F1 - Day 2

Day 2

I’m up early and all ready for a big day.  I don’t bother with water today, knowing I won’t be allowed to take it into the grounds.  My friends are picking me up on their way to Dubai for rugby and dropping me at the track.  Yas Island is some way from our Island, around 30-40 minutes drive so costs a fair bit in a taxi.  I’m thankful for these rides.

Today I’m dropped right outside my grandstand so head on in to the ever-present security checks.  But no free water today!  Ouch!  That will cost dearly.  The Marina grandstand is situated next to the South grandstand.  The two are in their own area, meaning you can’t access the rest of the grounds without leaving the area and either walking or catching a circuit bus around to the next area.  I wasn’t aware of this so will know for next time.  Our area had its own attractions and food stall outside but was nothing like the stands in the main arena.

I head up to my seat.  Wow!  I’m in the third row from the front on top of the V8 pits.  Being practice day there is hardly anyone there so I chat to the other 3 people in my section.  I know, only three!  Turns out they are all Aussies as most in the stand were.  They had chosen this stand due to the V8s.  The numbers didn’t improve much as the day went on either.

The view from our grandstand was amazing looking out over the marina full of super yachts.  We also overlooked the spectacular Yas Viceroy Hotel which sits atop the track.








Being on top of the V8s meant that I had an amazing view of the cars as they got ready to race.  They lined up on the grid right in front of me for the start and returned to the pits battered and bruised.

The down side was the V8 races were short, only 25 laps or 30 minutes so not like what we are used to.  And they were all one-sided with Jamie Wincup in the lead by miles each time.  So not as exciting as Hamilton.

I struck up quite a friendship with the Aussie couple who have their own racecar.

The first practice session of the F1s was programmed for the afternoon and a few more arrived to watch that.  I have to say that I’d been warned about the noise but laughed at them.  Well, nothing had prepared me for the noise that came out of those cars.  Deafening is the only word that I can use to describe it.  Nearly everyone made a mad dash down to the stalls to buy ear plugs or muffs.  I had my little foam ear plugs with me but they didn’t do anything so I raced down and paid dearly for a pair of muffs.  I still found the noise unbearable and couldn’t wait for the race to end.  I left after the first one as my ear was pounding.

The noise was worse once the cars were past the grandstand so one ear was more irritated than the other.  Even when the race had finished my ear was still thumping with the vibration.

Grabbing one of the hundreds of taxis cruising Yas Island I thought I’d kill some time before tonight’s concert by heading to Ikea, a furniture store out there.  As the taxi paused at the lights I looked up at the meter to read 23 dirhams.  Woah, I said.  What’s the story?  The driver informed me that there was a 20 dirham flagfall for the three day event if you got a taxi on Yas Island.  What a rip-offf!  I was furious and told him so.  Then told him to take me home.  I wasn’t paying that twice.  So off we go back to town, the long way home, via Sadiyatt Island.  80 dirhams later I’m seething but back home for a nap and some food before heading back out to the concert.

Tonight was the Kylie Minogue concert so I’d invited a kiwi friend to use my free ticket so off we head out in a taxi to the concert.  She very nicely paid for the taxis as I’d shouted her to the concert.  She has a car but didn’t want to drive out there as getting home after is a nightmare.

The concert was well organised with Kylie starting on time.  It was lovely to be able to sit  down with a glass of bubbly (50 dirhams, about $17 NZ) and relax and enjoy the wonderful evening.  Not being a Kylie fan I wasn’t overawed but still enjoyed the night.  I don’t think many knew her songs so it didn’t rock.  However, she received rave reviews and my friend loved her.

After the concert we caught the shuttle bus back to the hotels to catch a bus back to town.  After an hours wait we opted for a taxi as no bus came.  This was the only downside of a well-run weekend, having no free shuttle buses back into town.  Interestingly, this taxi didn’t charge the extra flagfall, only the normal evening fee of 4 dirhams.

When I got home I searched the house for whatever I could find to pack my ear muffs with more protection so ended up with well padded muffs for the next day.