, and when we went outside I saw their plane taking off (or so mummy said, but that was very quick of them to go through all of the checking in desks but I suppose it is granddad and he doesn't like to hang around) so we all waved and blew them kisses and got into the car and came back home, it was very strange as our house seemed really empty without nanny and granddad here.

Driving home for Christmas

Thursday 22^nd December - Today we did the drive to Musandam, in reverse not literary but it was a long drive back home, everyone said that I was very good and Santa must think so too, as when I got home there was a message from Santa for me – he told me a was on the nice list YEAH !!!

Dolphins

Me swimming with the fishes

Today I woke up in the morning after a good night’s sleep and keeping mummy and daddy up, I have manage how to talk and kick in my sleep without waking up very pleased with myself. We had breakfast then went on a bus to the boat park, I think mummy called it a port but I think boat park is better (like car park where you keep the cars but you park boats instead), there were lots of boats there and we had to climb over a couple to get to the one we were going on. Our boat was comfy with lots of cushions to sit on, then the man with the wheel daddy called him a captain, got the boat out of the park there were lots of big waves and our boat was jumping up and down and side to side, which I thought was lots of fun to begin with but after a while I wanted to get off as my tummy felt all funny (but not a good funny), some adults (including my mummy) did not like it and some of them went a weird shade of green, after lots of bumps, we ended up somewhere with no waves which made most people a lot happier, there were other boats there and after a while a family of dolphins came to see us. After a watching them, we set off and left the dolphins alone. The captain stopped the boat by a small island and then daddy and another man dived in to the sea, this looked fun so I said I wanted to join him so mummy and granddad got in and FINALLY I was allowed to jump off the side of the boat, to swim with them it was great and I saw load of fishes (big ones, small one, stripy ones, spotty ones), we spent ages in the water. When everyone was tired and back on the boat we moved off again and had some lunch after that we looked at all the mountains and sat in the sun keeping warm till the captain stopped again and said we could go swimming again so I pushed daddy in and decided I wasn't going in as it might be cold so mummy threw me in (I always thought pushing was my job and I'm not happy about mummy taking my job) but daddy swam with me and we got to a small island and saw more fishes, then mummy came in and swam to us and she took me swimming but it was getting cold and I wanted to go back, but on the way back we got surrounded by jellyfish (I know that the top of them won’t sting you, I told mummy as she kept getting stung, she was trying to stop them from getting me, but one got me on my leg it hurt) when we got back to the boat nanny helped me up the ladder and then the captain helped my shower and then we went back to see the dolphins.

DOLPHINS !!!

The BEAST!!!

In the morning we woke up and packed loads of stuff, mummy said we were going to another country today, I'm not sure why, it can’t be another visa run thingy as we don’t normally pack to do one of them. Anyway when we went to get in the car – BUT WOO HOO we have our new BIG one at last (mummy calls it the beast), we had loads of room for all of us (I had a seat and so did mummy and daddy and granddad and nanny and stitch and scorch (my cuddly dragon which Shain bought me for my birthday) and bags, then off we went. It was a really long drive and ‘doughnuts’ forgot my apple juice, so I was not happy they know it’s all I’ll drink in the car and still they left it at home - so I made sure they knew they had made a massive mistake, so they won’t be doing that again. Well after our very long drive we got to a little place in Oman called Khasab (in Musandam).  It is a nice tiny town where they must love digging up roads because they seem to have dug up and coned off (yes all of them), but mummy managed to find a way through (in the beast) and we got to a hotel.

Mummies beast

Grand Mosque

Me checking out the carpet in the mosque

Today we went to a really REALLY big white building with fancy ball and tower things on the top, the adults call this building the ‘Grand Mosque’ apparently it is not allowed to be any bigger otherwise it would be bigger then something called the ‘Mecca’. Anyway this ‘Grand Mosque’ must have cost lots of money to build and furnish as the carpet cost £8million pounds and took 4 years for people to hand make, it felt lovely under my feet but when I tried to roll on it I was told off by one of the men in white ‘dishdash’. After the mosque we went home for lunch and then me, nanny and granddad went to the splash park.

