Dinar, Dirham, and Dollars

I just got back in from Dubai, and I simply do not have enough time before deadline to write down my thoughts about what a truly amazing place it is. So, I thought I would talk about something that occurred to me once I got back to my place. I was emptying my pockets and putting the stuff out of them onto my dresser when I noticed that I had four different currencies in one of my pockets.

I had Bahraini Dinars,  Dirham from the United Arab Emirates, Kuwaiti Dinar, and one US dollar;  the dollar was actually given to me and change this morning at the airport in Dubai when the guy behind the counter didn't have the correct change in Dirham, so he made up the difference with the US dollar.  The last time I had multiple currencies in my pocket at one time was in 2001 when I was in Germany and we were going on a vacation trip to Garmisch -- it was December and just before the Euro was about to hit so I was carrying US dollars,  Deutsche Marks, and Austrian Francs.  

I gave it a moments thought as to why the countries over here don't form some sort of similar combined currency. The Euro actually made traveling a lot easier, because we didn't have to change currencies every time we crossed a border. Supposedly, it also made trade a lot easier since there were no differentiations in currency valuations.  Unfortunately, the Euro may be about to exit after only a decade because of issues with Euro member countries, ie Greece and Spain. Those thoughts brought me to the realization that a combined currency probably is in a good idea in this region,  even if it would make my pockets easier to sort out.

When I arrived back, and flipped on my cell phone I immediately got a text message from Zain, my service provider, that said: "Welcome back to Kuwait!  Your family will be glad to hear from you, give them a call."  While I think that the message was kind of self-serving, since when I called they make money, but the thought was a heartwarming one, so I'll take it in that vein.

Look forward to pictures and descriptions of Dubai next week. It is known as the Las Vegas of the Middle East; but aside from that it has some of the most beautiful modern architecture I've ever seen. Plus the city and country were very well-planned and laid out. Dubai had a plan to take them from oil, which is running out there, into a future that is based on so much more than just fossil fuel.

Also,  did I find the real life Dale Gribble?

Dale Alvin Gribble

Who is he really?

Or did Hunter S. Thompson fake his death and move to the Middle East to hide from his fans?

Hunter S. Thompson

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