ABU DHABI & MALDIVES DO 2013

DAY 1: SATURDAY 3rd AUGUST
HYATT CAPITAL GATE

This truly inspiring hotel was a great place to meet up. The group arrived in ones and twos on Friday night (and a three on Saturday night when the delightful Jayda with her Mum Mini and friend Danny joined us). Some had spent a few days in Dubai. Most of the group got acquainted over an excellent breakfast (though a few of us had met before at the 2012 London Hyatt Churchill do). Driven2travel had previously visited the hotel in 2012, so it was a joy to once again study the amazing architecture. We were reminded by the closed doors of the restaurant (18degrees, named after the lean of the building) that the event was taking place during the Holy Muslim Month of Ramadan. Nonetheless in this very Western friendly and hospitable country, we were served our morning feast in privacy.

Soon, we were being whisked away in air-conditioned comfort by the excellent Prime Limousines who supplied all our transport needs during our time in Abu Dhabi. We were going to need that aircon. By noon it was 37C and very humid. We were off to see The Grand Mosque, though we would return for Iftar and a cocktail reception.

DAY 1: EMIRATES PALACE HOTEL

We just couldn't resist taking a tour of this opulent, majestic hotel. I have a suspicion that some in our party initially thought we were touring a Royal Palace. It is run by Kempinski Hotels and I'm not sure there's anything quite like it anywhere else in the world. The Palace Suite that we photographed is overall 680 sq metres and consists of three suites (yes suites not rooms) of 110, 140 and 220 sq metres. It was quite hard to find things to criticise so we were left bitching about the surprisingly small bathtubs and lack of gold taps! If you need to ask the price, you can't afford it (about $10,000 a night).

One of the most interesting and unexpected aspects of the visit came when we saw the very large banqueting suites. These consist of three large ballrooms, capable of being joined into one mega-ballroom the size of a football pitch. These are very popular for weddings in the UAE. When we got to discussing the procedure for a traditional Emirati wedding, we were astonished to be told that the ladies and the gentlemen have separate ceremonies and celebrations with the Bride & Groom not even meeting face to face until after the festivities.

In the evening, we all partook of Iftar, the traditional evening breaking of the Ramadan fast. The buffet style meal at 18 Degrees was absolutely exceptional. I only wish we could have eaten more. I'll never forget the date flavoured camel's milk ice cream! Afterwards, we were treated to a complimentary cocktail & dessert canapé reception (negotiated by driven2travel as a benefit for our Flyertalk friends) in Privé. Thanks to Luis Soares for arranging this.

DAY 3: MONDAY 5th AUGUST
FALCON HOSPITAL

Falconry is hugely symbolically important in The UAE. Not long ago it was a very important skill. Hunting with falcons added significantly to the protein in the diet of nomadic desert tribes. It took huge patience and skill to capture and train a bird for just one season's hunting. Now it is banned in the UAE so Arab falconers travel with their birds to the Indian sub-continent to practice their art. I've heard stories of birds travelling as "hand luggage" on Emirati airlines, though never actually seen one.

Our guide was of course hugely knowledgeable. What we hadn't expected was again the sense of humour and warmth. We learned a great deal about the three species of Falcon (Peregrine, Gyr and Saker). These are mountain dwelling birds native to East and Central Europe and Central Asia. They visit Arabia as migrants. The Peregrine falcon is the fastest living thing on planet Earth, reaching speeds of 240mph when diving at prey.

The Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital provides a vital regular service for hundreds of these majestic raptors who need claws clipping, beaks trimming and sometimes boarding during their annual moult when they cannot fly. It was a real privilege to be present, observe the "doctors" going about their work and handling these beautiful creatures.

DAY 4: TUESDAY 6th AUGUST
ARRIVAL AT HADAHAA & RECEPTION

Hadahaa is my idea of paradise. I'm no Robinson Crusoe - I want service, a big bed and Champagne on my desert island. Park Hyatt Maldives doesn't disappoint in this regard. They do make you work hard to get there though. The organisers thought they had drawn the short straw after all the reward flights on Etihad went. We ended up flying with Sri Lankan Airways via Colombo overnight (not very comfortable on a A320). Despite a very hot transfer though, we were first to arrive at Ibrahim Nasir and our bags made it too! There was bad news for most of our companions though when computer failure in Abu Dhabi grounded everything and led to 4 hour delays. 

