After 2 weeks in the UK, we’ve “enjoyed” a blocked & leaking toilet (you don’t want to know what Jonathan had to deal with), a raft of unexpected big bills, the coldest weather we’ve experienced for the past 2 years and a bit more in between.
Once we’d found out about the baby and realised that for a number of reasons, coming back to the UK for the birth was the grown-up thing to do, I’ve been dreading it and trying to come up with last-minute escape plans.
Now we’re here though, it’s really ok (note, that “ok” is not “fantastic” but it’s certainly not “dreadful”!)…A large part of the being ok has to do with the fact that we couldn’t wait to get out of Dubai. As nice as it was staying in my brother’s pretty swanky pad, we started to dislike quite a few things about the place including:
- Ridiculous cost of living – who can afford to pay £30 ($50) for a whole, organic chicken?
- Dry, arid air and permanent air-conditioning everywhere
- Lack of green spaces, nature & places to walk without being choked by traffic
Being in the UK however, we’re enjoying:
- Organic everything at prices we can even afford
- Fast, stable internet even without BT’s “help”
- Not having to think about, research or plan where we’re going to next (for a while, at least)
- Being surrounded by all our books again
Despite the recession, gloomy outlook and record job losses, people in the UK don’t have it all that bad – everything’s relative.
Jonathan Woodward Studio
Kinetiva
Location Independent
Vibrapreneur