BELLION TRAVELS MONTHLY RECAP: JANUARY 2021

AHHH! I wish we could go back to our “normal” life. I miss travelling and exploring new places but being stuck in Abu Dhabi during the pandemic, allowed us to discover the capital. However, now it is time to leave the big city and move back to Dubai. The city where I was born and the city of life.

Everyone is moving to new countries and new places but I keep going back to Dubai. I guess it is not yet our time to relocate to another country but we never know what tomorrow brings. Many things are happening now and I cannot wait to settle in our new home and start over.

So, let me share what has happened in the first month of 2021.

Destinations I have visited:

  • Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: I visited many new places and explored the city during 2020 and I will definitely write about it on a separate blog post.
  • Dubai, United Arab Emirates: I had to visit the city for an interview. Tim and I spent 24 hours in Dubai. We ate at Vietnamese Foodies and stayed at ROVE Downtown.

Highlights of the month:

  • I would say the biggest highlight is that I resigned from my job and will start a new career soon.
  • I enrolled for a Master’s Degree in Real Estate.
  • We finalised a new place in Dubai.
  • Packed 90% of our stuff in Abu Dhabi.
  • I was indirectly required to be vaccinated because I work for a semi-government company. Tim and I took the first dose of Sinopharm in January 2021.

Series I watched:

  • Wanda Vision: HBO is releasing an episode every week so we haven’t finished the series but so far I’m loving how weird it is. 
  • Ramy (Season 1 & 2): As a Muslim half Arab, I can relate to some of the issues in the show. I personally prefer the other characters stories, they are a lot more interesting and I’m not fond of Ramy himself. I love that Mahershala Ali plays the Sheikh. He is one of my favourite actors. I cannot wait for Season 3. 

Movies I watched:

We did not watch any move this month since we were super busy packing and watching series. Also, I have been super busy catching up with uni. but we made plan that once we move to Dubai and settle, we will have movie night.  

Music:

A Mix of EVERYTHING.

Follow me on Deezer

Books I read:

I decided not to read anything but my studies. I also packed all my books and are waiting to be moved to Dubai.

Blogs: 

2021 Update 

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2021 Update

Hi readers,

I couldn’t blog for weeks because I had a lot going on and I’m still busy but I’m glad I found the time to write. To write about how my 2021 started.

It started with a lot of sleep as we spent New Years at our friends place and my usual bed time is 10PM. The next day, Tim and I went to IKEA to buy cardboard boxes and other packing items to gradually start packing our place. Tim signed a lease contract in Dubai which starts on 1 March 2021. It is funny how people are leaving Dubai and moving back to their home countries but after Covid hit, we decided we won’t be leaving U.A.E anytime soon. Work wise, Dubai still looks promising.

Why we decided to move back to Dubai? The decision was initially made when Tim was informed that he had to work permanently from home due to Covid. Also, we haven’t seen my family for months because of the border restriction between Abu Dhabi and Dubai so it is bazaar that it is difficult to meet my dad and brothers who live in the same country. So, Tim and I agreed it would make more sense if we live in Dubai since he is working from home and my family and friends live there.

My concern was my job. I ruined my career by moving to Abu Dhabi and I took a massive step backwards with a very low salary and position which made me realise my capabilities because unfortunately, I was not able to see that before. I was so stressed about moving back to Dubai due to the commute and border control. If you do not know the reasons, it is because you need to take a covid test to enter Abu Dhabi. Anyway, I was fortunate enough to find a job in Dubai and I’m currently serving my one-month notice.

Another reason why moving to Dubai makes sense is my University is located in Dubai. I enrolled in a Masters Degree at Heriot Watt, I’m studying Commercial Management and Quantity Surveying. After having doubts about my career and what I want to do next, I concluded that my work passion is real estate. My mind is not as creative as it used to be and I think I’ve become more logical. Either it’s Tim’s influence on me or just as life goes on, we realise things and our passion in life. Definitely travel is my passion but I realised I do not want to be a travel vlogger but rather I want it to be my hobby and real estate to be my job.

One of the biggest things that happened this month is that I was indirectly forced to take the Covid vaccine. Since I had to take it, Tim said he might as well take it. It is a live together, die together decision. I took Sinopharm and I didn’t find any major side effects other than speaking fluent mandarin. Just kidding. With all seriousness I do not feel anything. My second dose will be on 2 Feb 2021 so lets see how that goes.

So, so far this is our update and we are just busy working, studying, packing and exploring Abu Dhabi on weekends before we officially move.

