Not only did I have an isle seat, I had a middle seat and a window seat! Of course I didn't allow myself to get too excited about this prospect until people had stopped boarding the flight. Which they now had. The unfortunate end to this tale is that a connecting flight was late and more people were coming aboard. I look down praying Gods favour to bless me with a row to myself when I hear a woman's strong occa Australian accent saying "I can see our seats already son!". My eyes flick up to see this woman with bigger hair than her head gazing at MY other two seats. Alas, I didn't put up a fight and I let her and her son into my territory. Could have been worse, we start to wing away to the fancy sandpit of Abu Dhabi!
As we made out decent into the sandpit I peered out the window to see a perfectly round fiercely bright, large golden sun burning in the sky. So beautiful. The type of sunrise that certainly confirmed we were landing in the desert. Think of the Lion King, yes a cartoon but yes that is exactly what the sun looks like here - unreal. 6:30 in the morning and it is the same temperature if not warmer than what it had been middle of the day back home. Being the fantastic tour guide that I am, I managed to lead myself the wrong way out of the airport after looking at the online map upside down - I blame jet lag. T'was 15minutes and a few drops of sweat later that I look around to see my hotel peeking over the top of the airport on the otherside! Awwwh no! I haul myself and my 30kgs of baggage around and trudge back the other way with all the Arab men that I had just wandered past wondering what this blonde white princess was up to. Desperately wanting to strip my cardy and tights off, I knew this was already too much of a spectacle. I continued my walk within this clothing sauna.
What would have been 10-15min walk had been 40minutes. I was glad to have my work out for the day out of the way by a nice early 7:30am. Reaching reception I chatted to the very lovely lady who informed me that check in is 2pm but I could pay to have the room early. No thanks, I'll drop my bags, grab some breakfast, use the wifi and use the pool showers, venture out and come and check in later. No worries. Meanwhile as I pumped my body with caffeine in the hope it would help me survive this day the receptionist came and found me to say she would let me into the room now - 9am - hallelujah! Looking terrible obviously paid off, she definitely felt sorry for this bedraggled tired woman.
I got to check in, shower, I splayed out on the bed and had to force myself not to sleep so I could make the 11am hotel shuttle into town. I jumped on the bus eager to check out as much as I could even though my eyeballs were hanging out of my head. Coincidentally, unbeknown to both parties at the times of booking my cousin happened to be in Abu Dhabi at the same time so we arranged to meet and had lunch together. Following lunch we lay down on the beach, felt quite strange being in a bikini in Abu Dhabi but yes this is allowed on the beach only. The few burkinis we saw around looked impossibly hot. A couple of dips releaved us of the heat and we had a good wee catch up. Before parting ways she passed me the house keys for London as I would be staying with her but getting back first. Nothing like a wee exchange in the Middle East.
I piled on the clothes before I left the sand and embarked on my hot midday walk along the corniche (waterfront in Abu Dhabi city). Got myself a little closer to the beautiful emirates palace and got some beautiful photos of the city.
It was like reaching the emerald city at the end of the yellow brick road when I got to the mall. Air conditioning and water had never felt so good! After a wee pick me up here I felt fresh enough to get back to my ventures. I jumped into a taxi and said the big white mosque please and off we went. Such a beautiful building!
Before I got further, I had to hand over some I.D to borrow a dress thing to cover myself further still! I had to tie a scarf around my head as well. Death in these temperatures!
Just as beautiful inside, I was pleased I had made the effort to come in as I certainly did contemplate not going in when I had to go borrowing a sack to cover myself. It was all the way down some stairs and through a car park, around a corner. Come back up to the temple and then back down the stairs through the car park, around the corner to deliver it back. If you are there, do it. Or be prepared and have your own tent to put on.
I departed here with a taxi to head back to the hotel. I did not like this man. He took me the long way home. I knew this not because I had researched the map but (as I learnt training to be a tour guide - signs are your friends) I saw the sign to the airport (where my hotel was), we went the opposite way, did a loop of the mosque and proceeded on the way. I challenged him and his excuse was that he was from Nepal and doesn't know his way everywhere yet. I told him I had been there half a day and I knew it was the wrong way. Not a very subtle detour for a few extra dirham. Idiot. Out of principle I told him to stop much earlier than my hotel and out of stubbornness I walked the remainder of the way.
I get back to the hotel and I had an hour before the next shuttle goes to Yas island where I planned to go for dinner. I realise quickly I need to do something in this hour or sleep is unavoidable. I have Pilates on my iPad so what better way to relax, stretch my achy muscles from the plane and stay awake then having a wee floor work out session. It almost made me late but I did make the bus to Yas. On the way to Yas island we passed Masdar city which is a city within Abu Dhabi which is completely 'green'. The Eco friendly solar powered city. I had watched a documentary of it on the plane on the way over so it was nice to pass by it even if I could not visit it.
Yas island is home to the formula 1 race track and home of Ferrari world. I went to a restaurant at Yas island marina to enjoy a salad and a glass of red wine. So nice eating al fresco in the evening with warm temperatures. By the time the shuttle was due, I was more than ready for bed. I got to my room by 9:30pm and the next thing I knew I woke up on my bed 10:30pm - oops! Fell asleep and I hadn't even set my alarm. I removed my make up, got changed, set the alarm and tucked in.
Next stop London.
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