Daddy, Nanny and Granddad outside the Grand Mosque

Lift in the roof

Nanny and granddad are STILL here, mummy and daddy went off again, this is becoming a habit maybe they are trying to get rid of me, but nanny and granddad are more fun anyway - so I don’t mind - we stayed here and went down to the garden. Once mummy and daddy returned we ALL went to the ‘Heritage Village’ – we saw lots of different animals and different types of houses which Nanny said people used to live in, but I’m not sure as some were made of palm leaves and overs where made of rocks. After leaving the village we went to a different Mall but this time we went to the middle of the mall and went in a lift which went up and up and up and through the roof and even then continued going up, finally when the lift stopped we were at a revolving restaurant, we were so high up we could see loads of the islands and everybody’s houses.

Sand castles with granddad

I woke up today and nanny and granddad were still here so it wasn’t  dream, bit strange waking up with mummy and daddy sleeping in my room though, after breakfast and playing, we all went to the beach to show nanny and granddad how good it is to live in Abu Dhabi, I had lots of fun building sand castles with granddad and splashing him with the water, mummy and daddy just sat in the sun being boring (I guess I will let then as I have nanny and granddad), nanny and granddad are fun, at lunch time we all went to Central Market to a place called ‘Shakespeare’ it was a bit like ‘Jones’ then after that we back home (so mummy could check her emails - boring). But after we went to Mushrif mall, where mummy and daddy went off to do food shopping and me, nanny and granddad went to the play area, the one with the big rides – yeahhhh.

Racing cars

I woke up nice and early all excited as mummy and daddy said pretty nanny and granddad were coming to day, but no sign of them I think they've been telling porky’s again to try and make me stay in bed. I don’t think I shall believe anything they say again especially daddy as he doesn't know much anyway,  they are now saying nanny and granddad will come later today but I still don’t trust them. After breakfast we all got in the car and went for a drive to the airport but didn't stop maybe mummy is like Nicky and needs to keep practising how to get there, well we ended up at the big race track (turns out there is a short cut via the airport) not that I could see any race cars I thought they were telling porky’s again but then mummy stopped the car and daddy got out and asked if I wanted to see some race cars think he’s gone all funny in his brain because he should know I’d want to see race cars as it’s my favourite film this week. He got me out of the car and mummy drove off and we went through a big tunnel and guess what there was loads of race cars none quite like ‘Lightening McQueen’ but they were good. The men driving them were nice to me and one even let me sit in his car as I told him I want to be a race driver (when I can reach all the pedals). Me and daddy had a
really good morning then when I was tired mummy came back, so I could have a sleep in the car. When I woke up there is still no sign of nanny and granddad. Mummy was in a strange mood, she was cleaning everything and mummy never cleans. When it was really dark outside mummy put me in the car, we went to the airport and stood around for about 10 minutes (or laid on the floor), and then mummy said nanny and granddad was here, which was odd as they live miles away in England but I got up and looked past here and true even there they were Pretty NANNY and GRANDDAD, I went running up to them, both nanny and granddad looked shocked that I was there (don’t they know I live here) and gave them a massive cuddle.

Airport park

I didn't do much today except we went to the old airport park with Amelia.

Christmas show

Me and daddy went to my nursery for our Christmas show where all my class did some singing and clapping in front of all the mummy’s and daddy’s, though it was mostly mummy’s but I had my daddy so I must be special, daddy videoed it for mummy anyway so she can watch it when she’s finished work. But she didn’t come home at the usual time and daddy told me to get in the car, I was worried because mummy’s normally home by now. Me and daddy ended up at Shain’s house (which was good as I like her she’s silly – silly Shain), she had some of her other friends there I don’t know why but if she’s having another birthday party, That means  I’m going to get another one, as my birthday is after hers. We all sat down and Shain had made a really nice dinner and had Christmas music on even though there’s no snow, after dinner we all went into her front room and all chatted and drank and more people came along but no mummy. Daddy said that mummy was swimming but I don’t believe him, you don’t go swimming when it’s dark. Anyway I had a very important  job of opening the door when the bell rang and welcoming everyone into Shain’s house, eventually mummy came which was good and Shain gave me a present which was a monkey that rolls around the floor laughing I think he’s really funny. I was getting tired as the party didn’t even start until after my bedtime, so we went home.

Pony club

Normal Tuesday day - Me and daddy went to pony club as usual and had a long play with all my friends we didn’t do much else today.

