Following an exciting three days I'm back in the apartment waiting for things to arrive! We finally got bank cards on Thursday (in fact John got two for some reason!) However, the PIN numbers are proving a little more of a challenge since a different courier company has promised to deliver them on three occasions and so far failed to turn up. Without a PIN mumber the cards are not much use and there's no sign of any credit cards though I don't think I can face waiting around for another week for those to show up!
I've pretty much given up on getting the broadband installed before the end of Ramadan but I did go and buy a handset so we could use the land line. However, the all important cable which connects the handset to the box on the wall was missing when I went to set it up so it's back to the shop with that one as well. SUCCESS AT LAST! I went back to the shop and got a handset with a cable and the landline actually works - it's a small victory but a step forward none the less.
I'm sure you'll be delighted to know that the courier finally turned up with 3 PIN numbers. However, after all this waiting, I discover that all we have are ATM cards as HSBC don't do debit cards here (the world's local bank indeed!) and they haven't ordered us any credit cards despite that being one of the main reasons for opening the account. So in banking terms I'm back to square one, without any way of paying for things out here with a Dirham account, so I'm still using my HSBC UK account which is a daft way to pay for things. However, at least I have that to be going on with.
I've discovered a bus service which goes directly from outside the apartment to the Marina Mall via various other shopping destinations. It costs 1 Dirham (there are 6 to the £) and goes every 10 minutes so I no longer have to panic too much about getting a taxi. Today I even managed to come back on the bus with 2 huge, wicker laundry baskets and no-one thought I was odd! Long live public transport. We admired the new Metro when we were in Dubai at the weekend though we didn't go on it. It would be great to have one of those in Abu Dhabi but even if they start on it now (they're waiting to see how well the one in Dubai works first) it won't be finished during our time here.
Sunday, 13 September 2009
Wednesday, 9 September 2009
Frustrations and highlights
Yesterday was a trying one though, like everything here there were lots of good points as well. A chap from Etisalat actually turned up - only 24 hours late. However, having fiddled about a bit he then had to leave for a while (to pray, I think, which is not something that usually happens in the UK). However, he did return and connected the landline,or at least I think he did as I haven't been able to get out and buy a handset yet. Then, despite having not one, but two, boxes containing ADSL broadband wireless modems with him, he left without connecting the internet which was not his job, he explained and the boxes were for other customers. He said he might be coming back to fit them or someone else might come - I asked him when and he shrugged and said 'maybe tomorrow' (like The Pretenders song 'maybe tomorrow, maybe someday') I was tempted to barrricade him into the apartment until he fitted one but I thought better of it. The call centre assured me that the technician should have done both jobs at the same time but couldn't shed any light on the matter. Whilst we were out in the evening there was a missed call on John's phone from the magic technicians number which no-one answers when you call back but, as we don't have voice mail we don't know what they were calling about so meanwhile I wait! Most days I can pick up a very weak wireless signal if I balance the laptop on my knees in one corner of the bedroom so whilst ever that works I am not completely cut off though with very stiff knees!
HSBC also phoned to admit there had been a mistake in setting up the bank account which was now rectified and I would be in receipt of 2 debit cards and 2 pin numbers - all arriving at unspecified times from separate courier companies. I'm glad to know how seriously they take security that these cards can't be delivered to the bank for me to collect but it does involve a lot of waiting around. They've also set up the text alerts for whenever a card is used - now that's a really clever piece of technology which means you know immediately when your card gets used and can call if it isn't you. However, they seem to set it up twice on my number rather than on mine and John's - still it means I'll be able to keep a close eye on his spending patterns! Be a shame to know about those surprise birthday gifts from Harvey Nichols or Tiffany before the event though!!!!
Having stayed in for 24 hours to not achieve very much I was able to stomp up the road to Abela and buy some food and then carry what felt like a hundred weight of shopping home in the heat.
Ameer, the building manager arrived in the middle of all of this with bath plugs - amazing. However, they were the wrong sort and would work well in the basins but not in the baths, so back to the drawing board on plugs.
