Sunrise over Awali from my back door-- Jan 2021
One of the great things about Awali were the sunrises and sunsets as the above picture taken from my back door in Awali shows. However all good things have to come to an end and on 14.2.21 , my last day at Bapco , I moved out of my house. I spent 11 wonderful years in House 775B/ Villa 405 and it contained many happy memories for me! The removal company had packed everything on 3- 5 December 2020 and it had all arrived in the house I was renting in the Philippines in February 2921. Then I discovered I needed a Visa to get into the Philippines ( for the first time in 21 years I have been visiting there) due to COV 19 . However they were not being issued and so I had to postpone my Gulf Air Flight and find somewhere else to stay.
My new kitchen at The SPOT residence in Juffair
A quick search on line revealed a 2 room apartment at the SPOT residences in Juffair. I moved all my things in and searched for the second bedroom ! I also spent an hour trying to get the Wi-Fi to work. A visit to reception revealed they had given me a one room flat in error and several visits by varying ranks failed to get the Wi-Fi working. I moved to the two bedroom flat I had booked and paid for and unpacked, invited some friends over. We explored Juffair and got some food to cook in the huge new kitchen. We also had some takeaways from the Frying Scotsman and Tony Roma. BUT no one could get the Wi-Fi to work in the whole building and after three days of being promised " Tomorrow, Inshallah" I packed again and moved out.
My next stop followed a quick search in Booking.com which revealed a suite at the Ramada Hotel in Adilya . When I turned up with my suitcase and cash and asked to stay for a month they gave me a special offer of 25 Bd a night for 2 with Breakfast.
On Friday I went for an early morning walk and ordered breakfast and two arrived! So I called Jake to come and help me out and later we drove down to Askar for a walk by the sea. Even though it was only February it was lovely and sunny and we sat and had coffee and Samosas in the sun and watched the fisherman go about their work.
At a farm off Budaiyah Highway where Jake and I went for Breakfast
Although older than the SPOT it had working Wi-Fi, underground car park and pleasant staff who cleaned my room weekly. Slowly they changed the old damaged furniture to newer working items like a kettle, sofa, Microwave etc. I continued with my walking and finally met up with Carl Max who I had taken food to when he was in quarantine from COV 19. I took him to the Fort at Seef and walking by the sea at Bussatein Seafront, and many other places in Bahrain.
The beach at Budaiyah Northern town. A new free beach in Bahrain!
Walking at Budaiyah seafront
Back in March the COV19 restrictions were at their highest and while we could not "dine in" the entrepreneurial Bahrainis set up Food truck cities and Corleen and I often went for a dine out meal, like this one at Al Najma. We were served by a Pinay who used to work at Awali hospital and who cleaned my house once.
Corleen also took us to the beach at Budaiyah Northern town one evening which was packed, but still not the Budaiyah beach that Rachelle kept telling me about. I certainly discovered lots of new places while living closer to the capital , Manama , and having more time to explore Bahrain. However by May I was getting restless and with no news about visas to the Philippines started planning a long summer vacation.
The beach at Budaiyah Northern town. A new free beach in Bahrain!
We set up a Friday gang ( Beshy, Ronnie, Corleen, Coco and Jake ) and did different activities each week like a Boodle Fight, Jakes surprise 40th Birthday and so on. From time to time we visited Awali to collect my post, visit my old neighbours and former colleagues and see how my old house was coming on. They refurbished it and replaced the shared bathroom with two ensuite shower rooms. It all seemed very sad without all the beautiful plants in the garden.
The remains of my old house in Awali
My room at Al Hamra with a small kitchenette next to the bed and a seating area as well as huge bath , toilet and shower. I loved the afternoon sun but hated being kept awake all weekend by Saudis holding all night parties in the flat next door. So after a couple of months I moved to Dubai!
In May we got out more and walked at Malkiya Beach, Bussatein seafront and Arad Bay. when Eid arrived we went to a BBQ on the roof of the Wyndam Garden hotel .
Jake and I on the rooftop restaurant at the Wyndham Garden
Finally I got vaccinated with Sputnik at the end of May after they announced the non vaccinated would not be able to enter Malls or Restaurants after Eid. In June, with the Massage parlors still closed I got my vlogging equipment out and invited two Thai friends Bew and Oak to make a vlog cooking Thai food.
Oak and Bew in the kitchen at Al Hamra
You can see their Vlog on The British Kabayan Vlog by clicking the link below
Finally I booked a 3 month trip to Dubai, Muscat and Salalah, packed up and moved out of Al Hamra and moved to Dubai on 15 July. For our final Friday gang I took Beshy, Corleen and Jake to Tata Ed's where we had the biggest Halo Halo Ever!
Even Corleen could not finish our Halo Halo!
You can read about the Dubai and Oman trips in my other blogs , and see the one video that TJ managed to edit from Salalah on our Vlog. I came back tanned, rested, a little slimmer, and wanting to cook again! As usual I searched on line and found an apartment at Nooh Tower in Hidd, in the north of Bahrain near Arad, Asry, Juffair etc. I managed to get 100 bd discount by paying cash direct for 2 months and was given an excellent spacious flat on the 13th floor with a great new kitchen and a fantastic sea view.
As the summer ended in Bahrain in October / November the temperatures slowly dropped from 50 to 20 degrees and I enjoyed attending a lot of outdoor events such as the Thai Floating market, The Pinoy Christmas day out at LPOD, The AMA Christmas Fayre in the gardens of the Diplomat Hotel and so on. It was a joy to cook again and have friends to stay. I restarted Neil's Bahrain tours and took Carl Max on a weekly tour every Thursday in November . I also took a couple of Phillipino's around Bahrain, and revisited the Pearling Trail and so on.
