After a few days gathering their energies in the pre-camp in Al Ain, the SwissSkills team has now arrived in Abu Dhabi, location of the upcoming WorldSkills competitions. Simon Furrer, a plant electrician, is impressed by the dimensions of the team hotel Aloft, directly adjacent to the competition grounds. “Everything is so gigantic, so huge. I didn’t realize the size when we landed on Sunday, because it was already dark and we continued on immediately to the pre-camp.” In the afternoon, the team travels to a Bedouin town located some 60 kilometres to the southeast, in the Al Khatim Desert. The 1,300 or so competitors meet up there for the first time and are treated to a programme of Arabian entertainment.
But first, there’s time to marvel at the imposing hotel, check in to the rooms, and look forward to a special highlight in the evening: the exclusive reception at the Swiss Embassy.
