Well, as of the time of posting I am nearly half way through my 2 week business trip to the UAE, during the hottest months of the year, not that I am counting the time down, not at all ;). I have been visiting the world’s largest construction site on and off for about four years now in the pursuit of winning new work, and the first project we tendered here is still not finished.
To be fair, it is the world’s tallest building (well it will be for a while anyway until they build another taller on somewhere in Dubai), but I do recall that it should have been finished by now. I also recall having a rather vocal difference of opinion (yes, most unlike me) with our JV Partner’s project manager at the time who wanted to take 3 months off the construction period!
The first night was spent in the relative comfort of the Dusit Dubai, where the very nice staff upgraded me to a suite – overlooking the above building site. Having said that, just about every hotel room in Dubai overlooks a building site.
After dropping my bags off I headed down to the bar, (which unfortunately had been downscaled and relocated since my last visit), for a quick couple of beers, to help me sleep later of course. Halfway through my first glass I happened to notice a Russian lady at the far end of the bar, with died black hair, who appeared to be staring rather intently in my direction, all the time. I then spent the next 30 minutes trying to look everywhere except in her direction, however, a little like being drawn to steal a glance at a accident when driving down the motorway when you know you shouldn’t, I would occasionally look up to find that her gaze was still fixed towards me. So after being stared down, I decided to drink up and turn in for the night.
The next day was full of meetings in Dubai, after which we headed off down to Abu Dhabi, which was to be our base for the next couple of weeks. Our driver eventually managed to locate our hotel after stopping in the middle of the road on a couple of occasions to ask for directions, oblivious to the cars honking all around us.
Our hotel, Le Meridien (not Le Royal Meridien I hasten to add and part reason for the confusion in locating the place), is perfectly adequate for our needs, if not being the plushest of establishments. (After doing my homework before the trip I noted that this hotel appeared to have the most number of bars on the premises, so I booked it up). Food is acceptable, with a few local delicacies to tempt those with an adventurous palate. Whilst considering my self fairly adventurous I admit that I have not quite talked myself into trying the sheep’s brains at dinner, or pouring camel’s milk onto my cereal of a morning, but you never know, I still have a week to go and boredom may just get the better of me.
Work wise, I have been making the trek up and down the Sheikh Zayed Road back and forth to Dubai on several occasions, as well as spending some time on our project site whilst the our team get geared up for the works. The site is located in the middle of the desert somewhere on the outskirts of the city, not too far from the airport (which is about all you can see from the site apart from sand and a few cranes). Having seen the cabins we have delivered to the workplace I am rather thankful that the Client is letting us base ourselves in their offices for a while whilst we get set up, which has such creature comforts as air conditioning and toilets. Fortunately, on my first day there I managed to avoid what, I am quite sure, would have been a major faux pas. After locating the male washrooms within the complex I noticed a long tray with silver splash back, out of which I noted taps were mounted about three foot off the ground, which I assumed was in lieu of an auto flush mechanism, what with the project being environmentally friendly and all. I also noticed a long bench just in front of the tray which puzzled me somewhat, not knowing whether you were supposed to stand on top, or in front, or whether this was provided so that you could have a sit down – just in case you became tired during the process.
Just as I was considering where to stand I happened to turn and note that behind me there was a prayer room, at which stage I realized what the facility as for. No harm done, I walked around the partition and found the conventional conveniences.
Our driver, whilst being very safe, is not great it as to be said at knowing his way around town (either Dubai or Abu Dhabi). Unfortunately, when you ask him do you know where so and so is, you receive a yes, yes, I know! It soon becomes apparent that he quite often he does not, and, therefore getting to meetings on time is rather hit and miss. Unfortunately yesterday this resulted in me being 30 minutes late for a lunch meeting with our MD who was over from Hong Kong, the Client, and our local business partner – after he decided to ignore my directions. Each journey is rather reminiscent of one of these reality TV shows where participants are frantically trying to get their driver, who does not understand any English, to the next destination before being eliminated.
Challenges aside, I have managed to kick back every now and then.I have been able to catch up with friends at a bar in Dubai overlooking a ski slope, where, four years earlier, I was working out of the site offices on the tender for the Burj Dubai, whilst the project was under construction. I have also managed to have a quick dip in the hotel pool, in amongst the holidaying Europeans who seem intent on permanently damaging their skin through over exposure to the rather aggressive sun, in between taking in the beach view out across the oil refineries, the bridge under construction and high rises being built on the reclaimed islands in the distance.
