After a twelve-hour flight I arrived in Abu Dhabi late this morning. Because we departed midday, it never felt like it was time to sleep. But with the eight-hour time difference the flight arrived mid-morning. I’m now functioning on sheer force of will. I’ll be heading to bed soon.
I was in this part of the world eight years ago. Because I know it changes quickly, I wanted to visit again. Even through my sleep deprived mind, the expansion of both Abu Dhabi and Dubai is unmistakable. On my last trip, most of the drive between the two cities was empty land. It has all now been developed. Construction is continuing at a furious pace. The architecture is futuristic and mostly attractive. (Pardon the photos, most were taken from a moving vehicle.)
The other dramatic difference was in air quality. On my previous trip the air was clean and clear. Today a haze or smog, I’m not sure which, blanketed the entire area. It could be due to seasonality (my previous trip was in September), but more likely it is attributable to traffic and industry.
I’m keeping this short because I can barely keep my eyes open. More tomorrow.