Well ….we are back! It was our first trip away from this place since we arrived in Aug . Everyone here says you have to leave every 3 months to stay sane and you know what?? they are right!!
So we packed up our Disney gear and we were off. Now at home we would pack our suit cases and get a ride or park our own car at the airport for our flight . But not here. All of the flights seem to leave in the middle of the night , so having friends drive u is a little cruel. Also the airport charges by the hour for parking no matter how long you are gone for, so leaving your car there for a couple weeks can prove to be a little more difficult. SO we do things different, you book a driver (aka call try and speak broken english then text just in case all they knew to say was “yes sir”, and text again the day off just in case, then at the last minute just do the Saudi way and cross your fingers and try and have faith that it will work out). It is strange and everytime it amazes me ...but it works out . So we load up a small suv with 4 suit cases, stroller, 5 carry ons plus the back seat has a car seat with a child in it but not strapped down , then me in the middle with a child on my lap with the seat belt strapped around both of us , with another child beside me , and Brandt and the driver in the front. Totally normal! Off to the airport we go, which is about an 45 min drive and as i have said before it’s the middle of the night , like about 10/12pm and so the road are of course Crazy busy! becauae everyone comes out at night?!
Get to the airport, and there is a porter there to pack our suitcases around for us , thank goodness . After we have checked in (which by the way took about 1 1/2 hours as something just take longer here) go to security for the first time leaving this way , into my women only closed off section i go with 2 of the kids. All im going to say is ..that was different. And before you get on the plane you go through a women’t only area security again . Random!
But off we went 3 kids 8 hour flight to Germany in the middle of the night …what could go wrong! but it was all good most of the little people slept then we got to germany and were so excited as we had a 7 hour lay-over ( which is also our new normal for coming back to our side of the world) and we are new members of the maple leaf lounge in Frankfurt airport! living the high live now!!! As we serched , and searched for the lounge we decided that as people are not all that friendly here they are a heck of a lot more helpfull than the people we encountered in the germany airport! 2 hours of taking the train and dragging the kids through the airport , being scanned and checked 3 times through 3 different security points we finally found the lounge! So happy we were hungry tiered and dirty! Now as all of you have probably been in a airport lounge at some point in your life time think back long and hard , how many children have you seen in there? yup probably not many and the old me would have been very self concise to roll in there with my 3 little quite angels , but the new me…meh why should they not get to enjoy that life to! So the lounge was packed! must have been good breakfast that day . But it emptied out and we were able to get 4 chairs together and it was a nice little morning , breakfast and skylar had a nap . We even enjoyed a shower , another thing i never thought i would say. Who takes a shower at an airport , well the tracey’s do now , it was so wonderfull! Off we went for the last flight before orlando , a small 10 1/2 hour jaunght across the ocean , well all can be said is ….that’s A LONG FLIGHT! but made it and after many random questions at customs , like where are you from ,? why do you live there “ do you like it? we were at the hotel in the land of the Free! And after being in the land not so free you can really notice the things that you are missing out on ……The air was crisp and Clean and the people were talkative and kind and no one batted and eye at our screaming and playing children , it was Wonderfull!!
We did 7 Days in Disney world and we went hard! we left the hotel every morning before 7:30am to get to the parks for rope drop and did not return until the parks were closed around 8/10pm it was good . The theme of the first week how ever was Cold and tired! I have never been so cold in Florida in my life!!! Now being Canadian you would think we would have a bit of a tougher skin for a cool brisk morning in the 40’s but man! it was so COLD! i had to purchase a real jacket while we were there for us to survive! and being as my kids refuse to where pants they do not have any so their little knees were COLd. During the week we partook in a lot of FUN! . we did a lot of shopping ! The kids had so much fun ! then we were off to the Cruise boat! This was our first time on a cruise and being as it was a Disney cruise we were pretty sure it was going to be good but we had no idea how amazing it was going to be!
