Ducks by Dawson

Queenscliff Weekend

2009-04-15T12:32:00.004+10:00

Happy Easter Everybody!

2009-04-11T13:40:00.003+10:00

Boklua in February

2009-03-17T09:25:00.003+11:00

Been a bit slack recently, here's a snapshot in the breezy mountains of Northern Thailand. Unspoilt and rustic in the purest and wondrous sense of the word. Thanks to Douglas Small for showing us around. Loved the bamboo worms and fern salad.

Zoo Day

2008-12-03T14:10:00.004+11:00

Last weekend we went to the Melbourne Zoo and we couldn't have found a nicer, sunnier day considering the gloom we've been getting here. Also these are some of the first shots we've taken on Jef's iPhone.... not bad at all! Walked there and back so yeah, pretty good!

Rainy days

2008-11-22T09:29:00.002+11:00

It's been cats and dogs on the rain front so no more barbies for Steffie!

Pre-birthday Birthday weekend

2008-11-09T11:59:00.005+11:00

Celebrated Jef's pre-birthday with Dave and Robert who was in town
to celebrate Dave's birthday as well. Here's a shot from the beautiful Southbank views from Dave and Rob's suite and then lunch at the
Builder's Arms along Gertrude Street in Fitzroy.

Wall decal

2008-11-07T08:58:00.003+11:00

What can we say? It's cute and it's GORGEOUS! Even our pet ducks think so!

Passed the test!

2008-11-05T08:37:00.002+11:00

Jef took the test on the eve of Melbourne Cup Day and passed. With flying colours he adds. First major hurdle to citizenship jumped. Hurray!

Ownership day

2008-10-14T09:01:00.001+11:00

Found this pic that should have been posted a long time ago... shot on the day we officially became homeowners.

Weekend in the mountains

2008-10-05T17:27:00.003+11:00

Last weekend was spent in the most tranquil little hamlet of Marysville. Here are pictures taken in an around there, some including a little trek up Lake Mountain and a ski-lift to Mount Bulla!

The Burlesque Show

2008-09-20T15:09:00.001+10:00

Brilliant and funny the second time around...

More inside shots

2008-09-14T18:16:00.002+10:00

Does the inside count?

2008-09-14T18:09:00.002+10:00

Bending to pressure, here are some shots of our interiors. Big thanks to Gary Stucky for the gift of potted plants and Sandra Dean for her beautiful paintings. More later...

Happy birthday Ruthie

2008-08-24T12:09:00.003+10:00

Here's a panoramic view from our balcony for Ruth and all our friends who might have a difficulty visiting! (Click on the picture to get a bigger view)

We miss Number 8 at 128 Franklin Street

2008-08-16T14:37:00.002+10:00

It was huge, it was spacious and friends had a room when they came to stay but noise control was unbearable most times. But hey, an old chapter but a cherished one at that!

One year after Dubai

2008-08-10T12:44:00.003+10:00

Yes it's been more than a year in fact. And yes we have much to account for and pictures to show for. But for now, let's contend with the view of where we're now found. Not quite the desert but the next chapter nonetheless. More to follow mates!

Duckies go home

2007-06-19T12:20:00.000+10:00

With these few (long overdue) pictures of our Istanbul trip, we bid farewell to our Dubai chapter. Catch us on Facebook or an upcoming, yet untitled blog of our return down under. Please send us any suggestions you might have for our new blog! :) Love, Jef + Stef

Our last night in our apartment

2007-05-19T04:25:00.000+10:00

One more sleep. And some apologies for not posting our Istanbul holiday pictures but there's been absolutely no rest for these two ducks since we got back. Tomorrow night we move in with the Rydges until departure. ZZZZZ

Building bridges 2

2007-05-10T22:23:00.000+10:00

The same bridge from a few posts ago just to show you how fast these guys are at building things. With 18 more days to go, we are on our way; packing and arranging and sorting out work responsibilities. And right after this post (in half an hour's time) we'll be on our way to Istanbul! Yippee!

Shocker

2007-05-08T03:23:00.000+10:00

That's right folks. The Jef you all know and love is coming back a WOMAN. Operation completed successfully. NOT! This was done a while back, care of the creative efforts of my boss, friend and Creative Director (applause) the incorrigible Vincent Raffray. Shocker. Now you see why he's got so much time on his hands. Shocker! (Now maybe if I had plucked my eyebrows and put on some rouge I'd pass off as a prettier one, oh well!)

Dust

2007-05-07T01:57:00.000+10:00

How many calories in dust? Anyone? No? Dust. Anyone? No? Dust. Anyone? No? Dust.

