My first home in the UAE was the Beach Rotana Hotel on the island of Abu Dhabi. While the 19 days passed very quickly, the memories made with new friends were everlasting. My first night in Abu Dhabi was spent at a sports bar making friends who came from places like New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, Canada, Scotland, and England. They turned me on to the game of rugby– a real man’s game! The All Blacks (New Zealand) won the game in the final 60 seconds! WOW!
After a short stay at the Fairmont Hotel in Abu Dhabi, I moved to Al Ain and into the Hilton Hotel. I thought I would be there for a short period of time. Living out of a suitcase is a real pain; however, I endured the eight weeks and even got used to having my bed made every day. I don’t ever wish to do “tub laundry” again!
Life in a hotel is made easier by the weekly parties– fashion show at the pool, DJ Stu McGee, Jeep/Mercedes hosted happy hour, etc. — you get the picture. We, being of sound mind and void of a liquor license (needed to purchase alcohol in the UAE), partook in the celebration at most of the events. My new friends promised to delete any/all pictures from their cameras which were not flattering. There’s this thing about promises …
Finally, I received my housing allowance on November 1 and moved to the Hili Residential Complex. I have a fifth floor flat with a lounge, two bedrooms, nannie’s room, spacious foyer, and two and one-half baths. The view overlooks the hills of Oman. Our complex is located adjacent to the Oman border at the Hili Border Post (see picture below). Fortunately, the allowance allowed me to purchase nice furnishings, and I plan to find local artist’s work to accessorize. You know me– I must have comfortable surroundings, so I spent every penny of the 20,000 dirhems. Some of my friends decided to bank the money and live “dorm-like.” Either way, we have a nice, comfortable place in which to live, all paid for by our employer.
Before pics:
After pics, including some historical sites (archaeological park, oasis), that show my Hili 
home:
Streams from the Desert Blog 