Things I Miss the Most about Living Abroad

The evocative scent of Oud transports me back to the mystical enchanting land which is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

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I hate the months of January and February in the UK.  When I lived in Saudi, these were probably the best months of the year, as the sometimes crucifying heat would die down to a pleasant 28-30 degrees Celsius or the mid-eighties Fahrenheit, if you prefer it in old money.

So, numero uno on the list of things that I miss the most about living in KSA is the wall-to-wall sunshine.  I didn’t own a coat, hat (other than a sun hat of course), a scarf, a pair of knee-high boots, or a pair of tights for that matter.  There was no need for layers of clothing, just floaty, comfortable cotton tops and loose-fitting trousers. 

The second thing I miss is having a year-round tan.  I loved having a healthy, golden glow to my skin. My winter skin now looks so pale and quite frankly, not very healthy at all. It definitely hasn’t got a glow to it.

No. 3 on my list is the wonderful array of outdoor leisure activities, such as swimming, tennis, squash, golf, etc, which could be enjoyed all year round.  No battling the elements on a golf course in the pouring rain with hands so cold that you can barely hold the club. Sadly, I never got an opportunity to play golf in the desert, but golfers had to get up at the crack of dawn to tee off