Dubai update

["Steph Teeter" <step@fsr.com>]

Well, I'm not sure where to start. The flight was long, lots
of waiting, some confusion with Visas, some baggage lost,
all the usual stuff one encounters on long trips. But it is
absolutely incredible here... and worth every bit of hassle.

There are several resort hotels along the beach (Persian Gulf) 
where the various countries are staying, so it is a bit spread
out. I'm at the Hotel Meridian, where most of the Europeans
are staying - plus British, Japanese ... and  I think the Australians.
It is such a big complex that one can easily get lost. It is
absolutely first class. Marble floors and walkways, the best
food I think I've ever eaten - and an incredible variety of
International cuisine. All of the meals are buffett style. There
is inside and outside dining. Grills where lobster, lamb, 
shiskibob, etc are sizzling and impossible to pass up.
Live music during dinner - 3 charming Arab men playing
accoustic guitar - toe-tapping, sing-along songs - John
Denver, Simon and Garfunkel ... that type of feel-good
music. Plus another band out by one of the pools playing
jazz and light rock - all very proffesional, and the Arab
accents add a nice touch to the familiar western songs.
The people here are very gracious and friendly - and the
atmosphere is relaxed.

I had breakfast this morning with Lew and Hanne Hollander
(riding for the Danish team) - we spent almost 2 hours
drinking coffee and sampling the food. For some reason
my appetite knows no bounds! Then took a walk/jog
along the beach - perfect white sands, clear warm water,
warm and silky air. Saw some of the US folks  (Ona Lawrence's
contingent - Pat Murray, Dorie Jackson, Ellen Betker,
Dale, plus Sharon Foss) on the beach by their Hotel
and made plans to go into Dubai this evening for shopping.
(these folks are into having fun!)

The horses are all quarantined at separate barns so there
is no opportunity to see the US riders and support crew
for now. But all is well with the US team. There were some
minor problems early on but everything has been resolved
and all of the horses are doing well and on track. The
trails are available to riders from each barn only at scheduled 
times. The security is quite high here as they are taking great 
precautions to avoid any sort of contamination or health risk. 

The organization is a little shaky still - things like barn passes,
printed schedules, etc are a bit bottle-necked. But, that will
all come together soon - I can't imagine the logistical challenges
of an event of this size. But the really important stuff - the
horses and riders - are under the best of care. And the rest
of us are enjoying the luxury and relaxed atmosphere so much,
that it's just impossible to fret too much. 

Well, that's about it for now. I'll log on again tomorrow, and
maybe have a little more news about the teams. From what
I've seen so far (which is not very much!), the French are 
going to be real contenders. The Belgians are in good shape, 
and are hoping to ride a smart conservative ride, and finish 
their entire team. They are in good spirits. 

later,

Steph Teeter