Where there's sand...

I spent the next few days, hanging out with Pedro but unfortunately, for me anyway, Pedro was too busy driving all over the Emirates and I was too tired so we didn't get to hang out as much as we wanted but still enough to catch up.
Now the, anyone who thinks there not really pulling their weight, carbon footprint wise, need only compare themselves to the Emirates. It is not uncommon to walk through a Mall parking lot and notice that some of the cars are left ticking over so the car doesn't get too warm. And I'm not talking about popping in to get a few lottery tickets.
Now, unaccustomed as I am to having a go at anything, I feel obliged to raise the following questions; what is the deal with those hajib things? I get that Muslim women have that hair taboo and don't like to show it in public, but can I assume the women in full masks aren't bothered shaving? I would also like to point out the folly contained in having a fully clothed at all times taboo, while living in the hottest place on earth. It is so hot there, I was afraid to spit in case I needed the moisture in a hurry.
Got the chance of a lifetime to train at the Abu Dhabi combat club which I jumped at. We put some serious miles on the clock and eventually made it to the club. I was determined not to make a show of myself and gave a pretty good account against two local lads. Then I was dismantled by Marcio, the Brazilian. So good was he that he was able to hold a full conversation with me during the fight. Including telling me why the move I was trying wouldn't work, what he was going to use to counter it and why I wouldn't be able to stop him. All of this at25kgs my junior. Made it home, beaten, but not broken and had a Mickey D's to cheer myself up. That was it for the Emirates, it was time to pack and move the adventure forward.
Anyway, before that could happen I had to jump through hoops for the nice people at Dubai airport. Ironically, the girl whom I had to impress enough that she'd bend the rules was named Clara. An unnecessarily cruel jibe by the cosmos I thought, but there you are. Luckily I was much better at it this time round. And finally I was Thailand bound...