Because starting on Saturday is the Al Dhafra Camel festival. The largest camel festival in the Middle East (and therefore, I suspect the World). The whole place is absolutely plastered with flags of all nationalities, huge tents (that just seem to appear overnight out in the desert), wire fences have gone up everywhere (which have filled up with camels overnight), and the dust – 4,000 4x4s can’t move around at ridiculous speed without creating a bit of dust !
Went for a run out into the desert a couple of nights ago, for the first time in a while, and the change to the landscape is staggering. There are encampments and camel compounds stretching for miles, all lit up like Christmas trees, music blaring, huge BBQs going, and a constant stream of 4 x 4s thrashing up and down the desert tracks and roads, as well as across the sand in the pitch black (positively dangerous frankly !).I don’t know what won the “strangest thing to see in the desert” category actually, whether it was the open topped pickup, driving slowly through the desert, with huge speakers strapped to the top, calling out evening prayer – that was a goody, or the other one that caught my eye was the kebab shop that has sprung up about 2k down a desert track, lights, signs, gas, you name it. Bloody gennies going everywhere – no wonder the UAE has the world’s largest carbon footprint per head ! There was a huge portacabin on the back of a lorry, all covered in tent fabric, that was quite un-usual as well. Then there’s the mobile petrol station that ADNOC have moved in (quite a sensible move actually, it will stop the great unwashed heading into town).
They are putting up a huge grandstand overlooking the show ring – so that the Sheiks can sit in the shade as the contestants for the Most Beautiful Camel are paraded, measures, and put through their paces (the reason, as I’m sure I’ve told you in the past, that Million Street is called Million Street, is because that is the prize money for the winner of the most beautiful camel contest – about 166k pounds, or so I’m told !)It all starts on Saturday as I said, and goes on for about 10 days. I will see a couple of days at least when I’m back down here next week, and I’ll endeavor to remember to take my camera with me so that you can all have the benefit of my experience (you lucky people !)
Other than that I haven’t got a huge amount to tell you – I shall be moving into an apartment in Madinat Zayed next week (with a bit of luck, although I’m not convinced that the furniture will be installed in time) – this is handy as my good and generous friend Julian is moving out of his large apartment in the marina and I won’t have a permanent base in Dubai any longer, so need somewhere to leave my things.Did I tell you that I’m going home for Christmas, after 3 months away ? Can’t remember (shrugs), it’s not important really………….I’m sure I’ll fill you in on the details at some point…….
Work has moved on a pace since last week – we’re still putting other peoples fires out, but they not out of control any longer (touch wood……) and I think I can see somewhere in the future, through the trees, where there’s no smoke…….but it might just be the train coming the other way (mixing my metaphors again !).Running, jumping, swimming and biking are all going on as normal (although the pool has been drained at the Tilal for cleaning this week, which was a bit of a shock, and not very helpful !) – I’m currently having a mental battle (and I mean currently – I think it’s why I’m typing this instead of actually leaving an empty office to go and do something physical)about whether to award myself a rest day today, after several hard days training, or whether to push out just one more effort to get thin before I go home next week (did I mention that I was going home next week ?). Apart from one minor calf strain and a few blisters, I have managed to stay fit and healthy whilst losing weight and training harder than I think I have ever done, even whilst I was in the army. Then again, I’m not likely to do a huge amount whilst I’m at home next week…….did I mention that ?
I think a rest day has finally won the argument – I don’t want to be ill or injured when I get back home next week, and recovery is as an important part of an exercise programme as the exercise itself (I read that somewhere)…….I’ve just checked my training diary and I’ve done 4 hard sessions without a rest, so I should have one ! I’m off now that I’ve finished arguing and have successfully beaten myself in a debating contest – sad isn’t it !
Here endeth the lesson !
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