"I LOVE CANADA, J'AIME QUEBEC" - my latest Leica blog:
http://blog.leica-camera.com/ - up today ...
I am home!
Home! Home! Home!
The flight back was a blur. It lasted seven hours ... and I slept for 6 hours and 20 minutes of it. The BA crew were delightful ... but the lounges at Abu Dhabi need much work and you can tell that BA has no respect for the London-Abu Dhabi-Oman service as we were given a tour of Terminal 5 by bus both on outbound and inbound! Awful ...
James and I still feel rather dodgy. We are not sure what made us this way ... probably the heat ...
OK - so yesterday ...
We were staying at The Yas Hotel on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi City. It was once - not many years ago - a barren wasteland ... now there is a golf course, Ferrari World (a theme park, that in my opinion denegrates the brand "Ferrari"), some OK hotels and the ultra-luxury Yas Hotel ... 499 guestrooms bedrooms, spa, restaurants, marina ... and oh, the Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit underneath a nightclub/walkway. I am not sure how much it cost to build this property but I am guessing at around $1 billion for the property plus a couple more for the encoutrements ...
We were looked after by the hotel PR - the gorgeously lovely Kate Midttun ... who ensured that we were fed ... and pampered AND actually put in a few calls to ensure that we ... and I mean "ME" ... got to drive the F1 circuit.
The circuit is 5.55 kms ... the first Grand Prix was last November and they are gearing up for what may be the cliffhanger last race this November.
The circuit hosts 50,000 people and apparently the atmosphere is amazing.
There are two circuits and a drag race strip too.
I was met by Peter Rae from the Yas Circuit and after interviewing him, I was instructed by Tony Whittaker in a stunning Aston Martin Vantage .. top speed 280 mph ... I now want one.
I was allowed to drive the F1 circuit ... the longest straight (there are 21 bends) is 1.2 kms ... and I zoooooooooooomed like I have never zoomed before! I was FABULOUS ... well, apparently, I was ok ... but the experience was FABULOUS!
So - Abu Dhabi. It was hot. I thoroughly LOVED Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara ... the finest property in the UAE, hands down. The staff, the accommodation, the facilities, the amenities, all perfect. The Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara was okay ... the staff were amazing, the cuisine superb ... but I felt like something was not quite right ... hmmmm ...
The Yas is a total lifestyle experience ... it's one of those hotels you have to visit before you die ... I am not saying it's the most amazing place on Earth BUT it certainly is set to become an icon.
I am home for just a week before the team embarks on a month of filming! It's going to be ... crazy but crazy-good ... I am so excited and I can't wait!
Now to bed!
Song of the Day: Big Log - Robert Planthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZQL22xOmUMWeather: Cold, wet and windy! I LOVE IT!
That's ME zooming around the yas hotel bend...
it's the only hotel in the world that sits OVER an F1 track ...
tony whittaker - driving instructor
peter rae - the man from the yas F1 circuit ...
Grand Mosque ... huge ...
the pool at the hotel ... I didn't get into it but I believe james did!
Entry refused as I was wearing jeans ...
No worry - the Blue Posts just round the corner didn't mind!
A visit to Edward and Eddie Sahakian at Davidoff made me smile!
The famous Fortnum & Mason clock ...
I LOVE BUDAPEST! I want to go ... The Royal Academy has this great exhibition on.
Ah ... full of lovely shops, selling LOVELY items ...
Post lunch meeting ... all about Mexico!
Tea with an old dear friend at The Dorchester ...
Day topped off with a cold beer ... and Mr Casey Schildhauer. I won't go into the details but he's travelling the world ... with his "bucket list" in his pocket ... My hotel buddies around the world will get to meet him in the next few months ... and when you do, buy him beer ... I get the feeling he likes beer! Ha!
