Welcome to my new hometown: Sila'a , Abu Dhabi, UAE

My journey to my new home began at 2 pm on March 20, 2012, when all the Western Region Teachers received memos in our hotel rooms telling the 7 of us we were being whisked away at 6pm to the Western Region.  Two teachers were headed to the Liwa Oasis, 2 teachers were headed to Ghayathi and 3 of us were headed for Sila'a.  Chaos ensued.  Rapid packing, last minute purchases of things we would not find in the Wild, Wild West, and the search for teachers out pampering themselves with mani-pedi's.

You will be thrilled to hear that we all left on time.  Five in the bus and two of us in my rented car following.  The adventure began with me informing the driver that I would be following and to please not to lose me.  He replied, "No problem madam.  Can you go 140 hm/hr?"  That is 88 mph in the US.  This is the maximum speed limit on the highway.  More about that later in this post.

Now before we get started let me give you some basic logistical pieces of information about the location of Sila'a, Abu Dhabi, UAE. 

First, Sila'a is located in what is commonly called the Western Region of the the Abu Dhabi emirate of the UAE.  The Western Region makes up more than 3/4 of the emirate.  The population of Sila'a is 8000.  Westerns make up 1% of which I am a member.  I know 17 of them and have yet to meet the other 63.  3% are Bedouin, the local emirates.  The rest are Pakistani, Mayalsain, Egyptian, Indian and Syrian.  I am definitely in the minority here. Finally, Sila'a is 18km (11 miles) from the Saudi Border Post.

 Now, on to the move.
The first stop the driver made was to get gas.  No big deal.  But while he was waiting in the gas line he hopped out and let Christine and I know that he would be popping him to get his phone charger.  Really!  Once gassed up he then parked at the gas station and went inside to purchase minuted for his cell phone.  Then we were truly off to his home to pick up the charger.  So we were finally on our way at 6:45 pm.  The adventure to our next temporary home, The Mirfa Hotel.  This was an hour and a half trip in the dark down a two lane highway.  In the USA no big deal.  Here the maximum speed is 140km/hr as I mentioned before.  Although I tend to have a heavy foot, in the dark on a road I don't know, not so much. But the bus driver hit the road and put down the hammer.

My only choice was to keep up.  This two lane highway is also the major truck road to Saudi Arabia. I should really say the only truck road.  Now, you need to understand that trucks and coaches must stay in the right lane.  The maximum speed for them in 80km/hr (50 mph).  So, picture this.  One lane of bumper to bumper  truck traffic going 50 mph, then the other lane a spattering of autos and small buses (think VW van) going 88 mph.  Treacherous does not begin to describe this experience in the dark.  Then add the fact that the only monitoring of the speed on this road are fixed cameras about every 8km (5 miles). So many of the emirates feel that going 180km/hr (112 mph) is acceptable just so you slow down at the camera.   If your suspense has not been heightened, now add that these people also believe that at these high rates of speed it is acceptable to flash their light and ride about 5" from your bumper to get you to move over for them.  They are much more important than you.  Also in order to move out of their way you must now pull over into the 50mph lane and slam on your brakes so you do not become the latest bumper sticker on a tractor trailer heading for the KSA (oh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia).

Well, as I am sure you have figured out we made it to the Mirfa Hotel at about 8pm.  By the time we got checked in and had some dinner I could easily say that drained would be an understatement.  Sleep came easy.

On Wednesday we were able to get to see the surroundings and get acquainted with the Mirfa.  The Mifra is a lovely hotel in the middle of nowhere.

 The big attraction is the beach.  In Mirfa since 2008, the annual Watersport festival is held.  The small Corniche (beach/boardwalk combo) in Mirfa is the only place in town you can swim.  The Mirfa has a beach but swimming in the Persian Gulf here is forbidden.

 But the Mifra has a beautiful swimming pool and it was fun to go for an evening swim.








But Irma Diaz and I are still an hour and 40 minutes away from our new teaching home.  The choices in the Wild, Wild West are slim.  This area is very remote.  I have heard many people in the US say, "I live in the middle of nowhere".  Well, the truth is those people have never been to the middle of nowhere.  The middle of nowhere is in Al Gharbia (Western Region), UAE.  Don't believe me just look. 

So, unlike those other posers I can truthfully and unfacetiously say, "I live in the middle of nowhere".  That is not to say that occasionally you can't find an adventure in the middle of nowhere.