Todays delay

Matt: Well Kelly's VISA is being held up by a large backlog in the UAE. So sadly things have been delayed for a short time (9 days) I am still planning of going out for a week on the 5th March to get my feet on the ground and hopefully find a job. I'm quite excited about the prospect, once there I'm sure things will feel a lot better and more positive.

Hispanic trip

Matt: Whilst some of us slave over hot stoves, well luke warm computer systems then, Others, Namely Kelly, are off relaxing in warmer climates. Kelly's gone to visit Tony and Judy in Spain. Apparently the temperature aren't much warmer than the UK at the moment. We had snow in Weston last night, not a lot but a little so yes it's really cold.

Things are progressing here. I'm arranging meetings with agencies for when I visit Dubai early march. But it's proving pretty difficult to pin people down. Only this morning I tried to send an email to a recruitment agency and must have got the address wrong 5 times. Trial and Error!

To me, to me..

Matt: Kelly and Jo had a marvelous time trying to get 'The Box' into Kelly's car. Sadly I was at work and unable to help *titter* But with some neighbourly assistance they finally managed to squeeze it in.

Kelly met with the Lady from the BBC who is filming a documentary on Dubai, which will involve the Gulf News. They got on well and both parties are interested, so hopefully when Kelly starts work they will visit her to do some filming. Although, personally I suspect Beadle is involved and I'm gonna be a laughing stock.

Pack up your troubles..

Matt: After a busy weekend where not a great deal got down we are getting ever closer to travel dates. So with thanks to Mick for arranging it, we have the chance to ship one box of stuff, the space allotted was 2'x 2'x 2' and do you think we could find a box that size??? Well let me tell you we couldn't, So we made one, it turned out a little bigger but not by much.

With box in hand we packed up some of the bigger stuff that we need, my PC went *sob* but it makes sense as rebuying that out there would be expensive. The other essentials were: Karaoke Machine *sigh*, Xbox *grin* Towels and a few of Kelly's clothes. Now as my PC is involved I'm counting on this not being an air drop (There will be trouble Mr. Pearce)

Return of the Crane

Matt: Jojo is traveling back to the UK today from her very successful and extended trip to Abu Dhabi. It will be good to see her, after all it's been over three weeks.

Things are quite on the movement front at the moment. It's all rolling along in the background. Still no word from the agencies in Dubai, although I am keeping onto them on a regular basis.
Everything tends to have a slower pace in the U.A.E. and we're just not used to it. Still we will persist and achieve.

A big fat well done you

Matt: Congratulations go out to JoJo Crane, She's done it!!! She's been offered a job working from Abu Dhabi with Etihad! Yep Cabin Crew Crane, is taking to the sky!! Really well done Jo and good luck! xxx

Is that Jo at the back there?

Today: The Gulf News, tomorrow: The BBC.

Kelly Ann Crane: hehehehe.....
Oh Darling, sweetie, gorgeous......just got off the phone with the BBC.
Got a meeting with Ann, director of a six-part series about Dubai.
It seems they may want to film me sweetie!!!!!
But......oh sorry, must dash.....it's Elton on the other line....chow.

Fancy a date...

Kelly Ann Crane: Well it looks like it's finally happening!
Nilanjana, the HR lady from the Gulf News, has emailed this morning to say that it is looking likely I will be able to fly on Sunday, February 27 from Bristol.

Now it all feels really really really real......arrghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
I then plan to stay with Mummy and Mick (ESD) until Friday, when hopefully they will take me to Dubai.
I have asked for the hotel in Dubai to be booked from Friday, March 4 and I start work as a reporter for the Gulf News on Saturday, March 5.

How strange that will be!
Well onward and upwards.......i think......i hope........i'm sure!
xxx

Car boot love

Matt: A knackering but successful weekend. Kelly and I went to cheddar car boot sale with 2 cars full of gathered belongings on Sunday morning. 7am start on a Sunday? I'm sure there are laws against that. Anyway after fighting off the traders we finally managed to get 2 tables up and gradually put most of our merchandise out.
We seemed to have a very popular stall for most of the early hours, people buy the weirdest things yah know. Some low-life decided it would be great idea to steal Kelly's Friends DVD's, we were not impressed! Anyway after several hours of hawking in the cold and wanting to punish a small child on the stall next to us ("everything on my table 3 for a pound, C'mon") I must have heard that at least 627 times, we decided that our sale was a success and we packed up stall and moseyed home, with only one car semi-full of stuff.

We'll be back again I feel.

Planning a trip?

Matt: As we have just about invited everyone that we have spoken to, to come out and visit us, I thought it might be prudent to give you a few web sites where you can find out a little more about Dubai and the U.A.E as a holiday destination.

Go Dubai
Dubai Tourism
Dubai Holidays


And so you have an idea of where you are going, here's a map.



Come on in - the water's lovely!

and again.

Matt: Thanks to a friend at work here in the UK, I have made contact with another agency, word of mouth always seems to ride a little better on the winds of employment. I must have more CV's out there in the world now than I care to think about, too many people know who I am.... Perhaps I should relocate to another country, How exciting would that be?

Incidentally, we are both on the mend health wise, stupid colds are just damn right inconvenient! I mean to say, who came up with the idea of colds anyhow? Ridiculous

Move along

Matt: Things are moving along, Kelly has had confirmation that the U.A.E. Embassy in London have received the certificates and will be sending them back to us shortly. Once we have them, Kelly will be sending a bundle off to Dubai for the final stages of the VISA application. It's all coming on.. These aren't the droids were looking for, Move along..