Team Book Raiders

[Sonia]

Yey

*happy dances*

[Sara]

Welcome Eni!
So nice to have Sonia's sister here :-)

[Suzanne]

Welcome Eni! How wonderful to have you travelling with us! I suspect Sonia could be extremely persuasive - she has a great way with words =)

[Sonia]

Suzanne wrote: "Welcome Eni! How wonderful to have you travelling with us! I suspect Sonia could be extremely persuasive - she has a great way with words =)"

Well, if you read her hitchhiker reply, you'll see she puts me to shame on that department.

:)

[Eni]

All she usually has to say is "Team Challenge" xD

[Sonia]

what? So all my excitement and bouncing wasn't necessary?!

*pouts*

[Suzanne]

Ha yes the hitchhiker reply was awesome. Having the two you you on one team will be a real treat! Saudi Arabia will never be the same :)

[Ellen]

Welcome eni

[Sonia]

Oh yeah... specially when they "expel" models for being too handsome:


Although... I must say I've heard a different story from a Saudi source.

[Claire]

Welcome Eni!!!

[Grace]

Welcome Eni.

Sorry I have been slacking on adding my books to the spreadsheet.

[Grace]

I have covered the two missing A's Easy by Ally Blue and A Family of His Own

[Chava]

Welcome Eni!!!

[Eni]

Ty ladies =) i don't really talk much so i apologize in advance.

I'm going to read Magic Stars.

[Ellen]

I thought I would share some Saudi pics. The first time I was here I used to spend as much time as I could in the desert. I used to go on a Friday. Back then the weekend was Thursday and Friday but in 2013 they changed the weekend to Friday and Saturday. Friday is the holy day. Many shops do not open until 4pm but some of the supermarkets open in the morning for a few hours. Friday mornings and afternoons are the only time when there is next to no traffic.

The Red sands Desert- One of my favourites


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I was told that the top of dunes like this are called knife edge ridges






camels


my other favourite desert is the Edge of the World






My first desert trip was to see some ruins
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[Ellen]

Some other photos

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A park in the Diplomatic Quaters


At Janadriyah festival- The annual saudi Cultural festival


The tall building is the Kingdom tower, there is a mall there with a ladies only floor where we can try on clothes in the shops (in other shops it is not allowed to try on the clothes)


The triangular building is the Faisalliah Tower which also has a mall inside (there's lots of malls and restaurants here) The ball in the top is a restaurant called the Globe.


A friday morning with no traffic on Olaya Street A main street for shopping




A traditional Window


Deerah-An old part of the city I go here to shop in the souks (markets)


view of Riyadh from the roof restaurant of a hotel


Faisalliah tower from below


My female only compound pool.


And I'll stop there because I have probably bored you already!
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[Claire]

Nice pictures Ellen!
Thanks :D

[Sonia]

Sooo pretty, thanks for sharing Ellen,

And no boring.

[Sonia]

Okay, so I finally finished two more books, added to spreadsheet.

As soon as Eni finishes her Ilona Andrews book, we can complete the spelling with a book per member and get max points :D

[Suzanne]

Thanks for the pictures Ellen - that was the opposite of boring. I'm so glad you shared those!

[Ellen]

thanks, glad you liked them

[Sara]

Such beautiful pictures, Ellen! Thanks so much for sharing them :)

[Eni]

Awesome pics Ellen!

I finished my book so I guess we're moving on from the desert! WEE back to the car!

[Sonia]

Eni wrote: "Awesome pics Ellen!

I finished my book so I guess we're moving on from the desert! WEE back to the car!"

Not yet... is a week per stop minimum... I guess we can visit another oasis, or some ruins, or another market! I could use some crafting inspiration

[Ellen]

Finished my course and I passed m. So I can put the text books away for a while and get back to reading for fun!

[Suzanne]

Fantastic job Ellen! Congratulations! Reading for fun is a good reward :)

[Sara]

Ellen wrote: "Finished my course and I passed m. So I can put the text books away for a while and get back to reading for fun!"

Congrats Ellen! :)

[Ellen]

Thanks :)

[Ellen]

Thanks :)

[Chava]

congratulations!! I am starting my last year of my Masters next week. I hope to still get some fun reading in though.

