Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Dear Betsy, I want to congratulate the authorities on the excellence of the traffic control on the day of the Formula One race.
We were expecting huge queues and congestion, but we reached the track easily.
Equally when the race finished, the traffic flow was so smooth and we reached Central Manama in 40 minutes.
This was very impressive and my guests from the UK commented on the professional organisation of the traffic. Once in Manama, things changed drastically.
It then took us another 40 minutes to reach the Financial Harbour Tower where we were having dinner.
I thought it would be easy to drive to the Regency Hotel and turn right and do a U-turn to cross over the road and gain entry to the Bahrain Financial Harbour road.
Once we did this, we found it impossible to reach the BFH as the access road was blocked and, after much driving around aimlessly in the dark (poor lighting), we finally realised we had to drive back onto the highway around the pearl roundabout and drive back to the Sheraton Hotel turn off, do a U-turn and drive back to the left. Of course none of the drivers obeyed the 'don't enter the yellow box unless your way is clear' rule and the traffic was doubled back and blocked.
How can it be possible that such a prestigious project has no proper access road?
The good impression that the Formula One traffic control had created on my guests was totally negated now with the sheer idiocy and frustration of this situation.
Surely there is someone out there, who plans the everyday traffic flow, so why have they not realised how ludicrous this situation is?
HD.
Dear HD,
Yes, I know the route you mean and it is totally crazy and coupled with the fact that there are virtually no road signs to either to warn you that the regular access road is blocked, a sign directing you to the diverted route or signs on the road indicating where to turn off when you are driving back towards the BFH, it becomes a bit of a farce.
We all know that the roadworks in Bahrain at present make it difficult if not impossible to plan your journey, but at least we are clearly directed to the diverted route by big yellow signs.
We just have to remind ourselves that a bit of suffering now will result in greatly improved traffic flow in the future and we are already seeing that in some areas.
However, we still have to tackle the question of reckless, thoughtless downright dangerous driving, but don't get me started on that one!
How sad that your guests will leave our shores with such a negative impression when Bahrain deserves to be congratulated once again for a world-class Formula One experience.
Regular readers will remember one of my favourite expressions ... 'Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail' ... I hope that someone in the traffic planning department reads this and takes it on board.
Dear Betsy,
I liked your tips about wearing the right style of swimsuit, but what about my cellulite? I have lumpy, bumpy thighs and I hate them. What can I do to get rid of cellulite?
Leeza.
Dear Leeza,
Lots of doctors will tell you that cellulite does not exist, but the nine out of 10 women who suffer with dimpled, orange peel skin, would tell you a different story.
Even the skinniest Minnie, like Victoria Beckham, is not immune to cellulite and it is not simply a symptom of being overweight.
Cellulite is not like normal fat. Here the fat cells become 'water logged' and surrounded by fluid that causes the fatty tissue to change shape and swell. It can also feel uncomfortable to the touch. It can be worsened and/or triggered by hormonal changes such as during the menopause, pregnancy and during your monthly cycle.
A poor diet, sluggish circulation, lack of exercise and not drinking enough water can all contribute to cellulite.
My own approach is to use a dry body brush every morning, which you can buy in pharmacies and supermarkets. This activates your lymphatic system and helps your body to flush out toxins and activate its natural detox abilities.
It is best done first thing in the morning, before you shower or bathe and should be done on dry skin with a dry brush.
Begin at your feet and slowly work up your legs, across your hips, tummy and buttocks finishing with your arms and shoulders. This technique also acts as a mild exfoliator, removing dead skin cells and improving the appearance and absorption of your skin. It is very stimulating, so I don't advise you to perform body brushing in the evening as it could disrupt your sleeping patterns.
Now that you have activated your lymphatic system, captialise on this by drinking at least two litres of mineral water to help your body flush out those toxins.
There are many excellent body products around that claim to help even the most stubborn cellulite.
Their action will largely be superficial and, in my opinion, will only help to improve the appearance of your skin, but it is still worth trying them out.
My current favourite is Nivea's Cellulite Gel, a reasonably priced, high-performance body product that leaves you with silky smooth skin.
Exercise of course will help as will eating regular, nutritionally balanced meals. Crash diets are one of the worst things you can do to your body so aim instead to eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, especially salads with a variety of lettuce leaves and cut down on salt and caffeine as they will hinder your cellulite busting efforts.
Drink herbal teas, but not green tea, as, contrary to popular belief, green tea is not caffeine free and some green teas can contain up to 10 times more caffeine than a strong cup of coffee.
Professional massage can also be beneficial, but NOT deep tissue techniques.
The more gently effeleurage strokes and lymphatic drainage techniques have been proven to be more effective as deeper techniques and some electro-therapy treatments can tear the tissues and encourage sagging of the skin, which for most of us would be a much worse affliction than cellulite!
Oh dear we girls just can't win! I say girls because men rarely suffer from cellulite. This is largely due to hormonal differences and the fact that men have a completely different type of fat cells and much less of them. Depressing isn't it?
Pass me that Mars bar and strong black coffee! We girls just need to get things in perspective and stop being so self critical and let our inner beauty shine through.
IF YOU ONLY DO ONE THING THIS WEEK
Drink lots of water. The soaring temperatures can easily result in dehydration and a slowdown of your body functions. Aim for two litres of still mineral water a day and if this seems impossible then break it down to four 500ml bottles, drunk throughout the day.
Don't make the mistake of waiting until you are thirsty to drink water, as by the time you are thirsty, you are already at least one to two per cent dehydrated and brain function can be impaired and you may feel lethargic and drowsy and end up with a headache.
BETSY SAYS RELAX
Eat lots of lettuce. It is packed full of vitamins and minerals, can help fluid retention and for insomniacs, it can help you achieve that elusive sweet slumber.
Mix crunchy iceberg lettuce with rich red lollo rosso and dress with organic extra virgin olive oil, a crushed garlic clove, fresh lime juice and some black pepper.
