Abu Dhabi

2 days after I visited Al-Ain, I finally got the chance to stay and work in Abu Dhabi. 

Dubai and Abu Dhabi are like two opposite sides of a coin. While one boasts boasts its wealth and value in extravagance and style, another stays rooted on the ground, cultivating art, culture and heritage. Citizens of Abu Dhabi are more well mannered. The infrastructure, shops and taxis are so near to each other that it's easy to travel around. One could walk and cross the street to buy groceries. They even have stencil shops, clothe shops and computer shops! In Dubai, whenever I wanted to buy something, I had to take the overhead bridge, take the metro or a cab to reach the mall. Shops like these are almost extinct. 

I also discovered something. That Schlumberger is well known in Abu Dhabi. Walk into a restaurant, they see you with a Schlumberger tag/lanyard, they give you a 30% discount on everything. Walk into a hotel, they know you work for Schlumberger, they will give you a discount off the displayed price. I think that is a great idea to implement loyalty in your employees. If you want them to feel special, and appreciated, this is a perfect way to cultivate their fidelity. Besides, everytime they want to get the discount, they'd have to say 'Schlumberger', and I think if you say it long enough, it sort of sticks with you, becomes your identity and a big part of who you are. 

Oh! The taxi fare here is relatively cheaper than Dubai too. In Dubai, a 20 minute ride would cost you up to hundreds. Here, it costs you just 25 Dirhams. Ahh! 

Plus, there's also a pedestrian underpass. There's no overhead bridge here, which makes the city look less crowded. 

I also discovered a new place to visit in Abu Dhabi. It's known as the Khalifa Park. Here, there's a very unique maritime museum. It's the first museum that I've been to, where you didn't even have to walk or read. They put you in a car, that moves you through time, viewing everything just from your seat. At the end of the journey, you'd get a short glimpse into the marine life around the platforms. 

Super, duper cool!