The Boat was amazing , the kids club was wonderfull every day The older 2 would spend on average about 4/5 hours there! and even The youngest partook in some kids club action! it was a wonderfull week of enjoying and relaxing! Not once did i wake in the middle of the night because i though my world was ending , nor did i worry about what i was wering or who i was going to offend or bother , i didn’t have to use a converter and adptter to get my curling iron to work . No laundry , no food prep no stress! our biggest concern was what should we wear to dinner:) So wonderfull , but with all the joy it was hard to know that we were going to have to come back , I over herd other people that were sad that they were going to have to go back to work and in my mind i was sad because i was truly going to leave freedom . Something i have learned i Definitely have taken for granted in my life , but reality is what it is. We got on the plane and returned to the Country we reside in, The kids were so confused they don’t know what/where to call home and they act like gypsy kids living out of suitcases ad cars most of the time . Skylar asked many times if we were going to come back to the tower and if we were going to have the same car and where did all of her toys go. Poor girl she will have a home some day….#adventure
To add to the cofustion We decided that me and the kids are going to be going back to Calgary for spring break! HURRAY! originally i was going to have my mom and dad come and check our Saudi but after desideding there is not much here to do or see …..i would fly home with the kids …alone! Crazy right i think this is the perfect example of what you can do when you really want it! Fingers crossed it goes well:)what’s the worst that can happen right??:)
here are the pictures:)
So all you who wonder who flys across the world to go back to some place they have been countless times?? Travel see the world right...wronge GO TO DISNEYwe are like 2 big kids! Living the dream in Disney! 2015
I have to say we did appreciate it a lot more this time than we did before , we appreciated the people speaking the same language all the time , food with english writing on it , Driving a normal speed on the roads , Fresh clean air , Clean streets and sidewalks , And greek yogurt and PORK products!!
First day , this is the day I learned Jet lag is real! kids up @4:30am , at ihop by 6 , parks by 7:30......wowzers~I used to think this whole jet lag was like the elusive retails therapy , proven wronge again!
So our goal every day was to have a pork product , AKA bacon! the kids took this challenge to heart! even colby got in on the action.... you don't realize how much you miss these things until someone says you can not have it , it's like a child being told no....food for thought
So this is slightly ironic , i have not driven a car since Aug which is roughly6-7 months and you would think "great i can drive i'm going to drive everywhere" I actually drove NO WHERE!! not even did I get to drive the race cars at Magic Kingdom . I ironic is that one. i can't wait to go to Calgary and drive my mom's car , i'm sure she's going to love that one ....sure here are my keys daughter of mine , i know you have not driven in 6 months and are probably going to drive like a wild women ... have fun! (Right mom)
Yup , this is what you think I pork Shank.....I hate to admit it but my family were like cave men at times...."pork ...give...me ....must ..have...more"
This was epic! all i can say
So here in Saudi everything delivers , probably because women can not drive to pick these things up , but we finally got mc donalds delivered , very high tech to . online ordering and it comes straight to your door!
Just another day shopping at the Souks , trying to blend . Or playing dress up one of the two , either way it was great !!! Can't wait to show the Family all the Awesomeness we brought home for them. just picture Banff Gift store meets middle east Bazaar(like in Indiana Jones) oh the treasure we found~ just to name a few , bobble head Saudi man , pen's with local dresser characters....oh and did I mention gold and silver are fairly inexpensive here! so we have acquired a few cool pieces of jewelry
some of our finds , the kids check our genie lamp everyday...no such luck yet ,
This is "michelle" written in aribic made from 18krt gold with two dimonds on the bottom, Custom made for me:) happy wife...happy life
So ....can you spot the problem here , we are sitting at the light waiting to go straight. Apparently he needed to turn so he just picked the lane closets to where he needed to go , makes perfect sense right?? This is after we got all packed up we had a big day today going to the Food store(aka Safeway) I had seen on one of my Facebook groups they had some good imports this week and wanted to check out. So go all "dressed up" , checked the prayer times to make sure we didn't get locked in the store , got there only to find they are closed! because friday has a long morning prayer ......now you think no big deal but lets remember i leave the tower about once a week so when i go out it's a big deal!!! so i was so frustrated all i want to do was shop:( one more Saudi opsticale , so off to camp we went to do our shopping , where apparently there is a major shortage of chocolate chips , frozen strawberries and pop corn........yet again totaly normal......
On a positive , someone started pre school!!! I know your all doing the math yes he is only 2 and a half , but living in the tower , there is not a lot for a kid this age to do and he is bored out of his mind .Not anymore!! he is living the dream! and so am I . And you can not beat the commute....down the elevator. And his cute little uniform shirt!
Well that sums up the last couple months , things are going good , the countdown is on until me and the kids come home for spring break then it's only 11 week after that till we are back in Canada for the summer !!!We are true embracing the Expat life , which i have decide means traveling as much as you are home , and home is a lose term. home is the place that you have most of your belongings which is located in the Country you currently reside in. So basically Expat means homeless but employed...lol
The adventure continues!
