Fire and Ice

I have often said I much prefer being too hot than too cold. My theory is that I can get rid of hot in various ways, but not get rid of cold. So it goes without saying that warm, sunny days are precious to me, especially since I moved to the UK , where the most common weather conditions are cold and dark. Summer is all-too brief in the UK , with perhaps two months that have the possibility of ‘nice’ weather (i.e. sunny and warm) but rarely is the weather good for anything longer than a week or so. Things quickly revert to the more usual conditions of cool and cloudy, if not actually cold and raining. So for someone like me, that really doesn’t enjoy cold days, the very few nice days are something to cherish, to make the most of, to really enjoy to the max… except that these same warm and sunny days are also the days that bring out my hayfever. AH isn’t that a kick in the teeth?! So basically I suffer so much on these gorgeous days that sometimes I find mys...

As I’ve told you, I kinda liked Dubai because the city is bonkers, the weather is nice and it was a nice place to spend a few nights. I also briefly mentioned that I had to get a visa for Dubai and glossed over the detail because I was willing to let that one slip… I hold a Mexican passport (YES, even after all this time) and this document certifies me as a Mexican citizen and general undesirable in most countries in the world. Yeah, that’s right – but it’s ok, I have grown used to being treated like dirt (or, when I’m lucky, just merely ignored) so I wasn’t surprised when I learned that I’d need a visa for Dubai. The Dubai visa system is a little different from others I’ve experienced: it mainly requires for someone to sponsor me for my visit – luckily this can be done by the hotel you’re staying in. So once the hotel is booked, they send over a bunch of documents that need to be filled and a list of requirements. I dutifully filled out the form and sent copies of my pass...