Day 38

Even now the view from the top
is making me feel "vertigious"
(Ali's new word of the day)

Its minus 15  degrees C, not a cloud in the sky and the sun is almost warming. Whilst this was a great day to spend with the family, it started off with Rebekah coming in complaining of a tummy ache and then had a nose bleed. Poor girl seems to forget to pinch her nose whilst walking about the apartment dripping a little trail of red dots. Anyway, given that it was nearly getting up time, Super Dad jumped to the rescue, only to find Ali was already dealing with her in the bathroom. If it was earlier then it can only be Ali’s job. I simply don’t function properly during the night, much to Ali’s amusement when she tries to get any coherent sentences from me.

We did get outside, but only by taxi to Keryen shopping centre. It’s a nice place, except that it feels too open on all the upper levels and the escalators are too exposed and I kept imagining myself toppling over the side to my doom. I suffer from slight vertigo and for some reason I felt it acutely today, even sat still at a table with cheeseburger in front of me, my palms were sweating at the thought of having to get an escalator from the top to the ground floor. There are observation holes dotted throughout each floor to the lower floors. They have metal and glass barriers, which don’t help my mindset. Both Ali and I are fearful that somehow the glass will give way and the children will fall. But then Kevin from work had accidentally tripped over some marbleized tiling at work and a whole lump of masonry broke off. Perhaps it is right to worry.

Anyway, we purchased a humidifier, which was rather exciting. However, it did take 30 minutes from paying to actually getting the thing out of the store. It is a strange practise here to remove the instructions (and any other useful parts) from the box, before placing the item on the shelf. I think they need to play games to keep themselves occupied. Then you have to wait whilst they test any electrical  item. Whilst I was getting fed up and over heated, the children were amusing themselves with a 3D TV. Had to have a burger to calm down.

Was great to talk to Les and Sue via Skype and playing the Yes/No game across the continents or maybe continent, if we take the land mass as Eurasia.

Ray