Cat Drama

I have not slept well the past few nights.  I have a horrid, pathological fear of spiders.  So turning back my bedcovers the other night and finding a large (for NH) icky eight-legged beast there pretty much ruined the night for me.  I was the only one awake and had a choice between fleeing or killing.  I chose to kill (for one of the first times ever), helped along by an electronic bug zapper.  Ignore the fact that I kept the voltage on for so long that the thing eventually sparked...  Anyway, after completely redoing my bedclothes I tried to sleep, but the night was ruined.  Every noise or slight movement made me jerk awake frightened.  And it doesn't just last one night.  I had another horrid beast run across me in the living room last night, which almost had me launching my precious laptop across the room in an effort to flee from the chair as quickly as possible.  So I have not been sleeping well.

This morning I woke at approximately 5:30 to Callaghan jumping on me asking for breakfast.  I do not tolerate such behavior - breakfast is served at more tolerable hours, like 11am.  I quickly went to the bathroom and then went back to bed.  At 7:03 I awoke to a horrific scream.  It took me a while to figure out what it was.  I got up and saw Griffin run into my room.  I heard the scream again.  As I walked out of my room I saw a flash of white tear past me, with a black and white cat quick on his heels. 

It took me a few seconds to put this all together.  What I was seeing was our outdoor feral barn cat, Tripper, chasing my indoor pampered house cats.  Tripper had never been in the house before.  I didn't know how he got in.  By this time my cats were hiding in my room, so I closed that door and went to see about Tripper.  He ran past me into the kitchen and then, when I attempted to herd him outside, ran into the bathroom.  So I closed that door to buy some time to assess the situation.

The back door was still closed and locked; no broken windows; no other open doors.  How did he get in?  I went to the bathroom and opened the door, and he tore past me into the spare room.  I followed him.  And saw it.  The window screen was punched out.  I hadn't even realized the window was open with a screen.  Callaghan and Griffin had recently caught wind of Tripper (literally, smelling him through the back door), and he them.  They had had a few staring matches through the kitchen windows.  But this was evidence of an all-out territory war. 

About this same time I realized that there was white fur in large patches all over the spare room (currently home to my brother's t-shirt screen printing machinery and all its accoutrements).  This scared me, as I realized it had not been just a chase but, more probably, a fight.

I heard my mother waking up and alerted her to the situation.  She came downstairs and went in to talk sense into Tripper.  By this time he was loudly meowing and trembling in a corner.  She was able to pick him up with only a few scratches and took him back outside.  I closed the window and removed the screen.

By then my heart was pounding a mile a minute and I started to worry that Callie was injured.  I opened my bedroom door, and Griffin came out cautiously.  I opened their breakfast food and spoke soothingly, hoping to coax Callie out.  Griffin went to inspect breakfast, still no Callie.  A few minutes later he emerged.

His normally luscious white coat was marred by spots of black and orange - apparently a result of brushing against the industrial ink cans in the spare room during the pursuit/fight.  He did not appear to have any blood or visible wounds, and he certainly didn't look like he had lost a pound of fur.

He let me pet him but remained hidden under a chair, haunches up and trembling.  A few minutes later I picked up Griffin to reassure him.  It was then things got really weird.  Callie started growling - a low constant growl.  Griffin hissed back at him.  I have never, ever seen either of them act that way toward one another.  Frankly that was frightening.  For the next few minutes they circled each other, hissing and growling and refusing to cede territory.  Wow.  I started to get all upset and googled cat behavior post-fight and tried to figure out what to do.  My mother told me they'd be fine in time; they just needed to work it out and get rid of the adrenaline.

I went back to sleep for another couple of hours, very uneasily again.  Griffin came in to check on me but didn't stay.  I think Callie sought refuge upstairs.

I woke up a bit later and witnessed some more posturing, growling, and hissing between these previously inseparable kitties.  I hoped it would ease in time, but I was pretty paranoid that I was facing permanent traumatic behavior and personality changes.

After checking all possible points of entry to the house, I reluctantly left the cats and went to the gym.  I worried about them the entire time and was unsure what I'd come home to find.

Both cats greeted me within a few minutes of coming in the house, and I saw both of them eat and drink.  They weren't actively hissing/growling, but they weren't near each other either.  I sat down at the computer, and they both joined me for pets.  On separate sides, but near each other.  After a few minutes I caught them both curled up on the couch - not touching, but close to each other.  A little while later they both curled up in the same armchair - again, not touching, but pretty close.  Neither cat joined me for an afternoon nap (hey, I'm on home leave and am not sleeping well at night!), which is unusual, but they were both affectionate when I woke up and when Mom got home.  I am feeling mighty relieved.

When I envisioned writing this post earlier today, right after the incident in question, I assumed I was going to be writing to seek support.  Luckily after 13 hours we seem to be close to normal.  Callie's ink spots are even fading.  I think we're on the road to recovery.

