On project in Dubai (part 7) and Abu Dhabi (part 1)...

Awake at 8am as the alarm is about to sound. I'm nervous as I don't know how I'm going to get to Abu dhabi today.

The Dubai booking was only for five nights and the other ten are in Abu Dhabi.

I check my email to see if the PM has got hold of the client official to change the booking but, as expected, there's no reply.

I shower, dress and head down for another bacon-laden breakfast. The arabs don't know what they are missing...

Afterward, I send the PM a sms, but his reply is that he has heard nothing and that I should book a taxi and charge it to the project. He at least apologises for not having organised something in advance.

At the concierge's desk, I book a "limo", a private taxi, for AED350 (ZAR700). Fuckit, the company is paying for it.

I finish my packing and final web browsing and head back down to the lobby at 11h40 to check out in time for my 12h00 limo. The driver is already waiting for me, which is a pleasant surprise.

The receptionist hands me AED350 in cash, which I am to give the driver when we get to my destination, the Crowne Plaza hotel in Abu Dhabi. I'm not sure why they don't just pay the driver themselves. I should have charged them a commission for being a broker.

The drive starts off pleasant enough, but about half an hour into it, the driver, Lancy Menezes from Goa, India, starts fidgeting in his seat.

All of a sudden I realise why when the smell hits me. The fucker farted. And he went on farting for the rest of the trip, trying to mask his fidgeting by looking at me in the rearview mirror and asking if I think he's a good driver or not.

Realistically, he's a fuckin' terrible driver, drifting between lanes, speeding, cutting people off (common practice here) and talking on his Dingleberry in Urdu. I string him along though, telling him he's a better driver than some that I've seen over here. I didn't lie to him cos it's true, there are some absolutely dreadful drivers here.

We go past a huge mosque, which I make a mental note to go and visit if I get a chance next weekend. First prize though, would be a fishing trip with a pal of a pal of mine who has a boat operation here somewhere.

The large mosques are magnificent structures, all marble, granite and glass. This one is one of the largest in the UAE.

At the hotel, I pay fart-boy and head indoors out of the heat. It is just gone 2pm and is still scorching.

Check-in is easy and my luggage is delivered to my room a couple of minutes after I get upstairs.

I put the kettle on, send SWMBO a sms to say I've arrived, and turn the TV on. To my delight I see that one of the channels is showing the Super Rugby series which means that I can see the Sharks game later, which is where I am writing this. More about it later, but the score is currently 19-12 to the Sharks over the Blues, with 10 minutes to go.

I unpack my case (again) and drink my tea while having one eye on the Waratahs / Reds game. That done, I log on and check what's happening on the web, but there's nothing much, so I decide to go for a walk.

At the front desk, a guy explains a couple of places to see within walking distance and I head off to the "new souq".

It's not too hot, but it is still warmer than at home, and the humidity is not as high as Dubai even though I'm less than 1km from the Persian Gulf here.

The new souq is very new. Not even half of the shops have tenants yet. the building is amazing. From the outside it is non-descript, but the inside is a wonder of woodwork panels, coloured glass and lighting.

There is the Arabia-specific smell of burning sandalwood incense in the air and it is very pleasant.

There are antiques of all sizes, ornately carved cupboards, and wooden ornaments/artifacts. There is a wheel-sized thing that I would love to take home, but at AED24,000, I decide not to (yes, ZAR48,000!!).

Final score is 26-12 to the Sharks...woohoo...

Coming out of the souq, I decide to head towards the gulf. The map shows it to be about 500m or so away, but I am surprised to find that the last 100m or so is an esplanade, beautifully covered in blue and white paving, with frequent areas of trees and picnic spots.

The water is a pale blue, not quite clear, but it looks warm. It is the Persian Gulf, in the middle of one of the hottest parts on earth, so it should be warm.

There are many pedestrians, joggers and cyclists, and even a few fishermen. All I've seen them catch so far have been a few tiddlers about two inches long, and they've all disappeared into the angler's bags. Maybe that's all they get in these parts.

One guy has a fishing pole, with just line, float and baited hook that he drops into the water. The length of the pole is about 5m. He waits until the bait settles, then lodges the pole into the railing cables and sits down next to his mates to chat and puff on his sheesha (hubbly bubbly).

I walk on, getting an uncomfortable feeling that if I'd taken photos he might have got upset.

There are a number of boats on the water and a flotilla of jetskis screaming up and down the length of the waterway.

As the sun sets, I get some good photos of the sun going down behind some distant clouds, and I decide to head back to the hotel to catch the sharks/Blues game at 7pm, which I've already mentioned the score for.

There's a pub called "Heroes" in the hotel basement and I literally walk in and out without breaking stride. The air is thick with tobacco smoke and there is standing room only. the place is packed with ex-pats drinking and not one TV is turned to the Sharks game so I decide to watch it from the comfort of my bed.

Almost two hours later, victory to the Sharks, I head for the 9th floor and a restaurant called "Vincents" for dinner. The meal is a buffet spread and, after ordering a diet Coke for the oncoming guilt, start on the salad course. Then it's roast potatoes and lamb with vegetables (carrots and cauliflower) followed by a small helping of vegetable curry on rice, chased with a cup of strong coffee and cheese and biscuits. I skip the dessert tray.

Back in my room, I pop off a quick sms to SWMBO to see if she wants to chat on Skype, but I forgot she is out at friends for dinner. I send another to say we can chat tomorrow rather.

I also discover that I have blisters on my feet from walking as much as I have been in relatively new strollers. I'm going to have to pop them, I think, and wear flops for a couple of days when I go walking again.

Due to the two hour time difference with SA, the Stormers / Lions game is on TV, even though it is 22h20 here. I'll finish watching it and then get some sleep. Sunday is a work day here...


Part 2 of Abu Dhabi coming soon...