Stef

Building bridges

2007-04-07T21:13:00.000+10:00

We have decided to come home. It's official. With Stef's new offer in Melbourne, we have decided that it's best we complete our terms here in Dubai and begin the preparation for departure. The frantic construction will go on without us and someday we may have the chance to see the city at rest with completed structures. Maybe our friends might still be here, or maybe not. Whichever the case, we hope we've built our own bridges.... (picture shows the new bridge not too far from where we live, a structure that did not seem to be there 2 months ago!)

No man is an Island

2007-04-07T21:11:00.000+10:00

Not unless you're about to own one of these, as seen in a scaled model from a renowned local developer.

Change of seasons: Hello Summer

2007-04-07T21:08:00.000+10:00

Summer arrives with signature tell-tale sandstorms.
Horizons are blurred with fresh heat waves emerging.

Change of seasons: Goodbye Winter

2007-04-07T21:06:00.000+10:00

Rains. A rarity. But even rarer is the frequency of the rains we've been getting. Folks say that this could mean that summer's heat will be more assaulting than ever.

Change of seasons: Goodbye winter

2007-04-07T21:04:00.000+10:00

Don't think there'll be shades this blue for the evening sky once summer fully shows up.

Strawberry cake

2007-03-31T22:16:00.000+10:00

Mmm. Does this mark the return of more culinary delights after a brief hiatus for night school? Perhaps Stephen should comment. Shall we get a proper professional digital camera? Give us an opinion. :)

Camping

2007-03-31T22:07:00.000+10:00

Exactly one weekend ago, Jef went camping with his mates at work. Now sadly, there wasn't much left in the battery for more pictures so here's all he's got. Here's a shot of the road to Fujeirah, all rocky mountains and hills all around. And a nice scene of the beach from Fionn's tent where the night was spent.

The roof is on fire

2007-03-31T22:01:00.000+10:00

Now that Stephen's got a new phone (same as Jef's) he is officially a citizen journalist. Here was a situation on the way to work, caught on camera. The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire, we don't need no water let the... fill in the rest!

Skid Row

2007-03-16T03:14:00.000+11:00

Happened a couple of days ago. Bangladesh Air. Skid. Delay. Anxious Bangladeshis flooding the permeter of Dubai Airport. So many of them that there were massive traffic jams.

Rabbit Whole

2007-03-09T20:12:00.000+11:00

Ever wondered what a furless, skinless and earless rabbit looks like? Just look at little Skipper's head poking out of the pot of culinary extraordinaire, Stefano Millardo. Some say it looks more like a dog, some, a foetus. You decide. In case you can't make out anything, here's a hint. One eye is still intact. And here is the final result of an overnight boil in the pot: Rabbit Pie!

Chinese New Year (almost!)

2007-03-02T20:03:00.000+11:00

The closest thing to a celebration for Jef: a dinner with Andres, his family and some new friends. The food was pretty Chinese and the lion dances were a thrill to the kids.

Sold down the river

2007-02-09T23:13:00.000+11:00

Some friends visited the Pyramids recently and had a lot to say about the experience. We're pretty disuaded after what we've heard. Here's an excerpt of their letter (haha!):

"Well, unless you absolutely must go to see the pyramids and ancient temples, then just give Egypt a big miss. It was revolting from the moment we landed into a filthy greasy airport with touts meeting you at immigration before you even get through customs, to the taxi drivers who almost brawled over who was going to take us, to the garbage dump that is Cairo or anywhere else that humans live. They spit great globs of yellow everywhere, from the polluted atmosphere I guess, they just drop rubbish anywhere and from the amount of it built up, it is never cleaned up.

There is horse shit all over the place and it is ground to a dry powder which then swirls up into your face when all the crazy drivers speed past. And the traffic is unimaginable. They drive with their hand on the horn and literally knock other cars out of their way.

We played a game- spot the undented car. We only saw one.

I asked someone why all the buildings and houses are only half finished and he said it was because when they are finished they have to pay property tax so nobody finishes anything. Unbelievable.

The people are cheats, liars, thieves and touts who won't take no for an answer. They smell. They don't give a damn about their environment and all their temples, pyramids etc. and simply surrounded with litter.

However the Nile cruise was great. But even then we were ripped off. It was sold to us as 5 star but struggled to make 3.

Towards the end I got sick. I got a non specific urethritis, I had the worst fever one night and my shivering actually shook the bed. I got the flu and an ear infection and that rotten tummy thing called Giardia which comes from food infected with faeces. We got off the plane here in Bangkok, I dropped of my luggage and went to the hospital."

-- Okay, plans have changed. Amsterdam?

Misty mornings

2007-02-02T23:47:00.000+11:00

With a drop to fourteen degrees or less, we really can't ask for more!

Buy a home, win a jet

2007-02-02T23:40:00.001+11:00

That's right. PR stunt or bad taste (or both) here's what folks stand to win when they buy a piece of porperty from these guys. This is a jump from the previous prize: jaguars. Fancy moving to Dubai?

