Two and a half years ago I arrived at Abu Dhabi airport with no more than a battered old pink suitcase and a whole heap of anticipation. I had little idea what to expect from the capital, and even less of an idea of how my time working to help launch ‘some new magazine’ would turn out.

Thankfully, Abu Dhabi Week turned out to find a place in the hearts of the Abu Dhabi community – with a few tears, blood and sweat shed. And it’s fair to say that the magazine, and the city, quickly found a place in my heart too.

Of course the magazine, and my experience in the city, wouldn’t have turned out to be so successful if Abu Dhabi wasn’t such a vibrant, friendly and exciting place to live and explore.

Where else could I have had the experience to kayak through the mangroves, fly out to neighbouring islands, get up close and personal with cheetah cubs at a local nature reserve, rock out to Kings of Leon on Yas Island and float high above the majestic sand dunes of the Abu Dhabi desert? The city is without a doubt a city of magnificent contrasts, but there is one strong sense of continuity: the sense of pride, and the openness and motivation of the people.

With so many wonderful memories onboard, it’s time for me to move on to pastures new, away from Abu Dhabi and out into the world.

So, with my battered old pink suitcase traded for a new rucksack, I’ll be leaving Abu Dhabi and the magazine and starting my world travels in South Africa. While I’m sure to encounter many new wonderful experiences while I travel, I believe there are very few places in the world where hospitality to all cultures is prevalent; where a city is so actively working for a bright future, and where its people are so motivated to be a part of that growth:

it’s been a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Charlie Kennedy