Al Commodore Manama

Out of the widow Bahrain looks like lots of dust with skyscrapers on. Inside it is a strange mix of Christmas decorations lots of tour groups who look like they might be going on pilgramage, 25k rolexes in duty free, mcdonalds,costa and free internet to keep us amused. We've got 2hrs to kill - body clocks already out of sink! Am going to try and learn some nepalese from a podcast.

... the bus was keeping on at an average speed, so where exactly were we? Strained my neck to catch the nearest milestone, and when I caught sight of the nearest one, shocked was an understatement: it said Jeddah 775 Km. I had to frantically call Manoj ( my host at Jeddah) and say: dont expect me too soon.<br><br>As I sat back observing, I saw that we were about to bypass a small town. And as I took in the picture of a small Saudi desert town, I couldnt help wondering: Are there ...

... to the west and Qatar to the east. We didn't know where it was until we were due to fly home via the island. It's interesting to note the road bridge (King Fahd Causeway) which links the two countries and is 17 miles long. Soon to be surpassed by the Bahrain to Qatar 'Friendship Bridge' currently under construction at 25 miles - it will be the longest bridge in the world.

Not much - just waiting at the airport for the flight! Bahrain was both nicer and more boring than I thought, the weather is a lot more forgiving but it's not worth more than about 3 days exploration tops.. Unless you like to get really nittygritty :P<br>

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... Go outside Dubai and you have a Six Flags of all things under construction. As for the Middle East as a whole you view it from our side of the pond as a dark and forbidden place where the infidel isn't welcome. Travel over here and the people treat you well and want you to enjoy their countries. I think back to my Ramadan dinner with perfect strangers along a highway in Jordan where this infidel was made to feel at home.

... mind Keanne) and he sent them all back to her with a note asking if she wouldn't mind retrieving her photo from the pile and please return the others because he couldn't remember which one she was. If nothing else it at least made him feel better for a while. Something that always makes me feel better is leaving the Ops room for about half an hour every morning at about 4am and watching the sun rise. They are spectacular. I have always been a big fan of sunsets, probably because on the ...

... which was expensive but allowed me to get a lot in. I needed that, after my previous time in Bahrain. The first stop, after a brief U-turn to pick up my forgotten cell phone and breezing through the causeway (my driver had the fattest passport I've ever seen -- but then again, he crosses the border probably daily), was to the tower restaurant. In the middle of the 40 km causeway, an artificial island hosts the border and passport controls for Bahrain and Saudi Arabia ...

Manama, and much of Bahrain, can be considered a work in progress. It can best be described as a Dubai 10 years ago. Its in development, but far from its goal. Undoubtedly within the next 7-10 years Bahrain will appear on the world stage as a major destination. The country is an odd mix of wealth, beauty, and culture, with a good amount of poverty at its core. Whole neighborhoods with people who's houses don't even have front doors. Now this poverty ...

... wrote a letter to the Sultan to tell him his people should convert to Islam), and modern art (some really cool stuff - check out the pictures once I find a place with a decent Internet connection). Bahrain has been fun, though I am looking forward to moving on to India. Who knows though, as more and more money floods into the country, I may be back some day (then I can be one of the loud and obnoxious expats!). So now - off to dinner then Delhi!