Last few hours in Dubai and so much I haven't written. The desert smog from sand particles in the air, the way our glasses fog up when we step outside into the heat, the cleanliness everywhere- no one eats on the run, no food or drink or chewing gum on the metro.
The malls with every imaginable chain from Cotton On to Marks and Spencer's, Bloomingdales, Tiffanies ... a shopper's paradise and our nightmare.
The pride of a city built on sand with vision and desire to continue building the biggest and the best. The respect and esteem for the Sheikh who rules.
In 2020 the World Trade Fair will be held here and bigger better hotels and malls are under construction and an even taller building will be built.
Our choice to spend our last evening going up the tallest building in the world ( actually only about halfway up. It has over 200 floors) was a bit fraught. Pete has a bit of a cold so we rested in the afternoon then caught the metro to the Dubai Mall. A big walk, maybe 20 minutes on moving walkways and through miles of mall to find an enormous queue even although I had pre booked for 6.30. Of course we took the cheapest option so all the higher payers got priority. After about 45 mins we reached the lift and were jammed in like sardines. It took less than a minute to reach the 124 th floor.
The views were magnificent but we were hungry and faintly anxious as we had a plane to catch tonight. When we decided to go down the queue was equally as long and same thing in reverse. Priority customers whizzing through while we waited and waited and waited feeling trapped. Must say though that everything is highly efficient while being friendly and calm.
Now it is 1.15am and soon we will bird our flight for Zanzibar via Nairobi and Kilimanjaro. Not expecting much sleep tonight and both already a bit scratchy.
I wish I could intersperse photos within this blog. In my Great Aunt's diary she often mentions her "trusty Burberry" and here at the airport is a Burberry shop.
Next instalment Zanzibar.