Abu Dhabi

The plane landed early. We were supposed to land at 6:40, but we touched down at 5:45. I got to watch the descent - Etihad has a thing that lets you watch a camera on the front of the plane while it moves.

Apparently I didn't need a visa, so I breezed through passport control and customs (they even didn't find, in their x-Ray of my handbaggage, the Chinese rip-off DVDs they supposedly don't approve of - not because of copywrite infringement, but because of the passionate kissing and partial nudity).

Went to an ATM and pulled out some cash, 1000 Arab Emirates Dirhams (AED), at about 3.6 to the dollar. The bills look really cool.

I got a cab (which was a luxury chauffer car) to my hotel. It's a fixed rate of 70AED to Abu Dhabi, or $20, and I figured it was worth it in the heat. Besides, I got there incredibly fast, as my driver went 160km/h the whole way -- I guess they can do that when the roads are all less than 10 years old, and thus smooth as a baby's bottom in this very recent city.

On the way we passed palm trees galore, flatness, adobe-looking homes, and the occasional mosque, all the while listening to the radio (98.7, all Qur'an, all the time). Not to mention we passed dozens of cranes; I counted over 40 on the way to the hotel alone - this country is building faster than the cars drive. I kept thinking to myself, "Where the hell am I?!" This country just sprouted out of nothing in the last 40 years.

Arrived at quarter to seven at Novotel. Checked-in to Room 1607, left a note for Veronica to that effect, and brought one of my bags up. A few minutes after I got to my room, the valet came with the rest of my bags. I didn't tip him -- I read that tipping isn't expected but it is greatly appreciated.

Veronica landed in Dubai sometime around 5ish. She could, at the earliest, catch the 6am bus - first bus of the day - to Abu Dhabi, which would get her to the bus station down the street from the hotel around 8 or 8:30. So in my time to kill, I went swimming. As we used to say in China, "为什么不?" "Why not?"

I swam for about 50 minutes in the fifth floor outdoor pool. Got out at 8:15 and showered the clorene away in my room.

Relaxed for a while. At 10, Veronica still hadn't arrived so I went downstairs. I shot her an email, wondering where she was, and a minute later she wandered through the doors.

Veronica checked into room 1703 and settled in.

At 11 we left the hotel. I spent some time on our walk figuring out the arabic numbering system based on the license plates. 1=١ 2=٢ 3=٣ 4=٤ 5=٥ 6=٦ 7=٧ 8=٨ 9=٩ 0=٠ -- it wasn't too difficult, but it took a little time to realize that the numbers go left to right, while the text is read right to left. Weird. We walked north to the Corniche, which in peak seasons is apparently a walkway very much like the Bund in Shanghai - right on the water and lively. But when we went, at 11, it was almost midday in one of the hottest days of the hottest month in this country. It was 108° today. There was not one person on the Corniche.

It was really cool anyway -- not heat-cool, though. There was no humidity, so no sweat, but we were parched so quickly it was insane.

We passed fountain after fountain, something like 20 in all. Most of them I had to splash my face in to keep cool. We had forgotten water; and we're not allowed to drink in public anyway until sundown at 7.

We walked for an hour and gave up being outside. We got back at 12:15, and took a siesta. At 1 we got online in the business center for free.

We spent an hour checking on email and such; there's not much tourist stuff in this city, and wandering the streets is too hot. Besides, food is illegal until 7-- so we figured we'd just rest and at 7 would eat and wander and shop and eat and drink. Veronica went to her room.

At 2:15 I went downstairs and spent a while talking with Murthy, the Concierge. I asked him about places to eat and smoke (UAE is a shisha heaven, so they say). He gave me some inexpensive places that are very close to the hotel.

I went upstairs at 3 and siesta'd, hungry for dinner later. A little jet lag hit me and I lay still for a few hours. Watched Blade Runner on tv.

At seven sharp (sundown was at 6:55) we left the hotel. Immediately we felt a marked change between then and daytime. Restaurants had suddenly opened up; people were walking down the street; shops were open; and the temperatures had cooled a bit.

We walked down 2 blocks to Automatic, a place that the concierge recommended.

We went back to the hotel after dinner. It was about 8:45. I went to my room for a 30 minute nap, jetlagged a bit. I set an alarm for 45 minutes from then and took a nap.

•••

I woke up just shy of 3am; I had fallen asleep. Called Veronica in her room - oh well. I went back to sleep.