travelling tamara travels again!

Hello All,
Greetings from Abu Dhabi.  I think at this point, I can safely announce that I made it without it all disappearing.  The flight over on Etihad was a breeze.  There was no one in the seat next to me, which meant that (1) I had a window seat to look out over Australia as we flew over the continent (2) I didn't have to climb over anyone to go to the bathroom- the number 1 reason why aisle seats are important on 14 hour flights and (3) if I crunched up my body in exactly the right way I could "stretch" out while I slept.  Flying over Australia was definitely the highlight.  After spending a semester at uni looking at maps of the Sydney Basin, it was wild to see it all play out below me.  The city became suburbs that went on and on, then planned subdivisions and rural areas appeared, and then the undulating Blue Mountains took over.  They were incredible- this ongoing wavy field of blue/green bush.  And then they ended and the next time I looked out of the window the ground was pink and red and there was nothing. It was insane.  I took pictures but forgot to bring the cord to hook my camera up to the computer so can't post them.

The only downside to the flight was that I hadn't gotten my act together to buy snacks for the plane and as even the smell of airplane food makes me want to retch (let alone eating it), I was quite hungry by the time I arrived.

But arrive I did, my bag was already off the carousel and waiting for me, and when I got through customs there was someone there to pick me up and take me to my hotel (I was a little worried that this wasn't going to happen and I was going to need to take a cab with no money on me to a hotel where I knew the name but not the address-- on a side note, i have since found out that there are no addresses in abu dhabi so that wouldn't actually have been a problem), and when I got to the hotel my colleague from work had left me a package of food.  I was beyond grateful.

You can see the hotel I'm staying at here.  Be jealous.  A free robe and a king size bed and I'm sold.  Today, consisted of sleeping in, lounging about the hotel, walking to the mall (to get there you turn left by one construction site, pass 3 other constructions site, turn right at the row of villas, walk all the way to the main street, avoid the rubble, and look out for the big tall glassy building, also under construction), and meeting up with work colleagues to start planning the details of the training.  I'm also thinking through where I want to go and what I want to see over the next week.  I looove work trips.  I just wish some of you were here with me!

I'll try to keep the updates fairly frequent while I'm here.

Lots of love,
Tamara