The LONG journey home

We headed to terminal 1 at the airport and it was a hodge podge people from all different airlines trying to make their out of Dubai. The first section was security check where all bags were examined along with the typical metal detector screening. We gathered everything and went to the Delta counter. When we presented our travel documents, the agent said that the flight was weight restricted so they could not accommodate any stand-by customers. They said it was due to the smaller aircraft from Atlanta so there has been a backlog of people trying to head back to Atlanta. Since there was only 1 flight a day to/from Atlanta, we would be pushed back into the queue of people trying to go back. He said the earliest for us to go back would be in 2 days… space permitting. One of the stipulations on our stand by tickets is that we could be denied boarding and also, we had the lowest priority in stand by travel… after all the current/retired employees and their family were all ahead of us.

I thought the agent was kidding in stating that we could not get on the flight. So with little options, we could either stay in Dubai for a few more days or make other travel arrangements home. My party did not have conflicts with staying for a few extra days. I, however, had to be at work at 1 PM on Thursday so arriving back on Friday was not an option for me. We also did not have much money left (Drihams or $) so accommodations would be last minute. I immediately proceeded to the Cathay Pacific desk to see if they had any seats on their flight to Hong Kong and I would figure out my way home then. The agent told me the best way would be to call American Airlines from a pay phone to book a ticket as their local office was already closed. I went to an airport shop to buy some phone cards to make international calls back to the US. I bought just in case the phone calls would be long. Using the phone cards and figuring how to dial back to the US was a small problem that I encountered but was successful eventually.

I accidentally called the AAdvantage Executive Platinum Desk for Spanish speakers… luckily my agent was also agent in English. I explained the situation that I was in and how I needed to book an award ticket back to Dallas. I asked if I could get routed through Hong Kong as I wanted to experience Cathay Pacific airlines in style. She could not find any award seats on Cathay but after playing around, she got me a routing back home the next afternoon… 5 hours later than the Delta flights. She booked me Club World (Business) seats on British Airways flight 106 from Dubai to London leaving at 1:45AM and arriving at Heathrow at 6:20AM the same morning. Then I would fly business class on American Airlines flight 51 departing at 12:25AM arriving at 2:20PM in Dallas. I was overjoyed that she found me (business) seats at the last minute. The only charges I had in regards to booking the ticket was the taxes that I would have to pay. An one-way economy ticket would have costs $900 or a possible $3000 for business class. I got disconnected from the agent after I gave her my credit card info so I called back immediately where another agent confirmed that my tickets were being ticketed and it would take about 20 minutes for it to show up in the computer systems.

I went to the British Airway counter (which housed Delta counter only an hour before) to check in. I decided to check my duffel bag in and got both boarding passes for my journey. I bid farewell to the rest of my party and wished them luck in getting back to the US. I gave them my extra phone card and all the cash that I had left before departing to the boarding terminal. We had another routine security check before passport control and the it was off to the departure area. I headed towards gate 126 where it housed the British Airways galleries lounge. There were passengers from British Airways and Cathay Pacific so it got a bit crowded at times.

I proceed to get some soup, appetizers, chili/rice, and sandwiches before getting settled into a desk. I stayed for about 2 & ½ hours checking email, blogging, uploading pictures, and pigging out. There was a large window area where we could look out into the tarmac area. Given that it was at night, there was not much to see out there. I enjoyed the lounge area as it provided a perfect place to relax before my flight. When the boarding call was made to head down to gate 111 for our flight, I used the rest of the money on the phone card leaving messages to family members and calling work to check up on matters. We had another security check before heading on the plane.

