Day 59

A wonderfully relaxing day, slightly tempered by the large crowds and bustling noise that accompanied Ramstor Mega shopping centre today. The Kazakhstanis like to go all out to celebrate International Women’s Day, so lots of singing and shopping. Curiously it appears that the women have the day off and send their children to the shopping centres unaccompanied, perhaps just for a break!

Still, we managed to pick up several sets of roller blades and proceeded to see how incredibly quick Rebekah and Matthias picked it all up. Kyria was quite content to wear the safety pads and jump on her scooter. We are all eager for the snow and ice to disappear, which will make the whole getting out thing possible. I’m still not taken with the idea of running outdoors at the moment, though Sean (friend from NU and Riverside) is keen to have company. Apparently there is nothing like running outdoors at minus 15 degrees C. Will savour that for next year as I try valiantly to run 11 flights of stairs 4 times without keeling over. I should mention that Sean is a keen triathelete and can do the stairs 10 times and then head outdoors for several miles of running. He also wants me to get a bike for the Summer, but mine has been loaned out and hopefully getting a beating from John Fuggle. If Sean heads back to Abu Dhabi, perhaps he can pick up a cheap full carbon set up, purely for to accompany him of course. We don’t need to send all our children to college and university...

Busy day tomorrow, but at least Monday is off. Will have to figure out what to do, though I think Ali already has plans.

Ray