Saturday 10 January 2009

What a Waste of a Day

Mrs DB decided that we were going shopping - she wanted to leave early so that we would get back at a decent time. 6 and a half bloody hours and three different shopping malls and all we got was our usual weekly groceries!

We could have done our grocery shopping in one place in less than an hour. I am now sat here at the computer wondering why I have been dragged all over Dubai for absolutely nothing!

She bought a Nintendo Wii with her accumulated air miles - fair enough I have no problem with that - it may be a source of fun but she wants the fitness suite that can be purchased as an accessory. Again fair enough. Off we go to the Mall of the Emirates (one of my least favourite places on the planet!) Start in Carrefour (another of my least favourite places on the planet) - they only have NTSC versions and the version we need is the PAL version. So we walk the length of the Mall to Virgin - they haven't got the PAL version though it is, allegedly, on order and will be in next week. Now, I don't know about you, but the message I am getting is "There aren't any, give up now, come back next week." What message is Mrs DB getting? "There might be some in Geant in Ibn Battuta Mall about 20 km away!" Where that idea comes from I do not know! Maybe they have some in Abu Dhabi!

Whilst we are in Mall of the Emirates she decides to have a look at coats - to be fair, we are going to London in February and she will need a warm coat - so we went to Debenhams - they didn't have anything neither did somewhere else, but I can't remember where. Next stop - Ibn Battuta Mall.

So we drive to Jebel Ali and go to look in Geant - guess what, they only have NTSC versions of the fitness suite (well, quelle surprise!) We tried several shops for coats - nothing. Mrs DB decided that I needed some new white shirts for work - this involved walking half the length of the mall only to find the shop we went to didn't have quite what I wanted (apparently). But never mind, as we've come this far we may as well try Sharaf to see if they've go the fitness suite. Have they buggery!

And so to Mercato.

Now Mercato was always on the cards 'cos we had a complaint to make to our bank. Which we duly did - only to discover that our bank was doing nothing wrong at all - the fault lay, and still lies with our insurance company's bank. So our bank could do nothing about it. No joy there then.

So we went in to Spinneys and did the shopping and came home.

Six and a half hours after we set out, with nothing to show for it except some groceries!

What a bloody waste of a day!

8 comments:

Jayne said...

Sod that! You must be a very patient man. My old man would've made a hasty retreat after the first mall!

Keef said...

I wonder if Mrs DB reads yer blog? I'm guessing not.

Seabee said...

Keefie, if we don't ever hear from Billy again we'll know she does read his blog.

Keef said...

Very quiet round here, Seabee.

Elle said...

I feel your pain. Just want to say my DH got PAL fit at C4 Marina Mall AD last week. Naaah, I know you didn't want to hear that;)

Anonymous said...

Gosh, I hope they were awfully good groceries!

Passionate Dilettante said...

Mail order, Billy. Shopping Channel. Grattan's catalogue!

Or get her a personal shopper for her birthday - hired for a year. In twelve months she'll be so expert that you'd only be in the way - or there'll be no money left - either way, problem solved!

Anonymous said...

So glad I stumbled across your blog! Not only because it makes such interesting reading (and it does!) but because of the many parallels; after years of living in the Gulf, my parents fell in love with the Sporades and eventually retired to Skiathos. Now, 30 years on, I live and work (I'm an artist) on the island too and I also write a regular blog about my life in this Greek idyll. (You may like to check it out:www.paintingskiathos.wordpress.com)
Waiting for Skopelos? I hope you don't have to wait too long!Best Wishes, Yvonne Ayoub