And then there were three....

Review of 2009

2010-01-02T05:56:00.000-08:00

(L) Archie and his first Xmas stocking (R) Janet and Ken on a walking tour of Dubai Creek

(L) Stu, Rich, Tory & Archie (R) Sue's Birthday Dinner at the Beach Bar & Grill, Dubai.

(L) Archie is in the world (R) Dhow Sailing Regatta by the Palm Jumeriah.

(L) Lunch at the Sue and John's The Shute in Montville (R) Nathan, Alice, John and Doug playing Boules on the Beach on Stradbroke Island

(L) Tory and Becca on Stradbroke Island (R) Tory in front of St Basil's Cathedral in Red Square, Moscow.

(L) Serena Williams on Centre Court at Wimbledon (R) Roger Federer.

(L) Pakistan win the ICC World Twenty20 2009 at Lords (R) Natalie and Justin at the Dinner Debate to Launch the Gulf Chapter of the Oxford Business Alumni.

(L) Rum Shacks by the beach in Barbados (R) D at the Cove Resort in Ras Al Khamiah

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, 2010 is here!!!

The blog is back after a long, long break which just shows how hectic life becomes when you get into the business of starting a family. The high point of 2009 was .... drumroll please.....the arrival of our first child who turned out to be a baby boy we have named Archibald.

He is a perfect little creature and has given us so much happiness it really is impossible to describe.

Over the last couple of months we have also enjoyed having family members to stay, first T's mother Sue, then D's brother Richard and his partner Stu, who were followed by D's parents Ken and Janet for Christmas. Naturally they all loved meeting Archie and were quite impressed with Dubai (although Sue has visited Dubai previously over Christmas 2007).

The family visits are not over either as T's sister Becca, her husband Nathan and our niece Alice join us for a week in late January. This blog has been dormant for the past 11 months so rather than supply an excessive quantity of written and photographic evidence of our 2009, I will list a few bullet points and pics (above) to review the year that was.

Work: T finished her 18 month employment at the Olive Group in late October and left on very good terms after having applied her high standards and expectations to her work. She will be sorely missed but is looking forward to resuming her pilates teacher training in 2010. D enjoyed business trips to the West Indies, United Kingdom and India and enjoyed some success despite the global economic downturn but expects to achieve better results in 2010. One trip to London included a superb 24 hours which included witnessing an ICC final at Lords followed by the first day of Wimbledon.
Travel: Pregnancy did not prevent some overseas travel being undertaken by D&T. 2009 began in Singapore staying with our good friends the Burkes, in Feb (pre-pregnancy) we snuck in a long weekend in the snow in Lebanon, in July we enjoyed a short trip to Russia for the wedding of our friends Josh & Olga outside of Moscow, in August we enjoyed two sunny weeks back in Queensland spending time in Brisbane, Montville and on beautiful Stradbroke Island in Moreton Bay (aka "Straddie"). We are looking forward to taking Archie home to Australia at some point in 2010 to meet all his relatives and to exporing the Middle East region further.
Visitors: It only took 2.5 years but the arrival of Archie was the catalyst for an influx of family members from both sides in November and December. We thoroughly loved the opportunity to host our family here in Dubai, especially during the cooler winter months when the place is at its best. We are excited at the prospect of introducing Archie to his cousin Alice when she and Becca and Nathan visit us in late January. Being only 10 months his senior we expect they will be great mates for many years to come.
Dubai: Despite the negative international press, the Sheik seems to be carrying on with his grand vision for Dubai (with some assistance from its neighbouring emirate Abu Dhabi) although many construction projects have been cancelled or are proceeding at a snails pace. It remains a very pleasant place for us to live and work as we watch our circle of close friends transform from a group of couples into a group of first time parents. It has meant that "2009 was the year of the Dubai baby shower" and it has been very nice to be able to share the experience with people who are experiencing it at the same time.
Milestones: 2009 marked a number of milestone Birthday's for a number of family members in decending order: Ken - 75, John - 60, Richard - 40 and my beloved wife Tory clocking up the big 30 and our niece Josephine turning sweet 16. All these events just remind us how quickly time passes and that living 14 hours by plane from Australia has its downsides.

That is it for this long overdue update. Moving forward I will try to update the blog more regularly but realistically expect to only update it once every quarter, as it takes longer than you might expect!

Once again Happy New Year and all the best for 2010!

Cheers,

D&T

Australia Day Picnic in Safa Park

2009-04-11T04:54:00.000-07:00

Australia Day produced a perfect winters day here in Dubai and our gathering of mainly Australian expat friends took the opportunity to meet up for a picnic and an afternoon of games in the park. The highlight was a game of cricket which everyone enjoyed. Tory was a complete natural, smacking the ball all over the park as shown by the picture to the left. In the background is the Burj Dubai (the world's tallest builing). Click on the link below to see some more photos. Cheers, D&T.

http://picasaweb.google.com/victoria.j.waller/AustraliaDayPicnic2009?authkey=Gv1sRgCNj-9OLZhImp1wE&feat=directlink

Ski Leb Feb

2009-04-11T04:42:00.000-07:00

After hearing much about the great skiing in Lebanon and as we want to see more of the Middle East than just the UAE and Oman, in February we snuck a way for a romantic long weekend of skiing in Myzaar just 45 minutes out of Beirut. The snow was plentiful, the sun was shining and the pistes were pretty clear of skiers which made for a very enjoyable few days on the mountain. As a former French colony the Lebanese are very stylish and in some ways more European than Arabic (at least those that are Christian). The apres ski at the Intercontinental Hotel was a real scene to behold which we named 'Shisha on Snow'. Some photos and video are linked below....Cheers D&T.

