After only 2 weeks of term, we are having a week's holiday to celebrate Eid al Fitr - the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

We had hoped to go diving in Oman, but unfortunately my visa hasn't been processed yet, so I can't leave the country (Rick will know all about this problem).

A small consolation, if rather an unwelcome one, is that in fact even had my passport been fully in order, as I have developed a nasty head cold, I wouldn't have been able to dive anyway!

I think it's a combination of repeatedly going from super hot outside - daytime temperatures are still regularly over 40 c - to super cooled inside (we take the children out to play and the classroom has A/C) and meeting a whole set of new germs from the ones I was used to dealing with!

Anyway, the result is that we are holidaying at home. Which is partly a good thing as we have been told the government inspectors will be in mid October, so I can use this week to catch up on the things I didn't get a chance to do before school started, on account of my contract not starting till school did!