Making a big move is always easier when you know somebody — anybody — at the other end.

Luckily, for us, we already know two people in Abu Dhabi, and they made our first night in town easy, fun. Entertaining.

One of those we know picked us up at the airport. A huge help. Dragging a startling amount of luggage with us out to a cab stand, through the hot and heavy Abu Dhabi night air, would not have been fun. Describing to a cabbie who is from Pakistan where we wanted to go — when we didn’t actually know where we were going — might have been tricky, as well.

Instead, we got a ride in an air-conditioned car, along with a dialogue on driving around in the country. (In short: Dangerous.)

After finding the apartment-hotel in which we will be staying for two months … our Driver Angel came back about 30 minutes later with our other friend from Paris … the same person who suggested looking into the idea of Abu Dhabi just two months ago.

We went back out into the steamy night, found a cab, went over to the posh Meridien Hotel and were led to an outdoor bar/tavern area where decadent Westerners can drink alcohol.

Talk about a place where beer seems like a good idea … Abu Dhabi is it. Hot and humid? Not exactly red-wine weather. No. I had a couple of pints of Guinness stout, and I didn’t even feel them … perhaps because I was dehydrated by all the flying. We sat and talked about Abu Dhabi history and customs, and the doings at the newspaper and the university, and life here as an expatriate, and it was all tremendously informative.

We wondered when “last call” is in Abu Dhabi, on a Friday night (which is equivalent to Saturday night, in the States; more about later) and found out it’s about 12:45 a.m.

Another cab ride later, through the wild streets of Abu Dhabi (think “Las Vegas Strip” without the gambling but even more cars) … and we were back “home” where we crashed out after our own personal Longest Day.

Today? So far, breakfast in the hotel, cash from the bank across the street, a trip to the (Indian-owned) supermarket across the street, some internet work, and now out to get wifi in our room so we can stop paying this by-the-hour rate in the hotel.

First day at work? Tomorrow.