http://picasaweb.google.com/victoria.j.waller/Lebanon?authkey=Gv1sRgCJvJ8c-Dmb-HiAE&feat=directlink

Gold Coast Christmas, Brisbane Boxing Day Babies & Singaporean NYE

2009-04-11T03:35:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely stay with the Waller family at the Gold Coast over Christmas and were very grateful to the Macmillans for letting us stay in their beautiful beachfront home. Everyday was a relaxing procession of good food and drink starting with lunch at midday and resuming with pre-dinner drinks at 6pm. It was great to have Rich and Stu fly up from Sydney for 24 hours over Christmas Day. Click on the link below to view some photos.....

http://picasaweb.google.com/victoria.j.waller/ChristmasAtMainBeachMacMillanSDecember2008?authkey=Gv1sRgCIXapI35g8u6ZA&feat=directlink

Our niece Alice, was born on during the early hours of Boxing Day, so we raced back to Brisbane to meet her and to continue the flow of bubbles...

http://picasaweb.google.com/victoria.j.waller/AliceAnneYuilleBornBoxingDay2008?authkey=Gv1sRgCIaWo9qZ1uyP8wE&feat=directlink

After the a great stay at the beach and the excitement of a new born in the family, we headed up to Montville to spend some time with the Neale family....

http://picasaweb.google.com/victoria.j.waller/TheShuteMontvilleDecember2008?authkey=Gv1sRgCPyS2J7hvNzdcg&feat=directlink

We ended our Christmas holidays with a stop-over in Singapore for New Year staying with the Burkes, getting to sample a different kind of expat lifestyle and falling in love with Singapore's signature dish 'Chilli Crab'....

http://picasaweb.google.com/victoria.j.waller/SingaporeNY20082009?authkey=Gv1sRgCKuS98TV-KeSlgE&feat=directlink

All in all the best trip home to Australia that we have made yet.... Cheers, D&T.

December in Dubai

2009-02-28T10:29:00.001-08:00

With the early signs of the global economic dowturn starting to have an impact on Dubai, particularly with a drop in tourist numbers and a decision by many residents to take an extended Christmas leave, Dubai was unusually quiet for late November and December. Nevertheless when the good weather arrives you need to make the most of it. We found ourselves busy with a number of social functions in December including attending the Rugby 7's and then a Christmas party for Tory's work which she event managed. Add to that camping in Oman for the Eid long weekend, meanderings through Bastakiya and before making our respective departures to Australia for Christmas attending 'Dubai Christmas' lunch hosted by our friends Justin & Natalie. Displayed below are a series of images from the month of December.

Opening of the Atlantis Palm Jumeriah - 20 November 2008

2009-02-28T09:32:00.000-08:00

The long awaited opening of the Atlantis Palm Jumeriah, a luxury hotel situated on the outer rim of the Palm was a highlight for Dubai residents in November 2008. The owners of the hotel flew in A list celebrities from the US to attend what may have been the most expensive private party ever staged. Below is an image captured from high, clearly showing the outline of the Palm.

The balcony of our apartment was a superb vantage point for the fireworks display which signalled the end of the opening ceremony. It is reported that $30m US was spent on the fireworks alone. I small section of what may prove to be Dubai most ostentatious event is provided below for your viewing pleasure....

The following night Tory and some girlfriends attended the Kylie Minogue concert to cap off an exciting weekend in Dubai.

Cheers,
D&T

Chamonix and Mont Blanc

2008-10-15T09:53:00.000-07:00

After a few relaxing days in Northern Italy, we travelled through the Mont Blanc tunnel into France and the Chamonix Valley. Highlights included a cable car ride up to the Aiguille du Midi, a picnic overlooking Mont Blanc and a BBQ at Geoff & Sophies place at Vallorcine. D's old school mate and Chamonix Valley resident Geoff arranged a dream chalet for us to inhabit for the weekend and T immediately took control of the kitchen and began cooking up a storm. It was lovely to reunite with wedding guests Bob, Bailey, AJ, Charlie, Geoff and to spend some time with Geoff's wife Sophie. Old school mate Alex was in town which made for a nostalgic few days. Chamonix is as amazing in summer as it is in winter. It was a nice way to end a very enjoyable holiday in Europe.

Cheers,
D&T.

You lookin' at us...........old Vikings.

Tory smiling/grimacing on the launch pad for ascending Mont Blanc.

Mountaineers preparing to depart from the Aiguille du Midi.

The Aosta Valley

2008-10-15T08:20:00.000-07:00

After a great wedding weekend in the UK, we enjoyed a few days in the Aosta Valley in Northern Italy, which borders France and is the smallest but one of the prettiest regions in Italy. We enjoyed a night in Entreves near the Italian ski resort of Courmayeur and then spent two nights in Cogne. This part of the world is all about breathtaking scenery, great food and wine and long walks up and down hills. Enjoy!
D&T

Sunrise on Monte Bianco, view from Entreves.

