Hello all, i'm in Dubai! No, no, panic not, I have not caught the wrong plane and become stranded in this alien land! I'm waiting for my connecting flight to Beijing, which isn't boarding until about 2am. Very confused about all of this time difference fandango, according to my watch it's 9.15pm at home; you'll all be lounging around on the sofa watching Eurovision i'm sure, while I frantically type a message to you all at 1.15am form a very crowded internet stand in the middle of the (strangely) bustling airport.

So, the flight, like most flights was...a hive of excitement. I swear airlines take pleasure in shattering the hopes of economy class passengers, as we are forced to parade through the first class section of the plane, thinking our seats too will look like something out of Dr Who, only to be confronted with the crowded, no leg room, squidged into one another class that we are actually to endure. It wasn't too bad though, there were a good selection of films to get me through and starry lights in the ceiling to help us sleep. Atmospheric.

Despite being in a foreign country now, halfway to my destination, it still hasn't sunk in that i'm away for four months! But i'm sure it will soon enough.

Anyway, I feel I should try and find the plane that shall be my habitat for the next seven hours, so I shall depart. Next time I write, i'll be in China! That's if they let me in....

Love to you all

XxX