Hey All...

Abu Dhabi team rugby match at Khalifa Sports Complex.

This is the intro into what is hopefully a long set of essays about life for me in Abu Dhabi.  READ THEM!!!  There is SO much different about this place and Dubai AND the UAE for that matter.  Not apparent right away, but as you walk the streets or drive, you notice them.

I could write all day on the differences between Abu Dhabi and the States, but I thought I'd do that as I went (there is an piece following this on the main thing people appear to do here).  But, I thought I'd give you my first impressions about the city and what was different for me.

Many of you that have come to be my friends in the last few years in my painful transition to civilian life (and thank you, btw), know how much of a yocal I've become.  This has been a problem with travel.  I LOVE San Antonio and the surrounding area.  Not just like it, but love it like a woman.  A slow, slightly deformed woman, but one nonetheless.  San Antonio Abu Dhabi is not, or is it the other way around?  You forget when you stay local sometimes that this is the case.  When things you have built your day around are no longer there, or for that matter far away, it becomes a problem for someone slightly autistic (or am I?).

Why bore you?  Here are my top 4 things that bug the shit out of me:

1.  Starbucks - Anyone that knew me for more than 5 minutes knows that I can't be without Starbucks for, like, a DAY.  I know it doesn't say much about the man archetype that I try to emulate.  There are Starbucks around, but not every mile.  I have to drive in crazytown traffic to get there, which leads me to the next one...

I have no idea WTF this is.

2.  Traffic - No getting around it, its CRAZY!!!  At first it looks like people are trying to cut you off.  Walking to and from my runs on the Corniche (photos soon to follow), you begin to realize that Abu Dhabians (?) are no-bullshit people.  They are friendly all day long, but don't get in their way when they are trying to get somewhere.  The flip is more than true.  The people here are much more forgiving in traffic than San Antonians and seem to instinctively know when you need to get over five or so lanes.  They will politely honk or flash light to let you in.  Crazy huh?

3.  Humidity - Who'dve thunk it?  But being close to the ocean combined with heat makes it soupy in the pants.  Not a good feeling.  I learned the painful way about pushing myself on the run too hard when my asthma hit me hard.

Never EVER do these things on a Dubai Water Taxi

4.  Hair products - I'm one of the beautiful people, FACE IT, DEAL WITH IT.  Don't hate.  There is no American Crew hair stuff ANYWHERE!!!  I really hope I can import...

Anyway, that's all for this one.  More follows in minutes...btw, sorry to all I haven't corresponded with.  I still love you guys.  It's been a game changer for me (those who are closest to me know this all to well as I sit here listening to The James Gang "The Bomber").  Don't like the abbreviations?  Don't care.  It's my happening and it freaks me out, baby!