http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/TravelMaty/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from TravelMaty en-us Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:18:20 BST Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:18:20 BST A two hour road trip to Oman was just what I needed to remind me that I am a world away from home. We crossed the border to Oman and found ourselves haggling for antiques in stores with no air conditioning drinking cokes out of bottles that cost about 30 cents from the local coffee shop and eating hummus and cherries for lunch on the top of the only mountain in the entire country. http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/Oman/Buraimi/blog-287139.html Dates grow in the U.A.E. like wheat grows in Kansas...and I desperately want to like them. The bad news is that I don't really like them not even a little bit. I continue to try dates everywhere I go...imagining that I am in fact trying them for the first time. Plain dates nutcrusted dates chocolatecovered dates...all varieties have simply not delivered what I was anticipating to be a new http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Abu-Dhabi/blog-287131.html Well I haven't posted a blog entry in a few weeks because I have been working like a crazy person. The vacation is pretty much over and I have been put to work I truly cannot express the shock and dismay I felt when reminded that I was shipped over here to actually put in some hours not to lay on the beach ride camels and eat dates off of palm fronds. Truly truly shocking information that http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Abu-Dhabi/blog-287124.html If you ever find yourself in Abu Dhabi may I recommend to you a Dhow Dinner Cruise It was lovely. A group of Cerner folks and our new friend Barb decided to take the trip down the Corniche last Tuesday night. Corniche literally means 'by the sea' and here in Abu Dhabi it refers to a large seafront boardwalk. It is a really pictureperfect view of Abu Dhabi especially from the water at night http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Abu-Dhabi/blog-281895.html It is quite possible that I will never leave Abu Dhabi as a result of my experiences today. I spent the day on Lulu Island just off the coast of Abu Dhabi and it was exactly what I have always dreamed that the most perfect place in the whole world would look like. It was in a word paradise. My friend Barb and I took a taxi to the ferry dock where we caught a boat over to Lulu Island which http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Abu-Dhabi/blog-281887.html This past weekend we spent exploring Dubai. We visited the Old Souk and Souk Madinat Jumeirah where we unsuccessfully bargained for souvenirs. The shopkeepers were fierce about getting every dirham that they could out of us Oh well we still got some good stuff and enjoyed our time there. The gals and I splurged on lunch in the skyview bar of the Burj AlArab the seven star hotel in Dubai http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Dubai/blog-280271.html I have read in several books magazines tourist guides etc that shopping is the national pastime of the UAE. I have found this to be true as we have asked around regarding what to see what to do and what not to miss out on while we are here. The resounding answer is Shopping I like to shop just as much as the next person but it's really kind of wild how much shopping is actually availab http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Abu-Dhabi/blog-278578.html On Saturday we my Cerner friends Laura and Rebecca ventured out on a desert safari and what an experience that was We went dune bashing which basically involves driving like crazy people on the sand dunes in a Toyota Land Cruiser. The feeling is similar to a roller coaster only slightly more terrifying because of the lack of safety regulations and such. After dune bashing they took us http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Abu-Dhabi/blog-277870.html On Friday I visited the Abu Dhabi Golf Club...which is the site of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship last year it was won by the delicious Paul Casey. It is a championship course with 27 holes currently split into the National Course 18 and the Garden Course 9 which are currently being merged. The clubhouse is built in the shape of a giant falcon it is really impressive and can be seen fr http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Abu-Dhabi/blog-277752.html Hands down...the Grand Mosque is the most amazing building that I have ever seen. WOW. This mosque is still in the making but when it is done will be able to hold 10000 people at a time. The official name is the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque but it is known as the Grand Mosque Sheikh Zayed is buried there. We were asked to remove our shoes and women were asked to cover up wit http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Abu-Dhabi/blog-277206.html The best street signs EVER At first we thought the 'Humps Ahead' sign was a joke...but then we saw these signs...and apparently they were serious Hahahahahaha. http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Abu-Dhabi/blog-277023.html Rebecca and I enjoyed dinner on Thursday night in the hotel because it was Indian food buffet night...so we lingered over our dinner long enough to see this wedding party come through the lobby. Too fun The bride is in white and the bridesmaids are in a variety of colors behind her. http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Abu-Dhabi/blog-277013.html While I am here I am working at Corniche Hospital and helping to train the nurses on the software that they are using. The word Corniche means 'by the sea' and it is named acurately as we are right here on the coast of the Persian Gulf. I am teaching classes as well as holding help sessions to get the endusers ready for their golive event. It is an interesting situation because there are mu http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Abu-Dhabi/blog-276548.html Well they warned me that it would be hot but here I am shocked by how hot it is outside. Therefore I am facinated with the news and weather and am learning about the Celcius temperature scale a bit more. 38 degrees Celcius is approximately 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Today the temp is 41. http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Abu-Dhabi/blog-276542.html I just found the office dubbed the Cerner Villa...which is basically a big house on some side street. Everyone here is SOOOO super nice Tomorrow I am going to the hospital for the first time. http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Abu-Dhabi/blog-275774.html Well I finally arrived in Abu Dhabi last night after a very long journey. I left Kansas City at 230pm on Saturday on an earlier flight than I originally planned so that I could be sure to avoid bad weather and make my connecting flight. Long story short leaving early was unnecessary as my next two flights were delayed and I arrived in Abu Dhabi at approximately 1030pm on Monday night UAE ti http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Abu-Dhabi/blog-275729.html I am traveling to Abu Dhabi for one month to work with one of my company's clients there teaching doctors and nurses how to use our software. I am thrilled to have this opportunity and cannot wait to share stories and photos with you from my journey to the Middle East I am certain that I will not leave there without a sunburn too many souvenirs fond memories and a new perspective. Check th http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Abu-Dhabi/blog-274270.html In exactly 48 hours I will be blasting off to Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi is the largest of the seven emirates that comprise the United Arab Emirates and was also the largest of the former Trucial States. It is also the location where Garfield occasionally sends Nermal. The reason for this is because the city of Abu Dhabi and the majority of UAE has a large amount of stray cats. Garfield would often p http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Abu-Dhabi/blog-274267.html