John took me out to dinner to compensate for all the frustrations of the day which was lovely. Being still new to the whole Ramadan concept we made the mistake of going out to look for a taxi just after the Magreb call to prayer - not dissimilar to wandering out to find a taxi immediately following the 3 minute warning. The streets were deserted and even after prayers every cab was heading for Iftar after a day of fasting. We were pretty hungry too but we changed our plan of going to the Sheraton and walked up Hamdan St to the French restaurant in the Novotel. It is definitely cooler now at dusk as we managed the 15 minute walk without looking too much like drowned rats! They'd moved the restaurant upstairs - I guess they open at lunchtime and the downstairs room can be seen from the street and it is forbidden to serve food in places on view between sunrise and sunset - so we were denied the 'authentic Parisienne brasserie with red check table cloths' promised by the guide but the food was lovely, especially accompanied by a glass of bubbly and beaujolais. It was a really nice evening and we managed to walk back as well.
I don't know if I've mentioned the guide before but it is a book I would strongly recommend to anyone coming to live in Abu Dhabi or even coming on a visit - Abu Dhabi explorer. It is a mine of useful information about everything from getting a visa to where to live and what to tip and the restaurant information is incredibly comprehensive (though very positive about all of them!)To be fair though I haven't had a meal here that wasn't absolutely superb and the quality of the meat and produce is stunning. Time Out is also full of useful information and snippets about new places opening as well as the plethora of activities and courses though they're all things you can do 'after work', a time which doesn't really exist in my world at present! I've now seen several copies of the Time Out 'Guide to Ramadan' which is great on the cultural aspects but doesn't mention anything along the lines of 'don't even think about trying to get an internet connection, bank account, a taxi or have anything delivered in a hurry!'
HSBC also phoned to admit there had been a mistake in setting up the bank account which was now rectified and I would be in receipt of 2 debit cards and 2 pin numbers - all arriving at unspecified times from separate courier companies. I'm glad to know how seriously they take security that these cards can't be delivered to the bank for me to collect but it does involve a lot of waiting around. They've also set up the text alerts for whenever a card is used - now that's a really clever piece of technology which means you know immediately when your card gets used and can call if it isn't you. However, they seem to set it up twice on my number rather than on mine and John's - still it means I'll be able to keep a close eye on his spending patterns! Be a shame to know about those surprise birthday gifts from Harvey Nichols or Tiffany before the event though!!!!
Having stayed in for 24 hours to not achieve very much I was able to stomp up the road to Abela and buy some food and then carry what felt like a hundred weight of shopping home in the heat.
Ameer, the building manager arrived in the middle of all of this with bath plugs - amazing. However, they were the wrong sort and would work well in the basins but not in the baths, so back to the drawing board on plugs.
John took me out to dinner to compensate for all the frustrations of the day which was lovely. Being still new to the whole Ramadan concept we made the mistake of going out to look for a taxi just after the Magreb call to prayer - not dissimilar to wandering out to find a taxi immediately following the 3 minute warning. The streets were deserted and even after prayers every cab was heading for Iftar after a day of fasting. We were pretty hungry too but we changed our plan of going to the Sheraton and walked up Hamdan St to the French restaurant in the Novotel. It is definitely cooler now at dusk as we managed the 15 minute walk without looking too much like drowned rats! They'd moved the restaurant upstairs - I guess they open at lunchtime and the downstairs room can be seen from the street and it is forbidden to serve food in places on view between sunrise and sunset - so we were denied the 'authentic Parisienne brasserie with red check table cloths' promised by the guide but the food was lovely, especially accompanied by a glass of bubbly and beaujolais. It was a really nice evening and we managed to walk back as well.
I don't know if I've mentioned the guide before but it is a book I would strongly recommend to anyone coming to live in Abu Dhabi or even coming on a visit - Abu Dhabi explorer. It is a mine of useful information about everything from getting a visa to where to live and what to tip and the restaurant information is incredibly comprehensive (though very positive about all of them!)To be fair though I haven't had a meal here that wasn't absolutely superb and the quality of the meat and produce is stunning. Time Out is also full of useful information and snippets about new places opening as well as the plethora of activities and courses though they're all things you can do 'after work', a time which doesn't really exist in my world at present! I've now seen several copies of the Time Out 'Guide to Ramadan' which is great on the cultural aspects but doesn't mention anything along the lines of 'don't even think about trying to get an internet connection, bank account, a taxi or have anything delivered in a hurry!'
