It is still the same.

Landing on the runway, heat blasting as we walk from the plane and hop on the bus that takes us to the airport terminal.  Race to get to the front of the queue at passport control.  Tell a woman not to cut in front of me and get to the back of the line like everyone else. Watch the 5 or 10 people cutting in too far ahead for me to tell them off. 

Welcome to Qatar.

Blissfully stepping into the warmth of our home.  Waking in the morning, brewing a cup of coffee, finding the morning newspaper and savoring the silence before anyone else arises to meet the day.

This ‘coming home’  after a long holiday is always filled with mixed emotions for me. 

Recalling that our car needs servicing.  It needs air in the tires, gas in the tank and water in the dispenser to manoeuver it’s way through the mostly empty streets this morning.  I am blinded by the sun and humidity that fogs-up my sunglasses, not to mention the +45 degree heat. Needing coffee and other groceries so I drive to the mall only to remember it’s Ramadan and Starbucks isn’t open during the day and will have to buy my coffee from Carrefour.  Fumbling through the aisles with a stop at the produce section.  With a plan to start eating healthier with more fruits and vegetables I am unable to find any fruits worthy of being tossed into my cart.  Next – vegetables.  Managed to find 5 potatoes, some partly mouldy onions (making spaghetti for dinner, so needed something), dill, cucumbers, green peppers.  Will try elsewhere tomorrow.

Five phone calls and 12 hours later still with no working mobile phone service since our service provider cut it off 5 days ago while we were trying to arrange new flights to bring us back home.

Thinking I can catch up on the laundry tomorrow. 

What then?  What comes after that? 

Back to filling time….

changing clothes….

searching for foodstuffs…..

Where is the green grass, trees, lakes, sea, cafes, shops, cool air, fresh air, people, life?

I am on a search for LIFE and it is hard to find here…

I will get to sorting through all the photos from our holidays.  They will remind me of the fun and good times on holiday with DH and our kids and how thankful I am for this privilege.  I know it IS one. 

I will write some about the adventures, the small moments, the new experiences.  

But for now my strength is needed to finding the positive, the good, in living here.

And so TODAY, I will just be thankful for

• health
• home
• family
• safety
• security
• vacations

and TODAY I will think of those millions in Pakistan who have none of these things and must gather their strength to survive.