Friday, August 31, 2012

The First Visit to the Campus

In the suit for my first day to the campus.
I've been so busy the past few days with rushing here and there, buying furniture, and generally settign up a new life here in AD.  Here are a few pictures taken on the First Day on Campus!! Enjoy!!

The overhead skylight in the Beach Rotana Hotel.

The lobby of the Beach Rotana.

First view of the campus in the desert.

The shopping boulevarde on the women's side of the campus.

The faculty entrance.


A view of the interior courtyard.

Cool staircase in the Admin Building.

Cool building angle.

Lovely curved walkway near the library.

The Library book depository.

Overhead lighting in the Library.

Library reading room.

The main reading room of the Library.

My Office!!

Yours truly in MY office in MY chair!!  Cool, eh?

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Go here and see.... https://maps.google.co.in/maps?q=Sun+Tower+-+Abu+Dhabi+-+United+Arab+Emirates&hl=en&sll=24.496199,54.407741&sspn=0.005506,0.013078&oq=Sun+Tower&t=h&hnear=Sun+Tower+-+Abu+Dhabi+-+United+Arab+Emirates&z=16

Day 2... contract signing and visit to new apartment!!

The 30m Lap-pool
The pool level hang-out zone

My apartment bulinding!  I'm on Level 4
OMFG!  My apartment is awesome!  It's on the 41st floor of a great new building, called Sun Tower, on the island of Al Reem.  It has a fully cool gym and a beautiful 30m lap pool (as well as a few other, floatie pools for people who don't, well.... lap). There's two gyms, one in one tower of the complex and another  in the larger of the two towers, Sky Tower.
Part of the gym
View from the living room, including the windows
The Lobby.... dig those chequered floor tiles, man!!!
 I'm not sure what to say about the place, really.  The space is very cool, but I will have to spend the dirhams that Zayed has given me to furnish it.  No, stove or oven, no dishwasher, no fridge, no washing machine and no other appliances.  But, it's all so kinda cool that I don't really worry about spending the bucks. 
View from the living room, squooshed against the glass, so no window frames


View from my boudoir
I like it!!!
Looking straight down from my living room
Al Reem is located slightly to the north east of downtown Abu Dhabi, and is an island currently being developed into one of Abu Dhabi's new centres.  It's a bit like living in a a Lego wonderland, but I'm cetainly happy enough with my digs.
Another part of the gym
And although it's a new area that's currently being developed,
Some of the nearby construction, but it's kinda like living in a mechano se
it is close enough to both the city (ie: cafes, beaches, shopping malls and.... ummmm... life) and work (which is, by all accounts, about 25 mins drive from my new home).  Take a look at the pics.  Lots to buy, though.  New stove, oven, fridge, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, and all the other bits and pieces of a home to buy.  Thank God/Allah/Buddha/Insert Your Favourite Deity Here that Zayed has given me the dollars to furnish the place.
More nearby development

Today was a day of admin and getting to know some of the other new hires.  We all come from a diverse range of backgrounds, and I was surprised how many of us have either already been living here for a while, or had already lived here and decided to come back to the UAE.  We are a multinational bunch, from all over the place really.  There's a few from Canada, a gaggle from the USA, a number from the UK and a measure from other corners of the world (Italy, Spain, Egypt, Lebanon and other exotic hotspots).  I was a little surprised, though, that I was the sole Aussie in the bunch.  I felt special, peculiar and a tad.... ummm... cool....standout...antipodean....excited to have my accent.  Yep, I felt proud.  Proud to be the one little Aussie in the pool.  Swim little Aussie, swim!!!!

Love yas all!!

x J

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Day One in Dhabi!

View from my hotel room... see the haze from the dust storm?
Well, folks.  Here I am!  After a long relatively uneventful (but really quite chilly) 14 hour flight, I landed to a balmy 34 degrees, and a sandstorm!   was met as I walked off the plane by a lovely airport official who walked me through customs completely hassle freely, then handed me over to the driver from Beach Rotana resort who drove me all the way in along an 8 lane freeway that virtually goes from the airport to the resort area!  Awesome. 

The hotel room is wonderful, and I've already made myself at home. 

The Hotel Room
The Bathroom
Another viewe from the balcony.
Complete with a bath!
First impressions of the city, made as I was driven into the city from the airport by my allocated driver, is that it is much bigger than I thought it would be.  It's a very spread-out looking place, with a number of very tall developments underway.  Mind you, through the haze of my first sandstorm, it was very hard to get a real impression.



More dust haze....

Anyway, I'm a bit tired and grubby feeling, so I will make this a short-but-sweet post, jump in the shower, and get back to you all later.