Home Safe - Christmas with Family and Friends

I would like to wish all my family and friends a very

MERRY CHRISTMAS
and an even better, safe, happy and healthy
NEW YEAR!!!!
Take care over the festive season!

Love and best wishes
Toni x

I had a lovely Christmas with Family and friends and I am looking forward to the New year....Watching the kids get excited over their presents was priceless!!!

Here are some pictures from Christmas Day!!!!

Heading to the beach to see in the New Year!!!

Will upload some photo's when I return....

Dubai

Dubai has it all - sea, sand, sun and shopping! It's everything I expected it to be and more!!!!

Dubai Stopover - December 19th-21st 2006
Leaving London Heathrow was a little sad, but I was excited to be returning. The airport experience this time round was a nightmare. They have reduced the luggage limits and hand luggage. You are only allowed 20kg. My luggage weighed in at 37kg - trying to be organised for Chrissy pressies, I shopped before I departed!!! And I was running late!
I had to reduce my luggage or pay an extra 237 pounds... When I heard this I suddenly fell ill!!! The contents in my suit case probably wouldn't even be worth that much cash!!!
Lucky I'm a charmer!!! The lady felt my pain at the desk!!! I had two bottles of wine that I had recieved as gifts - they weighed a few Kg so they were the first to go! Of course I gave them to the lady behind the desk!! Then she only charged me for 3kg over - even though I was still 15kg over the limit!!! How lucky was I to have got her behind the desk and had wine with me!!! Anyway 56 pounds later and I was on my way!!! Got ushered through massive line ups and then sprinted to Gate 19!!! Made it wiuth 5mins to spare - phew!

Admiral Plaza Hotel
Stayed here for a two night stop over. Great place with really friendly staff!!!

Dune Dinner Safari
Decided to go on a desert safari making the most of my two days here in Dubai.
We left at 4pm and headed out of the City to the rolling dunes through the Dubaiu Desert Conservation Reserve, deep into the heart of the desert.

The whole experience was adventure plus!!!



Activities

• Four-wheel driving on the sand dunes - This was so scary at the beginning, but then I settled down and bewgan to enjoy the ride. We were literally sliding sideways down dunes!!! Crazy.....
• Camel riding at the Camel camp - Not as comfortable as I thought!!! Exciting though to be very high up!!
• Watched the sun set and wrote my name in the sand. As I was doing this, these arabic men came cruising up on four-wheel motor bikes... They offered for me to have a go so I did!!! Very fun, but those who know me well, know that I would only putt along sensibly!!!
• Dressed up in traditional costume (not for long though!!)
• We then went to the encampment, where we were greeted with a traditional Arabian welcome. They are such lovely people!! - We relaxed on cushions on the floor and enjoyed some aromatic shisha, had a henna design painted on my hand (only for the women), was entertained by a belly dancer (who drove with us from the beginning of the tour!! She was from romania - very stunning!) and finished with a tradition Arabian feast and listened and even danced to Arabian music ... It was a great night!!!

- Sorry about photo quality: When the sun went down I forgot to use the night vision.... You can get the gist of my adventure though!!!!

Dubai City tour

Background:
Dubai is a city of fascinating contrasts, offering a distinctive blend of old and new. It's where East meets West. In less than a century, under the visionary leadership of Dubai's ruling Al Maktoum family, it has been transformed from a small fishing village into a modern vibrant city full of surprises.

The tour included sights from both the new and the old Dubai. The tour started with a stop at the Jumeira Mosque, one of the landmarks of Dubai, followed by a drive along the Dubai Creek, the lifeline and pulse of the city. We then stopped and walked around old Dubai, and continued to the Al Fahidi Fort, which houses the Dubai Museum. We did a tour of the museum where I learnt a lot about Arabian culture and living. Also learnt about the young history of Dubai and plans for the future!!! From here, we walked through the souks and cross the Creek in an Abrah (water taxi) and continued through the spice souk, with its aromas of exotic spices and the walk to the Gold Souk with its 220 glittering shop windows (I'm not really a gold person though!!!).

Then drove around the new city and saw many of the amazing sights Dubai has to offer.

City Tour sights just to name a few:

• Wafi City
• Karama
• Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House / Heritage and Diving Village
• Deira City Center
• Wonderland /Al Boom Tourist Village
• Indoor Ski slops
  

Beach Tour:

• Deira City Center
• Wafi City
• Jumeirah Beach Park
• Jumeirah Public Beach
  
• Burj Al Arab (7 star hotel - see picture) - shape of a sail!
  
• Souk Madinat Jumeirah
• Le Meridien Mina Seyahi
• Le royal Meridien
• Oasis Beach Hotel
• Hilton Dubai Jumeirah
• Sheraton Beach hotel
• Mall of Emirates
• Mercato Mall
• Jumeirah Mosque

Caterham School - PE & Games Teaching

CATERHAM SCHOOL

- Girls' Games Teacher

(Autumn Term 2006)

Me in the staffroom being silly!



