Friday 14th May

Well thats another week over and today has been a day of rest and catching up on personal matters.

Yet another very busy week, meetings and more meetings + a few interviews, usually at last minute notice

The week started off very strange, on Saturday evening went to the "pub" and on my return found someone else was now living in the apartment, it was OK as lots of rooms but a little disconcerting. Anyway Steve, Also works for ADPC arrived from Manchester and settled in, the pair of us off to Marina Mall the next morning by bus, its not quite the done thing foe white people tp travel by bus apparently but at 20p to go anywhere in Abu Dhabi its a bargain, more of this later.

The week has gone quickly, I've ended up also looking after Kalifa port for the time being, this when its finished will be the biggest port in the middle east. I've got to plan for getting Cape size vessels into the port by October this year! Pilots have been a big issue and they are the ones we have been interviewing.

Another two new members of staff arrived mid week, Jaber (a local) will be my Deputy Harbour Master and Sally from NZ will work with me on VTS. The whole plan is to make all ports under ADPC into world class ports. Target for me tomorrow (yes a rest day) is work out how many tugs we need and then start procurement.

Good news, I eventually got my residency visa and then driving licence so hope to get a big car tomorrow, also can now open a bank account.

Have a new apartment now very close to Abu Dhabi Mall, very posh. You see what the apartment is like by going to www.visionhotel.net and going across to executive suites. Spent part of the day up on the roof (19th floor) by the pool. The place is also very handy for local buses, being only a couple of stops to work, standing room only and full of far eastern bods, but its great. One thing out here, it is a very safe city and I've never felt uncomfortable at all.

Pub again this evening for a pint or two + a meal and meet up with the expats.

Well thats about it for now, more next week.

Joihn