End of the academic year and looking forward to going home

Salary symphony, music to my ears. Each end-of-the-month, some 30 or so people who sit around my area on the fourth floor of Building 14 on campus receives a text message at just about the same time as we are notified that our salary has arrived in each of our bank accounts. We all bank at the same bank which has set up office here on campus and has some sort of special agreement with the university. Definitely a sound we all look forward to with anticipation.

A large group of us went out to one of the fish restaurants in the small town right next to the campus (Thewal). It was an Arabic meal all spread out on a low table with us kneeling or sitting cross-legged on the floor. The fish are mainly grilled. Interestingly, they slice the fish to make large squares of meat and then grill the fish. When presented at the table, we reach out and grasp one of the cubes of meat and pull them away to set them on our plate. Put some tabuli (chopped parsley and onions) and hummus beside that with some salad and a few other things and you have a good feed. Drinks were 'Saudi Campaign' (apple juice and pop) and a glass of water.  I found the meal to be good but for the price, I think I could find something else of better value. The gathering of like-minded folk was sure worth it though.

Shopping for a new computer. Well, our 'old' Dell laptop purchased before we left for Dubai in 2003, has finally been retired. I blew the sound card when we were setting up our first rental place in Dubai and the thing has had sound issues since. Lately, it was taking over 15 minutes to start up -- and this was after I formatted it and installed the operating system again before I came here. I now have a Dell desktop computer in a smallish box. I have moved from 40 Gig HD in the laptop to 325 with an additional 1000 Gig in this new one! 8-)    Arindam and I purchased the same machines but I got additional memory. I am really happy with the speed I now have.

Of royal account. Each year at this time of year, the whole Saudi government moves from the center of the country, where the capital city is located, out to the cooler climate of Jeddah.  Recently we have had a number of VIP visits including one from the King and then shortly after, from his brother the Crown Prince. The highway between Jeddah and the university was closed as well as the roads inside the campus and people are notified shortly before the road closure to leave campus early if they need to go to Jeddah. We, who live on campus were also told to vacate our office buildings or be prepared to stay till the visit was over which could be 7 pm or much later.

Talking about royal activities around Jeddah, Arindam and I were down in Jeddah and as we drove around we saw many military helicopters with scanning devices attached and open side door with people looking out. As we had arrived at an electronics store, we watched the road as it was shut down with blockades and police driving back and forth. Shortly, about 20 black vehicles drove past at high speed flanked by police cars. Included in the convoy were a black flatbed tow truck, two ambulances that I could count, a few Hummers, a fire truck, a bus, and some other large vehicles. Most of the extra vehicles were probably along 'just in case'. Definitely, it is a major undertaking to move royalty around by vehicle.

World cup fever is definitely present and accounted for here. There are a number of public locations on campus where large screen TV or large theatre-sized outdoor screens are set up to show the matches. You really have to be out of Canada or the States to grasp the fervor surrounding these competitions. One good thing here, is that the games start in South Africa at about 2 pm our time so most people can get in almost all of a regular day's work before their attention is pulled away by the matches.

I have given the house a cleaning, especially the second bedroom in preparation for Garnet to arrive. I pulled up the duvet and discovered that there was only a single sheet under it -- no mattress cover and no fitted sheet. So I put in a call to 959 and I have some being delivered tonight at 8 pm. I sent a text to Donna asking for another set as well. I did not know I could ask for things like this when I first arrived. I have even found that I can call 959 and ask for them to come and replace burnt out light bulbs! Hmmm, probably making a call about being low on milk would not cut it though.

It was HOT today! I looked at my iPhone around 2 pm and it said that the temperature in Jeddah was 47C. Someone in the office said that at 12 it was 51C! One great thing about being right on the coast is that there is usually a breeze and oddly enough, it is mainly dry, so the heat is not too bad -- definitely not as oppressive as Dubai was most of the time.   This was the first time that it has been anywhere close to this temperature since I have been here and might even have been a record.  Actually, we are often rather cool in the AC of the buildings so a 5 minute walk around the campus at noon is a nice opportunity to warm up. I would not enjoy the heat as much if I had to work outside though.

This weekend is my last dive before I leave. We are on a boat again. We are going out with a company called Desert Sea Divers. I am looking forward to sharing the magic of scuba diving with Garnet when he comes.

Which brings me to my final paragraph. I am leaving for Edmonton at 2:40 am on the 1st of July so not much sleep for me that night! I will arrive in Edmonton around noon the same day having being in transit for something like 20 hours... We will be heading directly to Mellowdale convention and then back home for a short retrofit of the trailer and then off to Vancouver Island where we will go on a 5 day sea kayak trip. This is from the website.  " The Islands and the surrounding crystal clear ocean are the home of Sea Lions, Seals, Pacific White Sided Dolphins, Otters, colorful birds and the largest starfish and clams of the world. Ancient trees along our shore provide nesting habitat for more than 200 Bald Eagles." I might not do a whole lot of swimming in the cold water, but will bring along my underwater box and lean over the side of the kayak and shoot a few photos of what drifts below us. 8-) Once the kayak trip is over it is back across the mountains with a stop each way at my Mom and Dad's place for a night stop before we need to get Donna back for work again. Donna tells me that I will only have ONE weekend at home! I am devastated. How can a month go by that fast? I sure hope I can cram in a visit with all those I want to see in that short a time. Oh, and I KNOW that Donna has the contents of the 'job jar' prioritized for me. I am ready, bring it on!