NOV 18, 16 .. BACK TO BASICS IN DUBAI, UAE

"This one Nikki?"

To 'coin a term' often heard in 'Watering Holes' ..

"This one's for you Nikki!" 

"This one's for you and for your most amazing passion for sobriety. Keep up your good work."

Wally P wrote a no-nonsense book titled, 'Back To Basics'. 

I met Wally out in Pontiac Michigan at a seminar back in the autumn of 2014.

In the Detroit area, I know for certain that there are Back To Basics proponents and 4-week seminars, especially in Southfield.

Participating in a 'Back To Basics' format seminar took me to Ulaanbaatar Mongolia in July of 2015 in a life changing event.

When I went to this meeting here in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, I was amazed, absolutely, positively, amazed.

The meeting is held on the 5th floor in Block C of the Al Hudaiba Awards Buildings.

It is in the Jumeirah 1 District of Dubai, off Jumeirah Road at the intersection with the (Don't ask me about the name of the street. Figuratively speaking, I only work here!) 2nd of December Street in the Al Hudaiba community. It is near the Ramada Jumeirah.

To get to the above venue? Hire a taxi!

Oh! You want a map?

Below is a link to maps that show you where the meeting is located.

http://babakaps.net/?p=22612

The meeting was so nicely set up.

Books to borrow. Books for sale. 

A full 'Power Point' production. I could not believe it.

Oh Mai Miss Dubai. Water is 'On The House' so drink up! (WATER)

Look for that very familiar sign!

The building is one very special building.

All I saw in my limited time in the building were sights like these. 

Commitment! To feel good? DO good!

Lord God? What have I done to be so richly blessed.

NOV 8, 16 .. A.A. IN DUBAI - CNN BUILDING

When I looked over the A.A. Meeting List for Dubai, one group of meetings just jumped out at me.

The work week here begins on Sunday and goes through Thursday. 

The weekend runs from Friday through Saturday.

On the meeting list for Dubai, I noticed a series of five morning meetings at the CNN Building. The 45-minute meetings begin at 7:45AM and adjourn promptly at 8:30AM.

Now you have all of the good news, the great news.

Here is my issue. 

In order to get to the CNN Building meetings I have to be out of my hotel room NLT 6:30AM. I need to walk to a bus and get to the Union Metro Station. There I catch the metro for a 33-minute ride to my stop. Off the metro I have another walk to the CNN Building.

All of this is NO BIG DEAL!

Have any of you heard the acronym HALT. 

H in HALT stands for Hungry.

If I go running out of my hotel room at 6:30AM, without eating something healthy, I will find myself in trouble.

The issue: Leaving my hotel at 6:30AM, I miss the breakfast buffet here at my hotel.

 I am paying for breakfast.

It varies from day to day, but below are items commonly in the above chafing dishes. 

I take hard boiled eggs along with olives and cheese back to the refrigerator in my room for an afternoon snack.

Very few people 'in the rooms' are talking about healthy eating!

I miss breakfast and I have no afternoon snack.

Nice touch the 'rose flower' made from a tomato.

Some 'Shrooms' for you mushroom lovers.

Nice condiments. They also vary from day to day.

Further down you will see how I love my DARK TOAST.

Wonderful Juice Bar.

My DARK TOAST.

Off to catch a bus that will take me to the Union Metro Station.

Air conditioned bus stop waiting kiosks.

I am at 'my' Union Metro Station. All of my trips on the metro begin and end at the Union Metro station.

We are on the platform.

33-Minutes later I am at Nakheel Station where I get off the metro.

Now we walk out of the Nakheel Metro station.

I get to gaze upon these beautiful buildings as I walk to the CNN Building meeting!

The CNN Building. Our destination.

Dubai is certainly one most beautiful city.

Let's all be like a camel and learn to stay dry.

The CNN Morning Meetings in Dubai are as good as meetings can get. Each day a different format. 45-minutes in duration and the 18 to 22 members each have an opportunity to share. Business people. Sharp. Crisp. 

Lord God you have so blessed me to be able to carry a message of recovery. 

I have never been more warmly received than I am being received here by The Fellowship in Dubai.

In Sobriety!

EPILOGUE: I do NOT just find a meeting such as this meeting at the CNN Building. I met a long time member at the Caribou Coffee Shop. I asked him specifically just how to get to this meeting. He told me he would pick me up in his car at the Noor Bank Metro Station and take me to the CNN Building. Once there, after the meeting, he walked me back to the Nakheel Metro Station so I would know how to get back to the CNN Building independently on my own. 

TOM MY MAN I SALUTE YOU FOR YOUR LIFE! I SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING ME BY THE HAND AND SHOWING ME SO MANY OTHER MEETINGS.

As Tom takes his leave of Dubai, Nikki and Alfred and Victor have stepped up to assist me in getting to meetings that I have not yet visited.

Oh My Mai Dubai.