Driving between
Dubai and
Abu Dhabi is not for the weak. Tailgating and cruising along highway shoulders national pastimes in the
United Arab Emirates, and with other driving habits that will shock the naive first-time visitors, let’s just say the hair on the back of your neck will get plenty of exercise for the first several minutes. But once you become accustomed to driving on roads in the Middle East, that latent lead foot of yours will no longer be limp. Just start before
sunrise and head back to the other city before
sunset.
The Amsterdam and Santa Monica crowds would be appalled at this sight, but the rest of us who accept and love countries like the UAE and Qatar for what and who they are must admit that petrol stations (i.e. gas stations) are a hoot. On our drive to
Musandam a few weeks ago, we had the best meat pies and coffee ever at gas station outside
Ras al Khaima.
And when I
drove to Abu Dhabi, my stop at a gas station turned into a mini shopping and noshing break. I skipped the mosque and saloon (barber shop), but I did enjoy a Turkish coffee and a thyme croissant. Post offices and Internet stations are other benefits to refueling along the UAE’s highways. Costa Coffee and KFC were other choices at this ridiculous food court somewhere in the middle of no where. I then had to get back on the road, and back to driving reality.
Part of our
In One Picture series.
Gas station food court between Dubai & Abu Dhabi
[...] little to its residents’ and guests’ well-being, commuting efficiency and also foments wasted fuel and time. My favorite example, or most maddening mini case study, is arriving at Dubai Mall and [...]