View from above

2007-01-09T04:35:00.000+11:00

Can't say it looks terribly exciting from this picture but from the 41st storey of a client's office building, the view looked pretty amazing. We could see the sea and a glimpse of the "world" islands. The sky is a dreary grey with a low of 14 degrees C.

Happy New Year!

2007-01-01T17:48:00.000+11:00

We start the new year by wishing all our friends and family all over the world by showing what they missed for Christmas! Hahaha! Turkey, prawns, etc! Happy new 2007 y'all. XXXOOO Jef & Stef

Christmas Eve "Party"

2006-12-25T19:27:00.000+11:00

Buffet dinner at the Shangrila with Malou, with the essential free flow of alcoholic beverages. Yes, I know, it's time for a diet for Jef!

Christmas Tree Dubai Style

2006-12-24T01:22:00.000+11:00

Here's our makeshift Christmas tree, made of dried fluff from roadside desert grass, stuffed in one of our underused Ikea vases. We've got only a few presents under this, but surrounded by happy ale. We think it's cool anyway. One more day to Christmas eve!

Christmas Turkey Part 1

2006-12-23T00:07:00.000+11:00

The Chef is at it again, this time preparing the turkey for the eventual roast in the next day or two!

Merry Christmas once again

2006-12-19T17:07:00.000+11:00

English: Even the meanest people are nice once a year, we're nice all year round...

Calamari calamari

2006-12-16T16:19:00.000+11:00

Another tasty treat from local Chef extraordinaire, Stefano Millardo. Bravo!

Traffic tragedy

2006-12-15T21:07:00.000+11:00

Tragedy proves a point once again with one of the worst accidents in Dubai. This happened not too far from where Jef works. Click on post title for the full story. What did we say about people driving like maniacs? Despite warnings, and wet roads from the rain, nothing seems to deter the speeders. Wonder if this accident will.

Billboarding

2006-12-15T20:54:00.000+11:00

Yet another billboard goes up. Here is how they do it: with wood mostly. They will end up almost 30 meters in length and 20 meters high. Whatever they put on it will be easily seen along Sheikh Zayed Highway.

We're surrounded!

2006-12-12T04:37:00.000+11:00

Check out the neighbourhood! At least that's how they reckon it will look like once they've finished building.

Happy Christmas to all!

2006-12-10T19:15:00.000+11:00

Hello buddies and muchachos, tis the season to be jolly! Click on the title of this post to hear a fabulous Christmas song. It's our present to you all. May you have a peaceful, blessed Christmas. XXOOO Jef + Stef

Musings on pen

2006-12-10T00:07:00.000+11:00

Winter days

2006-12-08T19:10:00.000+11:00

It's been a little rainy so here's a rare glimpse of our surroundings ACTUALLY WET. Apart from that, winter days are beautiful, With the weather coming down to 20 degrees on average.

Hitler Honoured...

2006-12-07T05:14:00.000+11:00

... together with Idi Amin, Saddam Hussein and more. Not quite your usual dictator-fest, these ex-dictators are being showcased as items in an art show of sorts, these... erm.. figures and their portraits were on full regal display at the most renowned fashion mall in Dubai. There were of course other people like Princess Di and the Queen who unlike most of the other honourees, is still alive and well. Oh well.

Winter evenings

2006-12-03T05:43:00.000+11:00

This is a typical evening now when the sun sets as early as 5 pm (this is a view from my window at the office). It's been raining everyday and puddles are getting bigger. As we wrote before, this city was not (and still isn't) designed for this weather and the evidence is everywhere: leaks from roofs, floods etc. It's indoors for us (with socks on!) JEF

Blast from the past

2006-11-26T16:00:00.000+11:00

What a dish! Haha!

Drinks at the 360

2006-11-23T02:06:00.000+11:00

It's essentially a drinking place that sets out overlooking the sea. Quite nice in the evening. Went there to "brainstorm" ie work meeting but what a choice for venue. Needless to say nobody got any work done but ended up wasting money on typically overpriced drinks. Oh well, at the least the views were worth it, ya think? JEF

First rain

2006-11-23T02:03:00.000+11:00

First scatter of light rain whilest travelling back to the office. Good, winter is officially around the corner. JEF

Fully integrated part 2

2006-11-18T01:35:00.000+11:00

This and last pictures were taken at our trip to the desert when Kerry came with us. Thought it'd be a cack to see us having a bit of fun like desert tribesfolk!

Fully integrated?

2006-11-18T01:33:00.000+11:00

Cake and Quiche

2006-11-18T00:49:00.000+11:00

Belated birthday cake for Jef (Chocolate Ginger Cake) and a lovely Prawn and spinach quiche for lunch. How lovely! : )

View from the top

2006-11-16T04:17:00.000+11:00

Shot this from the Emirates Towers with my new Nokia n73. Love the view. Love the view from the new phone. Happy Birthday to Jef!

