The Sand Men Read Online Free PDF

waves. They get abnormal tides in the Arabian Gulf once every century, so we had to test all kinds of scale models and be ready for any kind of extreme weather.’
    He led the way to an etched steel site map built into a stone stand, a visual orientation point for any visitor entering the resort.
    ‘We had to demolish all the old hotels that were put up during the oil boom, then level the shoreline and start from scratch. Many of the older hotels were trapped in the shadows of the new skyscrapers surrounding them, so it wasn’t difficult to buy up the land. People come here for sunshine and luxury, and that’s what they’ll get. There are over a hundred and sixty separate fountains in the resort and they all work at different pressures. There’s a canal flowing through the Persiana, and the world’s largest resistance pool. Then there are the “atmosphere environments”, in semi-submerged domes around the three hotels. For Snow World we’ve artificially created snowflakes without spurs on their surfaces, so that they don’t appear fluffy. Our model is more crystalline and flat, which meant it packs down harder and is perfect for skiing in our biodome. Sea World has a huge aquarium, but has yet to be fully stocked. We had a problem with rare breeds of fish cannibalising one another.’
    Even Cara looked awed, if only by the publicist’s enthusiasm.
    ‘We work around the clock, 24/7, 365 days a year,’ said Davenport. ‘We’ve got Indonesians, Vietnamese, Sudanese, Somalians, Filipinos, Egyptians, Koreans, just about every part of the world represented on the construction payroll. We live, sleep and breathe the resort. When it’s finished, the top suites are going to cost around $35,000 a night. There are celebrity chefs opening signature restaurants in the marina, and we’re hoping to host world-class competitive events in the sports complex. The whole thing will be ecologically independent within two years and computerised by a unique digital management program.’ He noticed that Lea and Cara were starting to suffer in the heat. ‘Sorry, but when you see what we’re trying to achieve here, it kind of gets to you. Let’s go inside.’
    Davenport led the way to the hotel’s chilled staff canteen. The huge shed-like steel structure was divided into sections so that the architects, technicians and engineers did not have to eat with the labourers. A vast buffet of salads, chicken, fish, eggs, beef, curries and shawarmas had barely been touched by the few other staff members in the restaurant.
    ‘What happens to the food they don’t eat?’ Cara whispered. ‘Does it get offered to the workmen?’
    Davenport joined them at the table. ‘We’re very pleased to have your father here with us,’ he told Cara. ‘He’s going to help us solve some of the problems we still have in the main atrium.’
    ‘What kind of problems?’ Cara asked.
    ‘Things we couldn’t take into account in the modelling process. CAD allowed us to deal with windshear and sand particles, corrosion from sun and salt air, but you have to imagine this place with thousands of people in it. In July and August the temperature is often above forty-five degrees. Getting the guests around without frying them is a trick in itself, especially as the seasonal movement of the sun constantly changes the shaded areas, so we’re installing motion-sensor shades and water sprays along the walkways. We’re using over twelve billion litres of water on the site.’
    ‘In the sea air the exposed parts of the jets have a tendency to clog and corrode,’ Roy added, ‘so the valves have to be made of rubber, but rubber contains oil that dries out in the heat. Many solutions cause problems of their own.’
    ‘It’s true,’ Davenport agreed. ‘Every day presents a different challenge. There’s no natural tide movement around the reclaimed land, which means that the seawater becomes stagnant. We’ve fixed that, but it’s a learning curve. What we’re