UAE National Day

Well after our trip to Fujeirah, we now have a 4 day weekend coming up with the UAE National Day on Thursday and on Sunday, its the public holiday for the Islamic New Year.  So four days off!  With Ramadan, then Big Eid, then Little Eid, National Day and Islamic New Year, the last couple of months of the calendar year here are full of holidays.  Oh and there was Prophet Mohammed's Birthday as well a couple of weeks ago but we didnt have a holiday because it fell on the weekend.

So, like in Australia in which the country seems to slow down after Melbourne Cup Day, here in the UAE its a bit more of a holiday mode.

Except for Christmas of course, which isnt recognised but many many expats do take some holidays.  For us Australians who are used to summer holidays over Christmas its a bigger deal than compared to the English.  The English celebrate Christmas Day of course, but then its back to work.  So most of my colleagues really only take the Christmas days off and maybe extend through to New Years but I am once again a bit of the office freak in that I am taking three weeks off.

December 21 to January 9 I will be off work but we are thinking that we wont head back to Sydney next year.  The airfare costs are 50% more expensive, the friends and relatives at home are busy busy busy with Christmas of course but also many of our friends are taking holidays away out of Sydney so the reality is we don't see everybody and it just seems so rushed with logistics for presents and booking dates in diaries etc etc.

So next year we may change it up and have Christmas in Dubai and see how it pans out.

Having said that, it will be good to get back to Sydney and see the people that we will see.  Other than my Dad's heart attack trip, I havent been back since last Christmas and I am looking forward to it and I wont deny, that I am keen to have a break from work which has been particularly busy of late.

But before all that though, its a Happy Islamic New Year and a Happy UAE National Day!!