Tripper, however, is nowhere to be found.  He ate breakfast but hasn't touched his food bowl since them.  Tripper came to us in 2004 as a kitten from a friend's farm in PA, originally named Ortiz.  His littermate, Pablo, also joined us.  (My family are all Red Sox fans!)  They were barn cats but friendly and not afraid of people.  Pablo disappeared several years ago, having either moved on to a better home or meeting an untimely demise at the hands of a fisher cat (all too common for feral cats around here).  By then Ortiz had been renamed Tripper, for his penchant to dangerously wind in between my father's legs as he did outdoor chores.  About a year ago he disappeared.  Completely.  Not a trace of him was to be found.  We assumed he'd had an unfortunate encounter with a fisher cat.  (This happens a lot, sadly.  We've lost many a cat to the wilds of the woods.)  So imagine my parents' surprise when Tripper showed back up a few months ago after more than 10 months of not being around.  The joke is that he came home to retire.  He spends his days lounging in sunspots in the yard and entertains himself by hunting mice (and a rat yesterday - well done!) and terrorizing chipmunks and squirrels.  He continues to live up to his name.  I think today's event was just as traumatic for him and he's probably nursing his psychological wounds somewhere safe and quiet.

Oh the cat drama! 

Jeddah: Five Good, Five Bad

The OTP for this edition of the FSBRU (thanks Jill!) is five good and bad things about your current post, in honor of bidding season.  Given that I am between overseas posts and that there are precious few NH jobs (hi Melissa!) and none where I live, I'll concentrate on Jeddah.  You can also see a previous post here about things to love about Jeddah.  I may repeat myself a wee bit. 

First, the good.

1. Quality of life:  It is possible to maintain a very high quality of life in Jeddah.  The basic infrastructure and consumer goods market is such that you never want for items in grocery stores, anything you desire can be found somewhere in the city, and electricity and water are extremely stable.  The roads are in pretty good condition, even if drivers are insane and traffic a bit chaotic, and they're well maintained.  Domestic help is plentiful, affordable, and dependable.  The sheer variety of stores means shopping for name brands is easy (and popular among locals). 

2.  Great professional experience/visibility:  This is especially true for people working in FSO reporting jobs - PD and P/E, FCS - who not only work on very high priority portfolios but spend much of their time out and about working with their counterparts.  (Plus, for untenured FSOs, this means mucho comp time as you work more than 40 hours pretty much every week.)  Your reporting gets the attention of high-level people, and you're working on current issues and seeing history in the making.  Internally-focused jobs have less visibility, but they are just as important and given incumbents the opportunity to see and do a lot during their tour.  It's a relatively small post - and a constituent post at that - so there's plenty to go around.  We had regular Cabinet-level visits and lots of other VIP visits in addition to our normal duties while I was there.  Particularly for first and second tour FS professionals, you'll see a broad spectrum of situations and problems and opportunities and gain a lot of experience in a very short amount of time.

3.  Recreation:  There is so much to do!  This is a great family post as every restaurant/mall/store has, at the least, a high tolerance for children and, more typically, diversions and amusements geared towards them.  Amusement parks abound (with varying degrees of safety), playgrounds and pools are everywhere, and there's always kid-centered activities going on at the compounds.  The Red Sea is right there with its beautiful beaches and inviting waters and coral reefs.  Superb snorkeling and diving, boating, fishing, waterskiing, you name it.  Lots of barbecuing - grilling is a year-round activity.  Lots of family-oriented events.  Jeddah is home to awesome restaurants from every ethnic and trendy persuasion, and you can be a true gourmand at post.  Everything from hole in the wall local food to high end hoity-toity hotel brunch buffets, with everything in between.

4.  Travel:  Millions of people pass through Jeddah each year for Hajj and Umrah, so it makes sense that Jeddah is extremely accessible.  This means that the source countries of pilgrims are also very accessible, which is pretty much every country in the world!  Flights to amazing destinations are plentiful and can be quite affordable if booked well in advance.  I visited numerous neighboring countries as well as a couple more far-flung destinations.  I made it a point to travel at least for a long weekend every 6 weeks to 2 months, which made my tour much more enjoyable. 

5.  Non-smoking!  Right before I left, Saudi Arabia announced that smoking of any sort will be forbidden in public, to include restaurants, malls, and stores.  Hurrah!  A similar smoking ban in airports took effect shortly after I arrived, and it made traveling oh so much more pleasant, even if implementation was spotty.  The new ban includes shisha as well as cigarettes/cigars, which will make dining out oh so much more enjoyable.  I wish this had happened earlier, but I'm glad it happened at all.


And, of course, the bad.

1.  Not being able to drive:  This only goes for women, but it will permeate the lives of everyone.  At first I thought it would be really cool to be driven everywhere, but it got old really, really quickly.  Our drivers were great, but I missed the spontaneity and independence and privacy that comes with being able to drive yourself.  So advice to all:  ship a car.  Single women - you can hire a driver if you want to have your own 24/7 person transport; I was close to wanting to fork out the money for this at some points.  Men and families:  the key to high morale is having your own car.  Seriously.  Don't rely on Motorpool.

2.  Culture shock:  Every post has a degree of culture shock, but KSA is very different in many ways.  Women will likely wear an abaya most of the time (I usually didn't, but I was the sole exception during my time there among Mission women), and even when you don't you always have to be conscious of conservative dress - long sleeves, long pants, long skirts, high necklines, etc.  For men - no shorts, modest t-shirts at a minimum.  This doesn't sound very difficult in itself (and relatively typical of the Gulf), but combine it with the following, and it becomes oppressive at times:  EVERYTHING closing five times a day for 30+ minutes at prayer time, the constant threat of running into the religious police (mutawwa), gender segregation in most public places, navigating the single vs family entrances to restaurants, etc., etc., etc. 

