Richard Thackrey is 37 years old and has lived in Abu Dhabi for about two and a half years. He is originally from Edinburgh, Scotland but moved to Abu Dhabi from London, England. Richard works in HR, for a “well known” hotel chain. Abu Dhabi Week asked Richard what are the five things he likes best about living in Abu Dhabi.
Kayaking in the mangroves
It is one of the best things I have done here and very few people know about it. You can set off first thing in the morning, or in the afternoon when it isn’t summer, and explore the mangroves, see some wildlife, visit crab alley which is full of – you guessed it – crabs and have a great workout. It’s very peaceful.
Khalifa Park
I really like this part of Abu Dhabi. It’s great for an afternoon or evening picnic. You can also learn a lot about Abu Dhabi’s past as you travel back in time, and if you are feeling like a child you can ride on the train.
Football
Without mentioning the weather, every Sunday evening you will find me at Al Ghazal playing football, and coming from Scotland it’s nice to play without having to worry about mud, rain, snow or rubbish on the pitch!
Al Ain
From Abu Dhabi, Al Ain is the perfect getaway. I love visiting the zoo and enjoying the more relaxed pace of life. I really recommend a drive up Jebel Hafeet, it makes for an amazing view.
Food
The chance I’ve had to sample different cuisines is fantastic. I have absolutely fallen in love with Arabic food and nothing beats a good taboulleh, except perhaps some hummous, or mahamara, or shish tawook. I like nothing better than heading to the Lebanese Flower or Layali Zaman to sample some of the best in the city.
