The Shifting Sands

Saddling up in the pond for the main channel with the conveyor belt to to top of the channel behind me My old Army mates, Dan and Cam, needed a little bit of R and R from the challenges of life in Dubai.  So a trip to Wadi Adventures seemed like a great boy's day out given that our families had absconded to cooler climes. We started with an hour of surfing in the wave pool with the intermediate wave which is an A Frame. This means we were able to have multiple surfers on the wave where "one guy can break right, one's left simultaneous"  (just like Apocalypse Now but without helicopters, mortar fire and napalm). Unfortunately, I don't have any photos as no one wanted to miss a wave to get the camera. Thank goodness it was only an hour as, with 90 seconds between waves, my arms were very heavy by the end of the session.   The photos show the middle third of the main channel. Plenty of angles and crossing curre...

Ada has had a couple of surfing lessons at Wadi Adventure, the white water and surfing facility at Al Ain.  It is an easy place to spend the day and keep everyone occupied. Here is a couple of clips of her surfing and body surfing.

Some of you may be aware that we are relocating to the UAE and I will be starting a new job with much of my work in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.  At present we are in the throws of relocating. The house is packed and Kate and the girls are in temporary accommodation in Dubai.  The process has been pain free.  Within an week I had a residents visa and Kate and I had orgainsed a rental property, a bank account, kids in school, mobile numbers and Kate was confidently driving around the city. In addition to all the chores, we also sorted the kids with some activities.  For Ada it was Nippers at Umm Sequiem Beach and for Lucy it was badminton. For the third child, me, it was getting down to Wadi Adventure the white water and surf park about 150km south west of the City on good road. The park has a wave pool which is capable of producing a 3.3 metre wave every 90 seconds and the ability adjust the type of wave depending on the needs of the participants.  Looks like an...