Clothes packed, sent to wash or given away ( all my shirts which I have not worn since I left Bapco)
I was fortunate to be invited to a BBQ in Awali by ex Neighbor Barbara where i caught up with Nina, Ian and Gherda and was taken to lunch in Adaliya by John Jaworski. Our Pinoy Friday gang meets continued ending with our Pinoy Christmas lunch ( Baboy Adobo) on 10th December when , once again, I gave away everything in the Kitchen to Beshy, Corleen and Coco . Corleen and the guys helped me to pack and Corleen took a suitcase and 2 bags of things home to store while I am away.
That left me with one case and time for a third relaxing Thai Massage of the week , this time with Rew. I said my farewells to Rew over dinner at a Thai Restaurant in American Alley.
Back in February 2021 my friend Jane Harders suggested I welcomed the extra time in Bahrain to transition from my busy 44 year long working life to a relaxed retired one. My Thai Masseurs have certainly helped with that journey as well as become good friends. We have cooked Thai food together and visited many of Bahrain's Thai restaurants. I am pleased to say that after 15 months with no work or money as the Bahrain Government closed the massage parlors in Bahrain due to COV 19 they are all now back at work but still keep in touch. My New year greetings to Bew, Phum, Oak, Olive, Adam, Peach and Rew!
I did my usual quick farewell tour of Bahrain ( this time without the Chauffeur driven Limo) and collected a 2022 calendar from Gaye, had dinners with Steve, Anis and Carl Max. I also had my COV booster and my PCR test in Awali. I also returned the toaster I borrowed to Vince- many thanks for the loan! Ellen also had my car collected from Nooh Tower and I handed back the keys to my lovely flat.
Then finally Corleen did his usual expert job of packing my case for Dubai and took me to the airport. You can read all about my time in Dubai on the Blogs as I explore Expo 2020, The Global Village, Miracle Gardens, the Big Wheel at Al Ain and all the Christmas and new year events. I enjoyed catching up with all my Pinoy friends there like John Ric, Joshua, MK, Jeyboy, Erickson and my long time pal Thang.
Then on 15th January, one year after I moved out of Awali I was sent some wonderful news from my friend Gracie at Poochie's kitchen in Palawan.
She advised me to check with the Philippine Embassy , Bahrain and as usual they were as helpful as a chocolate fireguard , referring me to PRA for my retirement Visa ( SSRV), I then explained to them I had already applied for my SSRV but PRA had advised me to contact the Philippine Embassy to get a visit visa to enter the Philippines so I could get the required ID, Bank account and address in Palawan to complete the SSRV process. The Philippine Embassy then told me that:
"we cannot issue you the requested entry visa due to the current restrictions brought upon by the COVID-19 pandemic. You may get back to PRA and relay this information. Please note that the restrictions are instructed by the IATF which the Embassy has no control over."
I responded attaching the piece from Palawan News that Gracie had sent me explaining patiently that the decision to reopen the Philippine borders after a year had been taken by the Presidential palace and requested that they issue me a visa so I can relocate to the Philippines on 16 February.
No doubt they will carry on arguing that they cannot until they are sent an official memorandum by the IATF ( Inter Agency Task Force) allowing them to issue visas.
The date of reopening ( Feb 16 2022) is perfect as it's a year since I left Bapco and moved out of Awali, and the day after I return to Bahrain from Dubai. That leaves me two days to unpack and repack in a hotel. I have one suitcase here in Dubai and Corleen has two cases / bags of my belongings in Bahrain. Our plan is to combine them to one case of clothes and Jhoanna's 21st Birthday present and send the rest in a Babikan Box to Jhoanna.
Then I will get a new Good Behavior Certificate from the Ministry of the Interior in Bahrain ( the one I had in Feb 2021 has now expired) for my SSRV ( retirement Visa) and some other documents that the Philippine Retirement Agency ( PRA) told me to get Apostilled. Finally I have to negotiate with Gulf Air to get my first class ticket to Manila originally booked for 14 Feb 2021 changed to the new date . Chester is checking the new requirements for Quarantine and will update the 6 page spreadsheet he prepared for me last year and then I will finally be on my way, inshallah.
From last years spreadsheet that Chester created
It is likely I will have to do quarantine in Manila. I will also be meeting Chester and his family and tasting Elizabeth's famous Beef Caldaretta! We are also going to buy a Drone and then I will have to get my Philippine ID and Bank account and transfer money there for the PRA fees. Then I have to go to the PRA office to process my SSRV and finally at the end of February, hopefully, I can fly to Puerto Princessa, rent a house, and Jhoanna and I can get my 57 boxes out of storage and unpack. Once I have settled into my new rental home, got a dog and a rental car I can tour Palawan again look at a variety of properties and land that I have been sent for a permanent home. Chester's brother will be my architect and we have already looked at several houses for sale there on line to identify what I would like in my final retirement home ( all on one floor, big windows, by the sea, big kitchen etc) . Next comes the legal issues of getting someone to buy property / land on my behalf, the purchase and the building of my dream home. The revised plan is to find somewhere by the end of 2022 and move in during 2023.
One of the many new homes I have been looking at
So the transition is nearly over- there is light at the end of the tunnel? Or is it a train coming the other way. Who knows? Only time will tell. But all will be revealed here on the TBK blog (and Vlog- I am still dreaming of drone shots of me making compost at my new home by the sea!)
Until then- Ingat Palagi, Kita kits....
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Hello, I am The British Kabayan! Feel free to read my stories.
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