3.  Weather:  For eight months of the year it is difficult to enjoy outside activities.  From mid-March to late October the weather is oppressive.  Highs well above 110 and averaging 100+ with varying levels of humidity.  It can be likened to constantly walking in the path of a hair dryer or sticking one's head in an oven.  Pools are unbearably hot during the day unless they have chillers, which are expensive and infrequently found.  Playgrounds during the day are abandoned because the equipment is too hot to use.  I loved to walk outside in my compound, but even at midnight during the spring/summer it was unbearably hot and muggy still.  Outside events are impossible without multiple concentrated fans/misters.  Walking even from your home to your car to your office will leave you soaked by sweat and uncomfortable for the rest of the day.  Keep in mind the public dress code of #2 and it's even more difficult to stay cool.  That said, the weather during the winter is quite pleasant and conducive to outdoor dining and outdoor pursuits, especially in the evenings. 

4.  Safety concerns:  This one really runs the spectrum.  There's a constant high level of threat (Consulate General Jeddah was attacked in 2004), which I don't need to detail.  This doesn't generally impact one's day-to-day living, but it's something that needs to be taken into consideration.  On a more applicable level, my biggest pet peeve about KSA was the nonuse of seatbelts and car seats.  It's unusual to see anyone belted in, but it's disturbingly common to see infants and toddlers riding on laps in the front seat (sometimes steering the car from the driver's lap) or older children careening from the front to the back to each side of the car.  I never ever ever saw a child secured in a car seat - occasionally sitting in one, but never actually strapped to the seat nor the seat to the car.  It's even worse because traffic accidents are frequent (rules of the road are anything goes, and drivers are generally self-centered) and traffic fatalities common.  It hurt my heart to see all these children unrestrained.  Beyond that I question the safety of many of the amusement rides that are everywhere and other little things that now escape my mind (ah, the bliss of home leave!).  However, you can get a sense of some of the concerns from these items.

5.  Smells:  (This may just be me, but I am running out of things...)  I am extremely sensitive to strong scents (they cause headaches, migraines, and nausea) - I can't even have scented candles burning in the house or wear fragrances.  This can be difficult to navigate in everyday life anywhere in the world, but I found it particularly challenging in Saudi.  Most people wear strongly-scented perfumes and colognes most of the time, and I constantly had to hold my breath to avoid the onslaught of smells.  Oud and incense are very popular and omnipresent, and one whiff of these have me running for fresh air and an Excedrin constantly.  The strong cardamom-infused coffee served EVERYWHERE actually makes me physically sick, and it's impossible to avoid.  I actually hated going to millions of meetings each week just because I knew I'd have to somehow dodge the coffee.  At the time, smoking of cigarettes, cigars, and shisha was rampant everywhere, and smoke from these sickens me quite quickly.  The sweet smoke of shisha is particularly potent.  I felt I was never free from these heavy scents except in my own home, which got tiring after a while.  I know this may seem a petty thing, but it significantly impacted my life for two years.



Overall, Jeddah and KSA are what you make of them, like most posts.  You can be insanely happy and fulfilled professionally and personally, or you can be bitter and negative and count the days till R&R and PCS.  You can make mountains out of molehills or embrace simple changes in the pace and pattern of life.  I enjoyed my two years there, but I think I would have enjoyed Jeddah more if I had a family there.  It's a difficult post for singles, particularly women.  But in the grand scheme of things, how many people can honestly throw out the line, "when I lived in Saudi Arabia..."?  It's a guaranteed conversation starter for the rest of my life!  Happy bidding!

Immigrating to America: Two Cats' Story

Welcome to America Callaghan and Griffin!  From Saudi street kittens to pampered diplocats...

It has been a blissful five days at home, and I just haven't had the inclination to write a blog post yet, but I want to document the success of the journey home before it becomes a repressed memory.

First of all - many thanks to those of you who offered advice, support, and assistance during the last several months as I navigated the process of getting the cats out of Saudi.  And many thanks to everyone who empathized as I bid goodbye to Hattie and shared my grief and pain.  Your support is immensely appreciated.

The cats and I began our journey at 10pm Tuesday night (3pm EST).  They were somewhat reluctant to go into their carriers (having had two annoying trips this week already, once to the vet and once to Ministry of Agriculture for exit paperwork) but didn't cry too much.  We were met at the airport by our regular expeditor and a shipping specialist, as I didn't want to take any chances.  The paperwork and check-in process took a good hour, so I was very glad I was there as early as I was.  I had put trilingual notes on each cat carrier, imploring airport/airline staff to "please help me get to Boston safely" in English, Arabic, and German.  In Jeddah I asked several airline staff to ensure the cats were well treated and kept in A/C until boarding.  I was assured they would be.  I told everyone how much I loved my cats and how important it was they made it safely.  They were sick of me by the end, but I figured overkill had better odds.

The total cost from Jeddah to Boston?  $200 each for a total of $400.  Well worth it, and much less than it would have been had I been forced to fly United or a codeshare.  Thank you Open Skies!

