Author Archives: Circles in the Sand

About Circles in the Sand

Sun worshiper, journalist, mother, pilot's wife and distracted housewife living in the land of glitz and sand

Confessions of a cruiser (part 2)

Posted on July 13, 2017 by Circles in the Sand

Perhaps the biggest surprise came when checking in at the cruise terminal. “Oh, there’s Davin from school,” said Son1, as though it was completely normal to come across a school friend some 8,000 miles away from home. They gave each … Continue reading →

Posted in Parenting, raising boys, Travel | Tagged 3-day Caribbean cruise, Atlantis Bahamas, Caribbean cruise, CocoCay island, confessions of a cruiser, cruise ship swimming pool, cruises, Majesty of the Seas, Royal Caribbean, Royal Caribbean private island | Leave a comment

Hi, my name is Circles and I’m a cruiser (part 1)

Posted on July 12, 2017 by Circles in the Sand

As an airline family it never occurred to me that a cruise might be for us – I had visions that a cruise would involve being stuck on a boat awash with a novovirus outbreak and quarantined to a tiny … Continue reading →

Posted in Travel | Tagged 3-day Bahamas cruise, Bahamas cruise, Caribbean cruises, cruise stereotypes, first cruise experience, Royal Caribbean | 1 Comment

The dos and don’ts of a Dubai summer

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Circles in the Sand

Don’t– – Bother straightening your hair. Within an hour you’ll look like a lion with a proudly fizzy mane (“That scene from the Lion King, where Simba shakes his head as he gets out of the pool, singing hakuna matata,” … Continue reading →

Posted in Dubai, high humidity in UAE, Parenting, UAE | Tagged dos and don'ts of UAE summer, Dubai heat, Dubai summer, Dubai summer temperatures, Middle East summer, signs it's summer in Dubai, surviving Dubai summer, UAE summer | Leave a comment

Expat Brats: The Signs To Look Out For

Posted on June 7, 2017 by Circles in the Sand

My friend A was recently worrying whether her children were becoming expat brats. On a trip back to the UK, her sons were horrified when she got out to fill the car with petrol and insisted they wait for ‘the … Continue reading →

Posted in Parenting | Tagged children in Dubai, Dubai kids, expat brat syndrome, expat brats, expat children, expat children Dubai, spoilt expat children, TCK, third culture kids | 1 Comment

The Thai foot massage with a happy outcome

Posted on May 30, 2017 by Circles in the Sand

I treated myself to a foot massage while in Thailand over the past few days. I chose a foot massage as it didn’t involve a locked back room, stripping all my clothes off and lying face down with my eyes, … Continue reading →

Posted in Parenting, Travel | Tagged Karon Beach Phuket massage, mum in Dubai, Thai foot massage, Thai massage | 1 Comment

The overseas school trip (aka: pricey package holiday)

Posted on May 3, 2017 by Circles in the Sand

I’m back! It’s been a while, mostly due to work taking over my life for a couple of months. Having just surfaced from full-time officedom, I suddenly find we’re just a week away from Son1’s first overseas school trip. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Dubai schools, Parenting, School | Tagged expensive school trips, first overseas school trip, overseas school trip, school trip | 4 Comments

Just an everyday trip to the vet in Dubai

Posted on March 2, 2017 by Circles in the Sand

This morning’s activity was a trip to the vet with my beloved Bella for her annual vaccinations and check-up. Nothing unusual in that (bear with me!). For people in other parts of Dubai, the vet we use – Nad al-Shiba … Continue reading →

Posted in Dubai, Parenting | Tagged dogs in Dubai, Dubai exotic animals, Dubai vets, exotic animals Dubai vet, falcons, falcons in Dubai vet, Nad al sheba vet Dubai, Nad Al Shiba vet Dubai, Nal Al Shiba veterinary clinic, pets in Dubai, UAE national bird, visiting the vet in Dubai, which vet? Dubai | Leave a comment

Tooth Fairy BUSTED!

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Circles in the Sand

“Don’t tell Mummy!” Son2 glanced at his brother and stifled a laugh as my curiosity grew. He brought his index finger to his mouth. “Shhh.” “Don’t tell Mummy what?” I asked, deeply suspicious. Hopeless at keeping a secret, Son2 then … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Dubai, Expat, Family, Parenting | Tagged telling children the tooth fairy isn't real, the truth about the tooth fairy, tooth fairy, tooth fairy a fake, tooth fairy busted, when kids find out you've been lying about the tooth fairy, when the kids find out the tooth fairy isn't real | Leave a comment

Move over Mary Poppins – meet the Granny Aupairs!

Posted on February 21, 2017 by Circles in the Sand

Worried about leaving your kids with the housemaid? An older nanny with wisdom and a sense of adventure could be just what you need Bobby’s dream was always – should she be alone after retirement – to spend time abroad … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Family, Parenting, raising children in Dubai | Tagged alternative to housemaids in Dubai, au pairs Dubai, au pairs UAE, aupairs Dubai, aupairs UAE, childcare Dubai, expats in UAE, German families in Dubai, Granny Aupair, Granny Aupair Hamburg, granny aupairs in Dubai, help in Dubai, household help UAE, live-in helpers Dubai, mature au pairs, Michaela Hansen, nannies in UAE, older nannies, Western au pairs Dubai | 1 Comment

Hiring Home Help in Dubai: How to begin your search

Posted on February 10, 2017 by Circles in the Sand

INFO POST: Whether you’ve recently moved to the UAE, or simply grown tired of battling the housework on your own, finding the best cleaner in Dubai is easy once you determine what sort of home help fits in best with … Continue reading →