Mary & Kerry come to visit

2006-11-04T22:14:00.000+11:00

Spending almost a week here, Stef's mum and sister saw the sights with and without us. We hope we've been good hosts and that they had a good time!

Palm Pilot

2006-10-21T17:57:00.000+10:00

Well the first one's almost done. We'll keep a lookout for the number 2!

A Change of Heart

2006-10-18T00:31:00.000+10:00

I was having a durry on the balcony this evening and realised that maybe just maybe this Dubai isnt a bad boring place at all, I was seeing a glimpse of what might become a city as vibrant as Bangkok and I had a fleeting thought....perhaps Dubai will become a city worth living in? It was the sight of impatient drivers trying to impose their wish of getting home faster on 2 guys riding a tiny motor bike putt putting down the road, a hundred skeletons of half finished high rise buildings, dug up streets and our only local coffee shop just opened accross the street......

Regional Glimpses

2006-10-13T20:15:00.000+10:00

Someone sent this to us by email. It's a keeper. Whoever shot this deserves a medal!

Bangkok

2006-10-06T22:19:00.000+10:00

Not much to show on our Bangkok trip at all as we were so busy soaking up the local delights: shopping, eating, shopping, eating and the warm company of Douglas Small, Stef's longtime friend. Oh and if you're wondering what the picture is all about, just imagine us two propped up on bed, legs wide open and doing our colonic... which is what happened. Got our insides pumped clean with 25 litres of water! Now that was one royal flush!

Singapore

2006-10-06T22:10:00.000+10:00

Stef stares at a welcoming morning brunch feast of a Tan Family favourite: mum's Mee-Siam!

Not a recent photo (in fact one that is long overdue!) of Jef and his folks at his brother's wedding last November. We stayed with Jef's folks on our Singapore duration.

Sydney

2006-10-06T14:26:00.000+10:00

Lunch at Wolloomoolloo

Lunch with Sandra (Andy's smoking somewhere)

View from Dave and Rob's apartment at evening time.

We miss this: view of the harbour bridge from the Manly ferry

Instant inspiration: graffitti on the toilet walls of the Columbian on Oxford

L

All packed!

2006-09-10T20:59:00.000+10:00

...and that's just MY stuff. As of this post, we have exactly 5 more hours before we take off. By the time we get back, it will be October. Bon voyage to us! JEF

Portrait of Steffy

2006-09-08T21:40:00.000+10:00

Here's a portrait of ol' Steffy. You'd find this picture as a detail of our apartment. :) JEF

Curry with Teree

2006-09-02T22:19:00.000+10:00

Meet Teree, one of our very few friends here in Dubai. Fellow Australian and all-round fun gal. Hope she enjoyed the curry that Stef made. Sorry you had to miss our home-made ice-cream (the one with pralines) but another day perhaps!

One Week to Homecoming

2006-09-01T18:37:00.000+10:00

With the heat searing outside and a relaxed anticipation of our holiday back home, we decided to start the weekend by waking up late, watching a doco on ABC about crystal meth abuse and then a sumptious French Toast breakfast (courtesy of my gourmand man) whilst watching the remaining half of "An American Haunting". 8 more days to go! JEF

Taking the heat: we don't!

2006-08-20T03:43:00.000+10:00

Has anyone noticed the weather box on our site lately? Well if you did today you'd notice that Dubai was a high of 48 degrees C! And for everyone who's wondered what our lives are on weekends, look at the picture. Well stocked in the beverage and DVD department. And for everyone else we know and love, we'll be home to visit in September. The countdown is on: 3 more weeks! Yay! (BTW, thanks to everyone who voted for the ceasefire, the results made a difference!) JEF

Beirut Plea

2006-08-08T01:21:00.000+10:00

Bear with us for a moment. We look reallly happy in the pictures and we did enjoy oursleves during our visit to Beirut in late June this year. Now we are writing to implore that you take a moment to vote for the ceasefire (click on our title heading) that is tearing this beautiful country apart. Two wrongs never made a right and it doesn't help that the world's most powerful man REALLY doesn't give a toss. We shudder to think that some of the places we've seen and the nice people we've said hello to are losing their lives for every day that passes. Suffice to say we're outraged at the lack of decent coverage on this most shocking news beyond the boundaries of the Middle East where we now reside. We ask you all to please, take a second and click on the link. Vote peace. Vote giving-a-damn. Vote ceasefire. And get them all to leave Lebanon the hell alone. JEF + STEF

Laksa

2006-07-26T01:14:00.000+10:00

Stephen's creation. Trust me, it's the best this town can offer! Rich, spicy and uniquely original!