Hammock overlooking Gran Paradiso, Cogne

A mountain man and his donkey on a trail above Cogne

Alpine Botanical Garden

Caffe Roma in Aosta

London, Oxford and Coleshill - August 2008

2008-09-05T03:38:00.000-07:00

Greetings,
We have just returned to Dubai after a brief but very enjoyable holiday in the UK and Europe. We started our trip in London and while Doug attended meetings Tory took the opportunity to lunch with her London based friend Bridget. That evening we caught up with old mates from Business School in Oxford, Joe, Jessica and Tom. The next day we left London for Oxford where Doug met with his team of MBA student consultants. Afterwards we reunited with old friends Andrew and Alex. After lunch, an obligatory pint at the Bear and a quick walking tour of Oxford colleges, the four of us proceeded towards Birmingham. The main reason for the trip was to attend the wedding of our friends Matthew and Liz in the village of Coleshill, just outside of Birmingham. It was a great opportunity for Doug to catch up with many of his oldest and closest friends from school. The wedding weekend included an evening in the Dog Inn, a day trip to Stratford-upon-Avon, a game of touch footy and of course a few late nights at the bar of the Grimstock Hotel where most of the guests stayed. However, the best part of the trip was the wedding. The speeches, entertainment and food were first class and of course, the bride and groom were one of the happiest looking bridal couples we have seen. Photos below from L to R include: Top row: (1) Tory and Alex at the Dog Inn, (2) Simon, Doug and Richard at the Dog Inn, (3) a section of 'ancient' ties from the Bear, Oxford. Bottom row: (4) Tory in Shakespeare country (5) D&T outside of a vacant shop we stumbled across in Stratford-upon-Avon (6) Doug, Alex and Andrew at the entrance to St Peter's College, Oxford (7) Doug reclining in Hyde Park, London.
Cheers,
D&T.

June to August 2008

2008-09-05T02:26:00.000-07:00

Greetings,
We have had a busy but enjoyable summer in Dubai and have largely avoided the heat by focusing our efforts on work and hitting the gym. Tory has made a big impact at the Olive Group where she enjoys a good relationship with her colleagues and has been quick to suggest ways to improve work practises. Doug has been busy working with MBA students from Oxford University on a project related to Twenty20 cricket and experienced his first business trip to India in late July. New arrivals to Dubai from Australia and the UK have expanded our social network considerably in recent times and we have enjoyed the opportunity to host a few dinner parties for our friends. Doug's old work mate from McCullough Robertson Ben Cunningham, his wife Cathy and their son Richie were welcome house guests for a weekend in July and braved the heat to see the sights. Doug returned to Brisbane and Sydney for a brief trip in early July and enjoyed catching up with family and friends, returning to Dubai on the morning of Tory's birthday. Below are a few sample photos from this period.
Cheers,
D&T.
Sea views from Taj Lands End, Mumbai.
Cathy with her 'Bedouin' baby, Richie in Dubai.

Champagne for Tory on her Birthday, Dubai.

'Funky Fan' at Rich & Stu's Sydney home.

Becca and Nathan with Frida at Depot, Brisbane.

Tory arranged baby shower at Ritz Carlton, Dubai

Mrs B, Mum and Mrs P at lunch at Masterton. MBA mate Chris (right) at the Rooftop Bar, Dubai.

Ras Al Khaimah Hike

2008-05-16T03:28:00.000-07:00

It has been a socialiable few weeks for us here in Dubai, pictures are from a hike through a wadi with Bluey and his Irish friends Fintan and Nika, behind the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. We attended our second brunch of 2008 last weekend at the Shangra la Hotel for Bluey's Birthday last weekend and enjoyed an unexpectedly late evening which ended with catching a stray rabbit from a hotel petting zoo. We were taken to dinner by Tory's new boss and his wife on Wednesday night, they are a very friendly American couple from Ohio. We caught up for dinner with ex-OURFC mate Dan and his fiance Jan last night at Frankie's, a restaurant chain part owned by jockey Frankie Dettori and we hosting two of Tory's former work bosses and their families to our apartment for afternoon tea and a swim in the pool tomorrow. Before that gets under way I plan to tune in for the annual grudge match when the Reds play the Waratahs in the Super 14. Work has been very hectic for us both lately and there does not seem to be any respite on the horizon. Tory is keeping very busy with pilates and I have joined a gym for the summer, so we will be aiming to eat well. Not always easy when you have a full social calendar! Hope everyone is well, much love. D&T.

Bab Al Shams

2008-04-20T11:36:00.001-07:00

Tory and I celebrated our 1st wedding anniversary last weekend by spending a relaxing night at Bab Al Shams, Desert Resort and Spa. We had a great time and below are a few of the shots from our stay.

Cheers,
D&T.

January to March 2008

2008-04-08T08:09:00.000-07:00

Greetings, and apologies for the belated update. Below are a few pics from our past few months in Dubai (in reverse chronological order as you scroll down). The pictures tell the story but it has been a busy Q1 2008 for me, the work highlight of which was a week long trip to London at the end of Jan-start of Feb that also enabled me to catch up with some mates in London and attend a New Year Dinner at the Oxford and Cambridge Club at Pall Mall. The bad news is that Tory's employer was forced to close its business in Dubai due to adverse global finanical conditions. The good news is that she was able to head back to Brisbane for just over a week in March to attend a wedding, christening and her sister, Becca's birthday party. Also, her CV was well received by the Dubai job market and after numerous work offers, she has found work in the same building as me! We are both busy and well and psyching each other up for the hot summer months about to hit us. Thankfully, Tory has upped the anti on the home decorating front of late and our apartment is looking very comfortable. We wish you all the best from Dubai and as always extend a warm invitation to visit.

