Moving out day came around, as they always do, more quickly than expected and there was a certain flurry of activity by our family.  Three cats needed to be taken to the Dubai Kennels and Cattery before flying home and there was the small matter of checking off several hundred boxes packed by the very efficient packers.  As we were moving in August there was also no one around to help with looking after four children….

I started the day thinking that I could meet the rest of the family across the road in Spinneys for a relaxing coffee while the packers loaded up all the boxes.  How fabulously naive I was.

As the Tribe hid under the stairs watching the iPad escaping the chaos, the cats were whisked off and the boxes were loaded.

The boxes continued to be loaded – it’s amazing how much we accumulate …  As FoTT took the Tribe off for breakfast, I was left with the task of ticking off the boxes, for the customs inventory, as they were brought out of the villa and

packed into the container one by one.  It was about 42 degrees and about 85% humidity; a little uncomfortable, but the guys packing in the metal box of the container were probably working in about 60 degrees plus.  They were

amazing and all credit to Interem for their incredible hard work; they worked all over the Eid weekend at the end of Ramadan, in ridiculously high temperatures.  The team were good humoured and happy to work around the occasional member of the Tribe who would cartwheel or skateboard through the empty (other than the boxes!) villa.  The Tribe returned with all manner of ice lollies and cold drinks for the crew and eventually the

container was sealed (with its 365 boxes!) and heading for Jebel Ali Port before beginning it’s voyage back to Southampton.  Meanwhile we headed to the luxury of the new hotel in Dubai, The Oberoi.