Moved to Abu Dhabi!

Yes, that is past tense. I moved to Abu Dhabi last December. Thirteen years, in fact, to the day I left the United States for Saudi Arabia, December 27^th. Making the decision to leave Saudi Arabia after 13 years was monumental. This post is about exploring why I decided to leave and what my future plans might be.

Making life changing decisions is never easy. It is stressful, sparks feelings of uncertainty, and fosters anxiety. I have learned over my life that I do not do well with life changes. I am a creature of habit. I like to know what the future holds even if that future is not my forever future. And when I am stressed I fall back on old habits. . . Stress eating is my coping mechanism. You would think that I would have learned to cope better by now, wouldn't you? It was the difficult part of the process. Getting the job was the easy part. I applied for and got a job working with a friend in Abu Dhabi. The process took almost one year but finally happened after many ups and downs. Moving house was not too difficult either. Leaving friends behind was very sad. L

As I write this, it is not lost on me that this blog was primarily set up to document my travels and I've just admitted that moving countries stresses me out! It's not just moving from Saudi Arabia that is the problem. It is also moving away from friends I know that I cannot see regularly or may not ever see again. It is what it is. Only thing I can do is acknowledge the feelings and push through them.

Anyway, back to my story. . .  After I finished school last year somehow I got the notion in my head that I wanted to work from home. I have been researching online teaching positions in graduate programs. I called my DNP program at MUSC and applied for a position with them as well as a few other universities.  As I was searching for teaching jobs I noticed YouTube videos published by people making really good livings working on their computers from anywhere in the world. I started to research more by listening to podcasts, reading blogs, and watching vlogs about location independence. Many terms describe this type of lifestyle and don't necessarily mean one travels the world while doing it. There are virtual, remote, work-from-home jobs, location independent jobs, freelancers, consultants of all shapes and sizes. At some point during my research I decided that I wanted to be a digital nomad. This combines the work-from-home or laptop lifestyle with travel. And I love to travel. I want to do it full time. That might not mean traveling every day but rather traveling slowly. I want to try both ways to travel. Maybe I will like traveling more frequently initially, then slowing down. Or maybe the reverse will hold true. Either way I want to try being my own boss or having more control over when and where I work.

I can picture myself in a café in Ubud, Bali, Belgrade, Serbia, or Buenos Aires, Argentina, grading papers, writing content for a website, or doing some occupation as yet unknown to me. The picture is enticing. . . I want to set my own hours at the same time be able to make a decent living. I don't need to be rich or make so much money that I don't have to work at all. The idea of having freedom to come and go as I please is what drives me. I would not be subject to anyone's rules about working hours or have to deal with people and their problems. A dear friend told me years ago while working as a bank manager that people have problems. Truer words were never spoken! Managing people is stressful and not what I want to do for the rest of my life. I want to inspire and motivate people. Who better to do this with than students?! I am still on the hunt for an online position but am also exploring other avenues. I firmly believe that having multiple income streams is the way to go these days. No longer will we put all our eggs in one basket and stay with the same company for decades. Depending on one company in troubling financial times can have devastating effects. With multiple income streams, one can better mitigate the effects of a falling economy. Thus, I am beginning to look into alternative ways to make a living.

And that, my friends, is the reason for this post. I will begin to explore the options of writing regularly on this blog. Can I do it and produce decent content, enough that people will find it interesting and want to follow the blog? Can I commit to the process of writing? I don't see myself as a natural writer but I love the written word. Reading is a long time passion. The challenge will be to write enough to keep myself interested.

Soooo. . . . . It's been a while. . . . .

Bali rice fields.

More than a while, really. More like 4 years and a lot has happened in four years. I've lost the equivalent of another person in weight, traveled the world to some bucket list destinations, continued my education and completed a doctoral program, and changed jobs (well, company changed, job stayed the same). 

I traveled to Bali in 2015 for a well desired couple of weeks of rest and relaxation. The most complex decision I made during my time in Bali was whether I wanted to spend the day at the beach or the pool. I did a bit of sightseeing while there as you can see in the picture to the right, with the famous rice fields of Bali behind me. The interior of the island was truly beautiful and worth a return trip. Maybe one day. . . 

La Paz, capital of Bolivia.

A few months after my Bali trip, I took a much-anticipated trip to South America where I visit Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador. Bolivia was the first stop and an amazing introduction into the ancient people of South America. Bolivia is rich in pre-Incan cultures. I also reached a milestone while in Bolivia, my highest altitude on land at of 13,000 feet. This elevation was reached at the international airport in La Paz, Bolivia. It sits on a high plateau above the main city which is shaped, roughly, like a natural amphitheater. I had a horrible headache for a day but it went away after I took some medication. Cocoa leaves are plentiful for a natural remedy. It was available in the form of tea, candy, or chewing on the leaves. Several of my traveling companions avowed the tea was a great way to combat an altitude headache. However, it was illegal in other South American countries so my traveling companions had to ensure they consumed their quantity before traveling to Peru.

Machu Picchu, Peru.

Peru was truly a bucket list item with Machu Picchu being the crown jewel of adventures. We visited many sacred Incan sites and I hiked to the Sun Gate at Machu Picchu which was an ancient entrance to the lost city. We had varying weather with clouds coming and going and playing peekaboo with the surrounding mountains and the city itself. We hiked into the cloud layer but as we approached the gate the clouds moved over and the sun shown for a bit, enough time for us to get pictures. You can see me to the right with my DSLR camera around my neck (that was not fun) as well as my walking poles (invaluable!). The hike was not difficult, about 2 and a half hours long, not technical, and wide enough for both directions of traffic to pass with ease.

Sacsayhuaman ruins, Peru.

