The other side of life in Dubai

Hi all, just thought you might like know about the not so glitzy side of life in Dubai which the tourists don't see. If your eating your breakfast or dinner I apologise in advance. All the hype of the breathtaking architecture, artificial islands and posh vilas owned by overpaid foodball players, only last week 32 million dirhams was spent on the opening of Atlantis with Kylie singing her little heart out. Not many people think about where all that waste goes when you flush the toilet in your 10,000 dirham a night hotel suite. Some of it goes down the underground drainage systems but most of it is collected in large septic tanks in the basement of thousands of buildings. Many of these buildings are the labour camps that are crammed full of the men who actually build these amazing skyscrapers. These holding tanks need to be emptied on a regular basis, some of you living out in the sticks might have one at the bottom of your garden. Anyway there is a fleet of tankers which probaly runs into thousands usually red in colour which the owner / driver has had brightened up by adding brighly painted patterns to individualize them. When these holding tanks are not emptied on a regular basis which happens regularly where my office is located the road is flooded and each bus, lorry and car makes the potholes larger and deeper and now its only passable in a 4x4. When the tanker does arrive and pumps out the tanks where does it all go, I found out this weekend. I have been wanting to go the a place called Dragon Mart a huge warehouse in the shape of a dragon (obivious really) and on the way I passed literally hundreds upon hundreds of these tankers all lined up nose to tail forming a long red winding snake that dissappeared into the desert waiting for their turn to unload their cargo into one of the sewage treatment works located in the desert. Apparently they could be waiting for a couple of days to get to the front front of the queue. This waiting has made some drivers empty their tanks down isolated storm drains where it finds its way to the sea washing up who knows what onto David Beckhams private bit of beach in front of his villa. So next time you flush think how lucky you are in the uk where we have the sense to put in the drains first before we build the world tallest building or man made islands and theme parks etc etc.

Come off it Martin!

When you go swimming in the sea off Morecombe the skin discolouration you get isnt from the sun you know

See you all on Friday

Or maybe Saturday, Doh

Have you been swimming off Morecombe Bay Rob and its pickled your brain? see you on Saturday and don't forget to bring your cosie and yer walking boots