Got our visas for India, yahoo! Goa here we come!

However, what I don't have are my new fins. I prefer booties and strap on fins versus the slipper fin where you just put your bare foot into the fin. Those give me blisters. So, I went to buy some of my own strapped fins to go with my booties, and I wanted a pair of gloves too.

I did all my homework reading reviews etc and narrowed it down to 2 types of fin to try. Tested them, as best you can when not in water I suppose, and decided. I also picked up gloves, and a set for Rory plus a carry bag.

I tried to use my credit card and the guy was mumbling something about Master card doesn't work at his shop. I didn't have enough cash on me. So Rory hands over his Visa card, which also does not work. So now the guy is trying to convince me that our credit cards are messed up, but of course it was his machine. Finally, after 10 minutes of this nonsense, we say we'll walk to the ATM at the hopsital just down the street and be back in 5 minutes. "OK, OK"....

We go to the ATM, get the money and return only to find the bastards closed the shop!!! Seriously. I was like...you know, I was willing to pay more just for the fins than an entire kit that I could have bought online just to be supportive of local businesses and THAT is the kind of 'customer service' you get in this part of the world. Sigh.

Completely different story, Rory and I went to Alton Towers while we were in the UK for his best friend's wedding. We stayed at a great bed and breakfast called The Smithy up in the Peak District. Lots of rolling hills and sheep! We like to collect funny photos of ourselves at various amusement parks around the world. This is my favorite so far. Sonic Spinball is about the craziest little coaster I've been on. I mean, look at my hair, it's going in 3 different directions!!

I had a most interesting visit to the Indian Embassy this morning. For starters, the map they had on their website was wrong. We drove around neighborhoods for a while to no avail, then just happened to run into an Indian man on the street who knew where it was! He lead the way in his car - thanks man!

I did all my homework online to find out exactly what I needed to get the visa. Fill out tourist form V-1, bring proof of your return plane ticket, and hotel confirmation. Great! So we did all that. Didn't have a glue stick at home so had to paper clip our photos on the pages.

Got to the window and the guy starts ticking off all the unfilled areas - which indicate on the form only need to be filled in when you qualify for those conditions. For example, "Sign here as a tesatment that if you are entering India for 1 year or more, you will leave if you find out you have AIDS". So, I didn't sign because I won't be there for a year. But we had to sign anyway. Several areas like this follow.

THEN...you also have to fill out 'this' form, in duplicate. WTF!! Why wasn't that form, or that information ON THE WEBSITE under visa requirements??? So we had to fill those out in a last minute scramble. He also screamed we couldn't affix the photo with paper clip. I'm like, great - I don't have GLUE on me do I? So, I chewed a piece of gum and used little bits like glue strips. Quite genius really, and it worked.

With all the ado about those forms, we finally get a ticket to the window to apply - only to find out we're also supposed to have a photo copy of our passport and work permit. Which seems odd considering I was about to HAND OVER MY ACTUAL PASSPORT. Isn't the original more proof than a copy? So, Rory had to push his way back in a huddle of men to get photo copies at 30 cents each.

Then at the cashier's window, the woman charge me and my female co-worker an extra 10QR, for no apparent reason. We already got charged an extra 75QR for being Americans. Gotta love it.

So, off to India next weekend for Rory's big 3-0!!!! Going diving in Goa, woohoo!!!

Off to London this afternoon and I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE MY HUSBAND!!! Too short of a stay this round but at least I accomplished the task of officially becoming recognized by NYS as Mrs. Webber! It was really nice to see Carey and Leetee, sorry we couldn't work something out Mrmike.

I guess I brought the Doha sunshine and warm weather with me, because it's leaving with me too! I do what I can ;)

Until next time.

I made it in late last night by some grace of the cosmos. Only appearing in the B-lo area for a few days with a tight schedule and lots to do - but if you'd actually like to see me, give me a shout and I'll see if we can't work something out.

I've got to do phone interviews almost every day with folks back in Doha and a lot of name changing stuff, but there should be some free time here and there.

Ya'll probably hate it, but I'm LOVING the rain right now. Gray skies actually feel so nice once in a while.

More photos from the trip to Atlantis in Dubai.


Dubai skyline


massive viewing tank in the hotel...i mean MASSIVE. it's 3 stories tall and holds some 11 million liters of water.


all the tanks are meant to look like the lost ruins of Atlantis, very cool


and an entourage of rays in flight


the tank is so huge and I was shocked they actually have a young whale shark in it! i learned more about this unusual sighting:



the aquarium, or 'lost chambers', carried the Atlantis theme with all kind of artifacts and machinery


Rory is um...testing the environment suits for leaks?


that's a biiiiiiiig grouper


sunrise over The Palm


Burge Dubai, the tallest building in the world


at the water park we went on this slide ride where you end up gliding through this shark tank


and cute rays greeted you with a smile, it was pretty impressive


for (e:matthew)