Photos: My favourite of the family in the pool; Going to Sealine through a town called Al Wakra where Qatar Petroleum operates through the desert along the coast

So as usual most of our days are spent doing school work, cleaning, etc etc, but on 21 August we went Shopping and had a huge spoil for the kids.
We first went to the Aspire park where the kids got to play on the jungle gym, but as usual it is so indredibly hot they lasted about 20 minutes and were back in the car to cool off. but at least we go out in the fresh hot air for a while.
Then we went to the shopping centre to Ice-skate, but had to wait an hour for our turn so we decided to go shopping for costumes for the kids (me and the kids), and in doing so landed up buying them new clothes which they needed any way. Sean initially was not interested at all in shopping but when I told him he could choose his own clothes he came in and started enjoying the whole process!!! The kids had an absolute ball and basically got themselves 2 new complete wardrobes of clothing…..
Then off we went to ice-skate, it was so much fun and I loved getting back on the ice, something I will do more often, it also gives me something to do with the kids that is more physical.

22 August was spent going to Sealine, it is a resort next to the sea (obviously) outside of the town of Al Wakra which is basically owned by Qatar Petroleum, one of the biggest employers in Qatar. It is the mose enormous refinery I have ever seen, it stretched for at least 2 kms across the desert surface and there is so much oil that they are continuously burning it off. The desert is unbelievable, just miles and miles of flat hard sand which then runs into dunes, some moving others permanent…..but a hard hot terrain with bunches of stumpy grass every here and there. We then went to the outside area of Sealine and let the kids (men included in that statement) go on a camel ride and stood in the sea, let me tell you there was pretty much no difference in temperature from the air to the sea water. I also found it sad that they have absolutely no care in keeping the environment clean and there is rubbish lying around everywhere, plastic bags, glass bottles in the water, very very dissapointing……And it is so easy to be environmentally friendly! Something to look into here.
On to the Sealine resort, where we could actually have been anywhere, a nice resort probably equivalent to the Sun City Cabanas, the plus is that you have ablutions which is necessary with the kids. I managed a nice swim in the sea which is very very salty so you can float for miles, but once again the sea bed is scattered with litter…..
Best part was going back and in Al Wakra we found a pucker local restaurant, we were suffled up to the family area and spent a good hour and a bit tasting all the different dishes. Sweltering with the air con just managing a small breeze, it was loads of fun. This is the part that I love the most, is just mixing with the locals and living less like an expat.