Cheers,
D&T

Our camp at Dibba before the desert storm!
Roadside market on the way to Dibba.
Becca, Sally and Tory - Sally's wedding Brisbane
Nephew James at the crease
Nephew Digger in full stride
Tory with nieces Josephine and Eugenie
Tory with a cowgirl (Eugenie)
Tory with old mates Kate and Lucy
Tory's old school mate Amy came to stay in Dubai
Australia Day Lunch (Duncan, Tulsa, D & Bluey)
Australia Day Lunch at Yalumba
Was I really wearing that or was it just Bluey's imagination?
Sue and D watching NYE fireworks near JBR.
A visionary place, see it before it gets built!

Christmas Day 2007

2008-01-11T02:50:00.000-08:00

Images from Yitti and Muscat, Oman

2008-01-11T02:14:00.000-08:00

Images from Khasab and the Musandam Peninsula, Oman

2007-12-29T07:41:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2007-12-16T20:05:00.000-08:00

The 25th of December has crept up on us here in Dubai. It is not just because Christmas celebrations tend to be a little subdued in Islamic countries, such as the UAE. We spent a cold Christmas day in London in 2006, so a swim at the beach in Dubai this year will be a welcome change.

We precede our Xmas day with a 5 day road and camping trip to the neighbouring Sultanate of Oman and Tory is very excited at the prospect of loading up the car with local pottery, jewellery and other craft-wares. We a excited to have Tory’s mum staying with us over this period, so if I run out of the local currency at least I will still have some goods to trade. (Just joking Tors....)

At this stage, we have no set plans for celebrating the New Year, but with both the 1st of January and the 9th of January (for Islamic New Year) public holidays in the UAE, we will endeavour to celebrate it in style……twice.

If there is such a thing as a year of transition, 2007 has been it. A new surname, new job and a new home in the Middle East is more than most people can handle in any 12 month period. However, I am very fortunate that my wife has such a resilient attitude and adventurous spirit.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank her for her support during 2007. If the MBA in Oxford during 2005 and 2006 was a challenge, it was a piece of cake compared with a winter in London spent looking for work. Thankfully perseverance still gets rewarded and an employment offer from the ICC was forthcoming.

2008 promises to be a year of consolidation for us here in Dubai. We hope to grow more familiar and comfortable in our sandy surrounds, make new friends and play host and hostess to as many of our family and old friends as possible.

Seasons Greetings to you all,

D&T.

2007-12-02T09:54:00.000-08:00

Indian women on the beach

2007-12-02T09:51:00.000-08:00

Burj al Arab in the distance

2007-12-02T09:47:00.000-08:00

Beach picnic on UAE National Day (2 December)

2007-12-02T09:37:00.000-08:00

The entrance to the One & Only Royal Mirage

2007-12-02T09:33:00.000-08:00

Tory and Sue at Tagine, a Morrocan restauarant

Swiss Mister

2007-12-02T09:21:00.000-08:00

Doug has just returned from almost a week in Switzerland where he attended a conference in Lausanne aswell as 'fact-finding' meetings with the International Ice Hockey Federation in Zurich and UEFA in Nyon. In addition to his work commitments he stayed two nights with a friends David and Emma in Zug who took him for a Saturday afternoon of snowboarding in Flims (part of the Laax ski area). On the Sunday morning he traveled to Lausanne where he met up for lunch with his old school mate Geoff and his girlfriend Sophie who had driven from Chamonix, approximately 1.5 hours away. Doug was very impressed by the international flavour of Switzerland, stunning scenery and outdoors lifestyle but was a bit frightened by the high cost of living.

2007-12-02T09:15:00.000-08:00

The view of Lake Leman from UEFA heaquarters in Nyon

2007-12-02T09:11:00.000-08:00

Geoff his dog, me and a large fork - Lake Leman, Vevey

2007-12-02T09:07:00.000-08:00

Snowboarding in Flims

2007-12-02T09:03:00.000-08:00

Just another apartment in Zurich

Dubai Dispatches

2007-10-13T09:09:00.000-07:00

On the eve of Tory's flight home to Australia for her sister's wedding it is timely to reflect on what on what we have achieved during our first 3 months in the UAE. We touched down during the hottest part of the summer and soon experienced daily temperatures reaching 50 degrees celcius. In that kind of heat it is impossible to function outside of air-conditioning, but since September we have noticed the weather become much milder and we are now regulars at the beach and pool.

While we were accommodated by Doug's employer for the first month, Tory began looking for a place to live straight away and stumbled across a little place called Jumeirah Beach Residences, Dubai Marina (little meaning 48 towers in the one development). When we moved in the developer Dubai Properties had just handed the keys over to the new owners so there was only 5% occupancy and in true Dubai style the promise of the pool, landscaping, gym, beach club all coming along in the "next month or so". Turns out we got the pool but the rest is "still coming along" something you have get used to. We chose to live at the Marina do to its close promixity to Doug's work in Dubai Media City, it is also right next to the beach and surrounded by amazing 5 star hotels and all the necessary amenities. Rental accommodation in Dubai is like an empty canvas, no white goods, oven or anything is included in the price so our weekends since have been spent trawling the plentiful shopping malls trying to fill in a few gaps of our two bedroom apartment. Thankfully in recent weeks furniture shopping has been substituted by watching of the rugby world cup.

