Mental Preparations Part II

They are interesting...mental preparations. It seems as though one can talk oneself into just about anything. Like H being away from the family for an unspecified amount of time.

"Its only 2 weeks"
"Its only 4 weeks"
"Its only 6 weeks"

And then somewhere in there, the countdown begins..."5 days left, 4 days left, day after tomorrow...."

And then, somewhere in there, a volcano erupts..and suddenly you realize that maybe you weren't as prepared as you once thought.

In any case, our Arabian adventure began 1 month ago...and as of yet, not one of us has stepped foot on Saudi ground nor are we any closer to being reunited as a family. H still in Germany and the rest of us still in Sweden. Thank goodness, for Skype, friends, and the million and one miscellaneous distractions that come with having children.

Progress is, nonetheless, being made. I've made it through the travel books:

The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture Saudi Arabia,
Culture Shock Saudi Arabia,
Lonely Planet Oman, UAE & Arabian Peninsula.

After reading them, I realized that I don't think I've ever actually read a travel book....just maybe browsed or skimmed but the above have been read from cover to cover in all their contradictory glory.