The Shifting Sands

Biking in the UAE couldn't be any more different than India or Kathmandu.  Aside from the obvious differences between the desert, the tropics or the mountains it is the the biking facilities that make the UAE amazing. They say you should never get the photographers shadow in a photo! A 10 minute drive from where I live is the Al Qudra cycle path.  A dedicated, butter smooth 85 km bike path shaped like a lollipop with a 18 km stick and a 49 km loop at the top of the stick. At the bottom of the stick there is a car park, showers and change room and at the intersection between the stick and the loop is another large car park, change rooms, first aid facilities, coffee shop and bike store! The terrain is pretty flat through the desert but the nature of the desert changes from sand dunes to rockier areas.  There are shaded rest stations every 10 km for those who get a little weary but at this time of year it is cool enough for long time residents to don cold weather gear.

Kate all frocked up It has been a long transition to the UAE.  Kate and the girls left Mumbai for Dubai on the 15th of November.  I drifted between Paris, Mumbai and Dubai for work reasons and we all went back to Australia for the Christmas/New Year period. Great view, shame about the Whitney Houston soundtrack First of all was the most important event, Kate's Birthday, which we celebrated Dubai style with a new frock (Australian for dress) and her new SJP shoes (Sarah Jessica Parker for those in the know, or so Lucy tells me).  A nice Japanese dinner near the Burgh Khalifa followed by a view of the evening water show at the base of the tallest artificial structure in the world. Linner with the harbour in the background Next is was off to our first Christmas at Kate's sisters beuatiful house on Sydney Harbour. Some beach time, distance swims in the harbour, beautiful hilly runs and a wonderful Christmas with the Sy