When you think about it, it’s a strange thing, that situation whereby expat wives and children disappear off home each summer. And, while I imagine that it happens to some extent in all expat postings, it’s particularly pronounced in the UAE, where there’s both a high number of expats and a particularly inhospitable climate.

In fact, it’s got to be one of the weirdest things about expat life in the UAE – can you imagine your wife disappeari...