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Published: June 26th 2017
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Geo: 25.27, 55.33
TIME CHECK: 0515hrs - Awake and packed. I glance out of hotel window. A dim half light is gathering slowly as a lone pool attendant goes about his chores in readiness for the new days intake of tourists. We are ready and down in the reception by 0630........the ever faithful Lala is waiting for us. Within 20 minutes we are bidding our farewells at the Airport and quickly pass through airside......
Flight EK061 (777 ER 300) to Dubai: Flight Time 4 hours. Time to sit back a sum up the events of the last 10 days listening to Led Zep and sipping on a Tanqueray. The flight is full of pushy Middle Eastern upwardly mobile types.............metallic toenail polished and bear footed, bedecked with designer gold sunglasses, they busy themselves ramming outsized Dior bags into other peoples overhead lockers or trying to rearrange the seating arrangements of other passengers to their own advantage!!!!....."The female cannot sit behind" (in business class) - says an Asian Elvis lookalike to the cabin crew as he wanders back to row 1......fingers snapping at her rudely. I guess the crew are well trained and equipped to handle them as they are a real nightmare if not
kept in check!!!! More of them invade first class just 2 rows away and make themselves at home sipping on mint tea only to return to Business Class just before takeoff. The next 3 days are going to be interesting test of patience if this is a taste of things to come.........
Well what are my lasting impressions of Sri Lanka............It is a gentle land of unspoilt lush tropical vegetation, endless sandy beaches, friendly people, exotic food and wonderful scenery. A perfect introduction to Asia and nowhere near as harsh as nearby India.The predominant Buddhist Culture enshrines a respect for life and the environment.
DUBAI........an enigma created in the sand.
We quickly pass through the slick and hugely impressive customs hall and are whisked to our Pyramid shaped Egyptian themed hotel - very "Vegas". I have to confess it is decadent......Sheik types everywhere..........resplendent in their white robes and head dresses.............contrasting with the shabbily dressed Europeans kitted out in their usual crumpled M & S shorts and teeshirts! What on earth do they think of us!!!!!!!!
We are processed by James and Kennedy.....two athletic Kenyans who joke about the British Empire. These chaps are the tip of an iceberg. The labour force "pool" is drawn
from Africa and especially the construction workers .......The Indian Sub-Continent. A labour force that at times is almost held captive by economic shackles. They work as hotel staff..road sweepers....construction workers....all the low paid jobs. I hesitate to use the "S" word but we read that some have had their passports removed by their employers and others could not afford the airfare home. Dubai would never exist without them.
We venture out and at once realise that we have made a HUGE misjudgement of scale. This is not just a city but a collection of cities connected by 6 lane superhighways, vast sandy building sites and row after row of car dealerships and retail emporiums selling everything from chandeliers to swimming pools.
I keep on asking the same question......HOW DOES THIS PLACE STACK UP! All the office buildings seem half empty........sure the 1,000,000 sq.ft shopping centres and crammed full of Westerners dutifully fulfilling their now coded DNA......... the must buy more "shiny stuff" or I am not a complete and useful human being gene!
Sure the hotels are beyond excellence...........the restaurants superb and the caviar the freshest on the planet but I still feel it could all come tumbling down. The economy was bailed
out by larger Arabic wallets in 2008 ( Saudi Arabia for one). As I look out across the cityscape I see huge buildings.........but unlike New York and Hong Kong there are no lights burning on the upper floors.
Is this some gigantic ego trip for a select band of Arab Princes fuelled by the oil industry and perpetuated by the greed of the Western World??????
Who knows and how cares as we are off for a slap up meal and complimentary cocktails on the 10th Floor!!!
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