It’s been almost 3 months to the day since I left to start a new job out here, and we’ve been through thick and thin (mostly thick but that’s another topic altogether !) and I have to say that 3 months away is to long for me, or at least apart. It seemed to get to about 2.95 months and then it wasn’t helpful any more…..as you may have noticed with the drop off in the blog writing.
There have been other reasons for that I have to say – the general lack of interest from my readers wasn’t a specific one (I now have more readers in the US and Russia than I do in the UK – so put that in your pipe and smoke it !). We have almost topped 500 page views in that time, which is probably above average (well, my average at least), and this will be the 20th blog that I’ve written, which is well below average for me, but to be honest, you’ve probably heard it all before now !The new job is definitely one of the reasons. It all went live at the beginning of December, with me leading the charge in the first area to go live first. Generally it’s been a success I’d say, but it’s all a bit early to tell whether we can make the significant changes that they need. I’ve spent the last 3 weeks putting out the fires from the previous regime, as well as dealing with the usual mad panic that all Government Departments go through at this time of the year (being “end of year”). The usual round of “we’ve got money left over in our budget so we must get it allocated to something…..anything frankly……..so that we don’t lose it” – which was why I spent an interesting couple of hours this afternoon wandering around a Helipad looking at the electrics with one of my electrical engineers, so that he could give this client a quote, so that he could accrue budget for next year !
Another reason that you haven’t been getting your daily (or at least every other day) is that I’m temporarily homeless. Julian is moving out of his flat tomorrow and I was supposed to be moving into my new apartment (rented by the company) in Madinat Zayed. However, and I won’t say I told you so (cause I may not have mentioned it actually…..), but the furniture isn’t in yet and won’t be until Thursday, by which time I’ll be in the UK (did I mention that I’m coming home for Christmas ?) So currently I’m lying on Psycho’s bed in her apartment in MZ staring at my worldly possessions in three boxes and a suitcase. I should point out that Psycho isn’t here – she’s in Dubai waiting to fly home (she’s flying home on the same day as me………) but she’s kindly agreed to let me sleep here tonight rather than swanning off to AD. I met her at Yas Marina Circuit, on Yas Island, just outside AD,
and she gave me the key, and I gave here all the printing she asked me to do for her cause she hasn’t been in the office for three days ! Then we went for coffee in the posh hotel which spans the F1 circuit (which isn’t very well built, in my opinion……..)
and then, because it’s Tuesday, we went out onto the track. She cycled one way round (44km) and I ran the other way (2 laps – 11km !). I should point out that this is perfectly normal for a Tuesday and that there are loads of people there and the you’re supposed to go in opposite directions ! It was quite fun really – might do it again soon !
Right, I have to go to bed before I get into any more trouble – I’ve just narrowly avoided exposing myself to some drunk carol singers on Skype, which is always a good moment to go to bed in my opinion !I’ll take this moment to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a stunning New Year (just in case I don’t talk to you before next year – cause I’m going home on Thursday and I’m not back until the 2nd January……did I mention that ? You can check in every now and then though, you never know, I might have found a spare moment to write some more of this drivel !)
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