A few months back we flew from Thailand in the east towards the bright lights of Western Europe! Although ecstatic to catch up with Aidan's parents and sister, we were both a little disappointed that we didn't quite make it to India or Nepal. After a bit of thought, we decided there was no better time than now. So, finding stupidly cheap tickets online from Portugal to Nepal, we went for it! Four flights and around 50 hours later, we'll both think twice before booking another ticket like it...

A relatively short flight from Lisbon landed us in Brussels. We wasted a few excited hours at the airport before spending the night high in the sky on the way to Abu Dhabi! After a couple of films and maybe less than 20 minutes sleep, we arrived. It was 7am local time, although still only 3am in Portugal!

Not even half-asleep, but in some sort of brain-dead trance, we mumbled our way through customs, and found ourselves with 17 hours to kill. After some strong coffee, we decided to make the most of it and see the highlights of this glamorous capital of the United Arab Emirates.

We were told that the most impressive site in Abu Dhabi was the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, which happened to be on the way from the airport to the city, so we didn't waste any time and took a bus directly there! This gigantic Islamic religious centre is one of the only mosques in the world open to non-Muslims, as well as one of the most impressive! Before we entered, the security guards insisted that Jess dress up in a full black dress and headscarf, so we knew we were in for the real thing. The mosque was refreshingly modern, and a great reprieve from the intimidating, dark and often bloody images and statues often found in old churches and temples. The interior was even more vibrant than the outside, with mother-of-pearl flower decorations covering the walls, and intricate chandeliers shimmering with colour. Claiming to be the 3rd largest mosque in the world, we would love to see the larger two!

Abu Dhabi was an interesting place, with the biggest contrast between rich and poor we have seen yet. The city itself was almost perfect. The grass was mown, the gardens trimmed, the cars polished and the pavements spotlessly clean. The display of wealth was unbelievable!

Behind all the shiny buildings and perfectly manicured gardens, we couldn't help but notice all the immigrant workers wandering around; a team of six Indians mopping the bus station floor for the third time in a day; Pilipino Gardeners trimming already perfect hedges; a lonely Chinese boy following people, ready to bin their flicked cigarette butt.. Understandably they didn't seem to enjoy their work and surely weren't getting anything close to the average Abu Dhabi salary. Apparently thousands of immigrants are employed every year for these meager tasks, just to put a bit of food on the table for their poor families back home. Seemingly a win-win situation, however unfair, which at least explains why the streets were so clean.

In the afternoon we just happened to stumble across an International yacht race! The next leg of the 'Volvo Ocean Race', from Cape Town to Abu Dhabi, was due to arrive in the Arabian Gulf at around 5pm, so we happily joined in with all the excitement. Here we saw the other end of the immigrant spectrum.. There were hundreds of young, rich families from Europe, Australia and the UK enjoying the festivities. We felt like we were in Darling Harbour, Sydney, and not some sandy Arabic city. To top it off everything was for free; Abu Dhabi team flags, postcards, 3D movie screenings all about the race, simulator rides and more! It was difficult to comprehend after all of the beggars and hustlers in Morocco! Although fun, we felt a little strange waving an Abu Dhabi team flag as the New Zealand team (with a few Aussie crew members) came into view. We're pretty sure the Italian team won, although it was hard to tell with all the distractions. It was even more awkward when we were asked to partake in an interview regarding our Abu Dhabi experience and how much effort we had made to arrive for the big race..!

Our time ran out in Abu Dhabi faster than we expected and we soon found ourselves at the airport.. again. A few hours later, we were scrolling through the Etihad movie selections.. again, on an overnight flight to Delhi. After yet another stumble through customs we were so close to our final destination, Kathmandu, and had now gone two days without sleep, showers or a change of clothes. Just to really heighten our anticipation, our last flight was delayed due to bad weather and we ended up spending nine painful hours waiting at Delhi Airport!

With a sigh of relief, and a determination to return to India overland next time, we finally arrived in Kathmandu. Our plan now is to get some sleep, then find and commit to another worthwhile volunteer project and unpack our bags for a few more weeks. Namaste Nepal!