I think I owe you an apology.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to those of you who celebrated it.
I signed up for another 2 years of this domain and said “right, I will blog again” but as you can see I never got round to it. What a six months it has been. Three trips back to the UK, visits to friends across the sultanate, plenty of ups and downs but am still here.
Lots of news and not much time at the moment, but will post something soon- inshallah (God Willing)
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »
Well it had to happen eventually, but it’s surprising it took this long given the presence of the A (H1N1) virus in the neighbouring Saudi Arabia, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates countries . The Ministry of Health (in Oman) yesterday announced that they have discovered three confirmed cases of swine flu in three Omani students returning from the United States. The trio arrived in Oman on June 13 before developing symptoms, after presence of the virus was confirmed they were treated then sent home.
The Gulf now has 60 confirmed cases of the virus with the majority (22) being found in Saudi Arabia. The World Health Organisation said as of Wednesday they have received information on more than 100 confirmed cases of the viru, in its Middle East member countries.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Health, Oman | 2 Comments »
Sorry for how long it has been since my last post, things have been very busy and I have only just got internet sorted at home. There is so much to tell. Oman is a beautiful country although I haven’t had the time to see as much of it as I would have liked to by now. I have made a good bunch of friends and a few other welcome additions to my life, as well as a few people I would gladly avoid, but you get those everywhere! Highlights so far have been sailing on an Extreme40 catamaran with Oman Sail, the day trip to Nizwa, the abuse from some local kids in Nizwa who were gobsmacked to see a white woman wandering around but this was nowhere near as surprising to them as when I gave them a scolding in Arabic, the discovery of a delightful little jewellery shop in Mutrah Souq and its owner who gives discount to “the funny lady with purple hair” and my new found love of chicken shawarma. I realised it had gone from a favourite food item to an obsession when I ate it 4 days in a row!
The heat is proving a bit hard to handle, but it isn’t as bad as I feared it would be. Walking to the shops does feel like you’re doing a marathon in a sauna, but it is just the hot equivalent of a cold wet winter’s day in England! Except instead of scarves and coats you wear sunglasses and factor 30. Right nothing exciting for now I am afraid, but will try to post more now I have better internet access. I have included just a few photos in this posting, to wet your appetite.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Oman | Leave a Comment »
Well I have been here in Muscat for just over 1 month now and feel like I am beginning to settle in. I’ve got some rather interesting stories to post up, but that is for another day! This is just a quick update for you all.
In true Brit style, I am going to mention the weather. It is great basically, really good temperature and nice blue skies most the time. The worst weather we’ve had was 25 degreesC and some wind whipping up the sand for a morning… beats getting snowed/flooded in! I have some great photos to upload as well, so will pick a few later and share them.
Those of you in the UK who want to keep up to date with what I am writing for TheWeek newspaper, here in Muscat, can download a copy of the paper at http://www.theweek.co.om
I had my first cover story a few weeks ago. It was an interview with James Blunt who was here doing a concert, I was genuinely surprised at what a nice guy he was. Now that probably sounds ridiculous, but I was really worried he would be a bit naff! He was however lovely to interview and quite funny, so to all the Blunt haters out there… stop it! I was also not expecting the comments which followed the piece so go on http://www.theweek.co.om/disCon.aspx?Cval=1603 and check it out. Let me know what you think.
Bye for now.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged journalism, Oman, TheWeek | 2 Comments »
Just a really quick post to let you all know I have arrived in Oman, well I arrived last Monday but have had no time to get on here!
I have no internet at my flat and very restricted internet at work so am relying on an internet cafe to get online at the moment. Oman is beautiful, amazing scenery and lovely weather. Pictures will be posted soon. The 4 hour time difference to the UK is hard to get used to but I am sure I will.
Anyway must go for now and will blog soon, bye for now.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Oman | Leave a Comment »
First off can I say sorry for neglecting my blog over the past month or so, things have been rather hectic to say the least.
I am leaving the UK today (Sunday 8th February 2009) to take up a reporting job in Muscat, Oman. Whilst in Oman, I will be working for Apex Press and Publishing (http://www.apexstuff.com/)
What a final week it has been in the UK! The heaviest snowfall I have ever seen hit my home town of Winchester, which (rather frustratingly!) meant I was not able to get to see everybody I wanted to say goodbye to. My plane leaves in just over 7 hours and I am yet to actually pack!