We went into a private screening area to run the carriers through the x-ray machine.  While there were no extra people around, it was a large warehouse-like space, and I worried that the cats might bolt while getting in or out of their carriers.  I took them out carefully, one at a time, and took the opportunity to formally introduce each cat to the airline staff.  They were freaked but well-behaved and tolerated the introductions.  I put them back in their carriers with a final seal of approval and even some joking by the customs official.  Good signs.  They were then put on the luggage belt and disappeared from sight.  Enter nervewracking travel mode now.

At no point during the check-in process did anyone ask to look at their health certificates or exit permits...  Just saying.

When I boarded the plane a couple of hours later I asked a flight attendant to make sure the captain knew there were pets on board and to ensure proper pressurization and temperature.  She smiled and assured me all would be fine. 

The flight was uneventful, and I woke up shortly before landing in Frankfurt.  I had a six-hour layover but first went to the service center to check on the kitties.  They had already been scanned in on arriving in Frankfurt, and the very nice CSR indulged my paranoia and assured me that they'd rest comfortably in the Animal Comfort Lounge (or something to that effect) and be fed, watered, and given an opportunity to use the litterbox. 

Thus comforted, I began my wandering around the terminal.  I took the Skytrain to the other terminal to take advantage of slightly more dining and shopping options and had a wonderfully fresh pretzel for breakfast.  I followed that up with an overpriced but much needed manicure and chair massage.  Then more wandering. 

I finally meandered to my own terminal and went through security there, which took forever.  Something in each my bags triggered a closer look, and they ended up taking EVERYTHING out to rescan.  And given that I had a cell phone, kindle, iPod, laptop, camera, GPS, and many, many cords in addition to a change of clothes and travel miscellany, this was a time-intensive process.  Finally I made it though and proceeded to do some additional wandering.  I bought my favorite Frankfurt indulgence - a soft pretzel with cheese and bacon - and a terrible-tasting banana.  I read at the gate for a while until - five minutes before boarding time - they announced a gate change.  A sprint through the airport energized me, and boarding went smoothly.  Sadly, this was a completely full flight, so I didn't get an extra seat like on the earlier one. 

The flight seemed super long; I was unable to sleep, being woken up every time I started to nod off.  The A/C wasn't working properly, and we were all overheating.  I asked a flight attendant upon boarding to confirm the cats were loaded, and, while she didn't understand why I needed this confirmation ("it will be fine if they made it to Frankfurt"), she gave me a thumbs up shortly after takeoff.  A little late for my comfort, but better late than never.

I was ready to bolt off the plane by the time we landed in Boston, but deplaning of course took forever with such a full flight.  Immigration was pretty quick, and I headed to the baggage claim area with my customs forms reading "cats" in red marker.  I grabbed two luggage carts and asked someone where the cats would come out.  She didn't know, and it wasn't entirely obvious.  Luggage was already on the belt, so I walked over to see if mine had come out.  They hadn't, so I tried to find oversize baggage.  It was tucked into a corner, and, lo and behold, there were my two cat carriers!  My heart was thumping as I walked over, the memory of the last time I had been reunited with a pet carrier fresh in my mind.  I abandoned my luggage carts for a moment and ran forward to grab the cats.  Callaghan was whining a bit and started meowing louder when he saw me.  Griffin was turned around in his carrier and gave me a scare before he finally turned around and nuzzled my finger.  Nobody checked my luggage tickets - kind of scary, really.  There was nobody there...  The Lufthansa flight crew was there, and my helpful flight attendant from before congratulated me on the happy reunion.  (Though, "see, I told you they'd be fine" is not as comforting to someone who has lost a pet in transit as she probably intended.) 

I loaded the cats onto the carts and headed back to the belt.  We found a quiet corner away from crowds, and I scanned the belt.  Still nothing.  I reassured the cats that their journey was almost over and let them nuzzle my fingers through the cages.  My bags arrived after about 15 minutes, and I took a few minutes to rearrange things on the carts.  I started for the exit and was met by a kind and helpful TSA agent, who even helped me maneuver the carts!  She brought me to the side, avoiding the line, and asked for their proof of rabies vaccination.  After a couple minutes we were ready to head out!  I walked out the doors to the terminal, searching for my father.  People started the predictable "look! it's a kitty! it's two kitties!" calls and finger pointing.  My dad found me after a minute and we had a wonderful reunion.  I introduced him to the cats, ran quickly to the restroom, and then we headed for the car. 

As soon as we got outside it started to downpour, so the kitties also learned about rain, unfortunately.  They were crying by the time we reached the car, and I got them strapped in and dry as quickly as possible.  It was only 3:45 pm, but the traffic had already started, and it took us a while to get out of the Boston metro area.  The cats were very well-behaved on the almost three hour drive home, only meowing and crying for a few minutes total. 

We arrived home and I got to greet Mom and introduce her to the kittens as well.  I took them straight to my room, where the litter box was already set up, and closed the door and opened the cages and showed them the box.  I got them food and water and a scratching post and left them alone for a while.  After about an hour I went in and played with them; they had both used the box and seemed in good shape.  They were remarkably friendly when Mom came in to say hello to them and both let her pet them (they usually have stranger danger tendencies when they first meet someone).  After a few hours they seemed to be doing so well that we opened the door.  They hesitantly emerged and stayed close to me in the living room, exploring gingerly and jumping at sudden movement.  But given their 27 hour ordeal, I think they did pretty well adjusting!  They adore stairs - a new addition to their environs - and seem to really miss having A/C.  They sleep with me but are getting braver every day about exploring the house.  They seem to like my parents but still jump at sudden movements.  Thunder seems to frighten them (another new thing!), and they were not big fans of my five year-old nephew.  He didn't really bother them one way or another, but he's loud and talkative, and this didn't endear him to them.