I will post a separate blog about places we have visited in Abu Dhabi in the past 4 months and show you another side of Abu Dhabi. Catch you later.

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BELLION TRAVELS MONTHLY RECAP: SEPTEMBER 2020

September was a busy month. Besides working late which became the new norm, Tim and I decided to drive around Abu Dhabi and explore new areas. We thought it would be great to see new places before we move back to Dubai next year.

So here is a quick recap of what we done

Destinations I visited:

  • Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Highlights of the month:

  • Tim’s 32nd Birthday
  • Exploring New Areas in Abu Dhabi

What I watched?

Series:

Modern Family

Movies:

Enola Holmes

Expendables 1

What I read this month?

I am currently reading ‘Landfalls’ by Tim Mackintosh Smith. Work has been hectic and I have no time and no energy to read but now that I am almost done with the major projects, I think I will definitely make time to read and watch less TV series.

Landfalls: On the Edge of Islam from Zanzibar to the Alhambra by Tim Mackintosh-Smith - Books - Hachette Australia

What did I blog about:

 

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February 2019 Recap

I can’t believe we have entered the end of Q1 2019 and it feels like we’ve done nothing so far. Well I’m starting to get a kick start of what I want to do with my life and I’ve been just busy reading and doing lots of research.

For now, we will  put our travel plans on hold because we have lots of things and those plans will affect our finances especially that I’m unemployed it makes it difficult.

However being free also helps me manage our paper work and follow up with necessary documents. I can’t really share what we will be doing but once something comes to place then I will share it with you.

Destinations we’ve visited

Like I said 2019 will be quiet and we have nothing planned yet. However, Tim and I have been going out on weekends to meet up with friends and family so for 2019, we will focus on places we’ve visited in the UAE and particularly Abu Dhabi.

We might be travelling this year to our home countries but other than that nothing planned.

Highlights of the month

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  • Did a semi Abu Dhabi tour with my uncle. (Visited the Car Museum and Warner Bros

 

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What I watched?

Netflix Specials and Series:

The Fix: Humorous way to handle world problems. This show makes me laugh.

Narcos Mexico: I haven’t finished it yet but I’m actually enjoying it.

Perfume: I enjoyed the movie so I thought the series would be interesting to watch but I hated it. This is just my opinion.

Conan Without Borders: So I decided to head back to the gym and during my cardio session I watch Conan Without Borders to keep myself entertained.

The Umbrella Academy: The trailer caught our attention and when I watched the first episode I wasn’t impressed but I continued watching the series and actually enjoyed it.

Movies:

The Princess Switch: CHILDREN’S MOVIE that’s all I can say. My uncle and I decided to watch it because we both adore Vanessa Hudgens #proudfilipinos

Julie & Julia: A funny movie about cooking and I loved it.

Alita: When I first saw the trailer and saw Christoph Waltz; I was like I MUST WATCH THIS MOVIE and we did and I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT.

What I read this month?

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Catch 22: Almost done with the book but I’m enjoying it. It is a classic.

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Crazy Rich Asians: I enjoyed the movie but my friend, Renee got me the book and it’s slightly different but still hilarious.

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What music did I listen to?

What have I blogged about?

Honestly, I wanted to blog a lot more but my cat got ill and we had to take her to the vet. So she’s in constant pain because of the medicine and I usually stay with her most of the time so I didn’t really have time to write anything.

So this is a recap of February 2019 and will keep you posted with our plans and I hope we do get to travel soon 🙂

 

 

 

 

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January 2019 Recap

As mentioned in my previous blog post, we haven’t planned any travels for 2019 yet. We are just going with the flow. We spent the month of January in UAE taking road trips between Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. Tim’s mum spent the first week of January with us before she headed back to England. Afterwards, we’ve been going back and forth to Dubai and Sharjah to meet my family.

So I wrote a recap of what I’ve done, watched and read in the month of January 2019.

Destinations we’ve visited

UAE: Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah

I don’t think we will travel anytime soon.

Highlights of the month

  • We visited Qasr Al Hosn with Tim’s mum

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  • Attended Asia Football Cup 2019 – Palestine Vs Australia

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  • Went Kayaking at Eastern Mangrove with Priyanka and Clint.

Kayaking Eastern Mangrove01.jpg

What I watched?

