POWNALL CHRONICLES

Blog closed.

2011-10-07T17:22:00.000+03:00

This blog is no longer being updated. I now write about my adventures and post photographs along with my drawings & paintings on the blog: ART OF THE NOMAD Why not pop over and take a look? Recent posts are from Cuba and Qatar.

Neglected

2011-03-30T21:05:00.001+03:00

Opening Ceremony, Asian Football Cup, Qatar ©Sue Pownall 2011 Poor neglected blog, left alone while my art blog gets all the time and attention. Sorry, but in order to reach this year's goals that is how it has to be. However, a quick catch up on what has been happening. ©Sue Pownall 2011 Where to start? January I guess. First up were two trips the Asian Cup football as a colleague had spare

Khartoum Portraits. Published!

2011-01-21T09:57:00.001+03:00

A book is now available of my Khartoum sketches and photos. You can purchase it in softback or hardback by clicking the link below, which takes you to the blurb store. Portraits of Khartoum by Sue Pownall | Make Your Own Book

End of Year Meme: 2010

2011-01-07T13:24:00.000+03:00

I had forgotten I did this last year until I popped over to Bleeding Expresso Michelle Fabio's fab blog today. This year's version follows and you can also check out the previous one here 2009 1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before? Took part in an exhibition, hanging 3 of my drawings. 2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I made

Another year over - farewell 2010.

2011-01-01T11:58:00.000+03:00

Falcon © Sue Pownall Wow I'm not sure about the last month, but I'm looking forward to the new one in this new year of 2011. December started on a high, but seemed to have finished in a whimper. Whilst I like Doha I am finding it's a place where I am perpetually tired and feeling not 100%. Furthermore, I spend too much time in can't-be-bothered mode, even little things like going out for milk

A secret

2010-11-29T13:45:00.000+03:00

...I'm exhibiting in Muscat on the 6th and 7th December, that's in one week, and it's my first ever! Full details are over on my other blog here.

Camping Qatari style

2010-11-26T13:15:00.000+03:00

Jump. ©Sue Pownall Last Friday, at the end of the Eid break, I joined expats and Qataris on a escape from the city. Through meeting a Qatari guy working at the Magnum photography exhibition, a camping trip in the southern part of the country was organised, by an inland sea, Khor al-Udeid. Unfortunately, for me, due to normal delays/ miscommunication /hanging around we arrived at our camp dune

Dreams can come true!

2010-11-17T11:55:00.000+03:00

Last night a childhood dream of mine was realised... I got to see John McEnroe play tennis against Bjorn Borg. Way-back-when, I used to play tennis at school and during Wimbledon week, my friends and I divided into two camps; Mac supporters, and those who liked boring ice-cool Borg. Guess who I always cheered for??? They are both still amazing players, despite having got old. They played a 2 set

Who said Doha was quiet???

2010-11-15T10:37:00.001+03:00

Museum of Islamic Art. ©Sue Pownall Time here in Doha is whizzing by; two weeks ago I had a manic week and I am now only just catching up with my blog. Be warned, this is a long post. Purple trees at the tennis. ©Sue Pownall First up on Wednesday 27th October was the WTA tennis championship. I’m not really that interested in the women’s tennis, but have enjoyed the live tennis I saw in Dubai,

Photo diary

2010-10-25T16:15:00.000+03:00

Life is a bit busy, so I thought a photo diary would be a good way to catch up the last few weeks. Since I last posted, I've been up north to a beach. Yes it was empty apart from us. Road to the beach. I've seen a free show of Spanish folklore and flamenco dance, at the Doha National theatre. Waiting for VIPs to arrive and the start. Twice, I've been sketching with fellow artists, the first

A new start: Doha

2010-10-08T11:39:00.000+03:00

Sunset downtown Doha. Three weeks ago I arrived in Qatar, so here is my overdue post on life so far. The delay has been due to tiredness. I get up for work at 5.15am to be collected at 6 and return around 3pm. After a late lunch and maybe a nap, by 5.30pm it is then dark. It is still a bit hot and currently dusty to wander about in the evenings, so it's easier to turn on the tv and computer

Think Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

2010-10-01T02:25:00.002+03:00

Last year, I posted pink photos on this blog in order to help raise awareness for breast cancer. You can revisit 2009's post here. A year later I am doing it again and as I am now in Qatar, I am linking to their societies: Think Pink Qatar and Qatar National Cancer Society. The photos were taken in Sudan this year and are copyright © Sue Pownall / travelingsuep. Please email me if you want

Save the rhino

2010-09-24T10:13:00.000+03:00

Taken in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Jan 09. You're not surprised to see a goat in the passenger seatYou think the uncut version of 'Little House on the Prairie' is provocativeYou think every one's surname is AlYou need a sweater when it's 27 degrees Celsius (80 F)You expect everyone to own a mobile phoneYour idea of housework is leaving a list for the houseboy/babysitter/maid/helperYou believe that speed limits are

Party central

2008-10-18T09:12:00.007+03:00

There goes another month. It's been a very mixed time ending with a fab night on Thursday when I hosted J's birthday bash.The pic above was taken in our lounge where the band Sporca Gush played 3 awesome sets and got guests dancing. The first guests walked in as the caterers were setting up at 8pm, followed swiftly by many more, and the last left around 3am. In between vast amounts of alcohol

Cavorting at carnival, admiring art, & fabulous food.

