Abu Dhabi - perhaps the only place in the world...
Where the school pick-up looks like a parade at Ferrari World.
Where 2 kids come out of school and hop into the Jag parked next to me then drive off.
Where an old man limps across a main highway and holds up his hand to slow traffic at 120km.
Where a car speeds past us at around 180 km ducking and weaving between traffic, just to stop at the roundabout and have a drink.
Where the driver next to me opens his car door onto mine - no apology, no action, nothing. Just drive away. This happens regularly.
Where a cop speeds through the speed camera at 140km just because he can.
Where families buy their driver a brand new car to make sure he can drive before they let him loose on the expensive cars.
Where tinted windows are the norm, in fact you’re asked if you want them when buying a car. Foreigners aren’t allowed theirs tinted as dark as locals.
Where a drink driver who killed a local tri-athlete gets one month in jail plus AED 200,000 blood money to be paid to the family. Whereas the normal drink drive sentence for no accident is 2-3 months.
Where a ‘bad man’ gets set upon and killed in jail.
Where a group of women being held for prostitution against their will kill their boss.
Where you drive too slow in the fast lane and get flashed (by the lights of the following car).
Where you drive too slow in the fast lane so the following car goes to pass you inside then has time to slow down, drive beside you, wind down their window, and make abusive gestures. And I thought they were in a desperate hurry to get somewhere!
Where school buses have an extension added onto the back to accommodate additional pupils out in the desert.
Where queues at the petrol pumps mean you have to fight to get in.
Where small cars are bullied by bigger ones - usually 4WDs.
Where travelling at 120km per hour seems slow. Normal speed around 140km per hour.
Where turning lanes at lights mean nothing at all.
Where you can’t get a taxi on Friday morning as it’s holy day.
Where the hospital has free valet parking.
Where the women sit in the front of the buses while the men are in the back.
Where you BBQ on the rooftop of a 20 story building with fellow kiwis.
Where generators provide a constant hum from building sites.
Where life is transient as friends come and go.
Where the ex-pat community is small.
Where lifelong friendships are forged.
Where being stared at by a bus full of men is normal. Still uncomfortable, but normal.
Where workers camps abound. They put them up, then tear them down (literally).
Where temperatures in the low thirties are pleasant.
Where shopping is a national pastime.
Where malls and movie theatres are usually freezing cold.
Where the Abu Dhabi stone is commonplace (additional weight gain due to over indulgence and sedentary lifestyle).
Where the most common pastime for women is visiting the beauty salon.
Where workers work day and night to complete massive projects on time.
http://www.thenational.ae/uae/tourism/night-shift-at-louvre-abu-dhabi-where-concrete-reigns-and-pours
Where it is the second best place in the world to invest, behind Dubai.
http://gulfnews.com/business/general/dubai-is-world-s-best-city-to-invest-1.1237413
Where you live in the World’s fourth favourite city.
Abu Dhabi - the place to be.
Where the school pick-up looks like a parade at Ferrari World.
Where 2 kids come out of school and hop into the Jag parked next to me then drive off.
Where an old man limps across a main highway and holds up his hand to slow traffic at 120km.
Where a car speeds past us at around 180 km ducking and weaving between traffic, just to stop at the roundabout and have a drink.
Where the driver next to me opens his car door onto mine - no apology, no action, nothing. Just drive away. This happens regularly.
Where a cop speeds through the speed camera at 140km just because he can.
Where families buy their driver a brand new car to make sure he can drive before they let him loose on the expensive cars.
Where tinted windows are the norm, in fact you’re asked if you want them when buying a car. Foreigners aren’t allowed theirs tinted as dark as locals.
Where a drink driver who killed a local tri-athlete gets one month in jail plus AED 200,000 blood money to be paid to the family. Whereas the normal drink drive sentence for no accident is 2-3 months.
Where a ‘bad man’ gets set upon and killed in jail.
Where a group of women being held for prostitution against their will kill their boss.
Where you drive too slow in the fast lane and get flashed (by the lights of the following car).
Where you drive too slow in the fast lane so the following car goes to pass you inside then has time to slow down, drive beside you, wind down their window, and make abusive gestures. And I thought they were in a desperate hurry to get somewhere!
Where school buses have an extension added onto the back to accommodate additional pupils out in the desert.
Where queues at the petrol pumps mean you have to fight to get in.
Where small cars are bullied by bigger ones - usually 4WDs.
Where travelling at 120km per hour seems slow. Normal speed around 140km per hour.
Where turning lanes at lights mean nothing at all.
Where you can’t get a taxi on Friday morning as it’s holy day.
Where the hospital has free valet parking.
Where the women sit in the front of the buses while the men are in the back.
Where you BBQ on the rooftop of a 20 story building with fellow kiwis.
Where generators provide a constant hum from building sites.
Where life is transient as friends come and go.
Where the ex-pat community is small.
Where lifelong friendships are forged.
Where being stared at by a bus full of men is normal. Still uncomfortable, but normal.
Where workers camps abound. They put them up, then tear them down (literally).
Where temperatures in the low thirties are pleasant.
Where shopping is a national pastime.
Where malls and movie theatres are usually freezing cold.
Where the Abu Dhabi stone is commonplace (additional weight gain due to over indulgence and sedentary lifestyle).
Where the most common pastime for women is visiting the beauty salon.
Where workers work day and night to complete massive projects on time.
http://www.thenational.ae/uae/tourism/night-shift-at-louvre-abu-dhabi-where-concrete-reigns-and-pours
Where it is the second best place in the world to invest, behind Dubai.
http://gulfnews.com/business/general/dubai-is-world-s-best-city-to-invest-1.1237413
Where you live in the World’s fourth favourite city.
Abu Dhabi - the place to be.
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