[Sonia]

Congrats Ellen!

Good Luck Chava!

[Sonia]

Okay Raiders, we're on the road again. I hope you enjoyed the sand and the sun, because winter in Novosibirsk is COLD

[Suzanne]

Wow what a contrast! Both are beautiful.

[Ellen]

stunning!

[Claire]

So what's the plan for this stop?

[Chava]

It looks like we already have done the detour already (read book starting with The).

Russia is cold!!!

[Claire]

Chava wrote: "It looks like we already have done the detour already (read book starting with The).

Russia is cold!!!"

Haha ok, that was easy ;)

[Grace]

Did we decide which of the other detours we are doing and which option we are taking for the others. This will be the 2nd of our 5 possible Detours.

I am trying to sort some books for next month. I have read books that will work for all the detours except Mobile phone. If anyone has good suggestions for this I am happy to read one.

[Ellen]

What are we doing for the next stop?

[Sara]

I was wondering about what we wanted to do for our next stops as well. I'd like to plan my next reads for March :)

[Chava]

Yes, I'd like to know our plans too. I was thinking of doing the following for the next stops:

Darwin, AU: spell out Darwin or book/author from Australia
Christchurch, NZ: spell out New Zealand or book/author from NZ
Boa Vista, Brazil: spell out Brazil
Santa Cruz de la Palma, Spain: detour

[Sonia]

Hey Team!

Sorry for being so quiet.. I've been sick the past few days with this awful rhinitis crisis, that has me sneezing, crying, coughing and blowing my nose ALL DAY LONG plus nights.... I have been working from home, and being up the exact time I should be working, then collapsing in bed, feeling miserable.

The meds seem to be finally kicking in, so, I'm getting better.

I started The Subs Club for the detour, since it seems I'm the only one left to read.

[Sonia]

For next stops, it's the first country that counts, meaning we have left

5. Kolkata (IN)
6. Darwin (AU)
7. Christchurch (NZ)
8. Boa Vista (BR)


My suggestions are:

5. Kolkata (IN) - Detour (Greek God)
6. Darwin (AU) - book/author from Australia (We can do detour, is just a little research)
7. Christchurch (NZ) - Spell out New Zealand or Christchurch
8. Boa Vista (BR) - Detour (Romantic Suspense)

[Grace]

Sorry you are sick Sonia. I hope you feel better soon.

Am I right in thinking the Greek god one only needs a mention if so it is easier than you might think. I have found a few that briefly name Zeus or Poseidon. I marked one on the spreadsheet.

I have read books that cover 3 of the detours. Looks like we have a lot of the letters for Christchurch already.

I have read
5. Kolkata (IN) - Detour (Greek God)
6. Darwin (AU) - Detour Yellow/Orange dress on cover (I will read Australian Author too)
7. Christchurch (NZ) - Spell out New Zealand or Christchurch
8. Boa Vista (BR) - Detour (Romantic Suspense)

[Chava]

I'm reading The girl in the spider's web and there are characters nicknamed after Greek gods

[Suzanne]

That reminded me I read the first Percy Jackson - which mentions LOTS of Greek gods - and I forgot to put it in the spreadsheet - it is in there now!

Sonia I hope you start feeling 100% better soon!

[Sonia]

Thanks girls.

I'm a little better today... let's hope I'm finally in the mend :)

[Ellen]

I'm reading a book with a character named Persephone but I don't know if it will count as its a goddess, other wise I have a Greek goods book I can read next

[Sonia]

Ellen wrote: "I'm reading a book with a character named Persephone but I don't know if it will count as its a goddess, other wise I have a Greek goods book I can read next"

if they say something about her name and the goddess.... otherwise, nope, it doesn't.

[Ellen]

Sonia wrote: "Ellen wrote: "I'm reading a book with a character named Persephone but I don't know if it will count as its a goddess, other wise I have a Greek goods book I can read next"

if they say something a..."
Thank you, nope it doesn't say anything about the Goddess but I just realised I was reading a book by an Australian author if we decide to go that route. My Greek God book doesn't look too appealing so I will be back to searching on the kindle for an alternative.