Zoo with Abdulla

Another day at nursery except, I was in the big boys class today they seem to have realised that I am big boy at last, daddy picked me up as usual and I had a little sleep on the way home. Later on Abdulla’s mummy came over and talked to daddy, then daddy was trying to make me do everything in a hurry, daddy is like that sometimes so I slow right down this makes him have a funny face, we went down stairs and Abdulla was there and we got in his car maybe this was what daddy and Abdulla’s mummy were talking about, we went for a little drive and ended up at a zoo. I didn't think the zoo was as close as this but it turns out there is another one its smaller than the one in Al Ain, but (in some ways it’s better) you can feed loads of the animals like monkeys, goats camels, horses, sheep goats, and I even got to hold a lion cub which was great I wanted to take him home but daddy keeps saying we can’t have pets I bet mummy would let me as she’s always trying to make daddy like pets(especially big ones and daddy said that the cub would grow to be very big). Daddy held a big snake with me; I was a bit scared with him as he kept looking at me like he wanted me for his dinner.

He likes his milk too

Nursery again

Nursery today not much to say just another day, maybe work is like nursery (seeing your friends and playing games), guess I’ll find out when I’m bigger.

Dune Bashing

  Today started slow so I decided to spend the morning seeing how mad I can get mummy and daddy by ignoring them and generally doing whatever I want to and not what mummy and daddy want, this was working really well because by lunch time they decided we were going out and meeting Shain. Which is always good, we met her at the big-food shop near town and then we stood around for ages until a bus came along. We all got on it and drove for ages, which was really boring so I kept annoying the doughnuts up, we eventually arrived in the desert and the bus stopped near 

a fence after driving on a really bumpy road.  We got off and mummy, daddy, and Shain were all excited but I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about, but when we went through the gate I saw the monkey, I don’t know why they had taken me to see a monkey and why they didn’t tell me where we were going. I gave him a big cuddle and he was my friend, they made me sit down while they drank coffee and ate some dates, but the monkey kept looking at me and crying, but they wouldn’t let me go back to him. 

Then we went outside the compound and there were two camels and horses. Mummy, daddy and Shain grabbed some big plastic things and we climbed the big pile of sand, mummy said it is called a dune, when we got to the top we all sat on the plastic and slid down the dune, this was great and I wanted to keep doing it but after 4/5 goes all the doughnuts said they were tired and we had to stop I don’t know how sliding down a pile of sand gets them tired? So we went and had some water at the camp, with the monkey, then a lady came over and said we should go back out so we followed her and got in a big car. 
It is a bit like the one mummy says she’s bought but we still don’t have it, so I’m not sure how that works but she says we’ll get it when nanny and granddad come over. So anyway we put our seat belts on and the man driving asked ‘are you ready?’ Not really sure what he meant but all the doughnuts said yes and he started to drive over the sand I thought mummy and daddy’s driving can sometimes be a little crazy but this man was the craziest driver I’ve ever known but it was loads of fun, I couldn’t stop laughing and telling him to go faster, though the men sat behind me didn’t seem so sure and kept screaming like little girls. Mummy says this type of driving is called dune bashing and we might do some when we get our new car, I can’t wait. After we got back to the camp, we had a go at camel riding which is a bit like pony club but they are a lot bigger, it was funny watching mummy and Shain (Shain couldn’t even get on mummy had to try to lift her she is only a little bit taller than me!) the camel struggled to stand up and made a lot of noises, he sounded like a cow.

Missing buzz

Swimming

A fairly average day not much went on, me and daddy went swimming at the big pool which is always fun, there wasn’t anyone else there to splash so just had to muck about with daddy, think going to have to have words with him as he keeps insisting I do some ‘proper swimming’, I have tried to tell him I can but he keeps trying to get me to swim further and further. Anyway when we got home Amelia and Nicky came up to our house then we went to the park to play, Nicky went to see Grace’s Christmas play at school and we stayed with daddy which can be funny as we both try and do naughty things and see who gets caught first. Well that kept us entertained till her Nicky came back. Then a bit later Abdulla came over to play and then me and Abdulla went with Abdulla’s mummy to the bowling alley and had fun till our time was up then we went to Abdulla’s nannies (as in Abdulla's mummies mummy and not a paid nanny/maid) house, I’m glad my mummy and daddy are coming to get me later because if it was Nicky she’d never find the Abdulla's nannies house. When they came and got me we went for dinner at a place called Jones’s and there food is really nice, Daddy says that - 'we’ll have to go back there'.

