Favourite things: June

I skipped my favourite things for May, I just drew a blank when I sat to write it. Looking back, we did lots of fun things, visiting Dubai and starting diving being two of them, but the month just seemed to be a blur.

So here we are at the end of June. Ramadan started just under two weeks ago so we haven't been up to much, but I still have a few favourites.

1. Welcoming a new family member.

My sister-in-law gave birth to a beautiful baby boy in June. I'm not sure how they do it but newborns are so entertaining. It has been wonderful watching him slowly growing and making lots of funny facial expressions.

2. Becoming a certified diver

I finally completed my diving course and am now a certified diver! I can honestly say it is the best thing I have done since being here and is certainly nothing I considered before moving to Oman. The plan now is to try and go diving at least once a month and when we go on our "summer" holiday in September.

3. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo

I didn't think this particular product was available in Muscat and I had stocked up on my last trip to London. Everyone knows air conditioning, and extreme heat, humidity and sun exposure aren't good for skin, and this product has been doing an amazing job of keeping my skin clear of small breakouts. I found it in Muscat Pharmacy (the branch in Al Meera mall) and the lady told me she often gets it in stock.

4. TripIt

I am partial to a good bit of planning and this app just makes it so much easier. You can link it to your email address so that any hotel bookings, flights, etc. are imported automatically with the necessary data. You can also add activities and notes manually and, of course, all the information is available offline.

I hope everyone is having a good Ramadan. July is looking to be very busy towards the end of the month, and I can't wait!