Anyway will be posting about Oman once I am settled and I am sure a photo or two will find their way on to here soon. But for now thanks for reading, hope it has been interesting and my next post will be from Oman!
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Apex, journalism, Oman, TheWeek | Leave a Comment »
2008 was a great year for music with albums from Slipknot to Britney (I’m not ashamed to have loved this album) Spears gracing my I-tunes. Below are a few of my favourites, a few disappointments and what I am looking forward to in 2009. Do you agree? What are you looking forward to in 2009
Favourite Albums of 2008
Kings of Leon – Only By The Night
Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid
Glasvegas – Glasvegas
Offspring – Rise & Fall, Rage & Grace
Slipknot – All Hope is Gone
Staind – The Illusion of Progress
Nine Inch Nails – Ghosts I-IV
The Ting Tings – We Started Nothing
Snow Patrol – A Hundred Million Suns
Simple Plan – Simple Plan
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
Adele – 19
Duffy – Rockferry
Gabriella Cilmi – Lessons to be learned
Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
Britney Spears – Circus
Pendulum – In Silico
Katy Perry – One of the Boys
Let downs of 2008
Chinese Democracy – Guns N Roses
Metallica – Death Magnetic
Rock ‘n’ Roll Jesus – Kid Rock
Day & Age – The Killers (Controversial I know)
Most awaited albums of 2009
Not sure how many of these are definite but there are rumours.
Hoobastank – For (n) ever
Lamb of God – Wrath
New Found Glory – Without a Fight
Deftones – Eros
KoRn – Currently Untitled
No Doubt – Currently Untitled
Greenday – Currently Untitled
Queens of the Stone Age – Currently Untitled
Muse – Currently Untitled
Papa Roach – Currently Untitled
Linkin Park – Currently Untitled
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Music | Leave a Comment »
When I started Pulp Magazine my initial aim was to create something that I could be proud of and to showcase the talent of my university colleagues. Unfortunately Pulp Magazine only went to print once due to funding problems. At the University of Lincoln Student Union Media Awards 2008, Pulp Magazine won Best Feature for a travel feature on Italy so congratulations to the writers on that piece. I then left university and Pulp Magazine’s short yet hectic history was over with no-one able to take it on at the time.
Fast forward a few months…
A friend of mine at the university told me that student journalist, Tom Freeman, whom I met while doing Pulp Magazine, was looking at setting up his own magazine called ALPHA. I emailed Tom and the rest they say is history.
Tom’s plan for ALPHA is a male interest magazine that people don’t just read, they use. The magazine will contain features, sport, music, gaming, relationship advice and much more. He has created a website to run alongside the magazine so interaction with ALPHA’s readers is clearly important to him.
I would like to wish Tom and his team the best of luck with this new venture and I am sure he is a name to remember for the future.
For more information on ALPHA Magazine please visit http://www.alphamag.co.uk/ or contact Tom on contact@alphamag.co.uk
Posted in student | Tagged lincoln university, pulp magazine, student, Student media | Leave a Comment »
Just a quick post to explain why I haven’t been blogging much recently. I have got a reporter job in Oman for Apex Press and Publishing (http://www.apexstuff.com/) and should be moving out there within the next few weeks.
I am really excited about this new opportunity and hope it works out!
I also graduated from the University of Lincoln in September and would like to thank Richard Keeble, Debbie Wilson and Roger De Bank from the University for their advice and guidance over the past few years.
Apologies for the Hallie Berry Oscar speech style post, but I wanted to thank these people publicly.
I am going to keep blogging in Oman so you can keep up to date with what is going on with me there, on here… or at least that is the plan!
Posted in student | Tagged lincoln university, Oman | Leave a Comment »
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7466279.stm - from BBC News on whether students are customers or learners.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7439740.stm - from BBC News on what obscene means today.
http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,2286812,00.html - from EducationGuardian on train-wreck celebs.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/jun/21/fivebest.gapyeartravel - from TravelGuardian. Great article if you are looking to help people during your gap year.
http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,2286721,00.html - from CultureGuardian on Dylan Thomas.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article4174974.ece - from Timesonline on female soliders serving in the army.
Posted in media | Tagged Links | Leave a Comment »
Error: Please make sure the Twitter account is public.
 | andydbrown on Swine flu in Oman |
| Swine flu in Oman on Swine flu in Oman | |
 | emmawinchesteruk on 1 month and counting… |
 | bluechi on 1 month and counting… |
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| « Jan | ||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