Series: NETFLIX

  • Chef’s Table: A great documentary for food lovers. The story behind every dish and what inspired the Chef to create specific dishes. Awh! Love the show but I usually watch it with a full stomach.
  • Narcos: I have invested a lot of my time watching this series and will start watching Narcos Mexico soon. I love the artistic work they’ve put in the series. I’d say Narcos is one of my ultimate favourite series.
  • The Good Place: Sometimes you just need to laugh.
  • The Series of Unfortunate Events: I truly enjoyed how weird the series was but I hated the ending.
  • You: I enjoyed watching it. I didn’t expect the ending therefore I liked it. Makes you think about how much you should share on your social media accounts.
  • Brooklyn 99: One of my favourite comedy shows. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT

Movies:

  • Aquaman: So far my favourite latest DC movie and Jason Momoa HABA HABA

What I read this month?

Disclosure: The links below are affiliated links and there are no additional cost to you. I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

The Prophet by Gibran Kahlil Gibran: The book is inspiring and must be read by everyone.


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Ultimate Travelist by Lonely Planets: The book was gifted by my friend Katherine as a wedding gift. The book inspired me to travel and visit more places. The pictures in the book are breathtaking.

ultimate travelist

What music did I listen to?

What have I blogged about?

I will post about our UK trip soon

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December 2018 Recap

December was CRAZZZYYYYY and it’s my favourite month of the year. Besides that my birthday is in December, there are many events. Tim and I travelled and it’s the month we both go broke since there are special occasions like Birthdays, Birthdays and Birthdays lol. We celebrated my brothers and dad’s birthday this month. Tim’s mum also visited us in Abu Dhabi where we all spent Christmas together and also New Years. So here is what has happened in December.

Destinations we’ve visited

UAE: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman.

Egypt: Cairo. It was a weekend trip.

UK: England, Scotland and Wales.

Highlights of the month

  • Learning the history of Egypt.
  • Celebrated my 30th Birthday in the UK.
  • Tim got me a book called ’30 years of Nissreen’ which includes messages from family and friends.
  • Travelled to the UK with Tim and my brothers.
  • Met a childhood friend after 20 years.
  • Celebrated Christmas with our family.
  • Celebrated actual Christmas in the desert with Tim and his mum.
  • Visited Wathba Desert in Abu Dhabi.

What I watched?

Series: NETFLIX

  • Chef’s Table
  • The Crown
  • Dark
  • F.R.I.E.N.D.S (when we need to laugh and not watch anything serious)
  • Fauda

Movies:

  • The Christmas Chronicles (Netflix)
  • Black Mirror (Netflix)
  • BirdBox (Netflix)
  • Dirty Dancing 2

Netflix Specials:

  • The Fix

What I read this month?

I took a break from reading because I did not spend time at home. I was out everyday lol. I’m thinking of taking up the 2019 GoodReads Challenge to motivate me to read more. I bought a lot of books which I need to read.

What music did I listen to this month?

CHRISTMAS SONGS WERE PLAYED EVERYWHERE

What have I blogged about in December?

Gosh! we have approached the end of 2018 and time really does fly. I also can’t believe I turned 30!!! I’m really looking forward to 2019 and hope it brings lots of joy and blessings to everyone.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE

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August 2018 Recap

August was such a busy month. I did not even blog and had no time to edit photos or anything like that. I took a break from blogging and focused more on work but also lots of things happened in August. I decided to enrol in an institute to study during my free time but my classes will start mid Oct. Tim and I visited Abu Dhabi and travelled during the Eid Holiday with my best friend Mimi to Bangkok. So here is a recap of what happened in the month of August.

Destinations we’ve visited

  • Al Ain
  • Thailand

Highlights of the month

  • Visited Al Ain and stayed at Telal Resort
  • Travelled to Thailand during the Eid Break
  • Had Lasik Surgery

What have we watched?

Series:

  • Dark Tourist
  • A series of Unfortunate Events
  • Disenchantment

Movies:

CRAZY RICH ASIANS

What I read?

The Travels of Ibn Battuta (still reading)

What have I blogged about in August?

NOTHING LOL

So here is what happened during the month of August. Lasik Surgery went well, THANK GOD. We travelled to Bangkok and DAMN that place is amazing for shopping. I bought a lot of clothes and I fell in love with a store called Sugar and Cream that sells vintage outfits. ME GUSTA. We also stayed at Telal Resort for the weekend which is in the middle of the desert. We personally love it, it was voted as one of the best luxury resorts in the CONTINENT. So, we’ve got plans for September and hopefully I will get back to blogging ASAP since I have Spain and Thailand to blog about.

