Things have changed, yet nothing has changed. There are definitely many more new building here near Kuwait City, however, the desert never seems to change. There is more sand here than you can imagine. One strange aspect is the fact that in order to make cement, this sand is too fine to be used for construction. It must be imported in order for building of new housing for the many foreign workers that come to Kuwait for employment.

The annual ritual of Kuwaitis tenting on the desert continues in January and February of 2009 and starts to wind down in March when the temperatures warm up and it is no longer fun to stay in their canvas enclosures on the hot sand, as their ancestors once did, year-round. That was long ago before the advent of their oil wealth lifestyle. Now, it is only an annual tradition for Kuwaiti families who camp out and ride their four wheelers on the open desert amongst the camels that have the run of the land, their open pasture.

Kuwait seems to have many new regulations and fees in place. These translate into additional income for the state and more hassle for visitors, tourists and newcomers. Visas are now required, for those who live and work in the country. Sponsors have always been required for foreign workers.

Security at the bases has also changed. Now, there is a special access requirement on contractor badges in order to enter at the checkpoints. Today, I had to go over to Camp Arifjan to have a special code put on my military contractor identification. Later in the afternoon, I'll head over to my new assignment at Ali Al Salem Air Base. Hopefully, my two trunks have arrived at the military post office there. I'm staying at a new hotel in Jahra called the Copthorn which is very nice. Kuwait has better accommodations than up in Iraq where I have stayed in many a tent, though some metal structures.

Kuwait is gradually building up but nothing like in Dubai where I have been many times. The new buildings here are for housing of workers, whereas in Dubai, there are numerous new skyscrapers. Kuwait's airport is a nice modern airport but hasn't changed much while Dubai's changes constantly. Part of Dubai's growth, may be due to the outside investment that is welcomed there. Also, you can still get a beer down there, provided you don't end up in Sharjah. That city is truly a tourist destination. It is hard for me to imagine Kuwait as a tourist mecca even though it has a few good beaches just south of the city. Attitude is everything, once again.

I had been talking to a native born Kuwaiti of Indian ethnicity and he explained to me that he didn't receive the government checks like other Kuwaitis because he wasn't 100 percent Arab. At 40 years old, he was still not treated like one of their own. He really wasn't bitter but it was an eye opener for me. I already knew that the Bedouin people were trying for years to receive their stipends from the country. Those people are Arabs but they travel from country to country. The attitudes are probably the reason Kuwait is what it is and Dubai's open attitude appears to be the difference between the two places.