Post Beirut

2006-07-20T04:19:00.000+10:00

In light of the current situation, we have decided not to post any of our holiday pictures of our trip to Beirut. It saddens us that once again, this city has fallen under attack. It scares us too that most of the places we have seen is under gun fire and certain areas torn to rubble. Perhaps when we spoke about Beirut having risen from it's wartorn past, we spoke too soon. We offer our prayers and hopes that this madness will end soon. JEF + STEF

Mattress Back

2006-07-15T05:39:00.000+10:00

What I'll miss

2006-07-15T05:29:00.000+10:00

Stef

Man forges labour card with Brad Pitt's photo

2006-07-07T17:01:00.000+10:00

Dubai: A salesman faces trial for forging a labour card by pasting Hollywood actor Brad Pitt's photo on it and an Arabic name.

The 29-year-old Jordanian, T.H., said he did not know whose photo it was he had downloaded from the internet. The Dubai Public Prosecution charged him with forgery, using a fake document and trying to embezzle Dh82,600 from a money exchange house in collaboration with his brother H.H., who works there as a teller.

The Dubai Court of First Instance was told that the defendant sought to use the card to collect Dh82,600, which had been transferred to A.Y. the name he used on the card from Qatar. The money was left in the exchange house for three months unclaimed.

An informant told police that T.H. was planning to collect the money in collaboration with his brother. Police arrested T.H. from a mall in Ghusais. In his statement to the police, he said his brother had informed him about the money which had not been collected. He confessed that he forged the card with Brad Pitt's picture from a website.

Gulf News - Published: 06/29/2006 12:00 AM (UAE)
By Bassam Za'za', Staff Reporter

Beirut

2006-07-02T01:04:00.000+10:00

Long overdue write up on our adventures in Beirut a fortnight ago. Here's part one of our series of pictures on the eternal city of Phoenicia, a city of endless histories and contrasts.... more later, enjoy! JEF

Jef's One Year in Dubai

2006-06-10T20:20:00.000+10:00

Stephen arrived a fortnight before Jef so here's his story. Enjoy!

It's official: I have just survived one year in Dubai. Funny how I never saw myself in this part of the world not too long ago. That must have been the time my friend Lisa Low May May mentioned her own dreams of coming here ("Dubai? Where's THAT?") and I was in a bit of a mess of where to go myself. I remember the chat we had at MacDonald's at IMM's in Singapore. IMM's being the accurate reflection of the home country: overcrowded, frantic and non-stop rush. We talked about where we really wanted to be, we talked about money (we're Singaporeans after all) and the lack thereof. May May wondered about saying yes to her friend Sheila Kaur who was the MD of a Dubai PR agency. She couldn't decide. I couldn't either. But at the time, Dubai was not even an option. Besides, options were something I didn't have. All I knew was this: I had to cross the abyss... I had to get the fuck out of where I was. Anywhere was fine. Anywhere but here. Fast forward to now. May May is still in Singapore, and Sheila had resigned and returned to Singapore as well. And I am here, counting my blessings. Never mind that Dubai is a much harsher place (and I don't just mean the weather) and that other than work, there wasn't really much to do and meet. But like I said, I am thankful nevertheless. My career is working out and I am right back in the swing of things: Austin Powers post mojo-retrieval. Despite my current workplace being as about organised as New Orleans after Katrina, there couldn't be a better place and more talented people to work with. Yes the traffic here is psychotic and fatal on a daily basis and people here have all sorts of pre-arrival baggage... but hey, I constantly remind myself that I could be in a worse off place: I could be home. JEF

1 Year Yet Still 2 Minds

2006-05-28T00:01:00.000+10:00

Well Habibi it's a year since we arrived - to the day and I wouldn't be writing this if the more altruistic one in the relationship hadn't reminded me, I got better things to do like stinkin up the house with burnt Ikan Bilis :)

So what have I to add to the blogg after a year? So much, but not much...it's all so personal and where do you start? jeez i could go off.

We've made good friends, Jeffy and I are having a good time, we're saving casholi and work has turned out well - our living is pretty good.

As is our way we are we haven't had too good a look around the region although we will be in Beirut in a few weeks time. I'm disappointed not to meet many locals however since they're a rarity what can ya do, it's not like ya can go to a bar and have a bevy with em is it :)As a city to live in....well lets just say it's not the worlds most liveable and I'm gunna go out on a limb here and say it never will be, dont let the PR tell you any different, but it is and this is where i have to careful...interesting. I suppose I'm in 2 minds because I know we are only here temporarily. If we had the notion that this was going to be more permanent we would look at it in an entirely different light.

