Brisbane to Dubai

Left Brisbane at 8.45pm and flew for 14 hours to Dubai. Managed to endure it (just) by watching movies – Rango (funny) and Made in Dagenham (twice, after falling asleep the first time). The guy next to me slept under a blanket for nearly the whole 14 hours – he must have had some good narcotics, and I shall find out what they were!

After arriving in terminal 3 we were herded onto a bus for the 15 minute bus ride to Arrivals. What a huge airport it is. As arranged, cousin Kay was there waiting for us at 5.30am, and after a few wrong turns, drove us  to her unit at Abu Dhabi, and then she went to work! What a great lady.

We slept for 2 hours then went to the local shops. The temperature was in the 40s with a hot wind blowing. The sky is not quite blue because of the sandy environment. We then returned and watched the workers across from Kay’s apartment building more apartments – no health and safety rules there, Kay’s apartment is modern and has all new appliances, thanks to the generosity of the education department in Dubai. .

After work Kay took us to the Emirates Palace hotel – very opulent – and the Heritage Village -traditional Bedouin displays - then a modern shopping centre where we had Gloria Jeans coffee. For tea we had Indian takeaway from across the road (very handy) and 2 bottles of nice NZ Sauvignon Blanc, followed by another good sleep.

Expendable workers

Emirates Palace

Heritage Viillage

Abu Dhabi

Took a taxi to the Grand Mosque. Amazing place, incredible workmanship. I had to wear the black gear - incredibly hot.. We couldn't remember Kay's address to get the taxi back, so showed the driver a photo of a distinctive nearby building which he said he knew, but he took us to the wrong place! (People don't actually have a letterbox address there). We ended up at Abu Dhabi Mall, from where we found a taxi to take us to the right place.

At 4.30am we embarked on a Desert Safari courtesy of Kay, who booked it for us. We took a while getting there, picking up other passengers from a new suburb called Desert Village, inhabited exclusively by foreign workers, then driving an hour or so to the real desert, where we did dune bashing, camel riding, eating, drinking (a Fosters beer was out of our price range so we had Coke), watching belly dancing and also watching people smoking shisha. I might have partaken many years ago, but couldn't cope now.

We eventually got back to civilisation about 10 pm - 500 dirhams (A$124)well spent.

 

Just this once

Deflating tyres

Not so soft

Back to Dubai

Today we caught the local bus to Dubai. It was only 30 dirhams ($10) and was modern and air conditioned. The hour and a half trip was uneventful - got a good view of the Dubai sprawl going in.

Once there however we were met with more arrogance than encountered in Abu Dhab eg rude taxi drivers. We were booked into the Desert Sands hotel but did not realise there were several of them in the same area. We told him just to drop us at any one and it was the right one thankfully.

After checking in we decided to walk to the Metro, but it was so hot I felt really faint. Made it though and experienced the driverless train that takes you up and down the set route to various locations including shopping centres. (Neil made the mistake of briefly standing in the women's carriage)

Dubai Mall is huge, including a giant aquarium complete with sharks. After taking that in we went up the Burj Kalifa, at this moment the tallest building in the world. The 140 odd floor elevator ride was smooth and fast, but not much of excitement to see at the top apart from buildings in a sandy haze. It was fairly pricey but we had to do it!

After getting back to the room we were fairly exhausted so ordered room service then began what was to become a familiar run-in with foreign front loader washing machines.

 

In the mall

Top of the Burj

station entrance

Hello London

As for the washing machine - just when you think you have it sorted and the clothes are both washed and dried, some idiot decides to dry them a bit more and hello, they start washing again! So after much spinning a load of slightly damp clothes was packed into bags to go to London. (It was me, I must confess).

We took a taxi to Dubai airport after the walk yesterday, and it made life a lot easier than dragging packs onto a train. This taxi driver was very polite, which made up for the other one. He worked for the hotel.

We made it to Gate 140 (phew) then did the 20 minute shuttle bus ride to the plane. It feels like you should be there already.

This flight was only seven hours - almost bearable - and we cleared customs and found the train to St Pancras pretty easily. The YHA opposite the station was also easy to find, and looked inviting with a bar and cafe on the ground floor. The only down side was when we opened the door to our room and found not a double bed, or even two singles, but bunks! Oh well, hopefully not much time would be spent there and Neil would take the top. The constant warmth of the room meant that our damp washing dried really quickly.

A couple of hours later we discovered our first of many O'Reilly's pubs, right next door, and an Indian restaurant a short distance away. So two more boxes ticked - a pint at a pub and a curry.

First beer

First wine

St Pancras Station

Tourists

After as good a sleep as you get in a bunk, we decided to chill out and get the big red tourist bus. We hopped off at the Tower of London, which I have seen 4 times but not actually visited. I didn't know it was really an old Buckingham Palace - someone's castle, and not that many people died there. Lots of tourists from the States and Europe, being summer holidays. Hopped back on the bus and did a river cruise, this time with British school kids.

After an early tea at O'Neill's (mushy peas, yum) we took the tube to Leicester Square's Prince Edward Theatre to see Jersey Boys. Have been wanting to see it for a couple of years, so an ideal opportunity. Got to wear my designer dress which I threw in at the last minute. Nice atmosphere on the balcony before the show, watching the theatre and pub crowds below.

On the Thames

Pre show drinks

One pound binoculars

Cuzzie from Canada

Today is the day to meet Dan from Canada, cousin a few times removed, with a common ancestor - Joseph Greenwood. We arranged to meet at Kentish Town at 6, where the old family pub, the Bull and Gate, still stands. On the way to check it out in the afternoon we walked into the Old Church at St Pancras, where Greenwoods were married and christened in the 1800s. A really peaceful oasis in the city.

Had lunch at the Assembly House pub across from the Bull and Gate, as the latter didn't serve food. Took the Tube back to St Pancras, then went in later to meet Dan, and once again ate at the Assembly House. It was good to finally meet in person, though we have been corresponding for a few years now. (I tried scampi which was yummy, like most food tried on this trip).

The Greenwood church

The Bull and Gate

Dan and I

Paris

We checked out of the hostel around 8 then walked across the road to St Pancras Station to get the Eurostar to Paris. The journey took around 2 hours, and only 20 minutes or so was under the water (thank God).

After arriving at the Gare de Nord we hopped straight on the Metro to Porte Maillot, and found our hotel (Etoile), without too much trouble. Didn't have to lug the packs very far. The room and the hotel generally were quaint, and comfortable. Only about 30 rooms altogether and pretty quiet considering the proximity to large roundabouts.

After ·an hour or so of relaxing we walked to the Arc de Triomphe, then caught the Metro into the city centre, where we checked out Notre Dame, l'Hotel de Ville and did a cruise on the Seine. 

We packed a lot into a few hours, so by 8pm were ready to crash, after getting a takeaway Croque Madame from a cafe near our hotel. Summer time is great for sightseeing as it's light until 10 or later.

Neil and Eiffel

What parking problem?

Our accommodation