Calamityjane,
I admire you for what you left behind in support of your husband I hope he know how lucky he is!
Your last question leaves me a bit baffled - "...what is the challenge of straight roads?"
It seems to me that there are many here who find these straight roads a MAJOR challenge! Witness the wrecks alongside Shk. Zayed Rd. The mind boggles!
Dump, this is not a case of 'when we' - I appreciate that one should make the best of one's situation and I agree that people planning on joining should hear all sides - in Calamityjane and my case (and a few hundred others) what WE think of the place is as valid as what you think. Fair comment?