Wow, what a fortnight it has been!
Aside from the 16 hour work days, parties, F1, concerts and a trip to Oman I guess you could say it has been a quiet time!! ;-)
Well, Formula 1 weekend is always going to be a busy one, especially when it's the final race of the season. At the hotel we had so many famous singers and artists staying with us, 2 or 3 a night for 4/5 nights. I was lucky enough to meet some amazing people including Kelly Rowland, Chipmunk, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Basement Jaxx, Gabrielle and Sean Paul and all of their lovely managers!!
Sean Paul's manager was great, when he found out I wouldn't be able to make the concert on the Thursday night because I would be working too late and the gates would have closed before I got there, he gave me a backstage pass so that I could get in, and not only that, so stay I could actually be ONSTAGE when Sean Paul was performing! Then we headed to the after-party where once again I was able to enjoy the gig from the DJ booth at the back of the stage! Such a great experience!
On the Friday night I was lucky enough to be able to go to Amber Lounge Ladies Night (Amber Lounge is the nightclub which travels with F1 and only happens 4 times a year in Monaco, Barcelona, Singapore and Abu Dhabi). So my lovely friend Nicola came with me and we had a great night.
On Saturday it was the F1 Qualifying, beautiful day, fun at the track and then, to top it all off, I went to the Linkin Park gig. Such a fantastic band to see live!! Very good fun, and got to spend the evening with a few of my close friends which made it all the more special.
On Sunday it was back to work for the day, before being super lucky and getting to go to Amber Lounge for the Drivers Night!! Loads of the F1 drivers were there and some even came up to the DJ booth to start tracks and get the dance floor moving! Nicola was my date for the night again and we had such a fab time!
Then Monday was announced as the first day of Eid, so no work, a chance to get a lie in and catch up on my sleep!
On Tuesday I drove to Muscat. The drive was around 6 hours and was pretty straight forward. I stayed at Al Bustan Palace hotel, just outside Muscat. It was so beautiful. I went there on my own, a chance to be by myself for 3 days, chill out by the pool, read some books, and not have to make any form of conversation!!
My room was a lagoon room on the ground floor. I stepped out of my room, onto my balcony, and then opened a small gate in the balcony and stepped straight into the pool!! The weather was wonderful. 28 degrees for 3 days with glorious sunshine. The hotel is set right on the coast, so I went snorkelling out into the rocks surrounding the area, saw some cuttle fish, lobsters, crabs and other cute fishies (Not mentioning the scary looking thing whose eyes were twice the size of its head! Is that even normal??) the hotel is also surrounded by green gardens and a huge mountain range. It really is pretty spectacular! I went into the local town to the Souk and bargained for some new earrings and shawl (gorgeous green shawl made in silk and cashmere).
I came back from Muscat on Friday morning and will never make that mistake again....border crossing was a nightmare, what with it being Friday and the end of Eid, it was utter chaos. But got through in little over an hour and a half (baring in mind it took me 20 minutes on the way into Oman).
Last night (Friday) I went to the Abu Dhabi Marine Corp Ball. My friend Tim invited me, so I pulled out my best party dress and had a good evening with lots of lovely food, drinks and dancing! I also took quite a shine to a sailors hat....but he managed to wrestle it from me before I ran away with it!!! hehe.
So, now it's Saturday night, I have spent the day doing all the things I haven't had time to do this past week or so, like dusting, cleaning, washing etc etc. Back to work tomorrow, lets see what this week will hold!!! Photos to follow above. xxxx
My favoured sailors hat at the Marine Corp Ball. I'm thinking of embarking on a career as a 1950's pin up!!! hehe
Me and my friend Tim who invited me to the ball.
The pool right outside my room in Al Bustan Palace, Muscat, Oman
The hotel beach in Oman, with the mountains in the background
Me and Nicola Robbins at the Amber Lounge night club on Sunday 14th November. Photo has been published in Ahlan magazine here in the UAE!
Me and Nicola Reilly at Linkin Park, Saturday 13 November
Me at the F1 Qualifying, Saturday 13 November
Jenny and Sean Paul.....what a night I had, utterly amazing!
In the DJ box at the Sean Paul after party gig, Yas Island
On stage with Sean Paul at his concert on Abu Dhabi Corniche.....37,000 people, and I think I got the best seat in the house!