Q
After 1 year what's one of the biggests changes I've seen?
A
More buildings.
Q
After 1 year what's one of the biggests changes I've seen?
A
More roads
Q
After 1 year what's one of the biggests changes I've seen?
A
Higher Rent (20% the bastards)
Q
After 1 year what's one of the biggests changes I've seen?
A
I'm drinkin more, damn it it's sooooo cheap. Who woulda thought?
Q
After 1 year what's one of the biggests changes I've seen?
A
I've put on weight. Fookin ell. It's that Christine Manfield and her "Spice" book that's done it. Oh how I love that cookin
Q
After 1 year what's one of the biggests changes I've seen?
A......I better stop otherwise I'l just get depressed : )

Talk to ya next year

Stef

Gold Class Stars

2006-05-19T21:45:00.000+10:00

Not too long ago we ended up on the brochure for the Gold Class Cinemas. Since it was Stephen's work project we happily volunteered. Small price considering we haven't been paying for all the movies we've seen there. Malou Gemino, our friend and Stephen's work mate is featured too, doing her Oscar-worthy portrayal of an excited movie-goer.

Dubai Express

2006-05-19T21:11:00.000+10:00

Here's a glimpse of what's zooming ahead in Dubai. We might not be here to have the actual photos taken but who knows?

Summer is here

2006-05-06T16:34:00.000+10:00

For everyone who's waited, here are some long awaited pictures of our home away from home. Now that summer is starting to sizzle, there leaves us more excuses to stay home. Not thrilled about the soaring temperatures though as we near the first anniversary of our arrival to this town. JEF

It's A Mall World After All

2006-04-08T16:36:00.000+10:00

We've nothing much to tell you this weekend except we're skipping the usual ritual of going to the movies and doing our grocery shopping. But you have the right to know just where. Here it is. The "Mall of the Emirates". The largest mall in the world outside the United States. It's the same joint that has an adjoining indoor ski slope. We've yet to try it though. Here's some snapshots of the inside and out. Enjoy!

Khartoum, Sudan 15 to 18 March 2006

2006-03-31T16:34:00.000+11:00

View from my hotel room: it's "haboub" season, dusty sandstorms in the heat of summer's zenith.
View of the blue nile in front of the hotel where at a distance a new hotel (funded by the Gadaffi family) is being built.

A bilboard I worked on as part of a campaign for our Sudanese client, standing tall in real life.
JEF

Fragments

2006-03-12T01:22:00.000+11:00

Here's something a little ugly.

We've had the good fortune of meeting some new like-minded friends over the weekend and cannot stop saying how sane we feel now: Teree and Andrew from Brisbane and Sydney respectively, David Bassett's friends who are almost as new as we are to this part of the world. While getting acquainted and celebrating my new raise (yay!) we couldn't help but bitch about the things we all had trouble getting used to. Creature comforts aside there is this shared disdain for something in the expatriate landscape.

It's shocking but real: Dubai's expatriate community is so fragmented it's hard to figure out where to start. There is always the expected pack mentality of each ethnic group looking out for their own (naturally) and while some communities are better off than others, there is no denying some truths. Some groups particularly the "Europeans" (British expats mostly) that continuously whinge and pontify themselves as greatly hindered by the other groups and this pervasive attitude manifests itself in outright discrimination and even racial attacks. While it isn't fair to put the bad eggs together with the good, one cannot dismiss the fact that the attitude plain sucks, not just here but elsewhere as well. Read the article from a local daily and you'll know what we mean. So Australians are lazy and that it must be so because we're all products of a convict past. And who says so? Why, the very ones who put us there. Really? Once, my South African boss and his pregnant wife was outnumbered by a pack of Brits and jeered off a bus. This after a happy ride and AFTER they told them they were South African.

Read that letter again and ponder for a moment the poor writer and yes, note the TWO maids. Ever so often we hear about the rejects from Yobbo-land somewhere in Britain who end up here with more wealth than they imagined doing their mediocre best only to find out much later that fakes DO get sniffed out (yes even here) and then get a nasty shock that folks can get more bang from their buck from someone of a different nationality. The royal bubble bursts too soon and they discover it isn't really true that people of darker complexions are put on earth to serve them or their queen.

Now despite my occasionally being mistaken for the Filipino service-class folks, I find a strange kinship in the ethnic and nationalistic groups that suffer the same indifference when I read that little complaint from that pompous colonialist fart. Yes, you do get what you pay for. And it must come from NOT getting any of it in the first damn place.

