28-02-17 Al Khazan Park

Tuesday 28th February 2017

Dubai turned on the mild winter weather today so I had no excuse to keep Kingsley indoors all day although I managed to scrub both bathrooms and the balcony in between feeding him breakfast and lunch so I feel an outdoor adventure was well deserved for the both of us. (I am currently obsessing in bleaching the bathrooms each week; go figure).

For four solid hours (a record) Kingsley literally ran wild at the excellent Al Khazan Park. He did not stop. Four times I threatened him with leaving if he didn’t drink some water NOW – so he did (reluctantly) although with relish (very parched); then he resumed running wild with another spitfire child – little three year old Lebanese girl Malak. Malak’s lovely mum traveled with her family from Ajman to Dubai because, as she explained, it is much more relaxed in Dubai and she can allow herself be more free in children’s park (dear me). Her daughter took a liking to Kingsley and vice versa; they were bordering on out of control  throughout their play though I managed to wrangle them an hour before we decided it was definitely time to go. The lure was a picnic with biscuits and crackers. It worked! Both kids followed me to a shaded patch of grass and devoured the butter biscuits and choc-coated crackers in my bag.

Soon after however the wheels fell off and it was definitely time to go home. You see Kingsley discovered that the pepper mills on the outdoor cafe tables are easily dismantled the budding engineer that he is, so within moments peppercorns were strewn all about, the pepper mills emptied and me the mum was rendered most displeased with the little scamp though a little charmed at how he managed to work out the mechanics of the mill. Perfect times to stage an exit from Al Khazzan Park with promises to Malak’s mum that if ever she returns to Dubai she is to contact me for a day at the park again.