Glam-packing

It's amazing how fast time flies when you're having fun. I had five days in Abu Dhabi and yet it felt like two!

Now let's not lie, there is absolutely nothing backpacker about the UAE - the costs for everything appear to hike up each year so for the sake of this trip, we'll call it the glam-packing section!

There's something pretty unique about the UAE and I've loved it from the minute I stepped into Dubai back in 2004 before the tourist industry took over and made it more spoilt and less rugged around the edges. I don't know whether it had something to do with me being closer to Dad or feeling some kind of affinity to the Middle East after being born in Bahrain but I always thought I'd move there to work one day. What with the cost of living and going out being extortionate (we paid £20 for a g&t cocktail last year when I stayed with Jess!) coupled with the fact Dad no longer lives there, the draw has significantly reduced but I still love visiting to get a sun fix when I can to catch up with friends.

Staying with Jamie, Michelle and the gorgeous woofies (Lulu the Frenchie and Bentley their boisterous Great Dane rescue pup) was an absolute dream. They were so chilled and made me feel so welcome at their home, as they always do and I couldn't have enjoyed myself more which probably made it all that much harder to leave!

The flight from Heathrow wasn't too bad with the exception of some pretty rubbish films and few drink offerings but I managed to have a good snooze after being really shattered. Has to be said though, sitting with someone who sniffs incessantly and does that hacking throat/cough thing for 7 and a half hours is less than ideal *shudders*.

For anyone who's flown to the UAE, the longest part of arrivals is always getting through passport control and security but I was relieved to see Jamie when I finally made my way through and receive the standard "hello Rugrat/Growlet." We are so fortunate to have met the people we have over there through Dad working/socialising and they have become our expat family - those who have been an expat or been exposed to it will know what I mean! So effectively, when the Pritchard sisters were first introduced to everyone as the Growlets, they all just took us under their wings and it's not changed since. For those who are confused, nicknames were big in the banking/broking industry in the City back in the day and therefore Dad's was Growler so we became a collective sub-version of that (yes to all you northerners, I understand it has alternative connotations oop north but down south it's thankfully not got the same meaning!)

After settling in and catching up properly with Jamie, Michelle and fussing over the dogs, I set off on one of the best night's sleep I'd probably had in a week or two. If I hadn't set myself an alarm to get up, it's a dead cert that I probably wouldn't have emerged until late afternoon! We had a relaxed morning and then went off on our bottomless booze catamaran trip from the Intercontinental hotel over to one of the small islands and back. It was great fun - what's not to love about endless bubbly, good music, sunshine, a dip in the sea and great company! We ended the night in the Belgian beer cafe by which point Michelle and I were fairly sozzled so we headed home in a taxi and I managed to promptly fall asleep to Jamie's delight where he could capture it all on his phone and send a photo to my mum to have a good laugh! There was no hanging about when we got home and I was happily tucked up in bed by 9pm, out like a light!

We aptly named Saturday the day to write off the food. After a slightly slower start, we made it to our brunch reservation at Dai Pai Dong in the Rosewood Hotel. The restaurant was nice but it has to be said that we were all rather disappointed by the food - a lot of the dishes were lukewarm, they served us mostly two of each thing when there were three of us and it just didn't hit the spot like it should have although the hot chicken noodle soup and custard tart were great!

On our way out we had a slight disaster in that Jamie's Hummer wouldn't go into gear and had only been fixed a few weeks before so he had to get hold of a mechanic and wait around for them to arrive. Shell and I made our way home and after a dip in the pool, I promptly fell into a food coma nap on the outside sofa! The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing, watching some telly and ordering a Pizza Hut for dinner which was also not up to our usual standard where they had sadly made the base like cardboard. Plus side was that the cookie for dessert was a hit!

Sunday was spent doing some big-time relaxing in the house and around the pool and then on Monday we challenged ourselves to glow in the dark golf which was literally SO much fun! Not surprisingly, I came last as my golfing skills are non-existent and I managed to whack the ball so hard on a couple of the holes that it went up and over the border - definite case of "all the gear and no idea!" That being said, it was still really enjoyable.

My final day was spent in pure and utter bliss at a spa where we had access to the beach and pool, sauna, jacuzzi and steam room, followed by a 90 min aromatherapy full body massage and a facial. It was amazing and got rid of any knots that I had in my neck and shoulders. The last few hours sadly then whizzed by getting packed, showered and eating Jamie's homemade Asian salad with beef kebabs - yummy!

After an emotional and tearful goodbye (on my part) with Michelle and Jamie where the nerves and anxiety had definitely got the best of me, it was time to depart from Abu Dhabi and head to the next part of my adventure.

I'll keep you posted!! Xxx