We’re still not quite sure where this year has (almost) gone. The calendar months have whizzed by in a flurry of big events: the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, Gourmet Abu Dhabi, Summer in Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Film Festival, the 2010 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix … the list goes on.

But Abu Dhabi certainly isn’t bidding farewell to 2010 just yet. Before the year is out, events penned into our diaries include Creamfields Abu Dhabi, returning to the capital at a new location, over on Yas Island on 9th December. We’ll also be getting ready to rock out with Guns N’ Roses on 16th December (look out for tickets to the concert to be won in our next issue!) and hopping around the capital to enjoy the festivities in all of the hotels as decorations go up and the Yule logs come out. There’s also the Mazayina Dhafra Camel Festival taking place from 16th-25th December – a worthy reason to make a trip out to Al Gharbia.

It’s a rather energetic month all round – led by probably the most energetic event of all: The Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge. The fourth year sees an exciting new route; plenty of endurance tests and plenty of teams ready to take on the challenge. We’ll be watching from the sidelines – a safer bet we feel. Want to know more about the brave teams competing, the track they’ll follow and more? We’ve got it all on page 18.

With a packed month, we’ve made sure to squeeze some pampering into our diaries too. After exclusively taking a look behind the doors of one of Abu Dhabi’s newest spas, we couldn’t wait to test out one of ESPA’s signature treatments: read our review on page 28.

There are still a couple of weeks left until the end of December of course – and we’re certain we’ll still have more than plenty to tell you all about.

Until next week – enjoy the issue!

Charlie Kennedy