Been traveling this week. Stopped by to see our three offices in three days, doing training on the new software. Not really a pleasure trip – arrived at night, spent the day in the office and flew out. There is nothing like checking out of a hotel at 8AM and going into work. Hard on the wardrobe and not great for sleeping either.

Started, of course, in Dubai. Should you ever have to fly into Dubai, like me give you a hint: Dubai airport is VERY BUSY! Give yourself at least an hour from the time you get off the plane, get to Passport Control, pass Passport Control, claim your baggage and actually get into a vehicle to go to your hotel. Hell – you’re lucky if it’s only an hour. The gods, then, have been kind. Late as it was when I finally swung into my hotel (and I had not checked a bag), I still had time to go over to the Rock Bottom for my first beer in three months! Ahhhhhh…. And what goes well with beer in Dubai? KING GORILLA! Yes – my favorite local band was still rockin’ the house and getting better every day. What other band could go between Bob Marley’s “Could You Be Loved” and “Walk Like An Egyptian” without missing a beat? I wish them only the best of luck when they finally head back to Canada. They are a terrific bar band.

Next morning I checked out, worked and was driven to Abu Dhabi. It took about an hour and, once you passed all of Dubai’s billboards for all the fabulous things they will be building, there was desert. Forty-five minutes driving through scrubland. Nothing. I don’t know how the driver stayed awake. It must be brutal to do in the summer. Abu Dhabi is not as built as Dubai, but it is a city with aspirations. Say – Cleveland wanting to be Chicago. Not as garish nor as fast as Dubai, but hoping to grow. That night, I went to an “American themed” restaurant – which meant cowboys. The place was decked out like an old-time saloon and the wait staff wore jeans and denim vests. And they served meat (and beer). Around 9PM, not only did the Philippino cover band come on, but the “ladies” arrived. The guy at work who suggested this place mentioned there would be “ladies”, but I didn’t expect a swarm. By the time I left (like a half hour later), there were more women than men. Then I think the fighting started… These were predators – plain and simple. From the few I could understand, they were mainly from China. I was too exhausted to stick around and possibly be beaten into submission (some were muscular!). Maybe another time…

Get up. Check out. Work. Fly to Qatar. I didn’t see much of anything here. The office was near the airport and the hotel (though 5 star) was near the airport. So I didn’t see the city or the Al Jazeera building. But I did see more construction – more pounding out the stone and sand in a surge toward the 21st Century. Like the others. But Qatar is a bit behind them. So sprawling new hotels stand side by side with old tear down hotels. I can’t tell you more than that… except that Qatar Airways has the most spectacular First Class lounge I have ever been in! Perfectly designed, utterly gorgeous and peaceful. Great food and many cocktails available for free. I could fall asleep here and miss my flight. And not care…

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