Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Me, by January?!

I never really believed people who said ‘oh you acclimatize to the heat in Dubai’ when I first arrived here, sweating and puffing my way through 50 degree days on a sun lounger. I clearly remember one miserable day in Doha where we got caught outside whilst waiting for our driver in the height of summer.  I actually thought that my eyelids would stick to my eyeballs and they’d pop out cartoon style, such was the dry, brutal sunshine. 

Yet I have definitely noticed a change.  When my parents visited in May they really struggled with outdoor eating, whereas I sailed through it.  I even had dinner on a terrace in late July this year, when the mercury was hitting 40. (I’m not saying I looked attractive during this process, but I did handle it without a grumble.)

And as I head into my fourth winter, I’ve noticed that this works both ways.  I’m cold.  All the time.  And it’s not AC induced.  At the beach last week I sashayed down to the sea only to be faced with Baltic water. I was forced in up to my waist but let me tell you, that won’t be happening again until at least June next year.  Hideous.

My latest purchase: a pair of fur lined Uggs.  I originally intended to wear them round the house as slippers but recently I’ve been sporting them during trips to the park (freezing when the sun goes down) and during cinema visits.  I’m drawing the line at a wooly hat, scarf and gloves, but I did eye up a pair of fur-lined ear muffs in the mall the other day.  What next, an electric blanket? Hmmm, now you mention it….