Tory managed to score a job with a well established Australian property finance company that have recently opened their first overseas office in Dubai. There is a small team of 14 including the founding MD and some senior names to give the start up some instant credibility. Working with an Australian organisation certainly has it perks. One of those was made clear by our first experience of Ramadan the holy month of Islam. No food, beverage or loud music is permittedin public during daylight hours during this month. I got to eat at my desk where as Doug had to eat in private due to the Muselim employees at his work. No restaurants, bars, cafes can be seen to be operating before sunset - or as the locals call it *Iftar.

Making friends in Dubai has been a slow process, after wading through the piles of paper work associated with the relocation we have found little time to go out of the town. However we have managed to catch up for a few *brunches with an old work colleague of Tory's and some friends or friends. We also love a local bar called Barasti which is close by and only last night we stumbled across a new one the Cabana Bar at a hotel in front of our apartment. Right on the beach the place is "cheeze" deluxe, an out dated family hotel (for Dubai standards) however it ticks all the boxes as a convenient local for a cold beverage by the beach.

We bought a car recently (4 x 4), there was a few key criteria when thinking about what kind of vehicle we wanted. The UAE is reported to be the third most dangerous country in the world to drive after Saudi Arabia and Iran and the common theme here is the bigger the better. Hummers are in abundance, so it is clear that Climate Change is not really at the forfront of people's minds. We do feel safer being in a larger vehicle and luckily fuel is at bargin prices due to the location of the oil rigs only 90 nortical miles off shore and the rest of the Middle East production. The other key factor was our desire to get out of town on the weekends. The desert is only 25 mins drive, the border of Oman is 1.5hours away and there are some fantastic sights and beach camping within the UAE.

That is all for now,
Lots of Love,
Tory x

2007-10-13T07:44:00.000-07:00

2007-10-13T07:42:00.000-07:00

2007-10-13T07:38:00.000-07:00

The Honeymooners

2007-07-28T09:59:00.000-07:00

New country, new time zone and new author…………….

Welcome to the world according to TORY and Doug from the Middle East.

But before arriving in the Arabian Gulf, we first managed to squeeze in a weeks honeymoon on the Amalfi Coast, Italy. It was absolutely amazing and a much needed break before relocating to Dubai. We highly recommend staying in Praiano a little village 6km on from Positano as the view is magnificent back onto Positano and straight down the Amalfi coastline towards the Isle of Capri and the Sorrentine Peninsula. It is also quieter, and very coastal without the being under the tourist influence.

http://www.pensione-pellegrino.it/. Luigi Iaccono, the owner is a true host. His one-on-one attention to his guests is second to none. July or October is the best time to visit as they are not too busy then.

http://www.daadolfo.com/ An amazing day trip from Positano. You pick up a boat from the port with a fish on the mast. They take you to a tiny private beach, this is a full day as they have a fabulous rustic shack where you eat (best food I've ever experienced), drink and lounge in the sun!

We also did a boat trip of Capri, and managed to run into a friend’s father and partner from Brisbane, the world is forever getting smaller. Capri is very chi chi with all the top tier designers having their stores lining the winding coble stoned streets. Five star hotels are in abundance with paparazzi snooping in the quiet streets trying to catch up an unsuspecting celebrity. The yachts moored around the island defy belief and certainly generate intrigue as to who must be on board. The final day trip was to Ravello, high up in the mountains above the town of Amalfi. This place is remarkable, noticeably very affluent with lush streets and not a sign of rubbish or misfortune. It is home to one of the most spectacular natural amphitheatres in the world. International musicians of all music genres perform here throughout the year. Unfortunately we timed our visit badly and missed a concert that was a 10pm that evening.

We flew into Rome and hired a car. However I would recommend flying into Naples. Doug after not driving for years on a regular basis and never having driven in Europe (Right Side) managed the hectic autostrada and then the tricky coastal roads with ease. We later heard of another Australian group who hired their car from Rome and managed to have three separate scrapes on the way down, so it was quite an achievement. This was my first experience of Italy and I could not have been more inspired by the place.

Two days back in London, the final packing was complete. We said our goodbyes to Ben who had been Doug’s flatmate for the past six months in London and headed to the UAE.

Next update will chronicle our first impressions of Dubai, so stay tuned.

Much Love,
Tory & Doug

Pictures from the Amalfi Coast

2007-07-28T08:38:00.001-07:00

Oz in Easter (Photos)

2007-06-28T14:18:00.000-07:00

Tory at drinks with her old friends

Some classic outback architecture

Lake Jindabyne after sunrise

My brother Richard, Dad and Tory at Bondi Icebergs

Easter in Oz

2007-06-28T13:35:00.000-07:00

Hello Family & Friends, after a short break to get 'life' sorted we are back with more updates on our lives abroad. The past few months has thrown up some incredible changes. Firstly, just prior to a trip home to Australia for Easter, Tory and I got engaged. I would go into the details but somethings should be kept private (non-blog) and if you don't know the details and want to, just send us an email or give us a call.

This two week break also threw up an exciting job offer and lifestyle change opportunity with a Commercial Manager role at Perisher Blue on the cards. After careful consideration, we chose to stick to our original plan of working in the UK and seeing what other opportunities presented themselves. To cap off two weeks of mad travel between Brisbane, Montville, Sydney, Jindabyne and the Gold Coast, Tory and I took the step of getting married on the eve of our return to the UK. It was a special night and an organisational triumph from both families to pull off a small family only wedding and reception dinner with less than 4 days planning.