We've gradually given them the run of the house, but they still prefer my room when I'm not home.  They'll hang out with me elsewhere in the house and are definitely "my" cats.  They're finally eating and drinking normally, even asking for wet food and treats at the routine times.  They have been great about only using scratching pads but are starting to jump on counters on the table, behavior we discourage.  All in all, they've tolerated the move remarkably well, with no discernible personality changes.  This has gone a long way to make me feel more comfortable about international pet travel, but I still don't relish the idea of doing it again in a few months...

Cat Moving Success!

The cats and I arrived safely in NH a short while ago 27 hours and 6,000+ miles after leaving our apartment in Jeddah. They are quickly adjusting to their new environs (and roommates!) and seem no worse for the wear.  Callaghan seems to be abandoning his Stranger Danger attitude and is in love with my mother.  Griffin likes to hide under the bed.  They discovered rain and thunder this afternoon - not huge fans of either.

I'll blog about the travel experience soon - for now, to settle in and sleep and buy a car!

Thanks for all your sweet blog and FB and email messages - they made a huge difference during a difficult time.  I will respond soon (I have fast internet now!!). 

Farewell, Jeddah. Farewell, My Faithful Friend.

I still have a few Saudi posts to write and publish, but for now it's time to say goodbye.  I've been saying goodbyes for two months now as numerous others departed post ahead of me.  Today was my day.  Friends hosted a goodbye BBQ for another departing friend and myself, which was wonderfully sweet.  We had a Ramadan Iftar this week where I bid goodbye to some of my best contacts.  Goodbye dinners, goodbye meetings, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye.  Now those of who you know me know that I hate goodbyes.  I have discovered over time that the best coping mechanism is avoiding saying goodbye at all to most people.  This cuts back considerably on my tears, even if it is incredibly selfish.

There were tears today as I said goodbye to friends and colleagues (many falling into both categories).  I felt pretty good that I really only lost it at the end of the day when only a few people were there to witness it.  I sent my farewell email moments before logging off so I wouldn't have to see the replies or answer phone calls.  That's really the way I handle things best. 

I have been focused for weeks on checking out, preparing for home leave and training, working on an exit strategy for the cats, ensuring all my ducks were in a row, so to speak.  It's been exhausting and complicated and, occasionally, frustrating.  I knew I'd forget something, but as I closed out my office this afternoon I thought I was doing pretty well.

Until I got home.

Somewhere in the process of packing my two (very overweight) suitcases and pasting trilingual messages on the cats' carriers in hopes of better treatment by flight crews, I remembered Hattie.  I didn't ever go to say goodbye to Hattie.  Earlier this year I purchased a stone grave marker for her, but when it arrived it was so beautiful that I couldn't bear to leave it somewhere I'd never see it again.  I could have bought another, but I just didn't.  I rarely walked out to Hattie's grave over the two years, but whenever I passed it while tooling around the compound I paid my silent respects.  But I never went a last time. 

You see, it was fine for Hattie to be buried at the Consulate while I was living here, but the thought of leaving her here has really hit me hard.  This was never her home; I have nothing but horrifying memories of her short time in Saudi Arabia; it feels as if I'm abandoning her.  I know these feelings are largely irrational and that there is no viable alternative, but it doesn't stop me from feeling very sad.  So sad and teary that the cats may go willingly into their carriers tonight if it means getting away from my grief. 

The truth of the matter is, no matter how great my tour here was - and it was a great tour - it is clouded by its tragic beginning.  Jeddah and Hattie are inextricably linked for me.  And leaving her here alone, even two years after her death, is heartbreak all over again.  It's not helped by my overwhelming fear of what might happen to the cats during our journey, no matter how carefully I've prepared for their safety.  So for the next 30 hours I will be a bit of a basket case. 

A friend reminded me that I took the tragedy of what happened to Hattie and became an advocate for the safe and affordable transport of pets for Foreign Service personnel.  I was not alone in this endeavor, and our collective efforts paid off.  That does give me some comfort.  That ensures her legacy has a positive impact. 

Saying goodbye to Jeddah is harder than I expected, which shouldn't surprise me.  I think I'll need to write another post about what I mean by that, because this post is taking too sad a turn, and I don't have the emotional energy to turn things around right now. 

So I'll finish packing my bags, take my last shower here, and watch the Olympics.  Soon I'll be on the way to the airport.  I'm going home.  But leaving a piece of my heart here, just as I have in many other places.  Maybe, in the scheme of things, not saying a formal goodbye was okay.  Just as I try so hard to avoid goodbyes, maybe this is for the best.

So if you're ever at the Consulate in Jeddah, go find the quiet spot in the sand beyond the mailroom where a spot is marked with several concrete blocks.  Say hello to Hattie for me.  But not goodbye.  Goodbye is too difficult.

Post-Pack Out Reflections

If you've been following my incessant Facebook posts over the last few days, you'll already know how pack out went.  Because, really, during the pack out itself there is little to do except sit on the compute and write Facebook status updates.  Or at least that's been my experience thus far.  I did manage to write and post two overdue blogs too!  Only one travel post left :-).