Caterham School Girl's night out

'Bollywood' Indian Restaurant

Inside my flat at Caterham

Caterham School PE Murder Mystery Party

PE Murder Mystery Party

Murder @ the

Cafe' Resistance in Reigate!!!

Host: Anne Collins - aka Franc Le Orrful

A great night was had by all - With fantastic company, what else could be expected!!

Guests in attendance: Broughts (Policeman), Lav's (Gee I Joe - murderer), Helen (Radio announcer - Julie Noted), Anne (Chef & owner of cafe'), Greg (Pilot - Gerry Basher), Emily (Interogator - Naomi DooYoo), Nat (Nurse Gently), Aubrey (Frau Nalot), Tryster (General Kopov), Jo (French Maid), Jodax (The sausage man!!! Phil Le Girth - very funny) & me (cabaret singer - Liza)!!

Everyone in the PE department dressed up to their role. The best actor on the night was Marc Broughton, putting on a smashing french accent. Lav's ended up being the killer, which no one guessed!

We had several bottles of wine, the fire was crackling and the Christmas dinner served up by Anne and Lav's was amazing!!!! It was a grreat night and I will never forget it or the fantastic Caterham PE department!!!!

Ireland

3 Day Southern Ireland Tour

Did an awesome 3 day South tour with Paddywagon. Joe was our driver and although appeared scary at the start, had great humor and was lovely. The tour group was great. We all got along famously from the get go, dined together of an evening and then hit the pubs and clubs together. The Irish people really make Ireland - They are the friendliest characters I have met - Great people and I can't wait to return and explore more of this great country.

The tour hightlights were seeing and walking along the world famous Cliffs of Moher, Clonmacnoise and kissing the magical Blarney Stone 9see picture - belly up). We stayed is great places - First in Killarney and then had an action-packed night in Galway - Ireland’s seaside Party Town! It was such a gorgoues town - really lively!

Tour Itinerary Summary:

Day 1: Dublin to Killarney - Left Dublin's Paddy Palace at 8am and began the adventure, drivng through amazing landscape. We stayed overnight in Killarney, ate Irish stew and had a few Bulmers!

Day 2: Dublin to Galway: The morning started with a refreshing Horse led ride through the National Park on the world famous Jaunting Cars. We then drove across the Cork & Kerry Mountains and then I kissed the Blarney Stone. Had lunch in a traditional pub - sampling the seafood chowder and then had a guided tour of Cahir Castle in Tipperary before exploring wonderful Galway and staying the night. Hit the pubs and clubs and was upset to learn that they don't really like Caffrey's here - The bar tender said it's like our fosters - get's sold overseas more!!! They didn't even have it on tap at any bar I went to!!! So instead I tried a pint of Guiness - I really enjoyed it!!!

Day 3: Galway to Dublin . After leaving Galway, we drove along the atlantic ocean, cruising down the West Coast of Ireland. Drove around great Burren landscape before gazing in awe at the gorgeous cliffs of moher (when windy can be very dangerous - apparently 7 people lose there lifes walking along them each year!). Finished the tour with a walk and a quick soccer match in Phoenix Park, Europes largest! Which supposidly has 5,000 Red Deer running wild - I didn't see one deer on this tour, however I ate Venison Stew! (poor bambie). Saw the large Papal Cross and Aras an Uachtarain (the home of our beloved President Mary).

After the tour I walked the main shopping streets in Dublin and then headed for the Hotel to meet Ben and Joel for a night out in Dublin. We headed into the Temple Bar area. The next day watched the International rules match - 2nd Test Australia v Ireland at Croke Park - Great stadium!

Dublin - Australia v Ireland International Rules Match - Sunday, November 5th 2006

After losing the first test of the International Rules series in Galway last week, Australia hit back at Ireland and hit back hard to claim the Cormac McAnallen Cup on aggregate score after a crushing 38-point win at Dublin's Croke Park stadium.

With 82,000 in attendance, the Stadium had a great atmosphere. Fights were a plenty in the first quarter making it very exciting. Got invloved the the mexican wave and then sang our national anthem proudly. The game had an exciting first half, however the the Aussies had a huge 3rd quarter to pull away and then it was a white wash - The excitement in the crowds decreased as the Irish fans began to leave early on in the final quarter. A easy win was had by the Aussie woth the match and also the fights!

MATCH STATS

Australia 3.15.6 (69) defeated Ireland 0.7.10 (31)

Captain: Barry Hall

Goals Australia: Brent Stanton, Brendan Goddard, Ryan Crowley Overs Australia: Barry Hall 4, Justin Sherman 3, Ryan O'Keefe 2, Danyle Pearce 2, Chance Bateman, Aaron Davey, Nick Davis, Brendan Goddard

Best Australia: Danyle Pearce, Barry Hall, Justin Sherman, Dustin Fletcher, Aaron Davey

Yellow Cards Australia: Nick Davis, Barry Hall, Brett Peake, Chance Bateman, Adam Selwood