We started of in England in the pouring rain and decided to get the Coach instead of the tube to Heathrow because we didn't want to get soaked.A dull but safe journey.I managed to get my International Driving Permit at Heathrow just in case I will need it in Australia. Nobody seems quite sure. Quite a long wait in terminal 3 but no trouble boarding.
Abu Dhabi Towers
However, at our age 6 hours on a plane overnight with a 3-4 hour jet lag at the other end was no fun. Neither of us slept that well but at least we were not too stiff the other end.Immigration took quite a long time to decide to let us in though I do not think there was any problem. Then we sat for ages as the only passengers in the Baggage reclaim until a helpful porter pointed out that the the bags had been taken off the belt and left on the floor long before we got there.We felt very foolish but to be fair they were hidden behind other bags. Got a taxi to the hotel on a very impressive 4 lane motorway which seemed like a race track. The Hotel originally couldn't find our booking-panic,panic- but it turned out they had the booking under my first name.
Dhow Harbour at Abu Dhabi
Thursday 13th October
We finally got into our room about 8.30 feeling very tired and wooly headed,jet lag I suppose.Found it really difficult to sleep and eventually went out for a walk about 3 pm.Big mistake! Although we should have known from our time in Saudi we had forgotten just how hot the Middle East can get.Must have been well over 30'C One good thing is that Vicki is walking well even coping with high kerbs. You really take your life in your hands crossing the road. they all drive very fast and blast the horns all the time and they do not stop for pedestrians. We decided to eat in the Hotel for convenience and then tried another walk after dusk which was a little cooler but with a wind like a blast furnace.Finally decided we had had enough and went to bed early with a sleeping tablet each.
Sruff in the Hotel atb Abu Dhabi
Friday 14th October
Woke up about 8.00 am feeling much better.Also feeling more positive about the trip. The way I felt yesterday I really wasn't sure I wanted to keep going but up for it again now. However I do think it is going to be very tiring at times.
We went for a walk before breakfast today and found it much more pleasant. Managed to find our way onto the Corniche which runs right along the waterfront. What is there now is spectacular and they are still building it. The view inland is amazing with lots of giant sky skyscrapers in glass and ceramics. Blue seems a favorite colour.The strange thing is at the bottom of the buildings there are lots of little shops and stores which don't really fit in. We have found that it is best to spend the hottest part of the day in our room reading and sleeping. This evening we our planning to get a taxi to the Gold Suk but more of that later.
We got to the Gold Suk but it wasn't quite what we expected.Plenty of gold but all in modern shops so we just had a quick look round and then went to the big, and I mean huge mall next door. Took ages to wander round but didn't buy anythinf, just had a meal and then walked through the main shopping streets and back to the hotel by taxi. Even in the evening it is incredibly hot and very busy since everyone comes out in the evening to break the Ramadan fast.
Saturday 15th October
Our last day and I have managed to persuade the hotel to extend our checkout to 5.oo pm since our flight doesn't leave until 11.30 and we didn't want to spend all day at the airport. We had another walk along the Corniche in the morning but the other way. Saw and enormous oil rig and and lots dhows in the Harbour and one under sail. The rest of the day was spent in the room because of the heat and we checked out about 5.00 with no problem BUT we thought we were going to die on the taxi ride to the airport.He drove at over 100mph in an old taxi and we were terrified and shaking when we got out. We managed to go to the wrong part of the airport and had some little porter running all over the place with our luggage. When we finally found the right place they said it was closed until 8.00pm. When we finally got to checkin it turned out someone had screwed up with the tickets and I had to run all over the airport sweet talking the guards to get a voucher to get us all the way to india because the existing ticket only took us to Muscat.
Finally got it all sorted and easy 40 min flight to Muscat. The transfer was OK but the plane from Muscat to Dehli was packed and we had big problems finding anywhere for our luggage. They wanted me to search a crowded plane for a space. No way. No sleep on the flight and having had two meals ( 2 planes!) and with four drunken teenagers being awkward a few rows down no a brilliant journey.
Abu Dhabi Towers
However, at our age 6 hours on a plane overnight with a 3-4 hour jet lag at the other end was no fun. Neither of us slept that well but at least we were not too stiff the other end.Immigration took quite a long time to decide to let us in though I do not think there was any problem. Then we sat for ages as the only passengers in the Baggage reclaim until a helpful porter pointed out that the the bags had been taken off the belt and left on the floor long before we got there.We felt very foolish but to be fair they were hidden behind other bags. Got a taxi to the hotel on a very impressive 4 lane motorway which seemed like a race track. The Hotel originally couldn't find our booking-panic,panic- but it turned out they had the booking under my first name.
Dhow Harbour at Abu Dhabi
Thursday 13th October
We finally got into our room about 8.30 feeling very tired and wooly headed,jet lag I suppose.Found it really difficult to sleep and eventually went out for a walk about 3 pm.Big mistake! Although we should have known from our time in Saudi we had forgotten just how hot the Middle East can get.Must have been well over 30'C One good thing is that Vicki is walking well even coping with high kerbs. You really take your life in your hands crossing the road. they all drive very fast and blast the horns all the time and they do not stop for pedestrians. We decided to eat in the Hotel for convenience and then tried another walk after dusk which was a little cooler but with a wind like a blast furnace.Finally decided we had had enough and went to bed early with a sleeping tablet each.
Sruff in the Hotel atb Abu Dhabi
Friday 14th October
Woke up about 8.00 am feeling much better.Also feeling more positive about the trip. The way I felt yesterday I really wasn't sure I wanted to keep going but up for it again now. However I do think it is going to be very tiring at times.
We went for a walk before breakfast today and found it much more pleasant. Managed to find our way onto the Corniche which runs right along the waterfront. What is there now is spectacular and they are still building it. The view inland is amazing with lots of giant sky skyscrapers in glass and ceramics. Blue seems a favorite colour.The strange thing is at the bottom of the buildings there are lots of little shops and stores which don't really fit in. We have found that it is best to spend the hottest part of the day in our room reading and sleeping. This evening we our planning to get a taxi to the Gold Suk but more of that later.
We got to the Gold Suk but it wasn't quite what we expected.Plenty of gold but all in modern shops so we just had a quick look round and then went to the big, and I mean huge mall next door. Took ages to wander round but didn't buy anythinf, just had a meal and then walked through the main shopping streets and back to the hotel by taxi. Even in the evening it is incredibly hot and very busy since everyone comes out in the evening to break the Ramadan fast.
Saturday 15th October
Our last day and I have managed to persuade the hotel to extend our checkout to 5.oo pm since our flight doesn't leave until 11.30 and we didn't want to spend all day at the airport. We had another walk along the Corniche in the morning but the other way. Saw and enormous oil rig and and lots dhows in the Harbour and one under sail. The rest of the day was spent in the room because of the heat and we checked out about 5.00 with no problem BUT we thought we were going to die on the taxi ride to the airport.He drove at over 100mph in an old taxi and we were terrified and shaking when we got out. We managed to go to the wrong part of the airport and had some little porter running all over the place with our luggage. When we finally found the right place they said it was closed until 8.00pm. When we finally got to checkin it turned out someone had screwed up with the tickets and I had to run all over the airport sweet talking the guards to get a voucher to get us all the way to india because the existing ticket only took us to Muscat.
Finally got it all sorted and easy 40 min flight to Muscat. The transfer was OK but the plane from Muscat to Dehli was packed and we had big problems finding anywhere for our luggage. They wanted me to search a crowded plane for a space. No way. No sleep on the flight and having had two meals ( 2 planes!) and with four drunken teenagers being awkward a few rows down no a brilliant journey.
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