Still, it meant we were able, with the very valued support of Jean-Pierre Joncas (Director F&B PHM), to lay on a good late-night welcome reception with cocktails and canapés. As we had received a rebate on the food for the Abu Dhabi cruise, driven2travel added $200 of food to make it a success. Glad you enjoyed it guys. Everyone was able to relax under a starry sky and tell their tales of travellers' misfortunes so the next day began with a clean slate.

DAY 6: THURSDAY 8th AUGUST
"BEACH" BAR-B-QUE

This was to be the final act which closed a seven day event. As with the arrival cocktail reception and the dolphin cruise, it had been negotiated by driven2travel as a complimentary benefit for our Flyertalk friends. We had been wowed by the reception in the Residence at Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi and Park Hyatt Maldives had not previously been noted for the quality of F&B. We were to be surprised and impressed. 

First though, Joyce & Jim had upgraded to a Water Villa and kindly invited the group round for pre-dinner drinks. The Management agreed to send round the Sundowners (HGP Diamond benefit) to help the party swing. The result was a very relaxed social occasion in one of the most beautiful locations on Mother Earth. It's hard not to smile whilst watching the sun set over the Indian Ocean and the stars slowly appearing.

On to that Bar-b-que. The best lamb cutlets I have eaten anywhere, giant tiger prawns so succulent they melt in the mouth, juicy tender steaks and a huge spread of desserts - we were spoiled rotten. To keep the party going Bo joined driven2travel in providing the wine for dinner, a very nice 1ere Cru Chablis and an equally good Burgundy. The only sore spot was that, as the weather had looked a little menacing in the afternoon, we decided to bring the party under cover next to the Dining Room. In the end it was a clear night so we could have been on the beach. Nobody noticed.

Hats off to Jean-Pierre Joncas once again. Also a big thank you to Hyatt Gold Passport who provided prizes of Diamond status till 2015 (x2) and 4 suite upgrade certificates as well as 25,000 bonus points for each room sold.

DAY 1: SHEIKH ZAYED GRAND MOSQUE

It is very hard to do justice to this extraordinarily beautiful building with a hand-held camera. With the sun glinting on the golden ornaments atop the gleaming white domed roofs surrounding the vast inner courtyard, we were all a little awed. We were also glad of the super cool interior as it was really very hot outside. A few of the ladies in our party were judged to be a little too attractive and so were asked to cover up. At the dressing station lightweight abayas were provided. This made it even hotter for those affected so we hurried on inside.

The large (men's) prayer hall is simply overwhelming in scale. The enormous ornate carpet was made in a single piece. It is the world's largest hand-knotted carpet and took 1,200 people a year to make. Designed by Dr Ali Khaliki it covers 5,700 sq metres. The colours green, yellow and red, reflecting the changing hue of the ripening fruit of the date palm reminds us that it wasn't long ago that life in these parts was harsh and survival depended on the bounty of these trees.

We were all delighted by the commentary of our guide Ali, who displayed a tremendous warmth, charm and an unexpected sense of humour.

DAY 2: SUNDAY 4th AUGUST
PARK HYATT ABU DHABI

Time to transfer to the excellent Park Hyatt on Saadiyat Island. We had visited this extremely good value hotel earlier in the year, in preparation for the Do. It was the perfect place for a lazy day with no planned excursions. There is a fabulous golden sandy beach where the water is surprisingly clear and wonderfully warm.

After an afternoon of sunning ourselves and swimming in the Arabian Gulf, we were provided with a complimentary reception in The Residence at PHAD. We were absolutely blown away by the quality and range of the "canapés" which included fresh oysters (all the way from Ireland) at the live "cooking station". Now, oysters just happen to be one of my favourite treats and these were among the freshest, most succulent and creamy I have had anywhere. There were also Thai style fishcakes, sesame crusted tuna sashimi and some good wines. The staff were so attentive and friendly, they created a perfect atmosphere and this was the evening when our party of 15 really bonded. So, a BIG thank you to Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi, because you set us on a really good path to make new friends and enjoy a truly great holiday. It'll be a hard act to follow though.

