unsure

variation

4s

smoked

pseudo choc

rule 2

it has been a little over two almost three weeks since my arrival. every day i start between 6-8am and usually leave by 10 or 11 without a day of rest to date. today i get my first “day off” and in doing so i learn the second rule of hotel openings: day off = half day = start at 7 leave at 4.

i tried to make the most of my day off. the plan was to take the bus into downtown abu dhabi and have a look around. it is a shame that i fell asleep and missed my bus by just enough time to see it drive away.

plan b it is. instead i went to the hotel next door (the Shangri-la). this does not sound that exciting but hotels here are very social places. being a conservative muslim country, going out for a drink means going to one of the hotels as alcohol goes against the muslim religion. this turns the hotels into entertainment and means the shangri-la is full of restaurants and even boasts a mini shopping mall. the hotel i am working for, when fully operational, will have seven or eight restaurants plus several boutiques. it is almost like baby vegas hotels.