There are no long summer evenings in Dubai. Over here the sun sets around 5:30pm in Winter and 7pm in Summer.
At this time of year when the weather resembles good old British summertime (minus the rain), I’m feeling nostalgic for those long summer evenings… barbecues… unmistakeable scent of freshly mowed grass… inevitable battles with hayfever… the cosy fire as the chill sets in.
Ah, the cosy fire as the chill sets in. Now that I can do with right now.
My first visit to Dubai was in January 2008. I spent 6 months here that year and the feel of the hot sun on my skin was a daily delight.
I looked forward to stepping out of the door every morning knowing I was walking into a big warm hug. Even in searing July, I loved the heat. After London, no amount of sun could ever be too much!
Now it’s January 2013 and Winter’s warm hug is less huggy, more hand-shaky. Not because the sun is different, it is me, I am different.
My body has adjusted to the climate in this part of the world – whereas before, all year round felt hot and lovely, now I am feeling the seasons, Winter and Summer at least.
And you know what? Mornings and evenings in January are chilly!
I do believe I’ve graduated from being a visitor to being a local!
Well, not a Local local obviously. In the UAE, ”local” is another word for Emirati.
There’s a joke about that. An Emirati and a Saudi meet in New York. The Saudi asks, “What Nationality are you?”. “Local.” comes the response.
It does feel chilly! I was out walking my dog at 0530 this morning in a hoodie and big scarf and I was not warm. Still, I was wearing less than I used to wear sitting at home on a winter’s evening in my drafty London house with the central heating on full blast so I shouldn’t complain (not too much anyway).
My first few months in Dubai I really missed the light in the evenings. It was so beautiful and warm outside that it didn’t feel right that it was dark. I’m used to it now but I do appreciate being in Scotland in mid summer and having daylight well past 10.30pm.
I use the term local to mean Emirati but also sometimes to mean a resident. So many people here have spent decades here, some their whole lives here, so I think they can be called local. If I’m talking just about Emiratis then its that or nationals.
05:30 – You are good!
I’m taking advantage of the cooler mornings to have a lie in. Crazy-o-clock is for summer!