Day 72

Enjoyed a day off work, so spent it with family going round a shopping centre and being drowned out with festive music. At least people are cheerful and getting in to the spirit of celebrating spring. I of course joined them with a customary cheeseburger. We also decided to purchase some roller blades for me and spent the afternoon terrorising the cleaning staff as the Whitbys bladed around the first floor, trying not to fall over (at least Ali and I were).

Cannot quite believe that we have been in Astana for this long, but there has been plenty of drama to keep us occupied. Finding out that single bedroom flats have 4 electrical sockets in their kitchen was quite strange when we have only 1. I would love to know what was going through the architects mind when they came up with that decision. Still, everything is still new and shiny. One downside was how thin the walls and ceilings are. Any little sound transmits quite audibly through to the neighbours (and vice versa). That will take some getting used to. I feel I am designed for a detached dwelling and not even sure if I could cope going back to Central Avenue. Perhaps our neighbours will sell up so we can get next door, though we would miss them!

There is a crazy pricing strategy in Astana. You can buy one Disney puzzle for £1.50 and the next one for £5, similar finish and number of pieces and both well-recognised movies. Lego is either really expensive or suddenly on 50% sale, so the Tie Fighter the Matthias got for Christmas is now £20 and I am tempted to buy one just for me or wait until the X-Wing is reduced in price.

But I did buy Ali a present today. For all the hard work she has done over the last few months (and years), she is now the proud owner of a washing basket and washing up bowl. Who says romance is dead? ;-)

Ray