9 hours to kill in AD
 

I'm on my way to Cambodia, flying via AD tonight, and because there's a delay to the Bangkok connection, I will have 9 hours to wait between landing at 7am and the next flight at 4pm. I can't see myself spending that long in an airport, so where's the nearest hotel? That one with Coopers isn't far away, but can't remember the name! Anyone?

Re: 9 hours to kill in AD
 

Park Rotana


(Ha ha....I have the number of the beast!)

Re: 9 hours to kill in AD
 

That's the fella. Thanks.

Re: 9 hours to kill in AD
 

al ghazal golf club right by the airport closer than any on yas etc

Re: 9 hours to kill in AD
 

How about a day trip to Bur Dubai?

Re: 9 hours to kill in AD
 

Good luck in Cambodia!

Re: 9 hours to kill in AD
 

I'm a bit surprised that he didn't pop into MBZ to say An nyoung to his old work mates. I've sure they would have even given him a spot of lunch.

Re: 9 hours to kill in AD
 

Hehe.

Well, I spent a bit more time that I wanted to in the UAE...12 hours in police custody, actually, and ended up arriving here in Cambodia a full day later than expected. Thanks once again to the two people from here who helped me get out of a rather sticky situation (you know who you are).

Good old HSBC, eh?

Re: 9 hours to kill in AD
 

come on then. What happened? What was the food like? How did you find the Anal sex?

Re: 9 hours to kill in AD
 

Greasy and unsatisfying...(both the food and the anal sex).

Re: 9 hours to kill in AD
 

OMG :eek:- Really??? Were you just in transit or did you actually enter AD?

Re: 9 hours to kill in AD
 

Well, here's a short version of what happened.

I was flying to Cambodia with Etihad, via AD and Bangkok. There was supposed to be a 2 hour stop in each place. On my way to Manchester Airport my new company rang to say there was a long delay to the Bangkok leg, and it would be leaving 8 or 9 hours late. When I landed in AD the transfer desk gave everyone a hotel voucher and told us to go through immigration and get picked up for the hotel. I had no inkling that they would pull me. I do have a debt to a UAE bank, but had agreed a payment plan with a UK company, and I have been back to the UAE since I left in 2007, staying for 3 weeks in AD only last year. So it was a surprise when the immigration officer told me there was a case against me.

I was taken to 2 different offices, sitting around a lot, then down a goods lift to a deportation holding area in the bowels of the airport. After a couple of hours they told me I was going to Dubai via AD police station and wouldn't be allowed to fly to Bangkok. Nice. They off-loaded my bags, drove me to AD police station in a caged van, then after another few hours of sitting around they took me to the main police station in Dubai, again in a caged van. It wasn't how I expected to see Dubai again...through bars. At the police station I was locked in a holding cell and after an hour or so a representative from the bank arrived to talk to me...well, I actually talked to the regional collections manager...and I was pretty much coerced into agreeing a new deal to pay back a reduced portion of what I owe in a short timeframe, despite already having an agreement in place. What choice did I have? I needed to get away and back on my way to my new job. So I was released after a 12-hour detention. The bank man was slightly apologetic but didn't explain how this police case had come about and why it hadn't shown up last time. All very strange.

I have been told it could have been worse, but some wonderfully helpful people kindly pulled a few strings and got the bank man to see me quickly. I walked out of the police station with all my luggage and no local currency, needing to get back to AD somehow. My company found me a room in the Crowne Plaza for the night (luckily, there were barely any rooms going), so I got a taxi (via Dubai airport to change some money) and I got the Etihad bus to AD airport early next morning and got the hell outta Dodge. I really don't know if I want to ever set foot in the Middle East again. And I certainly won't give HSBC any of my business again!

Re: 9 hours to kill in AD
 

Sounds terrible. I have heard of people getting arrested in transit as the airline passenger list is checked. I suppose the message is don't transit through UAE if you have ever left any debts behind even if you are paying them off. Make sure you get a direct flight back or go via Bahrain.

Re: 9 hours to kill in AD
 

Apart from that How's Cambodia construction-wise, LJ?

Interesting projects? You mainly working with Malaysians? Chinese? Aussies?

Re: 9 hours to kill in AD
 

I'm working on one particular job - an office tower block. There are a few Brits about and I've met a few Westerners in the accommodation. Quite a few French around. Our client is the Korean Contractor (kracken soup for lunch again...;)), but the working conditions are spot on. I have a 100-yard commute from a very nice serviced apartment with pool, gym and jacuzzi, and I've found myself a good tuk-tuk driver to take me down to the Riverside area where all the bars and restaurants are. Had a little touristy tour of PP today and it's very interesting. So far so good. Fingers crossed the AD nonsense was just a fly in the ointment!