Monday, 7 September 2009
Patience is a virtue
Still no broadband connection or landline at the apartment though it seems to mystify the customer service people at Etisalat as much as it does us! We got excited last night when we finally received a call to say they would come today between 11 and 12 but it's now 2.30 and still no sign - but then they may have meant between 11 and 12 at night. The chap I spoke to told me it was completely unacceptable and he was going to complain personally to his manager - they are so charming and friendly but it doesn't seem to get the job done. I seem to have a similar problem with the bank. I was feeling very pleased with myself for getting HSBC to set up a joint account here in Abu Dhabi complete with credit cards and a briefcase as a free gift. Being a Premier customer in the UK seemed to work wonders. However, after 2 weeks I am in receipt of one cheque book, which is a fat lot of use, since, just as in the UK, no-one much takes cheques and certainly not without a card. No-one seems to know why or be able to make cards appear but they are very polite and charming about it! The retailers, however, are just brilliant. Furniture arrives when they say it will and is built in front of your eyes and then they take the packaging away. Our new chair, footstool and mirror are taking a bit longer to arrive due to Ramadan but I am convinced that they will turn up next Thursday as promised. This will be good as there is no mirror anywhere near a plug so I am reduced to using the GHDs with a tiny make up mirror and weird hair as a result!
Endless patience is very important and something which I am trying to learn. I was reading a book we were recommended called 'Don't they know its Friday' which talks about the culture and way things work. It's so helpful and has given me some real insight which makes life easier. Round here personal relationships (especially family) are of paramount importance and 'tomorrow is in the hands of God'. I do like to give God a helping hand though when I can.
Today I got my driving licence so very soon I have to take a deep breath and take to the roads which will save me from lugging things around in taxis but is a bit scary, especially as we drive on the wrong side of the road in the UK! John's driver came with me to help me manage my way through all the red tape and different ticket numbers and queueing systems. He has to be one of the loveliest people I've met in a country full of lovely people. With his help I managed the eye test, the right forms and received my licence at the end of it. We were also able to have a good chat. He offered lots of help with driving 'I am the driver of Dr John Perkins' he said 'and you can call me at 3am and I will come'. However tempting that would be (not at 3am) when I have bags of shopping I don't think I would want to abuse the privilege.
Yesterday John had a meeting in Dubai and I went a long for the ride. I discovered the Mall of the Emirates which is certainly a shopaholics dream with every luxury brand available and seemingly endless shops (including Harvey Nics though I shall try to stay away until I've got a regular salary again!) I was able to see the indoor ski slope - how crazy is that in a desert country?! but couldn't compare it to the chill zone since I've never seen the indoor slope in Manchester. I think they're more used to catering for us non fasting westerners or more sympathetic in Dubai as I found a secret coffee shop behind a curtain and was able to indulge in a cappucino which felt very naughty in the morning. I went mad in Debenhams on the grounds that we had John's car and driver so by the time they picked me up I was laden down with cushions, teapots, jugs and oven gloves - all things I've failed to find in Abu Dhabi.
We're heading to Dubai again at the weekend for a couple of nights, as the weekend activity is a bit limited here during Ramadan and the beach is currently being redeveloped to open at the beginning of October (when sensible people want to go on the beach as it isn't so hot!) I prefer Abu Dhabi as a place to live but it will be fun to go on a mini holiday to Dubai.
Hopefully by the time we return to the UK for a visit at the end of September my patience will have been rewarded and we will have a bank account and an internet connection but then again maybe not.
Endless patience is very important and something which I am trying to learn. I was reading a book we were recommended called 'Don't they know its Friday' which talks about the culture and way things work. It's so helpful and has given me some real insight which makes life easier. Round here personal relationships (especially family) are of paramount importance and 'tomorrow is in the hands of God'. I do like to give God a helping hand though when I can.
Today I got my driving licence so very soon I have to take a deep breath and take to the roads which will save me from lugging things around in taxis but is a bit scary, especially as we drive on the wrong side of the road in the UK! John's driver came with me to help me manage my way through all the red tape and different ticket numbers and queueing systems. He has to be one of the loveliest people I've met in a country full of lovely people. With his help I managed the eye test, the right forms and received my licence at the end of it. We were also able to have a good chat. He offered lots of help with driving 'I am the driver of Dr John Perkins' he said 'and you can call me at 3am and I will come'. However tempting that would be (not at 3am) when I have bags of shopping I don't think I would want to abuse the privilege.
