Sorry It's Been So Long!

Hi gang!
Sorry it's been a bit of a wait for a new note! I've been busy preparing for this months heavy roster and little time off. So lots of laundry and packing up!
Anyways lets see, I left off before Halloween! I had my last months flight to Saudi Arabia on Halloween but better than that I received a parcel in the mail that afternoon from my best buddy in the whole wide world! It had new cold medicine, candy and the loveliest Halloween card inside! Thanks Nicole and Auntie Donna! :) You guys are so sweet!
My next flight afterwards was a layover to Manchester England. It was a quick 7 hour flight there, had a great happy crew which always makes life so much easier! We arrived into the city at 8AM and hit the ground running after our 5 pound breakfast at the hotel to shop until we literally dropped! We got rained on, wind blown and still you couldn't wipe the smiles off our faces! I should be living in the UK instead of the UAE...silly me.
Here are a couple of photos from Manchester

This was at the Manchester Tiffany's. They had the loveliest Christmas display! Look at all the blue boxes up for grabs! Well...not really, there was a guard hiding behind the tree to smack any grabbing hands away.

A pretty fantastic cathedral we stumbled upon on our walking about town journey!

It was incredible to see green grass again! And leaves and trees! Sigh!

Manchester was good, I'd have to say though Birmingham holds a special place in my heart even though the hotel was old and dingy the shopping was all clustered together and its as all indoors, no wandering about outdoors in the rain and wind looking for the Selfridges! We made it a good one still!

Picked up some Christmas gifts at Dubai Mall yesterday after meeting Melandi and Shane for lunch at Shakespear and Co. for an outdoor picnic in the lovely sunshine to warm up from the ugly Manchester weather! Better yet, I stumbled upon this little gem!

Apparently I missed them by a week! I can't believe it! Banana's in Pyjamas were in Dubai!!

Me and B1.

On top of that I got to hold and pet a 10 million dollar falcon. The bag in my hand is the photo evidence. Show you when I get home! He was a total babe! He was incredibly nice and cuddly for a falcon! I would say a very productive afternoon at the mall! It had to be a quick one because I still had a load of laundry and packing up for my next layover to Dar Es Salaam the next morning!

Cue Dar Es Salaam!

Just arrived about 4 hours ago and so far I am totally mesmerized! It's exactly what I had hoped Africa would look like! The colourful clothing, buckets being carried on heads and loads of old school bicycles! Dirt roads and buses packed to the gills with people riding on top! I love this place! The hotel is pretty nice as well, we arrived in style! Two armoured vehicles, with army and police escorts/drivers from the aircraft to the hotel. It seems tame enough to me! Unfortunately we aren't allowed to leave the hotel under any circumstances unless it is in an armoured vehicle back to the aircraft. No matter, they have an infinity pool and swanky lounge chairs, who needs to leave?! As long as I can get my daily allotted postcards and a fridge magnet I will be happy as a clam!

I was on top of the hotel on the 8th floor watching the sun go down across the Indian Ocean, it was incredible! Here are some photos I just took an hour ago! Enjoy!

My firm pillow just arrived (stupid goose down pillows!) and I am waiting on my yummy dinner before heading to bed!