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  • Talk to me about Abu Dhabi
  • thisisnotaspoon
    Free Member

    So I’m more than likely going to end up there September-Christmas, then possibly again January-March.

    Is there anything at all to make it better than it first seems (a consumerist hell hole in the desert).

    There’s a roadie club that meets once a week (apparenlty they also run and swim but I’ll not hold that against them). The nearest velodrome I can find on google is too far away.

    There’s a sailing club, but it’s ridiculous money to join (c.a. £2k!).

    In desperation I’ve even considdered kitesurfing, but I live in Berkshire and the sailing club has a pylon over it so that’s right at the bottom of the list if there really isn’t much to do.

    Is there any kind of ‘countryside’ to explore (with a big camelpack)?

    jam-bo
    Full Member

    Easy connections to the rest of the world?

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    [video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2BIhb9y5OE[/video]

    Get on a board! You can easily learn at http://www.jbski.com/

    Cable’s very different to “proper” wakeboarding, IMHO. Not least because while I’m pretty good behind a boat, I’m absolutely rubbish at cable! Good fun, though!

    nicko74
    Full Member

    The only thing I know about Abu Dhabi is that apparently people in Dubai don’t like the Flintstones, but those in Abu Dhabi do…

    grum
    Free Member

    Some mates who lived out in Dubai said Oman was nice – lots of interesting walks/scrambles etc. It’s a little way from Abu Dhabi though.

    Retrodirect
    Free Member

    Have been there with work for a month a year for the past few years now.

    You pegged it correctly with “consumerist hell-hole in the desert”.

    If you want Mountainbiking you can find some in Oman, and Al Ain on the UAE side of the border is one of the only real feeling cities in the UAE.

    Abu Dhabi itself has some interesting sites to keep you busy, though admittedly only really interesting because of the ostentatious wealth.

    For food however, Abu Dhabi has THE single best restaurant I have ever been to in my life, it was such a surprise.

    It’s called the Bonne Annee – Ethiopian reastaurant, dirt-cheap and fantastic, there’s nothing like it anywhere else.

    Enjoy.

    Hanky
    Full Member

    I’m actually in Abu Dhabi now and there are far worst places to be in the ME, and tbh in many respects prefer it to the peninsula I call home.

    The UAE is a vast and interesting country, with some topography and easy access to the odd mountain in Oman. There’s lots to do especially water based and Dubai is just up the road. Weather is good for eight months of the year, mid 40’s now and getting humid. Many people take a month off and travel over Ramadan and Eid. Overall one of the better places out here, come with an open mind.

    I do a lot of cycling out here, as well as surfski, SUP etc.

    dirtyderek
    Free Member

    Had a couple of nights there as an add on to a trip to Dubai a few weeks ago. , I really liked it seemed a bit less hectic than Dubai , mind you i was nursing a seperated shoulder after a tmtb off so my main activities were lying in the sun and taking advantage of the all the alcohol you can drink deals in the hotel 😀

    mugsys_m8
    Full Member

    Spent a bit of time there between working trips out to the oilfields.It was better than I thought it would be. Running along the sea front is OK. Heard everyone say how better it is than Dubai in terms of being less brash and more authentic. There was originally a settlement there…

    Popocatapetl
    Full Member

    Hi TiINAS. I’ve lived in Abu Dhabi for just over a year now. I started off living near the airport / Yas Island. Cycling wise, it’s quite limited. Cycling on the local roads is very hazardous and not really recommended. There’s a Roadie group that meets up at the Etihad Plaza at early o ‘ clock at the weekends, high end bikes, but they all seem decent chaps! You can cycle the Yas Marina Grand Prix circuit for free on a Tuesday evening.Bikes are available to hire or you can use your own. There is a flood lit cycling circuit about 20 Kim’s outside Abu Dhabi City near Al Wathba mountain. It’s a 16 km tarmaced flood lit circuit built by one of the Sheiks for Tri Training, but you can turn up and use it anytime depending on the Endurance horse racing calendar which takes place near to the cycling track. The main mountain biking area is called Showka and is about 90 minutes drive from Abu Dhabi on the edge of the Hatta mountain range. It’s very popular in the winter and there’s usually quite a few groups there at weekends. There is excellent riding in Oman, and they hold a yearly XC race that Guy Martin attended this year. I live in Al Ain now and I have the Jebel Hafeet mountain 2 miles down the road which is handy for the road bike. There’s plenty of good riding over here, you just have to look for it and be prepared to travel. Send me an email and will let you know more! Should be in my profile. cheers. PS, You Tube “Showka trails” , there’s a few good vids on there showing the terrain to expect!

    stu170
    Free Member

    Find the dana hotel. Upstairs bar called 49ers, on a saturday evening. Will be an eye opener for you

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