JEF

Jef's 15 minutes

2006-03-04T18:55:00.000+11:00

Yay I'm famous! Yours truly is featured in February's bumper issue of "Gulf Marketing Review. Visit http://jefsix.blogspot.com/ for the full story and text close up. JEF

Stephen gets the finger

2006-03-04T00:57:00.000+11:00

It's been nearly a week after a seemingly harmless wound on his finger showed no signs of improvement and off to the doctor we went. After much persuasion and very hard work at it I might add, Stef has that annoying swell cut up and all it's pus removed. Such a little pinch of a skin-tear it was when it all began, oh dear. But now it seems Stef is in greater pain than he was earlier on seeing the bill (700 DHS!!) Oh well, thank goodness for insurance. JEF

Just a quick one - It rained

2006-02-24T01:26:00.000+11:00

Not just any old rain, it poured and teemed and pissed water. I thought it would never happen or end. Yesterday I noticed a few people on strings hanging from the side of one of those buildings on Sheik Zaiyed Road, the white 40/50 story number... cleaning it, hahaha.

Stef

Winter is over

2006-02-10T23:44:00.000+11:00

and it only lasted 2 months, just when you thought it was safe to venture outside and BAM its back into the 30's cant wait for the 40's. So much for all those people describing this joint as paradise in winter...?

It seems my previous entry caused concern however you needn't worry I was only having a whinge, no biggy I do that every now and then. When you have to spend time in a town that will never come close to winning the "Most Livable City" award and constantly hearing the PR spouting about yet another "City" rising from the sand it becomes difficult to care. This joint is crap and I'm over the optimists telling me its grand.

Now that I've released, I have to give congratulations to Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum for having the gumption for even thinking about building something in this god forsaken part of the world, its a desert for christs sake????? by the by though I've had a couple of small experiences with the local people that has left me with the most lovely feeling and here's one.

I parked my car and saw in front a young gentleman, very smartly dressed, getting out of his BMW, one of those with no roof the small M5 types putting money into the parking meter. I thought since I would only be 1 minute I needn't worry about paying. As it happened I was only 30 seconds, the store was closed. Arriving back to the car I saw him approaching obviously wanting to say something and because of my previous experience with people on the roads I was, for a split second a little apprehensive. He told me he noticed I hadnt paid the meter and that he'd put a Dirham in for me because the parking attendants around here are notorious and continued on his way, how lovely :)

Stef

Christmas Flashback

2006-01-13T22:37:00.000+11:00

Apart from the regular bouts of mid-life crisis, Stef has seen happier moments! Here are some snapshots care of Jenny, my friend from Singapore. Here we all are in full season's regalia. The other hot chick is Malou Gemino, our only friend here (so far!) Straight single men please get in touch with these hot chicks now, they can only be single for so long. Enjoy! JEF

6 Months and a New Year - 2006

2006-01-09T20:53:00.000+11:00

Well here we are after 6 months and a beginning of a New Year! I tell you it's not what i expected, oh dear how many times have i thought we shouldnt have expectations.

I've always prided myself on being able to live anywhere and not be phased but this one's a trial. When i first arrived I thought "yeah no big deal" but after 6 months I've become quite negative. I never believed i was a racist person but it seems this is untrue, maybe its just the roads, more likely it's just me. I shake my head and refuse to go into details due to the ugliness.

I find myself at cross roads, should i continue on the path well trodden or should i take a right hand turn and find a new perception........

We watched a movie last night, About Schmidt. I saw myself full frontal and me no like, sure it was from an era back in the days of..............well back in the days, suffice to say ME NO LIKE! And still here I am sitting in comfort again, it seems I takes a while to make a change - I'm a slow mover, over achiever has never been one of my attributes. The reason i gave to one friend (Andy husband of Belinda how are you fella's?) on why I took a position in Arabia was "I'm too comfortable i need a change" After 6 months I still find i need a change, DAMN IT what's wrong with me...........?

Stef

Khartoum, Sudan 12 to 14 November 2005

2005-11-19T23:08:00.000+11:00

Welcome to the city that is all set to rise above the dusty horizons to become a new metropolis. It will take a while though but with her amazing smiling people, I am sure that it will be soon enough. Part 2 of our shoot this time took us into the streets of Khartoum. Although brief, the work was just as exhaustive with not much free time left to explore. Even if we did, the city is not quite ready to receive visitors on a tourist level--yet. Give it time, I say. Here's a snapshot that samples the colours of an ordinary morning. Next stop: back to Singapore for my brother's wedding! JEF

Nairobi, Kenya 5 to 10 November 2005

2005-11-19T23:00:00.000+11:00

Part one of my trip to Africa. It's a no-brainer: I had a fantastic time. Although I join my bosses there strictly for work (a film shoot for some TV commercials our agency is producing) there was allowance to go catch some free time, free space and the good old Kenyan gamepark safaris. I am sold. Our first taste of lush rainforest and rain after such a long, dry Dubai-desert spell. Working on posting a mini gallery of pictures for our experiences. For now, here's a great snapshot of the wild frontier: zebras grazing in their natural non-zoo habitat. Next stop: back to Dubai for a stopover (get some work done) and thereafter, Khartoum, Sudan for part 2 of our shoot! (Click on title to visit yet incomplete mini-gallery) JEF

