Take that Medusa! It’s enough now.

After a year of one tough health-love-work situation after another, September 2009 culminated in a moot turning point for me. It was weird – my stove broke.

Then my lamp.

My hairdryer.

I accidentally ruined two of my shirts with an overheated iron and a faithful pair of shoes finally saw its end through a pile of Dubai building rubble.

Then, when my favourite teapot from Hong Kong shattered I knew that something, no, everything, had to change.

My personal internet connection affirmatively stopped working and another heat related skin disorder further edged me on. It started to feel like, whatever I tried to do in Dubai turned to disaster and doors simply slammed shut in my face.

“Sorry madame, there’s nothing we can do” became quote of the month.

It all seemed so unreal, like I’ve been cursed, perhaps by the so-called Evil Eye that is part of Islamic belief here in the Middle East

Well, the whole experience helped me understand the mystery of the Medusa heads in Istanbul’s Basilica Cistern. Two upside down Medusa heads were used as the base for heavy pillars down in the darkness of the cistern.

Today it is a popular tourist attraction but back in the day of the Ottoman Empire, the Turks simply wanted to do away with the bad luck and bury these Medusas as far away as possible.

Take that, Medusa!

Me, well, I’ve decided to get as far away as possible from the Evil Eye in the desert and go back to my home town of Cape Town for a while; where I’m hoping that the fresh air, sunshine and good friends could provide some healing time.