We also visited other sites such as the one to the left, Sacsayhuaman (pronounced "sexy-woman", no joke!😉). The sun was bright and the sky clear. We had amazing weather during our week in Peru. The food was amazing as well. I ate ceviche for the first time in Lima under a misty, cloudy sky overlooking the ocean. Apparently, Lima is known for fog covering the city most of the time.

Sea lion, San Cristobal, Galapagos.

And the final country I visited on my trip to South America was Ecuador. Ecuador was a total surprise to me. It is a small country that packs a big punching terms of culture and nature. Quito is a little bit of Europe in South America with a quaint European style city center. It also has a thriving tourism industry with coastal cities which cater to holiday makers. But, of course, we were there to go to the Galapagos archipelago. Ecuador tightly controls entrance to this nature reserve. You can only visit the islands with a guide.

On the boat in the Galapagos Islands.

We spent a week on a boat cruising the islands with our group. We had the boat to ourselves and were able to visit several of the best islands for viewing wildlife. We walked among the boobies, iguanas, and sea lions one of who paid any attention to us. We were also able to snorkel with sea turtles and black tip sharks! So much more amazing and less scary than I had ever imagined.

Tara Street Station, Dublin.

It was a couple of years before I took a trip where I visited somewhere I hadn’t been before. In 2017, I visited Ireland which had been on my list to visit for many years. Given the origin of my name and heritage its surprising I had not visited sooner. . . I was there only a short time but packed a lot into those days. I visited the Cliffs of Moher, the Aran islands (Inis Oirr, for those wondering), and attended the races in Galway! That was an amazing experience. It's much like our Kentucky Derby. The sightseeing was possible because of the reason I was actually in Ireland, to attend a conference in Dublin. Needless to say, there was time to see a bit of Dublin such as the obligatory Trinity College and the Book of

Inis Oirr, Aran Islands, Ireland.

Kells, an evening exploring Temple Bar with Irish friends (fun!), and finally, finding my name EVERYWHERE!!! 😊

Dressed for the Galway Races!

The next trip included a trip to the UK to see friends. We spent time in Edinburgh, Newcastle, York, and London. I love the UK! So rich in culture and easy to navigate. Only downside is the cost. It's expensive! But we had a great time reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones. It was a bit of a whistle stop trip, only 10 days, but we packed a lot into those days. That was in the summer 2017.

Christmas with the Hargetts!

Christmas 2017 was spent first touring European Christmas markets in Vienna, Prague, and Munich and then at home. I had an amazing Christmas with the Hargett’s!!! It was a special Christmas for me since I had not been to the USA for Christmas in several years. I

Vienna.

so enjoyed seeing my very dear friends and experience old and new traditions. We ate oyster stew on Christmas Eve which is an old tradition in my family and went to the movies on Christmas day which is a new Hargett family tradition. I was privileged to experience both.

My most recent travels have been short trips with only one bucket list trip, Egypt. A short 5-day trip to Cairo allowed us to visit the pyramids, Egyptian museum, Luxor Temple, Temples at Karnak, The Valley of the Kings, and Queen Hatshepsut's temple. Amazing journey! Despite being quick, we saw all the things we wanted to see.

Great Pyramids of Giza.

Prime Meridian, Greenwich, UK.

The Egypt trip was followed by a trip to London and Cambridge for another conference where we visited the Prime Meridian line which you can see behind me on the wall. It is the line from which time is measured around the world time zones. For example, where I live in Saudi Arabia, the time zone is Greenwich mean time (GMT) + 3 hours.

 

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Pampering in Oman

Beautiful view!

Relaxing at the pool.

My most recent trip was a relatively short one. We had a long weekend in June so I decided to explore a bit more of the Middle East. Oman seemed a good choice. The flight was a short one at about an hour and twenty minutes.

The objective of the trip was rest and relaxation at the Shangri-la Bar Al Jissah Resort & Spa. And it certainly delivered on the relaxation! At a five star level of service it more than took care of us. I can honestly say that I have never been more pampered at a resort than at the Shangri-la. Many other people from Aramco felt the same. I was able to share a taxi to and from the airport with folks that I know who all had the same idea in mind for the holiday weekend.

Another beautiful view.

View from our room.

What I saw of Oman was full of gorgeous scenery. The Arabian gulf sparkled a shimmering aqua blue on one side of the resort and dramatic mountains marched down to the water surrounding the resort.

The views were stunning but the hot and humid temperatures prevented too much exploring. That will have to wait for another time.

Pampering at its best!

Asian cuisine.

What can I say about the pampering? As we lounged by the pool the attendants thoughtfully bought a cooler full of cold water, juice, and, to our surprise, cool Evian facial water spray to refresh ourselves.

The food was fantastic as well with many restaurants to choose from. We decided to eat Asian one night and continental the second night.

And the piece de resistance was the Chi Spa. We had use of the spa facilities during our spa treatments and we were lovingly pampered.

I will definitely return to the Shangri-la in Oman. Must more to see and explore when the weather is more cooperative.

Travel Hubs

So, I thought that I would talk a little about traveling around Europe. Trains are absolutely the way to go. Here a few pictures of Paris Nord station.

The availability of trains going to all different parts of Europe is staggering. If the train dosen't serve an area then there are buses that do. It seems like there is no need for a car in most places. Better to have a bike as you can take it on the train. Bike are used everywhere. Especially in Amsterdam. . .

Ahhhh, Paris. . . .

So, it's been many years (11 to be exact) since I have been to Paris. Was not originally planning to visit again. But there is so much to see and do in Paris no matter how many times you visit (this will be my fourth time) it's never old or boring. A little sightseeing, a little shopping, a little strolling. Ahhhh, Paris!