Yesterday John had a meeting in Dubai and I went a long for the ride. I discovered the Mall of the Emirates which is certainly a shopaholics dream with every luxury brand available and seemingly endless shops (including Harvey Nics though I shall try to stay away until I've got a regular salary again!) I was able to see the indoor ski slope - how crazy is that in a desert country?! but couldn't compare it to the chill zone since I've never seen the indoor slope in Manchester. I think they're more used to catering for us non fasting westerners or more sympathetic in Dubai as I found a secret coffee shop behind a curtain and was able to indulge in a cappucino which felt very naughty in the morning. I went mad in Debenhams on the grounds that we had John's car and driver so by the time they picked me up I was laden down with cushions, teapots, jugs and oven gloves - all things I've failed to find in Abu Dhabi.
We're heading to Dubai again at the weekend for a couple of nights, as the weekend activity is a bit limited here during Ramadan and the beach is currently being redeveloped to open at the beginning of October (when sensible people want to go on the beach as it isn't so hot!) I prefer Abu Dhabi as a place to live but it will be fun to go on a mini holiday to Dubai.
Hopefully by the time we return to the UK for a visit at the end of September my patience will have been rewarded and we will have a bank account and an internet connection but then again maybe not.
Saturday, 5 September 2009
John Perkins media star
Following a great article about John and the Masdar Institute in the Straits Times in Singapore they were featured in two of our major national papers today. The new students officially start courses tomorrow so he was interviewed by The National and Gulf News on Thursday and two articles appeared today.
You should be able to view The National by following the link
http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090905/NATIONAL/709049852
However, if that doesn't work just go to The National's web site and key in 'Masdar' into the search engine and you will get the article. I'm still working on the link to Gulf News.
Today John has gone to Iftar with the Minister for Higher Education which is a great honour and he is waiting the call to meet the Crown Prince. I am so proud of him and the work he is doing. I am trying to make sure that it gives me a purpose for being here which has to be more in terms of changing the world than anything I've done before. Unfortunately I do find it hard when that purpose has a habit of getting in the way of the weekend! However, I don't imagine anyone changed the world during office hours 5 days a week!
You should be able to view The National by following the link
http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090905/NATIONAL/709049852
However, if that doesn't work just go to The National's web site and key in 'Masdar' into the search engine and you will get the article. I'm still working on the link to Gulf News.
Today John has gone to Iftar with the Minister for Higher Education which is a great honour and he is waiting the call to meet the Crown Prince. I am so proud of him and the work he is doing. I am trying to make sure that it gives me a purpose for being here which has to be more in terms of changing the world than anything I've done before. Unfortunately I do find it hard when that purpose has a habit of getting in the way of the weekend! However, I don't imagine anyone changed the world during office hours 5 days a week!
Making connections without a connection
People are so friendly and helpful round here - it makes it a lovely place to live when everyone is so kind and so willing to help. I've had quite a social week and started to get to know some people. On Tuesday night we went to a networking event held by the British Business Group, which we are now members of. It was held in the 'Rabbit Hutch' in the compund of the British Embassy which is a great venue (just like a pub!) We met the chap who has just taken over responsibility for security which must be quite a challenge when you can see the whole compound from all of the tall buildings around. I went to the gym at the Hilton Baynunah earlier in the day where you get an amazing view from the 29th Floor. It makes the treadmill and cross trainer almost bearable though I'm looking forward to the cooler weather as the run along the corniche looks fantastic. The pool - deliciously chilled, I still can't get over how amazing it is to need to chill rather than heat a pool! was fabulous. Anyway back to the networking event where we also met a lovely couple who've been out here since last November and Angela came round for coffee on Thursday, so I was able to show off the apartment and enjoy a chat as well as getting some great tips. They have an alcohol licence and offered to give me some wine to supplement our supply - you can see what I mean about kindness and friendliness. I also met a recruitment consultant from Charterhouse, who are one of the leaders round here, who has been so responsive and ready to put me in touch with people.
One of the wives of John's Faculty also came round on Thursday and was bowled over by the apartment. They are still waiting to move into an apartment in Officer's City so she is still stuck in a hotel. She has just qualified with a degree in dance and teaching so, although it's a long time ago for me, we had a lot in common and she stayed for most of the afternoon. She agreed with me that our main room would make a lovely dance studio (it even has a barre along the window!) though it would need something better than the marble floor!
It is great having people round now that we are starting to look less like a huge empty space. The coffee and side tables arrived on Thursday and today we ordered another chair, a matching stool and an enormous mirror for the bedroom so it's filling up. Due to an offer at The One on bedroom furniture, which gave us a 40% discount voucher, I still have a thousand dirhams credit with them, though I don't foresee a problem spending it. We were able to return the favour when our neighbours came round for a drink on Thursday night. They have offered to take us to the supermarket in their car until we have one, though I tend to manage with my ability to carry endless bags and sweet talk taxi drivers.