In the months that have followed, Tory finally joined me in the UK and I began a short term legal contracting role with Avis Europe. However, as luck would have it, the serious 'life' changes would not stop with our marital status. A few weeks ago, I received an offer to join the International Cricket Council headquartered in Dubai. Finally, after many months of networking and countless job applications my efforts have paid off and I will finally get the chance to apply my MBA knowledge and skills in an international sport business context. This is a very exciting development for us both. Although we are sad to be leaving the UK so abruptly, we know with a relieving sense of certainty that this is the right move for us at this point in our lives.

I am wrapping work up at Avis on the 12th July and then on the 13th, Tory and I will enjoy a belated honeymoon to Italy for 5 days, staying on the Amalfi Coast. We expect to head off to Dubai a few days after our return. So stay tuned folks - London farewells, Italy and then the UAE. It is all happening here at The WORLD according to Doug & Tory.

Take care,
D&T.

Oishi

2007-03-30T11:56:00.000-07:00

Finished product

Apprentice

Master

I finally enjoyed Tory's Xmas present to me which on Saturday 3 March in nearby Wimbledon. Knowing that I am very fond of Japanese food, Tory bought me a gift voucher to enjoy a 4 hour group sushi and sashimi preparation course with Hashi. I not only shown how to prepare various kinds of sushi, at the end of the lesson we got to eat everything and being the only bloke in the course I was encouraged to eat loads more than anyone else. No problemo! This was only half of Tory's Xmas gift to me. When she was in London at Christmas she took me to Matsuura, a teppenyaki restaurant. Photos from the lesson are above.

Back on the Air.....

2007-03-30T08:07:00.000-07:00

Views from the cliff walk.

Walking to Greystones.
Greer, Richard & Hilary

Apologies for the radio silence over the past two months. While Tory has been working hard in Dublin, I have spent every waking moment trying to get work in London and so the luxury of updating a blog had to be forsaken. Since I last updated the blog, I visited Tory in Dublin on the first weekend in February (see photos above), exactly a month after we said goodbye after spending Xmas/NYE together and then a further 6 weeks elapsed before we were again reunited in Belgium. Tory was to fly to London that weekend to escape St Patricks Day long weekend celebrations in Dublin but I was invited to attend an assessment day for Inbev in Brussels on Friday the 16th of March so she travelled there instead. As the control centre for the Euopean Union, Brussels is a business city and its hotels offer attractive rates for weekends. We stayed in a central hotel for two nights for as little as £75 total. On Friday, while I was involved in various business simulation tasks for Inbev, Tory wandered around Brussels. We met up that evening and ate moules washed down by Leffe beer at a cosy cabaret restaurant, the highlight of which was the 80+ year old woman who belted out classic french numbers in great style. The next day we enjoyed a sunny day trip to the medieval canal city of Bruges. Bruges is a top spot for young/old, male/female and we particularly enjoyed strolling around the convent gardens and a boat trip on the canal. Sunday back was a bit rushed and the weather was poor but we had a hot chocolate in the famous art deco Hotel Metropole and quick look around the Grote Markt before saying our farewells that afternoon. Sadly, I forgot my digital camera so the only record of this trip was made on a disposable camera. On the whole, it has been a tough couple of months for Tory and I as we have only spent about 3 days together since the 2nd of January. I have gotten close to but missed out on a number of jobs and the pressure of watching my funds drain away has soured my impressions of my decision to undertake an MBA somewhat. Tory and I have also been unable to attend a number of weddings in Oz which has been a major drag. More recent success in the legal contracting market has led to a more steady stream of interviews and a couple of job offers. This has given Tory and I the confidence to return home to Australia at Easter to celebrate the recent announcement of Tory's sister's engagement and to attend my brother's commitment ceremony in Sydney, safe in the knowledge that we will be returning to the Northern hemisphere. I know for certain that I have forgotten some news in this update but I will wait for Tory to read this update and pick me up on it so I can include it in next months update which will be filled with pictures from Oz.

Cheers,

Doug & Tory.

31 Days Gone

2007-01-31T11:29:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe that January has already passed and while much has been achieved, T is still in Dublin and D is still searching for work in London.

The big news:

It snowed one day in London - hooray!
D's Highly Skilled Migrant Visa has been approved
D's stamped passport returned to him today
D is visiting T this weekend in Dublin

That is all for now. Hopefully, during the course of February a job will materialise for D.

Cheers,

T&D.

Happy New Year !!!

2007-01-19T07:44:00.000-08:00

It is a new year and the Oxford experience is a distant memory. The time is right for a new look blog to reflectling a new attitude and sense of purpose.

News in brief:

D moved into flat in Earlsfield with MBA mate - cheap rent, no bond and no lease required. T is interviewing replacement flatmates for Lizzy who is heading home to Sydney.

D is not drinking, controlled eating and exercising more - training for adventure race in Spring. T is also getting fit for 2007 with daily powerwalks at lunch and regular gym visits.

Cheers,

D&T

2006-12-30T11:48:00.000-08:00

In the conservatory devoted to palms.

2006-12-30T11:47:00.000-08:00

Flowers in the temperate climate flora room.

2006-12-30T11:45:00.000-08:00

An empty ice skating rink in front of the main conservatory at Kew Gardens

2006-12-30T11:43:00.000-08:00

A close up of one of Marianne North's Botanical paintings.

2006-12-30T11:42:00.000-08:00

Tory in the Marianne North Gallery at Key Gardens.

2006-12-30T11:40:00.000-08:00

Can I please start!!!!

2006-12-30T11:37:00.000-08:00

Christmas lunch - yum!!

2006-12-30T11:35:00.000-08:00

Tory hard at work making Christmas lunch for two.

