First Impressions - October 11, 2007

As we prepare to disembark from our flight we are not given instructions nor customs cards to fill out. Everything seems rather unceremonial other than the flight attendant blocking our departure until the first class passengers are completely off the plane. The only announcement is to inform us that eating and drinking in public are illegal during Ramadan. It was a bit intimidating to me as I come here with many preconceptions as to how women are received. I was prepared for a trip to Riyad so I am expecting similar treatments here and worry that I will forget myself in public. I am nervous as I step out of the plane and the carpeted walkway ahead seems to have turned into a gang plank in my mind. I am walking with the same 20 or so familiar strangers that I have spent the last 12 and a half hours travelling in close proximity with and do not quite yet feel as though I have entered foreign territory. If you've seen one airport, you've seen them all. I am lost in my thoughts wondering if Rob has gone ahead through customs or if he decided to wait for me so that we can go through together. Up ahead a familiar figure comes into my view. Blond hair and blue jacket stand out amongst the dark heads and draped clothing. I pick up the pace and try not to startle the people around me as I almost break into a run. Tears are beyond my control as I reach to embrace Rob. I want to hold on forever caught in the moment but Rob takes my hand and rushes me ahead of the crowd. His goal is to reach th customs point before the lines. As he drags me through the airport the scenery immediately changes and there are faces and colors rushing past me. I experience culture shock as images flash past me and people stare at us as we run by. I am glad Rob has my hand because my sleep-addled mind is suddenly and completely overwhelmed. We approach the customs desks which truly look like every other customs area I've ever been through. The blueprint is universal. In this case though there is a young man in Arab whites and I am accutely aware that he only speaks and looks at Rob as he reaches out for our passports. I'm not sure where to look, should I look at him so he can compare me with my passport or avert my eyes so that I don't insult? I decide to let Rob handle everything and I look around. I nervously notice that at many of the desks around me only men stand forward and the women with them stay back behind the ropes. Unsure of what to do I stupidly just stand next to Rob as the man asks him if this is his first time to the U.A.E. Before long we are rushing through the gate which I expect to shut as soon as I try to walk through - but it doesn't and we proceed to the familiar looking baggage claim area and I feel myself relaxing. I cannot believe that customs was so easy to get through and am still convinced that we will be subjected to search as we try to leave. But we are not. And we walk out into the warm breeze of this beautiful Thursday morning. I snap this photo of Rob while we are in the parking lot of the rental car place for everyone at home so they can see him unchanged. Smiling as usual. He seems not to notice the young men in blue jumpsuits who are sweeping the parking lot using palm fronds tied to sticks for brooms. It is warm and I wonder how they can do this all day without being able to carry around water bottles. Rob tells me that they are TCNs or Third Country Nationals and their blue jumpsuits are standard uniforms. They are the working class here.
We drive away from the airport and head toward our hotel with barely a clue as to where we are going. Rob realizes quite quickly that he need not drive as he does in Saudi Arabia, drivers here actually observe turn signals and stop signs. Dusty images fly by as we drive straight on a very modern highway surrounded on both sides by impressive construction of large homes and mosques. It looks exactly as I expect. Desert landscape, palm trees and square white buildings with scattered domes. We head toward the Corniche which turns out to be the beach front road along which the westernized hotels are located. Amazingly there are many beautiful green parks which I later learn are a part of the Gardenization project of Abu Dhabi, now known as the Garden City. Across the water is the most amazing complex of a mall - with an IKEA sign jutting up. I must admit that I am both relieved and disappointed at the same time by the sight of somehting so familiar. We decide to try to check in early to the hotel and are amazed that although our room is not ready they will let us check into a different one so that we can shower and rest until our real room is ready at 5PM. Can you imagine such a thing at home? This is a beautiful and gracious hotel. I just have to take a photo of the view from the room - the mall across the water from the private beach!