There has been a bit of a gap since my last post because I have been away in the USA on a conference.

It was nice to get away for just over a week, although the 30+ hours of travelling door-to-door was tiring.

I spent most of the week in Portland in Oregon. The streets were clean, the traffic ran smoothly and drivers obeyed the rules. The weather was cool and the skies mostly overcast. I saw real and substantial rain for the first time in many months. I could see green and trees around me. The bars and restaurants were vibrant and noisy.

After a week I was glad to be returning to Qatar. I actually missed the warmth and the sun of Doha, the chaotic traffic, the quietness of restaurants and cafes, and the yellow sandy colour of both buildings and landscape. Coming back to J and our apartment was coming home rather than coming back to where I lived.