Greetings and Happy New Year!!!! I have been back in Abu Dhabi for a full week now so owe you all an update.
I flew back Sunday evening from DC to Chicago and Chicago to AD. Yes it is out of the way, but sitting on a plane being pampered is better than sitting at JFK for a 5 hour layover so I've gotten smart about it. Break was good.....it was a lot of traveling (DC for 1.5 days, Tampa for 4.5, DC for 6, New Orleans for 2.5, DC for 1.5) so it seemed quite short but it was good to be home and see everyone. I did not enjoy the cold at all however and am very thankful to be back in the warmth!
I landed Monday night and had to deal with a bunch of visa crap before getting through, grabbing bags and heading "home". I was back at work first thing Tuesday morning to loads of emails for events (so much for a peaceful start to the year!!!).
So Tuesday night I hit the gym and finished unpacking, organizing.
Wednesday was going away drinks for Aden (a legal secondee who's time was up). So after work went to Belgian Beer Cafe at the Intercontinental for drinks and then I went with another friend to Oceans to meet Liana and her ex boss where they had dinner. My last 3 Wed nights in AD have all turned out the same, at Sax, so of course this is where we went. Ended up having way too many drinks and staying out too late so Thursday was rough at work. Thankfully it was the last day of the week.
Thursday I took Oliver out for his 27th (ha!) birthday. We went to Pearls & Caviar at the Shangri-La hotel which was supposed to be awesome. It mostly lived up to this, great view, great lobster, terrible lobster bisque, nicely decorated. From dinner we went to Club Eight which I'd heard loads about but never been since its a little off island. Liana met us there and a bunch of other ppl I've been hanging out with. Many many many vodkas and shots later, we left to go to the Fairmont. So one of the guys in the group has a lambourghini and they were like, who is going to ride with so and so and I was immediately like MEEEEEEEEEEE. So I fulfilled a personal goal which I thought was never actually going to happen. White, red leather interior, sweet. It wasn't far, but it was a ride. Ha. Then we went to the fairmont and got grub cuz everyone was starving and continued to drink. Needless to say, I did not sleep much and for some reason woke up early as crap Friday and could not go back to sleep.
Spent Friday by the pool, did some work and then planned on a couple hour nap. I had no plans Friday night but figured I'd get groceries, hit the gym, watch a movie or something. I fell asleep at 5pm and woke up at 9:45am on Saturday morning. Oops! It was an amazing night of sleep that was much needed and I'm glad I did cuz I had a super productive Saturday. Got up and met Alice to get a pedi, then we spent the day at the pool at Beach Club (she lives at Beach Rotana so we're gonna make it a weekly thing!). She left and I hit the gym, then got groceries and then went back home. Showered, goofed off and then the boss was back in town so I went and met 4 co-workers for dinner which was supposed to start at 9 and be a fairly early night except that it went til 12:45am. Not the way to start the week!
Sunday (yesterday) I went to work, then had a great workout last night, made pasta, did laundry, etc. This morning I got up and ran a couple miles as I have an event tonight and I need to start balancing all these nights out with working out. I was very proud of myself for getting in at least a short workout on a day which I would normally do nothing cuz of going out.
So tonight is Alice's birthday..wohoooo!!!! I am at the office (my real job office) right now waiting for her to get home so I can go have bubbly and we can get ready. Then its off to the Fairmont for dinner and then who knows....I don't predict my nights here....I just plan for them to be late!!!
Oh..and Hillary Clinton was at my AD employer today. No idea what shes doing but she was in the lobby and then went for lunch at Jones which is where we go quite regularly.
What else from week 1.....My tan is starting to come back after a full weekend at pool and my body is slimming down to where it was before the holidays so all good things.
Thursday night will be our belated tax team xmas dinner and then a bigger Alice bday celebration...and then Friday Alice and I are going to go do a tour of the Grand Mosque. Finally doing something touristy!!! In other news....Liana and I are in the process of planning lots of trips. On the radar is: weekend in Bahrain (possibly for next weekend), Doha, Beirut, London, Muscat and Dubai for my bday. Usher will be in town March 10th and since my bday is the following Tuesday we'll likely go for the weekend, see Usher, go skydiving and maybe hit Ski Dubai. I brought back all my ski stuff minus the skis so I'm prepared for whatever may come!
The next 16 weeks are going to fly by but I plan on jam packing them with fun things so look for (hopefully) exciting posts!
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