DUBAI // Fear-of-flying schoolboy Joe Thompson and his dad Tony have been issued with the Saudi visas they need to travel home.
The Saudi embassy in Abu Dhabi opened specially at 10pm on Thursday night to hand over the documents. While in the kingdom, the Thompsons will be the personal guests of the Saudi ambassador to the UK, Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf bin Abdulaziz.
"I've got the all-important visas for a land crossing over Saudi Arabia," Mr Thompson said. "I'm confident we'll be out of here, hopefully, within the next week or two. Joe is really pleased."
Joe, 11, whose family is moving back home to the UK after living in Al Ain for several years, has been stranded in the UAE for more than a month after developing a fear of flying. Previous attempts to obtain Saudi travel documents failed.
The visas allow the pair to enter Saudi Arabia any time within the next month and remain in the country for seven days.
Volkswagen Middle East has offered to provide cars and drivers to take the Thompsons home and is working out a route.
"They're looking at the cars, the drivers, the documentation - there's quite a bit of detail to be worked out," Mr Thompson said. "Hopefully this week we'll have a clear picture of when we're going and which way we're going to go."
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Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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The chef's advice
Troy Payne, head chef at Abu Dhabi’s newest healthy eatery Sanderson’s in Al Seef Resort & Spa, says singles need to change their mindset about how they approach the supermarket.
“They feel like they can’t buy one cucumber,” he says. “But I can walk into a shop – I feed two people at home – and I’ll walk into a shop and I buy one cucumber, I’ll buy one onion.”
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