In Sharjah, UAE...

Morning all!

I'm back again. I am in the UAE in the Middle East this time. I am in one of the Emirates, Sharjah. I'm working for Sharjah Cement in the desert. I'm installing and commissioning a new kiln shell scanner system. That is all going well.

I had problems (again...) with Air Chance. I arrived on tuesday but again my luggage didn't. My cases had been left in Paris as per usual. After two days of calling around, going back and forward to the airport in Dubai I finally got my cases on the thursday. Thanks again Air Chance for fucking up my business trips.

I will do post later about my lugagge troubles in Lebanon. That time they managed to lose my case for over 4 weeks, bloody brilliant...

The site people here are great. I'm working with an Indian guy called Sanjay who is shit hot. He knows his stuff well. When I arrived nothing had been installed, no cables, no scanner position, no computer cabinet etc. But him and his boys got it all in in two days. I'm now setting up the system and getting it all ready for training of the operators... Tomorrow the operators are coming in to be trained even though it is the end of Ramadan and they have a weekend off for Eidh al Fitr.

This is Sanjay's men installing the server cabinet and running in the control cables...

This is the view from my hotel room in the Landmark hotel in Adjman, on the Corniche. No beer for me as it is a dry place and even if there was beer it is Ramadan so no alcohol... damn...

These are some shots of the dhows in the harbour near Dubai on one of my Air Chance trips to the Dubai International Airport. This place is nice looking but the traffic is just a joke. It takes about an hour to drive from Adjman to Dubai which is only 25km.... Thye might have beautiful buildings like the Burgh Al Arab and the tallest building in the world but it is worth bugger all if you can't get there...

On saturday it is off to England again for the big sales meeting for our 25th company anniversary. Should be good for a free beer or two hahahahahaha....

Take care, Alex in Sharjah.

In the Lebanon...

Afternoon,

Again it has been a while since I updated. And, again, I have been busy travelling the world. When I last updated I was in Egypt but now I am in Lebanon.

Air Puke (Air France) is doing its level best to make my life hard.... When I arrived in Beirut my luggage didn't. Its now three days later and it still hasn't been found. This morning I had to go shopping to get some clothes as after three days in the same shorts and Tshirt I was starting to smell a bit like a dead dog. What is worse is that all my spares for the job here are in my suitcase as well. So I can't do my job, I can't go to the beach as I have no swimming cozzy, I can't do bugger all, all courtesy of my best mates Air Puke.

From what I have seen sofar Lebanon is cool. The weather is nice, the people are very friendly, the beer tastes good and my hotel (The Florida Beach Hotel in Chekka) is good. The food is ace again. Lots of good lamb and chicken kebabs and lots of nice salads, Homous, Tabulleh etc...

Just a pity I can't finish my job and get to the beach....

Never mind, travelling is not always nice.... Thanks Air France, thanks for nothing. Anice big claim will be winging its way to you...

Alex in Lebanon.