2006-12-30T11:33:00.000-08:00

Walking in Clapham Common on Christmas Day.

Christmas is nearly here...

2006-12-13T10:06:00.000-08:00

It is the 13th of December today and while the days race by, I have little in the way of good news to report. My assorted UK visa applications have finally been submitted and hopefully with some level of harassment the approval process will not be too slow.

My parents, Catherine and the kids left for Paris last Friday and by all accounts are having a great time there. My parents return to London tomorrow and will spend the weekend in London staying with my brother Richard and Stuart who arrive in London on Friday from Sydney via a few days with my sister Jane in Japan. All four will then commence their Christmas holiday in Italy.

Tory arrives from Dublin on the evening of the 18th and will stay with me in London until the 2nd. I am currently staying with family friends, the Stones, but will be moving to a friend of Tory's Clapham townhouse which is being vacated for the Xmas/New Year break. It is a bit sad that Tory has to spend her Christmas leave in London with me (instead of with me in some exotic continental location) because I will be without a passport, but she appears to be quite positive about the situation.

Not much else to report. My job search has taken longer than hoped for and will be slowed further by the Christmas break. Still, I have a few irons in the fire that are keeping me short haired and shaving.

All the best,
Doug.

2006-11-28T12:56:00.000-08:00

Eugenie, Mum, James and MBA mate Josh at the Bear...

2006-11-28T12:55:00.000-08:00

Celebrating in the Bear after the graduation ceremony...

2006-11-28T12:54:00.000-08:00

The photo everyone has been waiting for....

2006-11-28T12:52:00.000-08:00

With Dad, holding my degree certificate before the graduation ceremony at the Sheldonian theatre

2006-11-28T12:49:00.000-08:00

Having a pint in the Bear with the mounted tie stubs in the background

2006-11-28T12:47:00.000-08:00

Josephine and Digger at the formal dinner in the Exeter College Dining Hall.

2006-11-28T12:45:00.000-08:00

Mum, Eugenie and Catherine at the Thanksgiving Dinner at Exter College on November 23rd...

2006-11-28T12:43:00.000-08:00

The touring group, including a school friend of Mum's from her Yeronga days, in the Fellows Garden, Exter College with the Radcliffe Camera in the background.

2006-11-28T12:40:00.000-08:00

Dad guiding the party around the Fellows Garden, Exeter College.

2006-11-28T12:39:00.000-08:00

Catherine and the kids on the open top bus tour of Oxford

2006-11-28T12:38:00.001-08:00

Catherine and the kids outside the entrance to St Peters College

2006-11-28T12:38:00.000-08:00

The traveling party outside the entrance to Cherwell Cottage, their Oxford base.

2006-11-28T12:35:00.000-08:00

Dad, James and Digger watching rugby at the OURFC ground at Iffley Road, Oxford.

2006-11-28T12:34:00.000-08:00

During the Australia v Ireland Rugby Test, the second last test at the old Lansdowne Road.

2006-11-28T12:32:00.000-08:00

The ancient turnstyle at Lansdowne Road.

2006-11-28T12:30:00.001-08:00

The star attraction.....

2006-11-28T12:30:00.000-08:00

A table setting for the 80 guest, sit down dinner..

2006-11-28T12:28:00.000-08:00

Beatrix Potter books for the guests..

2006-11-28T12:27:00.000-08:00

Gardens of the house at which Tory worked at the christening.

Hello family, Goodbye Oxford

2006-11-28T11:39:00.000-08:00

On Saturday I closed a chapter in my life by graduating from St Peters College, Oxford. It was great to be able to share this unique experience with some members of my family and in addition to the graduation ceremony (delivered entirely in latin) I have enjoyed a lovely few days guiding my parents, eldest sister and her children around Oxford since their arrival in the UK last Wednesday.

Activities have included watching the Oxford Blues defeat the Major Stanley Invitational XV which included Pat Howard for twenty minutes of sheer class before he hobbled to the side of the field, an open top bus tour of Oxford, lunch at the Turf Tavern, Thanksgiving Dinner (coinciding with Dad's Birthday) at Dad's old college, Exeter college, post graduation drinks at the Bear and so on. I would also add that Tory made yet another trip across to Oxford from Dublin for an extended weekend and enjoyed seeing my family members also. She assures me that she is now very fond of Oxford, but I am pretty keen for us to holiday some other place in future!

Prior to their arrival last Wednesday, I had spent a week in Dublin staying with Tory. She is alot more settled in her house but is working hard and is setting a good example for me in my job search. To demonstrate some of her fine work, I have attached some recent photos of a society christening that she was heavily involved in designing and staging. My visit coincided with the Wallabies v Ireland rugby test. While the conditions favoured the Irish, the Wallabies performed the worst I have ever seen, live or televised and with a personal viewing record of 4 autumn tour games for 4 losses, I have officially decided that I now have better things to spend my money on than a ticket to the rugby.

Prior to my week in Dublin I spent a week with Jeremy, an MBA friend from Canada and probably one of the smartest characters in the programme. He was a warm and generous host and like Josh, Chris & Jon in the other MBA house, is living only one block from Hyde Park.

That is the past, now for the future. I am still waiting to hear whether I have been shortlisted for the IRB role and should know next week. Irrespective, I need to increase my efforts to secure work elsewhere and continue to send off applications on a daily basis. Jobs with some form of legal focus still seem to be getting the most traction in the eyes of recruiters and may be a short to medium term solution while I search for alternative avenues.