Special mention also should be made here of Sten and his travelling mini-bar. I swear that man could start a party in an empty room. Bless you Sten.

DAY 3: CRUISE

We were indebted to Lulu Boats for the hire (at a very reasonable price) of their Al Boom 85' yacht. This was quite spacious for a group of 15, making us feel like "afternoon millionaires". We weren't quite so impressed with the caterers who seemed to forget our order was required at 14:30 despite confirming the order by e-mail on several occasions (including the day before). I admit to getting a little stressed by the delay of almost an hour in setting sail but the late departure didn't seem to unsettle the party. The food we had was in the end a very high quality Arab Mezze and very good value.

We had great views of the Corniche as we sailed serenely out of the Marina Mall harbour into the Gulf, where we dropped anchor so some of us could go for a swim. It was nice to escape the heat of the City and see the skyline from the best vantage point.

DAY 5: WEDNESDAY 7th AUGUST
SUNSET DOLPHIN SPOTTING CRUISE

Negotiated as a complimentary benefit for this special Flyertalk event, the Sunset Dolphin Cruise set off at 18:30 Hadahaa time, hoping the dolphins would be as curious to meet us as we were keen to see them. The best times to catch sight of these intelligent creatures are early morning and approaching sunset. They come in from the deeper water of the ocean to enter the atolls and search for shoals of fresh fish. So, the channels between the islands are the obvious places to head for. We exited the North Huvadhoo Atoll and cruised at high speed following the outside rim of a huge extinct volcano. We scanned the horizon constantly for any sign of fins. Afetr a half-hour or so, it began to feel as though it might not be our day, when a member of crew spotted the tell-tale fins of a spinner. We set off to give chase, slowing down each time we came near to let the dolphins come on to us. Pretty soon we were surrounded by a pod of some 20 odd Spinner Dolphins. Seeing these fantastic animals in the wild was certainly a highlight for me.

DAYS 7 ONWARDS
FOND FAREWELLS
IMAGES OF HADAHAA

For the organisers, who had worked hard to ensure everything went as smoothly as possible for all the Flyertalkers, this was a time to unwind and reflect. Most guests extended their stays some by as much as 4 days, so there was a gradual winding down. We stiill had excellent company right to the end thanks to Sten & Merim, Danny, Mini & Jayda, Mary-Ann & Don, Joyce & Jim. We missed Freddy & Christina who were first to leave, off to visit España on their way home and Bo who, as always, had business to attend to. Deborah also had to depart to get back to work. Then Joyce & Jim had to go on their merry way. Sadly we couldn't see everyone off at the Jetty because some transfers were in the middle of the night.

Those who stayed enjoyed Management Cocktails on the beach on Saturday with entertainment provided by the (male) staff who gave us a taste of Maldivian dance and song. Simple, unpretentious, charming. The Maldivian people (at least in North Huvadhoo) show such equanimity, it kind of rubs off on you.

A few more glorious sunsets, a few more hours noodling around the reef with a snorkel, oh and an unexpected pleasure for a few of us. Swimming off the Dusk Jetty one afternoon, a small pod of bottle-nose dolphins came to check us out. For us, the crowning glory on a hugely enjoyable event.

We truly feel we made good friends during this trip and ended up feeling that this is much richer vacation experience than just touring as a couple. Not that we intend to give up our private trips entirely but we will definitely be making time to arrange more Flyertalk community trips. Next up, charter of a luxury Junk on Halong Bay, an overnight train adventure through Vietnam and a few days relaxing on the beautiful Da Nang beach.

Interestingly, as luck would have it, we bumped into Mary Gostelow, world expert in luxury travel and addicted traveller, at Grand Hyatt KL a couple of days later. After we told her about the events, she asked how we were going to stop it growing as she was sure there was huge demand for such sociable group-travel. We hope she's right.