Monthly Archives: November, 2012
So Much for The Silver Screen…
Despite my cynical whinging and passionate pining for the fjords (…of Kent?) there are in fact several aspects of life out here that I am becoming profoundly attached to. The perennial sunshine, of course, the beaches, the glamorous cocktail bars, and the joyous, garlicky epiphany that is the chicken shawarma – but the best of …
It’s all a bit Ozymandias…
It’s funny really. I potter along out here, making the best of things, trying to immerse myself in this new life, but every now and then I recognise the truth of my situation, in much the same way that a short-sighted pigeon might encounter the truth of a French window. Here it is: basically I …
Global Village: The Answer to World Peace?
One of the happiest places out here (and possibly on the entire planet) is Global Village. I suppose one could describe it as a sort of cultural theme park (I know that doesn’t sound fun, but bear with me). Surrounded by desert, a twenty minute drive from the city, it consists of many brightly decorated …
Old Friends
Time it was and what a time it was, A time of innocence, a time of confidences… (Old Friends, Paul Simon) Many years ago I lived in London with three pals of mine from drama school. We had a funny little flat near Turnpike Lane which we shared with some invincible mice and a virulent …
The Rose-Tinted Glasses
It has been drawn to my attention (by my no doubt well-intentioned husband) that this patriotic expatriate’s descriptions of home are somewhat distorted by sentimentality, and that I fail to present a fair or objective case. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I stand accused of wearing rose-tinted glasses when it comes to my reflections …
Noises Off
Of all the different sounds there are to wake up to – a tuneful dawn chorus, the dulcet tones of Radio 4, the miaow of a hungry cat or the gentle snoring of one’s better half – I would say construction noise from a nearby building site is one of the least pleasant. And out …
The Mystery of Murder
Why on earth are murder mysteries so comforting? They shouldn’t be, really. Given the sinister plotting of so many psychotic villains (which our quaintest British villages appear to be riddled with) and the violent dispatching of all those country vicars, farmers and baronets, murder mysteries should leave us quaking in our beds at night, terrified …
Suffering from Homesickness? Get a Cat. You’ll Soon be Feline Better…
According to recent medical research, owning a cat can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, improve your immunity, lower your blood pressure, help depression, reduce stress and anxiety and even lengthen your life. I would like to add my own (highly scientific) findings to these: having a cat helps with homesickness too. For the last …
Talk About the Weather
We don’t really have seasons out here. We have hot and hotter. At the moment we’re just emerging from the hotter part of the year, which means I still stay in the apartment most of the day and when I do go out I wear thin, loose clothes, walk very slowly, and use my favourite old Marks …
