Blogs from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Middle East - page 83

Late at night, around 11.00 our flight from Athens landed in Dubai. A mixup with the gates meant we'd be bussing from the aircraft to the terminal. The 4 hour flight had been a pleasant suprise. Not all airlines treated us plebs as well as Emirates did. The PA extolled the virtues of the UAE, a phalanx of grinning Emirates flight attendants channelling shuffling passengers through the exit door. My glasses fogged-up instantly as I passed out of the cool cabin thrumming with air-conditioners onto the tarmac, the roar of machines thickening your senses , already numbed by the heat. “Shit” I muttered. In response, an amused flight steward farewelled me. “Enjoy the weather”. I could half make out the smile on his face as I briefly turned on the staircase. A motorcade of low-slung terminal ... read more

14-10-08 Today is our final day of our holiday. We plan to spend it laying around the pool till later this afternoon then we have to catch the shuttle bus back to Abu Dhabi for the last night. Our flight leaves at 10am tomorrow morning. Kevin, Sophie and I don't want to go home, Sophie has even written a list of the places she wants to go to 1. Greece 2. England 3 Germany 4 Mexico. Brianna though has had enough and wants to get home. We arrive back in Brisbane 8am Thursday, Sophie reckons she is going to school Friday, but we will see how jet lag effects her. It is 9am here at the moment and both the girls are still asleep. We have had the best 6 weeks ever. See you soon ... read more

This time for a training I headed my way to Dubai. Stayed 6 days totally and the great thing was I spared one day for some things that I could not have chance to do last time. One was doing jeep Safari in the desert and second one swimming in the Basra gulf which is part of the Indian ocean. So among the three oceans in the world only Atlantic would be left where I had not put my feet in yet. During the training we were taken out for a dinner by our hosts to Dubai Creek. The sea made its way to the inland like 1-2 km's and like Golden Horn of Istanbul nature created a river like water way inside the city. This place is called "Dhow" in Arabic and old city called ... read more

its been a week i guess its about time i wrote my first blog! 2 night stop in diera just outside dubai thats where i where i start quite a bit outside! my flight gets me there for about 7 but im not due to check in while 2 so i drop my bags off and go for a walk after the cold and rain left behind in england the heat is almost unbearable but it should set me for whats to come. walking around diera and dubai i felt very safe but to make any progress any where you have to get taxi's but they cheap enough tho even for a yorkshire lad i spent all of the first day and night walking round diera just taking in the culture of the city. on the ... read more

We were not sure what to expect at our first stop in Dubai with a steady weather forecast of sun and temperatures with 41 C at day time and 33 C in night time. Ok, it is dessert area; therefore night might be dry. So it should be not so bad. Additionally Ramadan started just few days before eating and drinking in public was not allowed during day time. As precaution we booked a good hotel standard with a small swimming pool and got a nice air condition room. At least hotel and flight prices droop considerably during this time. We relaxed after the short 7 hours night flight in the hotel and pool and ventured out to participate in the iftar meal after sunset. This is the traditional muslim meal in Ramadan that breaks the ... read more