Today we went to Spinneys to pick up a form for our liquor licence and another amazingly kind person allowed us to buy some wine and beer on his licence since we couldn't buy any yet until ours comes through. We now have a bit of a supply thanks to his generosity. I can't imagine anyone doing that in Manchester.
The one thing I'm still missing is our internet and phone line. We went to Etisalst today and the staff were so charming and helpful but the technical people don't work on a Saturday so I need to go back next week. They didn't seem to think that the 'technical problem' that the call centre people keep mentioning was a reality. I think the problem is the lack of engineers in a busy time, which coincides with Ramadan, when the technicians have to work shorter hours. I live in hope that we will get a connection before too long and that I will be able to communicate more easily.
All in all I'm starting to feel at home here and meeting people who are so willing to help and make friends. I went for lunch with Maria from Reed during the week. She has to be the most fabulous networker ever, so lovely and so friendly, I think she knows everyone round here. She is in the throes of organising a host of charity events (we bid in one of her recent charity auctions) so I think our Autumn social calendar could be pretty full and I may need to bring another dress from Manchester. She is about to move into her apartment so at least I was able to give her some useful numbers and she suggested an etisalat dongle so I can have internet connection wherever I go and can stop worrying about staying on line and in touch.
But with so many wonderful people about I'm sure the lack of internet has to be less important than the ability to connect face to face.
One of the wives of John's Faculty also came round on Thursday and was bowled over by the apartment. They are still waiting to move into an apartment in Officer's City so she is still stuck in a hotel. She has just qualified with a degree in dance and teaching so, although it's a long time ago for me, we had a lot in common and she stayed for most of the afternoon. She agreed with me that our main room would make a lovely dance studio (it even has a barre along the window!) though it would need something better than the marble floor!
It is great having people round now that we are starting to look less like a huge empty space. The coffee and side tables arrived on Thursday and today we ordered another chair, a matching stool and an enormous mirror for the bedroom so it's filling up. Due to an offer at The One on bedroom furniture, which gave us a 40% discount voucher, I still have a thousand dirhams credit with them, though I don't foresee a problem spending it. We were able to return the favour when our neighbours came round for a drink on Thursday night. They have offered to take us to the supermarket in their car until we have one, though I tend to manage with my ability to carry endless bags and sweet talk taxi drivers.
Today we went to Spinneys to pick up a form for our liquor licence and another amazingly kind person allowed us to buy some wine and beer on his licence since we couldn't buy any yet until ours comes through. We now have a bit of a supply thanks to his generosity. I can't imagine anyone doing that in Manchester.
The one thing I'm still missing is our internet and phone line. We went to Etisalst today and the staff were so charming and helpful but the technical people don't work on a Saturday so I need to go back next week. They didn't seem to think that the 'technical problem' that the call centre people keep mentioning was a reality. I think the problem is the lack of engineers in a busy time, which coincides with Ramadan, when the technicians have to work shorter hours. I live in hope that we will get a connection before too long and that I will be able to communicate more easily.
All in all I'm starting to feel at home here and meeting people who are so willing to help and make friends. I went for lunch with Maria from Reed during the week. She has to be the most fabulous networker ever, so lovely and so friendly, I think she knows everyone round here. She is in the throes of organising a host of charity events (we bid in one of her recent charity auctions) so I think our Autumn social calendar could be pretty full and I may need to bring another dress from Manchester. She is about to move into her apartment so at least I was able to give her some useful numbers and she suggested an etisalat dongle so I can have internet connection wherever I go and can stop worrying about staying on line and in touch.
But with so many wonderful people about I'm sure the lack of internet has to be less important than the ability to connect face to face.
Wednesday, 2 September 2009
Pictorial view of the Masdar Iftar
To give you a flavour of this exciting event in the history of the Masdar Institute, when all students, staff and Faculty came together as one to take Iftar here are some pictures of the event - for more details about the evening see the posting from August.
The Iftar took place in the ballroom at the Shangri La Hotel - a venue well known to us since we stayed there when we first visited Abu Dhabi and John lived there for two months when he first took up his post at Masdar.
Supermarket sweep
I feel like I am starting to get to know this fascinating city though I still have a long way to go. I seem to have spent a great deal of time analysing the various shopping opportunities in order to create a life for us both which is familiar, but at the same time different.
