But there is a future, subject to contract

I had a few days back in London at the end of May to indulge in an orgy of culture: Henry VIII at the British Library, Kuniyoshi at the Royal Academy, Baroque at the V&A, Picasso at the National Gallery, Garden and Cosmos at the British Museum, and Sickert in Venice at the Dulwich Picture Gallery. For London the weather was almost perfect: not too hot, a little soft refreshing rain. Topping up my dwindling supply of Guess Where London pictures was an added bonus, and I also managed to fit in an interview or two for the job that’s so secret you aren’t allowed to know about it. I never thought I’d say this, but London is rapidly turning into an oasis for my mind.

Back in Abu Dhabi, Hugh, the Project Director for my outgoing job, suggested we take a trip into the desert proper so, on Friday, we went to the Liwa oasis, which is the last water this side of the Empty Quarter. Sadly there isn’t a lake à la stereotypical oasis but there were lots of date palms and a rather nice small fort (it would convert into a fabulous weekend place). The string of villages along the oasis seem to contain a few interesting things so it may justify a weekend explore if I’m here long enough.

Then we went on to Moreeb Dune, just in the desert proper (going any further in a Toyota Yaris would have been suicidal). The desert is stunningly beautiful, which surprised me, but that doesn’t seem enough for most people: Moreeb, one of the largest dunes, is now a semi-permanent showground for various dune-bashing activities. It isn’t enough for the desert to be beautiful: it has to be a place for dangerous sports too. It’s such a shame it’s too dangerous to head off on one’s own: I’m sure it would be a richly rewarding experience; in it’s own way an oasis for the soul.

On the way, we stopped off at the Emirates National Transport Museum, which features the car collection of Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, affectionately known as the Rainbow Sheikh. I have now seen a matching set of Mercedes 500 series cars in rainbow colours: one for every day of the week. Seriously weird.

And on an even brighter note, just as I started writing this I had a phone call: my several interviews both here and in London have paid off and I’m to be offered a job working on the project so secret that I’d have to kill you if I told you what it is, though it keeps me in Abu Dhabi for the rest of the financial year. From now on I shall refer to it as “The Tufty Club” because of its Secret Squirrel nature. More as and when or, indeed, if I’m allowed to tell you about it. I don’t suppose there’s much shame in losing two jobs in the space of 6 months in the current recession, but I regard it as no small feat to secure new employment within my notice period on both occasions. Go me!

This picture is dedicated to the roller coaster that has been my life for the last couple of months. May I get off now, please?