All in all this pack out went well.  It was far less frustrating and overwhelming and confusing than either of my two previous ones (which were both overall  positives but with a few hiccups), partly because of my preparations and partly because it does get easier with experience.

They movers arrived an hour early (amazing!) and had my UAB and storage packed within two hours.  When they first arrived they tried to spread out and go to different rooms.  I told the crew chief there was only one of me and we needed to be systematic, and he seemed to get it right away.  I didn't ship very much UAB on purpose.  I want to add things into it in DC in the event that my additional HHE shipment is not authorized.  It was either 64 lbs or 64 kgs - I think kg but am not sure.  My storage shipment needed to be at least 500 lbs to qualify (or is it 250? I can never remember), and it was 541.  Amazing!

Then the HHE started.  I let them fan out into different rooms after giving instructions on what not to pack.  I had previously carved out four safe areas - one closet for my baggage and one for my welcome kit; under the kitchen sink for partly-used cleaning supplies and a few paper products; and the bathroom for cats and their gear.  Signs on the appropriate doors worked very well.  The cats were NOT pleased about being locked in the bathroom for the better part of two days, but it was better than having them underfoot. 

After about three hours the crew chief told me they'd only be working till 2pm.  I expected a shortened day for Ramadan, but that was even shorter than I anticipated.  They ran out of packing cartons about 1:30 and spent the remaining time wrapping dishes and valuables in bubble wrap and paper.  By the time they left I felt pretty confident things were going to proceed smoothly the next day.

I let the cats out once they left, who relished the opportunity to conquer every box pile and proclaim themselves kings of the towers.  They also were a bit clingy, insisting on sitting on my chest whenever I sat down.  I had a makeshift dinner of microwave popcorn, which absolutely hit the spot, and tried to get some sleep.

This morning the crew arrived right on time and set right in to work.  Yesterday I'd estimated they had packed about 2/3 of the house, so I anticipated the rest going quickly.  That was not to be.  Maybe there was more than I realized of what was left, but it took a long time.  I made periodic rounds to see how things were going and to clear areas.  At one point I realized I could not find any large box-like structures that looked like my IKEA bookcases.  I did see several little box-like structures that might contain former IKEA bookcases.  When I inquired, my fears were confirmed.  I don't quite know why they decided to take apart four large bookcases (former movers had kept them intact), but they did.  Frankly, the thought of trying to reassemble these in Kampala made me a little queasy.  Luckily they read my horrified face and immediately began reassembling.  I would say the whole process set us back at least an hour.

About 1pm I started resigning myself to the reality of another day of packing out.  There were still a few things to be packed, and no boxes had been moved out.  But then things got moving pretty quickly.  The crew chief had spent the morning labeling boxes, inventorying them, and weighing them, so that was pretty much already done.  One guy finished the last of the packing while the other two started hauling boxes.  I got hold of the weights page and input them into a spreadsheet to see the damage.  I estimated 100 boxes at an average of 50 lbs per box for a total of 5,000 lbs before I started.  All told, it was 105 boxes at an average of 44 lbs for a total of just under 4,600 lbs.  Not bad!  Granted it's a lot of stuff, but for a while I was afraid I'd go over the allotment (7,200 lbs).

It took until about 3:30, but they got all the boxes out.  They had forgotten one shelf of games, but that was easily remedied and sent on its way.  I have to hand it to this crew - they did a great job.  Especially considering it's Ramadan.  And HOT outside.  They were the same ones who delivered my HHE almost two years ago.  Once again, though, I think some incoming FSOs to Saudi should get Tagalog training.  It would have helped me immensely over the two days!

The boxes are gone, the cats are free once again, and I am unpacking my suitcases so I can live for the next week.  It feels empty in here, but in a nice way.  It's really real that I'm leaving.  A friend said yesterday on Facebook that a strange phenomenon is knowing you're going to miss a place you can't wait to leave.  And that really sums up how I feel.  I am looking forward to leaving Saudi in many ways, but I'll miss my comfortable life here, my great colleagues and friends, and my job.  Very bittersweet.  Saudi's an odd place.  While you're here you know you're living with very different rules and customs, but it doesn't really hit you until you leave how much that impacts you.  I understand how and why people stay here for decades. 

I will surely reflect more on finishing my first tour in the week to come, but right now I need to get ready to party, Ramadan style!  Iftar, here I come!

Meandering in Muscat

Since I was in training I knew I wanted to visit Oman.  I was fascinated by the links with East Africa, the purported difference in the pace of life from the rest of the Gulf countries, and the spectacular scenery.  I kept putting off a visit, knowing it was always there, until I realized I'd better book it or forget it on this tour.

I booked my flight and booked in at the luxurious al-Wada hotel at the Shangri-la's Bar al-Jissah Resort.  The room was at least $100 more per night than I'd ever paid for a hotel in my life, but I justified it as a weekend to escape and relax and celebrate my 30th birthday.  (Easy to say then, but as I wince when I pay down my credit card balance this week I decide it will need to be a while before I indulge quite this much again.)

