WINTER WARMERS

Oh myyyy daaayyys it's cold. Winter is really setting in, isn't it? I thought I was doing really well on the 'staying warm' front.. turns out, I'm not. If you're like me and would rather spend £100 on shoes than gas, you'll be sitting in 2 hoodies, a thick pair of socks AND a fleecy blanket right now. It's also pretty freakin' stormy outside and I am not a fan of extreme weather conditions. For some reason, I always choose to wear the floatiest of floaty skirts on the windiest of windy days. What is wrong with me? Apologies to everyone I most probably flashed walking through the carpark at work today!

I'm really struggling to get my head around the fact that Christmas is less than two weeks away and I'm annoyed that I don't feel excited about it :( I know I'm not a kid anymore but I would LOVE to feel the butterflies in my belly on Christmas eve again! On the plus side, being a skint only child means that Christmas shopping is no biggy... I'm sorted on that front. I sorrrt of still want to go to Winter Wonderland this year - I don't think I've ever been... Or failing that - a German market? I haven't even had a whiff of bratwurst or crepes yet!!

We've got our official work Christmas party this Thursday in Birmingham which will no doubt be hilarrr and Zara came up trumps on a jazzy one shoulder number. I was considering only tanning one arm seeing as my other is covered... but I think that's probably a bit weird isn't it. 

Off to binge on stored up advent calendar chocs now. It's nearly time for My Big Fat Gypsy Christmas. YES. 

BUHH-BYE DUBAI

Right now, I'm sitting under the coldest blast of aircon, ever. It's penetrating my sunburn which is really rather unpleasant. It's nearly home time - I'm packing... sob. We've got a night-flight home so trying to stay awake... I kind of want another movie marathon (I watched 4 on the way here) but know I'll be zzzzzzz as soon as those cabin lights go out.
Today was another *old woman adjective alert* ...glorious day. We did some more sunbathing, followed byyyy ...some more sunbathing... aaand the occasional reading of a book. It. Was. Bliss. Seeing as it was our last day, I really tried to soak up the surroundings and found that floating on my back in the pool, looking up at the brightest, bluest sky and hearing the mosque call to prayer the BEST way of doing it. .....cringe!
Once we'd had enough lying around, we had some lunch on the balcony. The sun was really searing down on us and was a major contributing factor to the brit-abroad style burn I have acquired. Gawjus.
Here are some pics from yesterday... we hit up the Dubai Mall (again...) because you could literally spend a week in there and not even see everything. We watched the Dubai Fountain Display which was pretty frikkin' short considering the time everyone was stood there waiting for it to start! ...not helped by the serious lack of spacial awareness people had - mum and I found ourselves telling some Russian girls the meaning of BACK OFF.
Anyway, buhhh-bye Dubaiii.

1. Burj Khalifa - the tallest building, ever... don't quote me

2. Me 

3. Dubai Mall

SUNSET

The sun goes down pretty quick here in Dubai and when it does, the colours in the sky are BEAUT....

A piece of the Middle East

I'm on holiday, woooo! I'm in Dubai & it's hot hot hot! Why am I blogging when I'm on holiday? Yes, it's sad isn't it... but I've actually got time to do it. We've been to Dubai a couple of times already so we've done all the important 'must-see', 'must-dos' and we're onto pure, unadulterated relaxation ... *sighs and reclines*

We got here at about 1am this morning and were met with what seemed like a BILLION men in Dishdasha's outside the airport, all holding signs with people's names on. Eventually, we found our guy and were whisked off to the bright lights of Sheikh Zayed Road, where my mum's friend lives.

Ended up getting to sleep at about 3am this morning (local time) and was swiftly awoken by the wailing call to prayer from the mosque outside. I'd forgotten about that... It's fine, I like it - don't get me wrong, but it's reaaaal loud.

Today has been deeeeelightful. Warm croissants and jam on the balcony followed by some sunbathing around the pool. Disappointingly, though as I suspected, I remain exactly the same shade of translucent as I was to start off with.

Anyway, as we're 4 hours ahead - it's well and truly dinner time so we're going to the Mall of the Emirates in search of some food. I'm s-t-a-r-v-i-n-g.

Pool-gear