As regards the keeping in touch with the real world while down south, you can defeat Cable & Ruthless by using gotocall.com: just remember you will need a mic and headset. As for TV, you may find that there is a roll-out of the new BFBS digital service that is out in the Gulf and also in Germany. You get Sky News, Sky Sports One, the two BFBS channels and BBC News 24, together with a few radio channels.