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July 2018 Recap

July was all about work and nothing else. With the current market, businesses focus more on budget and cutting cost. A risk we decided to take that I will no longer work due to commute and other matters. Tim and I drove around Abu Dhabi and discovered new areas and few coffee shops which I will write about later.

I’m currently focusing on writing and finishing off the pending trips. Hopefully I will be on track once I’m at home. I still have to write about our Spain trip and things to do in Abu Dhabi and places to visit in the UAE.

So here is a short recap about month of July

Destinations we’ve visited

Tim and I have been going back and forth between Abu Dhabi and Dubai on weekends. We had our friend Maha’s birthday and also Tori’s farewell party. So basically just Dubai and Abu Dhabi. I did a quick a day trip by myself to Sharjah to have lunch with my dad and brothers.

Highlights of the month

  • Breakfast with Tori’s friends and family as a farewell meal. She is moving to Canada and starting a new adventure.
  • Celebrated Maha’s Birthday in Reem Al Bawadi.

What have we watched?

Series:

  • Breaking Bad – Season 4 & 5 (I declare it is one of my favourite series)
  • Dark Tourist – Season 1 (still watching)

Movies:

  • Ant Man and the Wasp – I had low expectation but honestly Marvel will never disappoint you.

What I read? 

I don’t read as much as before. My commute everyday is 1 hour and 30 min each way which takes 3 hours of my day. I arrive home at 7ish PM, finish house chorus make sure dinner is set and ready and I just fall asleep.

The only time I read is when I’m waiting. So in July I’ve been back and forth at the doctors and banks so whenever I take a number and wait I just try to finish ‘The Travels of Ibn Battuta”.

I’m almost done with the book and I have other books which I’m dying to read.

What have I blogged about in June?

Looks like nothing exciting is happening lately. It is also weird that 3 months have passed and we haven’t travelled anywhere yet. We do have travel plans and hopefully all goes according to plan. For the mean time, I will be blogging about Spain and about Life in the UAE. I’m also looking forward to the Warner Bros. Studio in Abu Dhabi.

 

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June 2018 Recap

June was a busy month compared to May. We’ve done a lot and visited places in the UAE. Eid (Muslim Celebration) was in June so we got a day off and enjoyed the holiday.

Destinations we’ve visited

Tim and I started hanging out more in Abu Dhabi. Since we are new in this city, there are a lot of places to explore. We stayed in Sharjah for a night to celebrate Eid with my family. We stayed in Ajman for the weekend at a luxurious 5-star hotel called ‘Ajman Saray’ and of course, we met up with friends in Dubai.

Highlights of the month

  • Iftar at Meydan Hotel WOOOW!!!
  • Stayed in Sharjah for a night to celebrate Eid
  • Stayed in Ajman for the weekend

What have we watched?

Series:

  • 13 Reasons Why (Season 2) – DONE
  • Breaking Bad – Season 3
  • Brooklyn Nine-Nine- Season

Movies:

  • Jurassic World
  • Incredibles 2 – OMG! LOVED IT

What have I blogged about in June?

So here are some of the highlights for the month of June. Lately, Tim and I are gardening, sorting some things in the Philippines and “trying” to relax more, which is not happening. So hopefully, we won’t have to drive a lot more to Dubai and Sharjah in the month of July and just spend more time in Abu Dhabi. I’m sick of the drive since I commute everyday from Abu Dhabi to Dubai because of work. Yes, I did resign but it was verbally and not officially. I’ll keep you updated once I do.

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April 2018 Recap

It was the busiest month so far. We went on holiday and organised our new home. I went to a crazy concert and spent a couple of nights at my best friend’s house when Tim was away on a business trip.

Destinations we’ve visited

  • Barcelona, Spain
  • Gran Canaria, Canary Island
  • Tenerife, Canary Island
  • Compamor, Costa Blanca, Spain
  • Alicante, Spain
  • Madrid, Spain
  • Girona, Spain

Highlights of the month

  • Had an Easter meal with Tim’s family.
  • Celebrated Tim dad’s birthday.
  • Experienced my first ever heatstroke.
  • Travelled for 2 weeks around Spain.
  • Went to a BACKSTREET BOYS concert.
  • Attended Abu Dhabi City Scape 2018.

What have we watched?

Series: Finished the Assassination of Gianni Versace

Movies: Grimsby

What I read this month?

Half way through Travels of Ibn Battuta

What have I blogged in April?

NOTHING. LOL

I’m back. I promise.

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