Happy New Year

English version after the pictures

Dagene før jul gikk fort - så det ble ikke noe bloggskriving på meg. Nå er det så lenge siden at jeg ikke husker hva som foregikk! Jula ble litt uvanlig - varmen gjorde at vi ikke fikk noen julestemning i Desember. Så reiste vi til hver vår kant for jul, før jeg dro til en kald Oslo i romjula der vi gikk en del kalde turer på isen og på skogsstier - snøen glimret med sitt fravær. Minus 16 var det kaldeste vi så. Tilbake i Doha var det deilig med dagstemperaturer over 20C, men det var kaldt på morgenkvisten - bare 11 pluss føles kaldt ut når man er ellers kledd for varmen!

Vi kom hjem etter juleferien midt på natta - 03:30 - og valgte da å sove et par timer ekstra før vi dro inn på jobb. Den første uka gikk bra med mye aktivitet på jobb og i fritiden. Det har vært en tennisturnering i Doha denne uka med verdens beste mannlige spillere i action. Vi så både kvartfinalene og finalen mellom Murray og Roddick, der Engelskmannen (Murray) slo Amerikaneren forholdsvis lett. Etter en kald start til uka, har det blitt deilige temperaturer igjen - godt over 20 på dagen - og vi har kunnet sole oss og bade i bassenget.



Bilen viser bare +11C - det kaldeste vi ha sett her i Qatar.
The car thermometer shows just 11C - the coldest we have seen in Doha.


Minus 16 utenfo huset til Rønnaugs foreldre
16 below at Rønnaug's parent's house.


New Year's Eve celebrated with Rønnaug's school-day friends Bente and Tone (who clearly are twins)
Nyttårsaften ble feiret med Rønnaug's venniner fra skoledager - Tone og Bente (ja - de er tvillinger).


Tennisarena i Doha.
The tennis arena in Doha.






Litt underholdning med tradisjonelle kameler (dromedarer) ved tennisturneringen.
Some traditional entertainment from this camel (it is a dromedary) at the tennis tournament.


Mer i sitt element.
More in its own environment.

English

The days before Christmas went by so fast, that I didn't get to put a last blog out for the year of 2008. Now it is so long ago that I can not remember exactly what happened - and have nothing to write about from that period! Christmas however was rather unusual - Rønnaug flew to Oslo a few days before I left for my break + leaving me all alone on Christmas Eve. I flew to Manchester on Christmas Day - meeting up with my parents, sister a niece and three grand nephews and my sister's parents in law. A good time was had by all. I flew to a cold Oslo after a few days (including my sister's 50th birthday) where we got out a bit for some cold walks on the frozen lakes and paths. After seeing temperatures as low as minus 16C, it was nice to get back to 20C or more in Doha. We arrived home at 03:30 in the morning - supposedly going to work just a few hours later - we had a few extra hours in bed before getting to work.

Going back to work after a holiday is always a bit of a shock to the system, but we soon got into the routine again. This week the world men's tennis championship has been played in Doha - we saw the quarter finals and the finals between the two Andy's Roddick and Murray - a quality match which lead to the British Murray beating Roddick in straight sets.

After a few cold mornings - as low as 11C, the temperature has warmed up a little now and we have been able to sun ourselves by the pool and swim in 23-24C.