Waiting in Lounge for my call. Just had full breakfast as I left for airport at 7am. At least in Business class you get a driver and Benz to collect you then it is through a private entrance straight onto the red carpet for bags then another private entrance to immigration which is just for us - obviously to keep us away from the Plebs. This leads directly into the Business Lounge. All very nice.Went out into the desert yesterday and home about 11pm. For a few hours drove 4 wheel drives over all the dunes which was a bit scarey at times then rode camels then went to a Beduine camp, had a feast, smoked one of their pipes and returned over the high dunes again in the dark.
Abu Dhabi is just another city. I thought it would be more authentic but the hotel is 5 star - slippers and bowls of fruit left in your room twice a day and everyone bows and scraps. It's a bit offputting.
There is a highway that we passed that is only for trucks - 1000's of them and all coming from and to Dubai. They wait until they are nearly empty on deisel then queue at one of the few service stations for about 8 hours. Each truck takes 20 minutes to fill up and there is often a line of 20 trucks along the road. Not many cars on the road as wages are low for the general population and cars are expensive. There is only 13% of the population who are the natives so to speak. If they marry another native they get a honeymoon gift of $20000.00, land and a large house, free schooling, free uni, free medical care etc. So except for the Westerners these are the only ones who have money.
Must fly, want to do some duty free before they call my flight. Home about 10am Saturday so have 16 hours at least ahead of me. Will post photos in the next few days.
Signing off
Jo
nearly home
June 13, 2008