We now have a fully functioning kitchen with the arrival of the washing machine (much rejoicing on my part as it's doing laundry is a favourite hobby and pastime which runs in the family!) and a microwave which, despite its size and the fact that I had already bought two standard lamps, came home in the back of a taxi!
Mr Hameed from Ideal Curtains (050 621 0735 if anyone is reading this in Abu Dhabi and might need curtains) came up trumps, arriving yesterday afternoon with curtains for all the rooms which look fabulous and start to make the place feel more like home.
So having got the kitchen more or less fixed up, I decided to take a long hard look at all the supermarket options and spend a bit of time working out what I can get out here and what changes I may have to make. The answer seems to be, not many, as I am struggling to find any gaps in what we can buy over here. Marks & Spencer simply food only has a very small range but it's enough to provide some familiarity to the food cupboards including individual crumbles (John's favourite) and jars of cheese sauce! Spinneys and Abela are probably the most authentic reproductions of a UK supermarket and both have signficant pork sections though carefully screened off. Spinneys even do a range of Waitrose products which I'm not familiar with since we don't have Waitrose in Manchester. LuLu and the Abu Dhabi Co-operative Society seem to be the places to go for genuine Arabic food though I do find the layouts a bit of a challenge. In the end Carrefour has the advantage of being the biggest, having quite a lot of things I can normally only buy in France, a recognisable taxi rank (so you're not left waving manically at oncoming traffic whilst trying to stop the trolley from running away) and if someone has stuck an Arabic translation over the English instructions there's always a chance to read the French ones! I walked very slowly round Carrefour and tested it with a range of items I didn't think I could get. With help from another bemused English shopper we found proper Bisto and the sight of jars of Marmite nearly had me in tears at the thought of the gigantic jar still sitting in my desk in Hale. Washing powder only seems to come in powder or liquid form - none of those nice neat little sachets but then, do I really need sachets?! In Carrefours they don't seem to have minced beef but maybe I just missed it since they have everything else you could possibly think of.
So there's just one thing missing for which you need to go to a special shop or proffer a licence which I don't have (but John says that wine or the lack of it is becoming an overriding theme of this blog so I promise not to mention it again!)
We now have a fully functioning kitchen with the arrival of the washing machine (much rejoicing on my part as it's doing laundry is a favourite hobby and pastime which runs in the family!) and a microwave which, despite its size and the fact that I had already bought two standard lamps, came home in the back of a taxi!
Mr Hameed from Ideal Curtains (050 621 0735 if anyone is reading this in Abu Dhabi and might need curtains) came up trumps, arriving yesterday afternoon with curtains for all the rooms which look fabulous and start to make the place feel more like home.
So having got the kitchen more or less fixed up, I decided to take a long hard look at all the supermarket options and spend a bit of time working out what I can get out here and what changes I may have to make. The answer seems to be, not many, as I am struggling to find any gaps in what we can buy over here. Marks & Spencer simply food only has a very small range but it's enough to provide some familiarity to the food cupboards including individual crumbles (John's favourite) and jars of cheese sauce! Spinneys and Abela are probably the most authentic reproductions of a UK supermarket and both have signficant pork sections though carefully screened off. Spinneys even do a range of Waitrose products which I'm not familiar with since we don't have Waitrose in Manchester. LuLu and the Abu Dhabi Co-operative Society seem to be the places to go for genuine Arabic food though I do find the layouts a bit of a challenge. In the end Carrefour has the advantage of being the biggest, having quite a lot of things I can normally only buy in France, a recognisable taxi rank (so you're not left waving manically at oncoming traffic whilst trying to stop the trolley from running away) and if someone has stuck an Arabic translation over the English instructions there's always a chance to read the French ones! I walked very slowly round Carrefour and tested it with a range of items I didn't think I could get. With help from another bemused English shopper we found proper Bisto and the sight of jars of Marmite nearly had me in tears at the thought of the gigantic jar still sitting in my desk in Hale. Washing powder only seems to come in powder or liquid form - none of those nice neat little sachets but then, do I really need sachets?! In Carrefours they don't seem to have minced beef but maybe I just missed it since they have everything else you could possibly think of.
So there's just one thing missing for which you need to go to a special shop or proffer a licence which I don't have (but John says that wine or the lack of it is becoming an overriding theme of this blog so I promise not to mention it again!)
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