In 2008 I travelled out to the Arabian Gulf and worked in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi to teach the British Embassy staff self defence.
Following a disastrous start by accidently ripping the dress of the Ambassadors wife, all I heard during the class was someone passing an open door saying “That won’t work”. After numerous occasions I saw the person and invited him in. He promptly pinned me against the wall in a strangle hold. This action caught me totally off guard so I kneed him in the groin. This caused him to hit the floor rolling around in pain. I thought “now I’ve done it”.
The guy was 6ft 2” and dressed as an Arab does in the full white gown they wear. For all I knew he could have been a prince!! He shouted for me not to hit him again. When I helped him up he told me he worked for the British Embassy and he had been to the local Karate and boxing clubs but found them useless. After getting to know him he told me he was a football fanatic and had been stabbed 4 times.
He turned out to be a nice person but he was not the ambassador’s favourite person as he parked his HUMMER in the ambassador’s private parking space everyday!
