Dubai Dubai Do

I began this blog with a photo of myself framed against the Boston skyline.  It seems only right, therefore, to end it with another cityscape, this time the futuristic skyline of Dubai. 

I've been slightly nervous here, because Gulf citizens have been known to like a piece of slowly-cooked mutton and there have been a few glances at me wherein the smiles have more of a gastronomic rather than garrulous feel about them.   I've tried to hint that there is more than a touch of scabies in my family in the hope that this will make me a little less attractive to any Emirate epicureans.

This is again a city state of extraordinary variety wherein the nations of the world mix and deal with equanimity.  If there remains an old Dubai, I haven't seen it.  Mile upon mile of state of the art infrastructure supporting architecture which is frankly mind-boggling.  Julian was here over a decade ago and yet he recognised but one building, the iconic Sail which still dominates one part of the skyline.  Today, however, one cannot but be drawn again and again to the huge stalactite which stands like an alien cathedral soaring to the heavens in the centre of the city and which quite cowed this sheep.

We adjourned to the roof terrace of the grand ("grand"?  I'm not sure Dubai has anything but "grand") Royal Mirage hotel for the last reception of the tour.  George Stodhard, whose original idea this venue was, sat shivering in temperatures of about 20C and received scant sympathy.  Abbas Yousafzai was our host and, although working all the way down the coast at Abu Dhabi, graced the event with his charming wife.  Peter Hill, HM of the prestigious Dubai College, and Andrew Bone, who runs Hill and Knowlton throughout the region, also attended and made many pertinent and perspicacious comments and suggestions.  The extremely beautiful Wedad bin Braik was joined by her husband, as was Karen Craig who, as a Kiwi, seemed to have got almost as much pleasure out of the Poms stuffing the Aussies as Julian had.  Finally, Graeme Mullin (our man at the FO) and Alun Epps (working for Middlesex University but we'll forgive him) made up the extremely enjoyable party.

So, how to sum up this trip?  Well, human-sheep relations have been put under strain at various times, certainly between me and Julian, and I would urge everyone to lobby heavily for an improvement in the conditions under which ovine transport is regulated.  I've travelled in a briefcase, a carrier bag, with dirty washing, even in the hold of an aircraft on occasion, with no hint of an apology from the fat controller (sorry, Development Director).

On the other hand, alumni relations for Aber has been the big winner.  We've made so many friends, rekindled so many memories, encouraged so much support and created the skeleton of a truly mutually beneficial alumni network worldwide that there is no doubt of the success of the whole enterprise.  Now, Julian has a shed-load of work to do to ensure that the University lives up to its promises and continues to support this network, especially for the younger graduates who will need our help so much in the current economic climate.

Now it's off to the airport, another insufferable flight for me and Julian wondering if there's a movie on the plane he hasn't already seen during the fifteen flights we have taken since November 26th.  Thanks for reading my musings.  I'm off to Antarctica soon so look for me in the frozen food counter as well hopefully a new blog.