Well, things are coming to a close and this is a message to Personal Driver, I arrive at SFO on January 21, 2020 at 13:10 – after a flight from hell – about seventeen hours. But the good news is that I have found my sleeping medication so perhaps I can fall asleep for at least a portion of the time. I am ready to go home – only two more days here.
Today is rather an adventure. There shall be breakfast – a raspberry smoothie, for sure, and a flat white. Then promises have been made to go to the pool – the water was so wonderfully warm yesterday and I preformed my knee exercises and played with a darling little boy and his father and chatted up many folk. A physician from Saudi Arabia, a man at a Security conference that had been coming to Dubai for years and a flight attendant working for British Airways. Lunch was delicious salmon cooked perfectly with a hollandaise sauce. Then at about three it will be off to my room, changing my clothes and off to Kiss a Camel, taking a terrible risk according to friend Jennifer. The tour will bring me back to the hotel at nine and then it will be good night to all, and to all a good night.
I am definitely having fun in this hotel and making many friends. One very handsome man who wears a white dress and scarf says that if I do not promise to come back he will kill himself. Everyone laughs and does not believe him but I put in writing that I promised to return at some point – well after left knee replacement surgery. He is so funny. We considered him coming to the USA but he would have to marry me – he is only 33. First he said NO I want to stay here in Dubai but then later seemed to be changing his mind. He would be quite the novelty in San Francisco with his Arab garb – women would be most jealous. He has a nicely trimmed beards – who knows? Strange sort of souvenir to be brining back home. He and a camel – we shall create quite a stir in Hayes Valley.
I did something rather rash – I asked my favourite Manager on Duty if I could get a long term room rate. She will have Marketing email me on Monday. This room is spacious, bigger than my apartment. The food, the staff, the ambiance is perfect. The only problem is that it is in Dubai. But I do have ample summer clothes – none of them fit but that is because I am loosing weight. But far better a loose fitting dress than a tight dress. We shall see, I am more popular here with guys than in San Francisco – so I suppose that is something to be considered. The infrastructure in Dubai is superior to that in the United States, there is a happiness agenda and a Happiness Street. One of the hotel staff as a beautiful name, Tausif, which in his language means Happiness. Perhaps I will change my name from Alexis McBride to Alexis Tausif – how pretty and perhaps how accurate.
A member of the room service staff came to remove the remnants of my Arab Lentil soup enjoyed late last night. We chatted about his life here in Dubai. It was so touching.
He: I will be here, waiting for you.
Me: I am so touched, I will cry.
Others have said this – one in a song on You Tube. Very touching.
This has been a whirlwind trip – full of surprises – not all of them happy surprises. When I return home I wonder if I will get a different perspective on it all. I shall see.
The photograph is a painting on the wall of this room – quite beautiful – it is a skycaps of Dubai.
