Melting Pot

I decided to stray from the topic of golf today - I will provide a brief update - and have based this dispatch around the song Melting Pot. This was the first single released by Blue Mink reaching No 3 in the UK singles chart in 1969.

However, today has been an incredibly tough day on the course with very hot weather and high humidity which managed to drain me to the core by the time my charges had completed 18 holes.  My golfers today were Darren Fichardt and Stephen Gallacher and although neither played particularly inspiring golf, I was hugely impressed by the temperament of the Ryder Cup winning Scot in contrast to the remainder of my other charges this week. He played a good few poor shots but never once got angry or upset and certainly never used the choice language that I have been hearing regularly throughout the week! In fact he struck me as a good role model for aspiring young golfers, one of whom is his own son.

Back to my own condition and a reflection of just how I felt was that I actually left the course before play had been completed rather than retiring as I have done everyday to date to the clubhouse bar for a couple of beers. This was no bad thing.  I missed the horrendous traffic that leaves the Earth Course after completion of the golf but also managed to grab a couple of hours sleep which to a certain degree has recharged my very old batteries in readiness for the final push tomorrow. During the course of my round, I actually drank 2.5 litres of water and never went to the loo once!  Information overload I know but this statistic demonstrates rather well the effect on the body of this heat and humidity.

And so to my blog title which could really have been written about the society here.  It's a massive melting pot of haves and have nots and having now visited Dubai on five occasions, from a personal perspective, I would never wish to live here although fully acknowledge the enormous benefits that residency can bring, not least of which is that you get to keep a good deal more of your money than in the UK and I assume the other nations that are represented here.

What I find most sad is my daily commute to the course when I see hundreds of white buses carrying mainly Indian and Pakistani workers to the construction sites around Dubai.  There is a massive irony  that they are paid truly meagre wages for working heaven knows how many hours in incredible heat to build the five star and above hotels for the rest of the world to stay in! When I look at their faces in the morning they actually haunt me because they look so sad.  I suppose I would look sad as well if I had to work 12 hour days in 120 degree heat and manage to get home to see my family just once every three years!

Typical of the things that surprise me are that the mainly Indian taxi drivers are given no training and are let loose immediately they arrive here. Contrast this to the "knowledge" that the London cabbies have to study. On the subject of cars, the driving standards are horrendous and only yesterday a brand new Range Rover crashed and the driver was burnt to death!  A happy thought eh? Oh and don't make offensive signs to another driver, you will more than likely end up in jail.

Alcohol can only be sold through hotels and private clubs and is very expensive. The water supply is provided by massive desalination plants and golf club membership is slightly more than we pay at Skipton.  In fact a friend of mine here, Guy, plays the Earth Course as a member and pays just under 30,000 Dirhams a year.  In old money that amounts to North of £5,000!!  Makes Skipton look reasonable value.

It isn't all negative and the one thing that impresses me above all else is the adherence to the law. A woman can walk out here at anytime of day or night and feel entirely safe.  There are some stunning high rise buildings, particularly around Dubai Marina and of course holiday makers enjoy amazing service at some of the high end and very expensive hotels.  Ask Amanda and Paul about the service but also about the cost.

I could write considerably more about the place but don't want to offend anybody or get myself locked up!  That said, I have not spoken to one expat who envisages seeing their days out in this incredible place.  For me, the grass, the trees and everything else good that we have in the UK will always override the bad things and make me proud to call the UK home.  I will now stand up for a chorus of Rule Brittania as the dispatch uploads.

Some pictures attached tonight just to continue providing a flavour of the DP World Tour Championship.