Big week

It's been an incredibly big week here in the Watson house, well, probably mostly for me but I think we have all felt it. Nathan getting back to work after hanging out with Thomas, wasn't easy for him either..! :)

I have had four full days at the Tourist Guide course this week. I can tell you, it isn't easy getting used to taking in so much information in one go, it had certainly been a while!
On Monday we spent all day in the classroom, learning the bus route the TCA wants us to use when we do an Abu Dhabi City Tour. We learned about the sights, and what to talk about in the "dry areas":

Tuesday we started driving around along the route in the bus. During the first day we got to have our  notes, on the Wednesday it was without notes.
We each got 3 minutes to talk, about whatever was outside the bus at that time. Here I am with my friend Ayçe, from Turkey. She's already a tour guide in Dubai and taking her Abu Dhabi license now.

Tuesday we also went to visit Maanarat al Saadyiat. I like that place, it's very informative and there is always something new to see:

On the Thursday we did a mock exam of our bus exam. Even though it was just a mock exam, everybody was really nervous. It seems with all right too, there was 35 of us, but only 8 (!) managed to get a "Pass"!! Hm, I wonder how it will go on Monday for the real exam... (Yes I did pass!) I'm studying and studying and studying, so much that I'm even dreaming of Abu Dhabi rulers, camels racing through the desert, buildings and tour buses and...

The week finished off with Linnea's birthday of course (but more about that in the next post) and celebrations at the Fairmont, together with visitors from Horsham arriving on Friday night - so it's full steam ahead for another week, at least!! Wii-hoo!