Eid Mubarak! (Ramadan Ends)

2005-11-04T20:11:00.000+11:00

Eid Mubarak to all. That's the friendly greeting to share in this couple of days. To celebrate, Stephen has baked this most gorgeous Date Pie. He is such a star in the baking arts I swear. There's no better way to describe how yummy it is except to post a picture of it. Write Stef for the recipe or if he's in the mood he might just decide to post the recipe. Made of good old Middle Eastern dates, yums! : ) JEF

Abstinence

2005-10-24T04:05:00.000+10:00

One more week to the end of Ramadan

Hope you've been enjoying Stef's entries! Apologies for my absence but I might have to draw up that same old tired cliche of an excuse: work! It will be almost a month of fasting here in Dubai and I am quite happy to announce that my own period of testing is over and I am settling into my new job. It's almost spiritual: God's way of saying don't give up on your craft--YET! I have a crazy (self-imposed superstition) belief that I will jinx my newfound fortunes by saying "I like it" too soon. OK enough BS and back to the topic: Ramadan. During this month, life takes a strange turn. Unlike Singapore, everyone everywhere collectively record an obvious solemnity. It's not just that the majority of Muslims abstain from food and drink during the daylight hours, but every eating place is closed for business during lunch time. Everyone is expected to behave properly: no eating/drinking of anything in the open, that includes smoking, swearing and pratically any daily vice of city-living. How do the rest of us survive? Well, take-aways are allowed but food is consumed (non-Muslims) in discreet places like the pantry, for example. For me, one major thing lacking at the new workplace is a microwave oven. That's going to change of course (I am seeing to it that it happens in the next few days) so I will have to cope with cold leftovers and toast for lunch or Burger King. One more week before the trial, for many, is done. Mine is, amway. Next entry: home away from home--pictures and more pictures. Stay tuned! : ) JEF

It's a strange place

2005-10-19T00:23:00.000+10:00

I suppose the best way to imagine how Dubai looks is this: Everywhere you see green grass, replace it with sand.

It's getting cooler only 38-43 now and you can really notice the difference. At night it might get down to 25 and it's great. I've started to open the balcony door on the weekends and I can see why everybody says it's a great place to be. I cant wait to leave the apartment on the weekends and have lunch at one of the beautiful outdoor restaurants by the gulf or in one of the hotels where we can get a bevy.

Work wise when it comes to the new Cinema (inside the Mall of the Emirates - the ski ramp you see here) its a nightmare. You wouldn't believe the stuff that goes on, I think the poor workers who do all the crap jobs fuck up on purpose. They see all the affluence about them and think whats the point. Instead of noticing they've broken one gold class cinema chair when fixing the roof and thinking "oh maybe i'd better stop" they continue to break 40 chairs (each worth $2000.00). For every 10 workers here, at home we would have 1 with proper pay. Occupational Health & Safety heh.

I heard the other day that these guys get 4 dirham per hour ($1.45) They get to live in dormitories and bused in to work every day, 12 hours a day 365 days per year, why would you care and why would the builders care? I suppose the economics of fixing the fuckups and employing qualified people, providing safety standards are the same as loosing a couple every now and then to electricution, falls and limb loss. Hmmm works ok for me?????

One Foggy Day in Dubai Town

2005-09-14T02:21:00.000+10:00

One of the most strange things about this place is the fog and it may last for 2 or 3 days sometimes. After a hard day in air conditioned comfort you look out the window and ya think "ooh i better get a cardi on it's looking a bit nippy" heh you open the door and it's 45 degrees and 200% humidity

Dubai Zoo, oh dear

2005-09-06T03:44:00.000+10:00

What you would expect for 75 cents, depressed animals in cages and displays that look like they haven’t changed since the day the zoo opened. Very sad especially when you know the money that could be available.....

But there was the most lovely bird

And a bored tiger

Up The Road

2005-09-06T03:13:00.000+10:00

Another city size construction site this time including the worlds tallest building, The Burj Dubai.

Stef

Across The Road

2005-08-19T01:54:00.000+10:00

Here we have the construction across the road, just one of the many projects happening here in Dubai. This one is medium size compared to "The Palms" or "Map of the World" out in The Gulf. Currently under construction: The Palms, The World, Deira Palms, Jebel Ali Palms, Festival City, Environmental City, Dubai City all of these projects are 2 or 3 times larger than these photo's

Stef

The dust

2005-08-05T05:40:00.000+10:00

is all about the city rising from sand. I want to clean my feet. It's on the clothes when they hang and gathers in gutters like leaves in autumn. It slows my car little by little. It's a confusing thing when you think the dust is smog but the smog is dust.