Tony's Tales: Middle East experiences

Having just spent four weeks in the Middle East, variously in Dubai, Bahrain and Saudi, it gave me the opportunity to spend some time getting to experience a little more of the place we will soon be calling home. Admittedly it is still a hotel existence, however the localisation process has definitely started.

Firstly, Summer is early this year and we have had a few "warm" days come our way -- three days of 49 Celsius. A couple of observations: (1) apparently it rarely gets to 50C officially since that is the temperature at which work must stop in many of the ME countries, so there can be varying intensities of 49C; and (2) the humidity at present is less than 10% which makes it a more tolerable dry heat -- when the Indian monsoon season kicks in and the humid air flows our way is when the Meteorological Bureau advised that the weather will become "uncomfortable" !

Secondly, I have also been trying many of the local cuisines, eating at Moroccan, Lebanese and Iranian style restaurants. As with all cultures, the food is generally fabulous and it is simply the ingredient availability and the treatment that provides the wonderful surprises. Two new ingredients have been added to my experiences: Ostrich and Camel. The latter was terrific, however both my Ostrich experiences were a let-down (dark, dry and tasteless). I'm told Ostrich should be better than that and so the ones I had must have run all the way to me. Or maybe it's the Drumstick - Breast meet thing?

By the way, the region seems to be picking up a busier hum. Certainly not anywhere near the early 2008 boom, however much of the uncertainty has dissipated and there is more and more business getting done.

So I'm on my home to Hong Kong, albeit via a week of meetings in Houston. The flight today is a first for me and a very interesting route. If you look on a map you will see that Dubai and Houston are only a similar latitude. However if you look at the same map and head North-West from Dubai as we are doing as I write, we are travelling across Iran, Azerbaijan; Georgia; Russia; Estonia: Sweden; Norway; Iceland; Greenland; Canada; and finally to the US of A. A very long 16 hour flight, but it is daylight the entire time and the changing landscapes are fascinating.

Enough from me. Very much looking forward to getting home to Honkers to see my wonderful family whom I miss so. Then soon after we will be packed and down to Oz to catch up with more family and friends, and to enjoy some nice winter weather. Until then, cheers.