Four roadblocks, three cups of coffee and one film later ...

Dubai: ''Daddy, what did you do for the great Bush shutdown?''

My eight-year-old son was relishing a day off school, one of the unexpected benefits from an otherwise depressing presidency, as I left Mirdiff at 9.30 am.

The first roadblock diverted traffic just before Business Bay bridge. Five hours, four roadblocks, three cups of coffee bought and consumed, two rain showers and one film later, I made it to the office of Gulf News.

From Business Bay I was diverted onto Emirates Road heading towards Abu Dhabi. Traffic flowing, visibility reduced by rain splattering the windscreen, it was almost like driving back home in Ireland.

At the Umm Suqeim turn off I cut across Shaikh Zayed Road heading for Palm Jumeirah then doubled back trying to get into Jumeirah. Another roadblock near Knowledge Village, where a polite policeman told me thus far and no further.

Back across an empty Shaikh Zayed Road again, hopes high, feeling like Barack Obama before New Hampshire and then another roadblock, 500 metres from Salik. Never before had I wanted to pass under Salik so much. Another polite policeman.

They had a tough job to do but they did it professionally and with charm. Diverted to Al Barsha 1, uncharted territory, now feeling like Obama after New Hampshire. Where did I go wrong? Heading towards Ibn Battuta.

Well, why not see a film? Got to the shopping mall, about half the outlets closed, ordered a coffee but the cafe was understaffed and it took ages. A late Latte.

Watched George Clooney play Michael Clayton, a film about a man whose life is unravelling. Deja vu, as they say in France whose leader Nicholas Sarkozy is due to arrive.

Probably no need for a shutdown but I have the film schedule just in case.

Four-hour ordeal: I walked to work

Call it an adventure or foolhardy. I walked for nearly four hours to reach my office near Safa Park after parking in front of the Dubai Refreshments Company in Al Quoz near the Safa Park interchange.

The distance from there to Gulf News is not very far. I estimated it would take less than an hour. It was 10.30 am and I had been stranded at that spot for more than 40 minutes.

It was not only me trying to get to the other side of the road. There was a pregnant woman who was crying, but the traffic police were kind enough to offer her a bottle of water and make her sit in one of their vehicles.

A Palestinian couple were exasperated. So was a UAE national, a resident of Jumeirah. I too became impatient. There was no way I could make it to the other side of the road. Finally, I decided to walk -and I kept walking for nearly four hours to reach Gulf News.

- Joseph Marques, Staff Reporter