Dubai…

Well, it was 23rd of September, and I was all set to fly out of the country and relax! Me and my co-worker/ friend, Justin, were so anxious to get out of what had become our norm for what seemed like forever that we could barely contain ourselves! I can’t tell you the feeling of relief that I had felt for about a day….ugh what sweet relief! I can only imagine what it will feel like when it comes time to go home for good!

We boarded our flight to dubai, and without a hitch we were there in no time! I must say that I had mixed reservations about that flight and really it was if we were on a commercial jetliner! We picked up our luggage at the cargo section of the Dubai airport, and proceeded to the hotel. What a different world I felt like I was in. It almost feels as though we somehow are flown to a different world, that first day in country, and now we are returning to the world we left some 100 days ago? Dubai is HAWT…the kind of hot that I remember feeling in Kuwait, a lot of humidity! I am so used to a different kind of heat, one that is dusty and about 80% less humidity. I really don’t know how the native folks get around, and don’t even sweat….a true mystery for someone who can sweat at the drop of a hat.

We boarded our van and off to our hotel we went. In looking at the landscape and the city, I felt like I was in one of those spy movies, like Spy Game…..the set up is that similar! I was constantly looking for the city that we all associate with Dubai, but because of the way the desert is and having sand in the air all the time, it reacts much the same way as smog in that you don’t have much visibility past 10 miles or so in the sky if that. We got to our room and wow, what a feeling to have a room by yourself, complete with your own bathroom! i changed and sat down immediately! Ugh, I compressed even more, part of me relaxing and the other filled excitement for a trip that I would never forget filled with places and things that I had yet see or experience!

Not too much later, I took a shower without flip flops on! WOW….no squeaking, no worrying about how much time you were taking…..ALL MINE! I can’t tell you how lucky I feel that in my normal life, I have my own bathroom, that is located right next to my bedroom some 5 feet away! I don’t have to shower with flip flops on and I can take as long as I want! I remember that some of my wishes while in country were showering without flops on, walking on a paved street, and having that first beer…..i had now, completed all three and I can’t tell you how good it feels!! Man, I was beginning to feel like the man I was three month earlier!

Later that evening, I had what would be my first pedicure as I find the need to really take care of my feet with being couped up in my boots all day, some pretty nasty things can happen. Fortunately, I take really good care of them and this was my way of continuing that! Kind of nice to take care of yourself in this way! After going to get my feet done, Justin and I went to dinner at a Lebonese place, which was very similar to my buddy Joe’s type of food, Egyptian. There were various types of Shawarma, and meat kabobs, with hummus and pastry. Not too long after dinner, we went back to the hotel, had a couple of more drink,s and went back to our rooms in order to be up early to take flights to Europe!


Up next, MUNICH and OKTOBERFEST!!!