My family moves to London this Friday having used Oxford as a base for day tripping and so I will see quite a bit more of them over the next few weeks.

That is all for now. All the best.

Doug.

PS> Please note that since my Oxford tenure has come to an end, I will endeavour to change the name of my diary, although a permanent change may need to be deferred until after I have a set job and a location. One thing is certain, like many things in life, this year in Oxford has left an indellible mark on my memory and hopefully my outlook on life. I think I will carry this place with me everywhere.

2006-11-10T03:06:00.000-08:00

The lighthouse in the distance is the north head of Dublin harbour.

2006-11-10T03:04:00.000-08:00

Beyond the horizon is the UK (not that you can see it).

2006-11-10T03:02:00.000-08:00

Little blue rain hood and little red rain hood walking the cliff trail in the wind and rain...

2006-11-10T03:00:00.000-08:00

One of the impressive houses...

2006-11-10T02:59:00.000-08:00

Howth was probably a coastal retreat for wealthy Dubliners and has many fine houses overlooking the sea where we spotted many sea lions and birds...

2006-11-10T02:56:00.000-08:00

A grey wet day at Howth

Long time no update

2006-11-10T02:23:00.000-08:00

Apologies for my radio silence but there has been quite little to report over the past month or so. It feels like much longer but I have been in London since October 9th staying with friends while searching for work.

First port of call was a week with Morg's in Shepards Bush which he appreviates 'Chez Bu' to sound like a notorious Japanese restaurant in London. I then spent a week with 4 MBA friends in their Edgware Road apartment, near Marble Arch/Hyde Park. I then ventured to Willesden Green to stay with ACGS old boy Andy and his wife Claudia. Then back to the MBA 'frat house'. I am now with another MBA friend on the Gloucester Road side of Hyde Park until this Tuesday November 14th when I will fly to Dublin for a week.

To say that all this moving around is doing my head in is an understatement. However, I am very lucky that I have good friends in London who are able to help me out while I continue my job search. Plus, most of this time has been spent a stones throw from Hyde Park so I have tried to keep my head clear by going for regular runs during the warm midday sunshine. Tory visited me for the last weekend in October and we had a nice weekend catching up with her London based friends who she has been wanting to see for some time.

The autumn rugby carnival has begun here and after watching tests on Sat and Sun, I joined Andy and Claudia and some friends of theirs to watch a Guy Fawkes Night fireworks display at Roundhill Park. I expect this weekend will involve more rugby watching.

The countdown is on to the arrival of my parents, eldest sister and her children on November 22nd in time for my Oxford college graduation on the 25th. It will be great to have them present and I thank my ever generous brother-in-law for making it all possible. I am sorry that he cannot make it along also but I will certainly raise a glass to him at my post graduation dinner. He has been a huge supporter of me over many years and a great role model.

I have a few more photos to add from my last weekend in Dublin with Tory. On the Friday we watched Leinster defeat Munster at Lansdowne Road. On the Saturday we moved Tory into her apartment and on the Sunday we took the train to Howth (pronounced 'Hoath') which is a seaside suburb of Dublin where we walked along the cliff trails, lunched on fish and chips and drank hot toddies and read the paper by the fire of a rustic looking pub.

Hope you are all keeping well,

Cheers,
Doug.

2006-10-03T04:55:00.000-07:00

Richard looking pensive on the first. "Where is Tiger's wife...I can't see her..."

2006-10-03T04:53:00.000-07:00

The first tee at the K Club, host of the 2006 Ryder Cup.

2006-10-03T04:51:00.000-07:00

Perusing the dinner menu at the Village.

2006-10-03T04:50:00.000-07:00

Sheep graizing along the roadside.

2006-10-03T04:48:00.000-07:00

A derelict fishing boat.

2006-10-03T04:47:00.000-07:00

The skeleton of a derelict fishing boat.

2006-10-03T04:46:00.000-07:00

Wildflowers along the roadside.

2006-10-03T04:45:00.000-07:00

Wild flowers along the roadside..

2006-10-03T04:44:00.000-07:00

Perhaps not as inviting to swimmers as Surfers Paradise...

2006-10-03T04:42:00.000-07:00

A rocky beach on the coastal road from Galway to Clifton.

2006-10-03T04:37:00.000-07:00

Just before sunrise over Clifton Bay.

2006-10-03T04:36:00.000-07:00

The view across Clifton bay from our room

2006-10-03T04:34:00.000-07:00

Me with Dr Bob.

2006-10-03T04:33:00.000-07:00

Not dead... just sleeping. The delighful Dr Bob.

2006-10-03T04:32:00.000-07:00

A tiger guarded the entrance to the Quay House

2006-10-03T04:31:00.000-07:00

Tory and Tigger

2006-10-03T04:30:00.000-07:00

Elephant tusks with leatherback turtle shell behind.

2006-10-03T04:29:00.000-07:00

One of the many lounge rooms

2006-10-03T04:28:00.000-07:00

Not much room in those fish tanks...

2006-10-03T04:27:00.000-07:00

Weird and wonderful - me with a moose skull.

2006-10-03T04:25:00.000-07:00

The Quay House.

2006-10-03T04:24:00.000-07:00

Clifton, the capital of Connemara is a lively place with nice restaurants and bars.

2006-10-03T04:22:00.000-07:00

Dublin is a pretty colourless city, it was so refreshing to be able to see brightly coloured country side.

2006-10-03T04:19:00.000-07:00

Fishing boats...