Ummm … my Uber driver seems ready for business.

Thanks, jerk.

I think the stuffed camel has died.

An unsuccessful day at the mall searching for dresses that: I liked, were appropriate for the event I was buying for, and actually fit.

Also: one-piece swimsuit shopping.

I left the mall having done well over 10,000 steps, with only new soap and about a years’ worth of purse lotion (damn Bath & Body Works sales) to show for it. And a full belly, since I was there after dark.

One perk of Ramadan: spent way less on Starbucks than I would have otherwise, since coffee shops aren’t open during the day and I was too tired and full after dinner to go out of my way to find one before hailing my Uber home. This perk is also one of the most frustrating things, but that frustration *has* gotten me to step back a bit and examine why, exactly, I’m finding it frustrating and why I think I *need* mall coffee exactly when I even quarter want it. Well played, Ramadan, well played.

On the subject: we’re just over halfway done with the month, and I’m bummed that I missed the kids’ celebrations (called Garangao) on Friday. Next year, I’ll do better and get out for them! Garangao is a kids night where children go singing traditional songs around the neighborhood and receive small gift bags and sweets from their elders (sounds kind of like Christmas caroling, just when it’s 90-something degrees). I’m not sure if it’s a Gulf-specific thing or not, but the malls and popular gathering places were all holding celebrations with shows and crafting workshops and other stuff for kids and families.

Yup – in the air again – on what I hope will be my last visa-related flight: the one where I get my family visit visa at the end.

And I must say, after all the uncomplimentary things I heard about the Kuwait airport, at least the Qatar Airways Lounge was nice. Kinda wanted to see if the aqua velvet couches could fit in my hand luggage. The rest of the terminal was fine – cigarette smoky at points, and the bathroom was ludicrously small, but at least it was bright (unlike what is now the old Muscat airport, which was always strangely dark in the terminal).

Love it when friends bring me new menus to nerd out over 😍😍

West Bay

City Center

Sheraton