Reflecting on Two Weeks

9:00 PM Sunday 8 March 2009

Tonight is my two week milestone. It's possible I'm trimming down. My pants do seem looser in the waist, which is the problem area for men. City life can require more daily walking than the rural, "I can't get anywhere without a car lifestyle." Which is certainly true for the part of SE Washington I've lived in for the last 23 years.

The fact we don't own a car in Abu Dhabi for me to drive helps. Not that I miss driving every day. I don't. It's easy enough to wave down a taxi when needed or to call a driver for a night out on the town.

The other factor in my aparent weight loss, would be from not drinking all of that delicious Washington wine. I am a Washington Wine Ambassador after all - and I have enjoyed promoting, selling and talking to anyone who would listen, about how fantastic Washington wine is -http://www.wild4washingtonwine.blogspot.com/. Also, it is illegal to purchase or consume alcohol at home without a permit from the UAE government. The permiting process is a bit involved to complete, and the application form is in Arabic and must be completed in Arabic. I'm not really missing my drinks. A quick trip to a hotel bar can solve that craving.

I also notice I'm not consuming much red meat here, except for some lamb. The little red meat I have tried was from Brazil and not up to my standards. Picky, picky me. The quality of fruit is first rate. And there is a tremendous variety to choose from.

One of my goals living in the UAE, is to learn some survival Arabic. Today I was given a link to a nearby Arabic language center. Their rates seem reasonable and they are recommended. Even though English is widely spoken, and the signs are bilingual Arabic/English, many of the taxi drivers and laborers speak little English. The drivers for our desert "safari" spoke no English (except for "okay" and "very good").

I have several favored cities in the world I would choose to live in: Walla Walla Washington, Portland Oregon, San Francisco California, Vancover B.C., London and now Abu Dhabi.

Best to all, "M'a sa-laama-a" (go with peace).