A few days before I was to leave, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia died.  His wishes were to be buried in Mecca, and the court was in Jeddah for the summer.  This meant a big U.S. visit, and soon.  And we were short-staffed as it was.  As it began looking more and more likely that I'd need to be in town for the visit, I changed my flight and hotel to go one day later, amazingly with no change fees.  It turned out to be a good move, as the Defense Secretary and company arrived for a whirlwind condolence visit.

Anyway, leaving a day later didn't make it any less wonderful.  I arrived in Muscat in the early morning hours of Friday and got to the hotel about 1:30am.  Check-in was efficient and pleasant, and I ate some snacks from the included minibar and fell into bed.  I woke in time to breakfast that morning, a wonderfully elegant affair with a cold buffet and entrees made to order.  I thoroughly enjoyed the smoothie of the day idea, too!

After showering and getting dressed I set off to explore the resort.  Consisting of three hotels on a large campus, the resort is expansive.  I had a couple of hours before my spa appointment, so I wandered around.  I checked out the pool and explored the beach area and then checked in with the travel coordinator.  I decided to do a half day city tour the next day, as I wanted to see at least a little bit of Muscat while I was there.  I finally made my way to the spa, which was as well-appointed as any I've ever visited.  My afternoon package was four hours of pampering in my own idyllic treatment villa, and I emerged feeling revitalized.  I took a golf cart ride over to the heritage village, which was quite underwhelming.  I'm not sure whether it was because it was Friday, or summer, or still under construction, but there were no Omani artisans displaying their trades in the courtyard and only a few stores.  I bought a few silver pendants and meandered my way back to the hotel, checking out a few restaurants along the way but deciding to order room service and watch movies.  It was perfect.

The next morning I breakfasted early (another smoothie!) and met my tour guide in the hotel lobby.  We headed north toward Muscat, and I got my first daylight views of the spectacular scenery.  We started at the Grand Mosque, which was an absolutely amazing experience.  The grandeur and beauty and opulence of the mosque is phenomenal, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the detail and art and furnishings. 

We continued on to the fish market and the vegetable market.  We wandered through Muttrah Souq, but I was too hot to think about bargaining.  Though I did see some nice embellished wooden doors...  Oh well. 

Our next stop was the Sultan's Palace.  Sultan Qaboos has ruled Oman since 1970 and is predominantly beloved by the people.  He has been generous with infrastructure, education, and economic development.  The country has transformed since the time of his father's rule. 

We glimpsed two of the city's old forts, which are closed to the public.  All very beautiful and picturesque.  We stopped at Beit al-Zubair museum, which had some interesting exhibits, particularly clothing and jewelry and khanjars from the different areas of Oman.  Our last stop was a viewpoint looking out the Arabian Gulf with the Old City in the foreground.  Muscat is gorgeous.  But next time I visit it will be during the winter.  I couldn't believe how HOT it was.  And humid.  It was entirely more potent than Jeddah, by far.  Amazing. 

Arriving back at the hotel, I was still full from breakfast so had a leisurely afternoon nap.  I woke in time to visit the Turtle Ranger's presentation, and he advised me to meet him in an hour at the al-Wada private beach to check on a nest.  Turtles use the beaches at the Shangri-la as nesting grounds throughout the year, and the resort takes protecting them seriously.  I had registered to be called if any turtle activity happened during the night, but it was a slow weekend, apparently.  I made my way down (and down, and down, and down) to my hotel's private beach, wishing in hindsight that I'd changed into beach clothes for a swim, and waited.  Mohammed the Turtle Ranger met me there and dug up a nest that was due to hatch.  After inspecting the eggs, he decided it had a little bit more incubating to do and reburied it, complete with sign advising people to steer clear. 

I waded in the water a bit, really wishing I'd changed, and photographed a group of crabs on the rocks.  I headed back over to the heritage village after that and bought two Kashmiri rugs, something I'd been thinking about for a while.  The store owner remembered me from the day before and was super helpful and generous with prices. 

After arriving back at the hotel with my purchases (which are displayed on Facebook - friend me to see them, if you haven't already; it's too time-consuming to load them to Blogger right now), I again debated whether to eat in or out.  I opted for room service again, which is one of my favorite indulgences when I travel!

The next morning I breakfasted in style once again and took my time packing and getting ready.  I took a taxi from the resort to the airport and checked in for my flight.  Or tried to.  Somehow, when my travel agent changed the booking, the return flight didn't get confirmed.  So I was going to be standby, even though there were 7+ empty seats.  I finally talked my way into one of the seats and checked my luggage.  Crisis averted!  I browsed the few kiosks at the airport, grabbed a sandwich, and waited for my flight to open.  Unremarkable flight back, thankfully, and I got home and in bed at a decent hour. 

I really enjoyed Muscat but will definitely go at a different time of year next time.  There's so much to do and see - I'd love to drive around and also see Salalah. 

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque

One of the mosque's five minarets and a gorgeous courtyard

Swarovski crystal chandelier in the main prayer hall

Carpet in the main prayer hall - took hundreds of women several years to make it!

Gorgeous colors and detail

Old Muscat

Sultan's Palace and forts in view

Sultan's Palace

Royal crest

One of the forts

View from my hotel :-)

My hotel

Such a gorgeous setting!

Looking out over the expansive resort

View from my hotel room

my hotel's private beach

Beach at sunset

Crabs!

Turtle nest sign

Lots of turtle nests!