2008-09-16T07:18:00.017+03:00

Wow I can't believe how long it has been since I last posted. Most of the time has been spent in Europe (UK and Italy), and has been a time of mainly highs.In UK, I finally went to Nottinghill carnival after years of it being on the "to-do" list. What a mad day, whistles, sound stages, friendly/helpful police, food stalls, thousands of people, processions... everything and far more that I had

Luxury, petty frustrations, and long drive.

2008-07-31T09:10:00.003+03:00

What a strange week. After not getting Renaissance day off work – a national celebration only given to government workers, how does that work, J got given Thursday afternoon off and we went and stayed at the Chedi hotel here in Muscat. Even with it's summer discounted rate it was a luxurious and expensive treat. We got there at midday for the best check in I've ever had. We sat in the beautiful

Future home

2008-07-23T14:55:00.006+03:00

I've just been looking through some blogs and found this link to The Independent and this article on Calabria - my future home, and where J & I'll be end of August for the local festa in Scalea. I love this quote:"Calabria, with its 600 miles of Mediterranean coastline and a hilly, lush interior, still has a profound respect for a slower way of doing things. In its small, often tumble-down towns

Sailing, snorkling & Pimms

2008-07-13T06:55:00.003+03:00

Last Friday, friends & I went sailing on the yacht Jinan Al Bahr, which sails out of Muscat. We left the marina at 1pm and sailed an hour down the coast to Bandar Al Khran. On weighing anchor, we donned snorkels & fins and went across the bay to the nearby rocks and cave. Poor Valia was scared when she saw a snake skimming across the water and rapidly headed back to the yacht. John & I

Bed called at 2nd rain delay

2008-07-07T06:01:00.005+03:00

Last night was frustrating as the only channel broadcasting the Wimbledon men's final was Dubai Sport whose commentary is in Arabic. That was not too bad when the volume was loud enough to hear line calls etc. but very frustrating when the 1st rain delay came in the 3rd set... The covers went on and I had know idea if it was a shower or possibly a longer delay as I couldn't understand what they

Want my autograph?

2008-07-06T06:39:00.003+03:00

Due to some publicity by my company, I'm in the paper again... both in the article and that's me stood on the left. That makes the tally to date: The Week - 1 letter printed & 2 photos; arabic press - 2 photos; & H! - 1 photo with article (this one). I guess you've either got it, or you haven't :) Sx

Sharp knives, turtles & sinkholes

2008-06-24T14:22:00.011+03:00

Having a few days off, I've just visited Sur. Despite it being hot & humid, although less dusty, I thought I'd do some sketching in the town. I like recording decay and seeing a dhow partially submerged, I thought it would be the perfect subject. Sitting on the sand, engrossed I was aware of a man standing over me. Looking up, as I said hello, I saw he had a knife in his hand. Gulp, I wasn't sure

Strange weather

2008-06-21T14:41:00.003+03:00

Being British I naturally have an obsession with the weather. The other day yahoo reported the weather as above... At school I didn't learn dust as an adjective for weather, just the normal sunny, wet etc. So, looking out of the window this was the view: Ugh! Normally, it would look like this.A slight difference I think! The nasty murky pic reminds me of the UK, all grey where the colour is

Nations united by Pimms drinking

2008-06-19T14:17:00.003+03:00

Last night, because it's the summer and the weekend and for no other reason, I had a small get-together at my flat. Several jugs of Pimms were consumed, a few gins & tonics, numerous beers, and some wine. Hic! Why was it a United Nations gathering? Well, we realised that in the room were us Brits, 3 South Africans, my Dutch neighbour, French, Italian ladies, and a new Greek friend complete with

Choose your Path

2008-06-17T09:50:00.003+03:00

Chose your Path, originally uploaded by digitalazia.Just thought I'd share this photo with you all. It's by the Omani photographer, Ahmed Al-Shukaili (digitalazia on flickr). Amazing this was taken in the train-free Sultanate. It's the tracks of the "tourist train" into Al Hoota cave, now if only we could get a train, underground, tram, or any form of public transport in Muscat.

Unicef & a new botanical garden

2008-06-10T09:13:00.006+03:00

Last Wednesday a colleague & I conducted a team building day for UNICEF out at the Al Nadha Resort & Spa, Barka. Please check out unicef's website: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/oman.htmlDuring the day, UNICEF staff participated in many different activities. The final event of the day achieved a great sense of achievement and the most laughs as the participants tried to build the tallest