One Week In and We're all Still here...

After nearly twenty hours of flight, we arrived in Abu Dhabi a day and a half after we left. The entire process was beyond smooth. It was our first time on an airplane in over five years (except for Julie who had her little trip a couple of weeks before). Julie did an amazing job packing all of the sixteen bags (twelve check on and six carry ons) and not one bag was dinged for being over weight. It was nothing short of a miracle.

This is what we saw of Germany.

In Abu Dhabi we were greet by a guest service and ushered through customs like we were VIPs. When we finally left the airport, the heat and humidity hit us like a wall. Miranda described it perfectly when she said, "I feel like a sucked on pretzel."

Then straight on to the hotel in the heart of Abu Dhabi. You couldn't have prepared me for room they put us in. Were I easily influenced by flattery, the amenities would have completely won me over.

I thought that the extremely comfortable bed and lack of any sleep over the previous thirty would have guaranteed a perfect night's sleep. No such luck. It took at least three days to get my clock adjusted to the time difference.

This is how Miranda enjoyed the pool.

The next day I got to see the campus where it turns out I will not be working, very impressive all the same. That afternoon we spent a little bit of time in the hotel's roof top swimming pool while poor cast-laden Miranda watched on from the shade.