Dubai - Day 3

I woke up on my last full day in Dubai with aching feet.  Maybe I should have saved the massage for today...  No matter.  I had a quick breakfast of dinner leftovers and headed to the spa for an indulgent facial.  I emerged an hour later with blissfully soft skin - but still with aching feet.

I decided to indulge in an open-top bus tour, as the places I still wanted to see were along the route.  Apparently I have bad luck with open-top bus tours (remember London's super cold and rainy experience?) as it was entirely too hot to stand being in the open air for too long.  As it was Friday, many of the stops in Deira and Bur Dubai were closed, which was just as well.  I had heard great things and the heritage villages and museums, but I didn't necessarily feel the need to experience them today.  The first part of the tour was mostly for scenic and orientation purposes.  I got off at the exchange point and switched to the other tour line for some stop-and-go action.  The highlight was seeing the beaches along the coast and getting great views of the Burj al-Arab, the iconic sail-shaped hotel, purported to be 7 stars.  I had considered having tea there so I could get a glimpse of the interior, but it didn't fit into the plan this time.

My first stop was at Souq Madinat Jumeirah, a purpose-built indoor souq near to some of the big-ticket hotels and resorts.  I wanted to go there primarily to see if I could grab lunch at Trader Vic's after the previous day's disappointment.  Unfortunately, I arrived at about 3pm, when they were serving only a limited bar snack menu.  Disappointed again, I 'settled' for mussels and pomme frites at a Belgian restaurant.  Better frites, not as good mussels as my first outing.

I actually enjoyed the souq's offerings more than I anticipated and bought a few small art pieces.  I am kicking myself now for not taking the time to peruse some watercolor prints.  Oh well, I had an open-top bus to catch.

The bus made its way onto Palm Jumeirah and down to Atlantis, which was fascinating to see.  Another trip for another day! 

I left the bus at Mall of the Emirates, intending to visit Ski Dubai.  Then I walked inside.  Not only was it as labyrinthine as Dubai Mall, but it seemed that much of the population had the same idea.  It was PACKED.  I finally made my way to a viewing area for the ski village but gave up on finding the entrance.  I've seen snow before.  I tried the movie theater for a diversion and a way to put my feet up, but there was nothing that I wanted to see starting anytime soon.  I tried to figure out where the taxi rank was but found the exit to the metro first.  Perfect!  I thought.  I'd head to Dubai Mall and see a movie there and head back to the hotel from there.  Except that the metro was quite a hike from the mall itself.  And then it was a 10 minute wait for a train.  And then the train was packed.  And then when I got to the Dubai Mall stop, I realized I had no earthly idea where the mall was in relation to the metro stop.  A bus pulled up at that moment that said "Dubai Mall", and I got on.  Along with about 100 other people.  We finally made it to the mall, which seemed quite a way from the metro station, and I sighed with relief at having some idea where I was, having mastered this mall the day before.

The cinema was packed, but I managed to get one of the last seats to see Men in Black III.  Perfect.  I ordered some nachos, which ended up being dinner, but they were perfect.  The movie was pretty good - I really do like the series - and it felt heavenly to put my feet up.

After the movie I found the taxi rank, where the wait was twice as long as the night before.  Amazing!  I finally reached the front and headed back to my hotel, where I put on my compression socks to soothe my aching feet and collapsed into bed.

I had a leisurely morning on Saturday, breakfasting at the hotel and then packing.  I got to the airport and checked in without much fuss.  The wait was bearable, as was the flight.  Hasta la vista Dubai!  Thanks for a great weekend - I'll be back!

Views of the older sections of Dubai

I am a bit obsessed with the awesomeness of these traditional wind towers.

See another one here

And more. I think this is the heritage village in Bur Dubai.

More dhows on the Creek.

Burj al-Arab

Wind towers built into Souq Madinat Jumeirah

Another Burj view

Gorgeous landscaping at Souq Madinat Jumeirah

The lushness of the grass in sweltering heat amazed me.

Burj al-Arab

First glimpse of Atlantis

Atlantis in all its pink glory!

Wind towers on Palm Jumeirah

Part of the Dubai skyline

Another Post, Another Pack Out

All righty.  It's pack out time!  UAB is packed and ready to go, storage is packed and taken away, and they just started on HHE.  But since it's Ramadan they're only working six hours a day (and that translates into only 4.5 packing hours a day, apparently).  So this will take two days for sure and possibly three, though I completely understand why.  I am trying to keep the A/C on full blast so they don't get hot and dehydrate themselves too much in the process.  They seem a good, conscientious, and efficient crew, so I'm satisfied.  The cats are unhappily locked in the bathroom.  I am taking surreptitious sips of water when nobody is looking, but the banana I had for breakfast isn't quite cutting it. 

I was remarkably calm in the hours leading up to pack out, making me wonder if I was doing it wrong.  But I was more prepared for this one than for my previous two, even if it didn't seem that way in the weeks and days leading up to the big event.  I am a bit afraid I have more than 7200 lbs, despite purging probably 1,000lbs of trash, clothes, and paper over the last few weeks.  It's probably closer to 4,000-5,000 lbs, which is still a lot.  Nothing I can do now but wait and see.

My hope is that I will get through writing Dubai, Muscat, and Taif travel posts in the next two days.  We'll see.

For now, back to supervising the process!