Back to the desert

Today I’m back to the reality of work and small towns after the bright lights of the city and all that that brings.

I was up at 5.30 this morning and travelling the hour and a half back to Madinat Zayed.  Leaving Abu Dhabi in the dark is a bit of a surreal experience because as fast as it gets dark over here (about 15 minutes from bright and sunny to total darkness) it gets light at the same speed.

On the up side, it did mean that I had a wonderful view of the Grand Mosque (Abu Dhabi’s equivalent to St Paul’s Cathedral I guess…..).  So the award for Photo of the Day goes to…….

I did have an offer of a lift over there and a trip around on Saturday morning but what with one thing and another I never quite got around to it.  I hear that it’s something you should do, if only once, just for the experience.  True to form, it has the biggest this that and the other inside, and blah blah blah but I will save all of the statistics for when I actually go and visit it – and then bore you to death with them !

The drive to MZ is possibly one of the most boring hours you could ever spend in a car, although I am sure there are many instances where you could argue yours is more boring…… but I will await them with interest !  There is nothing to see other than palm tree lined duel carriage way, lorries and the odd glimpse of sand in the back ground !

You do know when you are getting to Madinat Zayed because the trees start to look like they have been watered (and there is a massive sign on a bridge which is a bit of a give away……)

but as you enter the city (not much bigger than Rushden !) you can feel the change – which is nice…….

We will have more on all this tomorrow.  I’m in a different hotel this week because we’ve been bumped out by a block booking of (allegedly) IT geeks who are “going live” on some new IT system at the hospital, and as there is only one hotel in MZ, and that is a 20 minute drive away at the Camel Racing track (the Tilal Liwa), we have been put in the next nearest hotel…….45 minutes away ! 

Still it’s an opportunity for me to explore the home of the Abu Dhabi Date Festival, and one I’m not going to pass up the opportunity of in a hurry…..mostly because I have little or no intention of coming back here after this week !  Liwa (the town I am in) is also the home of the worlds largest (where have I heard that before…..) sand dune !  Don’t worry, as soon as it gets light in the morning I will have the camera out and you can all have the benefit of my holiday snaps !

Until then, here’s the inventory:

Cigars:  3 and a half

Alcohol: 0 (although the seal nearly came off the brandy tonight as I have a horrid sore throat)

Gym: a gentle 40 minutes to shake off the travelling

Food: Today I was invited to partake in a buffet laid on by my client for his staff for their weekly team meeting at lunchtime.  There were a lot of interesting bits and pieces, mostly none descript and tasty but the most peculiar thing was the plate of jam sandwiches…..I had to try one just to check………non so queer as folk as they say !

Ad earnings:  £20.79.  A bit of a slow day today with only 77p earned.  That’s 3 clicks from 7 looks, so “keep on clicking” !

I’m off to the land of nod now ready for a busy day touring the offices of the Western Region Municipality – a busy day beckons !

And a very Happy Valentines Day to all my followers out there - I hope you have all remembered your cards and flowers !