Happy Birthday Old Grandad Bill

Old Grandad Bill (Andover's Old Major)

I'm 3 !!!

Mummy, me, Abdulla, Thomas and Abdulla's mummy.

My birthday at last I’m 3, I got to open a present before nursery, a small frog I didn’t ask for one of them I wanted a big elephant but I like it anyway, maybe there is a big elephant for me later. I had a good day at nursery and kept making sure everyone knew it was my birthday by telling them all every 5 minutes, after nursery daddy took me home and I had to go see Amelia and show her my frog, daddy says I have got more presents, but I have to wait for mummy, so I went to the park to play till she comes home. Daddy came and got me so I could phone Friday nanny and granddad, whilst I was chatting to them and I got some more presents a book, an aqua-doodle for the car, and my favourite a gun that fires sponge discs, it’s the same as my cousin Zac’s, then mummy came in and gave me more presents, I was just starting to open them and pretty nanny, granddad AND old granddad phoned, which was good as I’ve not spoke to him for ages, plus I got MORE presents, a couple of books and some more Lego. Mummy and daddy got me a big Woody which I’ve wanted for as long as I can remember, later on we went outside for a picnic with all the people who live here with us which was really good all the doughnuts sat around talking whilst me and my friends played and ran around we had some yummy food followed by a big birthday cake which daddy had cooked whilst I was a nursery. I had a really good day I think I should have more birthdays, I might ask mummy if I can have another one next week. 

Happy Birthday Pretty Grandad

Birthday Party

 Today is pretty granddads birthday!!! But it is also the day I celebrated my birthday (as mine is tomorrow but Sunday here is a school day, boo), Me, mummy, daddy, Grace, Nicky, Sophia, Thomas and their mummy, went to the splash park, which was great fun, especially as when we arrived there was hardly anyone there, so we could run riot and scare the lifeguards on the lazy river as no one thinks I can swim (STILL – they know me so why don’t they know this). Although the best fun I had was the water bomb game is where me and Thomas spent loads of time trying to get each other (there are two ladies standing there ALL day filling water bombs just for me to smash them, what a strange job).

This is me and Sophia

UAE is 40

Today is national day in the UAE, mummy and daddy say the UAE is only 40 years old which doesn’t seem very old to me as daddy’s nearly that old and I thought countries were really old, and Grace says her mummy (Nicky) is even older then the UAE which is funny, Nicky doesn’t think so but I do.     In the evening, my mummy and daddy drove in to town for the national day celebrations, the traffic was crazy and every one was having fun with silly string and snow spray again, we decided to park a few streets away from the front and walk the last bit as there was so many people trying to get to the beach. Grace and Nicky came down to meet us, which was surprising as Nicky can’t drive in normal traffic let alone traffic which is more like a car park, but then again maybe that’s why she could drive as they were going so slow that the chance of her crashing is small and so is her missing a turning (I think Nicky can get lost driving 1 mile to the local shops).

Fireworks

We didn’t do much exciting stuff today until after dinner, then we went to go and see the fireworks on the beach but mummy and daddy left it to late, it normally takes half an hour to get there they added fifteen minutes, they are silly even I knew it would take ages because everyone in Abu Dhabi wanted to see them and as everyone here drives everywhere, I knew we’d be late but left them to it and just sat in the traffic pulling faces at the other cars, we were about a mile from the beach when they started. Mummy and daddy let me in the front of the car to watch them, they were the biggest fireworks I’ve ever seen and I love fireworks (so I know what good and what’s not). It’s a shame mummy and daddy are silly, we didn’t get there in time because they would have been great, the bangs from the fireworks were shacking the car that’s how big and loud they were. Well after the fireworks finished we carried on driving/crawling to the beach as we couldn’t turn around, all the people are crazy this weekend the cars are all covered in stickers, and they spray each other with silly string and snow spray, its lots of fun and the other people gave me some cans of spray so I could join in, we ended up at the beach where there was a big festival for national day (this is the UAE’s birthday, and this year it is 40), so we walked around there with all the locals, which was good I think we were the only white boy there, after a while we decided to go back home and had more fun in the traffic.