The flight bridge had 2 separate doors, one for first/business and the other for economy. I proceeded to the first entrance, found my way to my seat of 10G… a front-facing sleep suite. The seats were fully 180 degrees flat and were very comfortable. The flight was very full and I grabbed a pre-departure beverage of orange juice. The only thing missing was the hot nuts which I always get on American Airlines after departure. We were served a light snack after departure with the choices being a salad, cold cuts, or hot chocolate/cookies. I went with the sweets and it came with a chocolate chip cookie, chocolate macadamia cookie, and hot chocolate. I only are about half of each cookie as I was still stuffed from the food I obtained in the lounge. I brushed my teeth afterward using my amenity kit and then slept for about 3 hours. I got up to use the bathroom and drink some water and went back to sleep for another 2 hours. The sleep bed was very comfortable but I was seated towards the front of the cabin so there was foot traffic sometimes. I did manage to sleep without earplugs. I had the flight path displayed so I could check on where I was when I woke up. There were movies available but it was not on demand so I did not bother with watching anything and settled for sleeping instead.

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BA 106 Club World Dining Menu

NightCap - Settle down with a NightCap to help you sleep

Emmenthal Salad
or
An individual selection of sandwiches featuring beef pastrami with gherkin and Mature Cheddar with chutney
or
Hot chocolate with warm chocolate chip cookies

A selection of fresh fruit

Your choice or coffee, tea, or selection of herbal teas including green tea with jasmine, peppermint, blackcurrant and chamomile with honey

Breakfast in Bed
Chilled fruit juice 
An energising fruit smoothie of skim milk, honey, banana, and mango

Fresh fruit
or
Birchermuesli and cereals with chilled milk

Scrambled eggs with Mozzarella, apply sausage, grilled tomato with parsley, herbed mushroom and hash-brown potatoes
or
Cheddar omelette with grilled potato, mushrooms in creamy sauce and hash-brown potatoes
or
American Pancake with mixed berry compote

Selection of warm breads and breakfast pastries

Your choice of coffee or tea

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Breakfast was served when I woke up and we had the option from several choices: pancakes, scrambled eggs/sausage, eggs/potatoes, and fresh fruit bowl/yoghurt with a side of muesli. I got pancakes, fruit/yoghurt, and coffee. I skipped on the pastries but there was a wide selection. When we landed, I grabbed my bags immediately and waited by the door. They made sure the have the first class passengers depart first and I made my way to the Terminal transfer on the ground floor. We had to take a 10 minute bus ride to Terminal 3 where American Airlines departed. Almost all the British Airways flights depart/land in Terminal 5 so transfer is almost always necessary. I had to go through security check one more time at Heathrow.


I first went to the Cathay Pacific First Class lounge since I did not have access to that section last time. It was nothing spectacular and I was the only passenger there for the 10 minutes that I was there grabbing a few bites/using the facilities. Next, I went to the Admiral’s Club to get my AA boarding pass and they checked to make sure that my bag was transferred correctly. I got access to the new renovated Flagship Lounge to check email and grab a few more bites to eat. I enjoyed the much talked about bacon rolls (bacon and tomato on a half roll) which was pretty good, although the roll was quite dry. A pair of annoying people came in so I left the lounge and proceeded to British Airways First Class lounge, which is the best one that I can access/enjoy at Heathrow. I got a quick/relaxing 15 minute shower. Nothing can compare to having a nice hot shower after a long flight. It was very comfortable and they only regret I have is not packing a fresh change of clothes.

Then afterwards, I went to the dining area to enjoy some more food, use my laptop, recharging it and looked around the large area. The lounge had a view of the tarmac as well and it was very nice. The bathrooms were large and private. There were several open bars for drinks and snacks. All the staff were very nice and I ordered a fried egg/bacon sandwich. With my last few minutes, I headed to the Elemis spa for my 15 minute complimentary massage in the chair. The service was limited to those traveling first or business class on BA longhaul flights or Executive Club Gold members.

I proceeded immediately to the gate with about 35 minutes before departure. I made my way to seat 13 G where I got stuck in the middle of 4 family members traveling together. I switched to seat 10 D so that the family could sit side-by-side (aisle-wise). We got pre-departure drinks and there was small snafu before we left. The flight was completely full and some people were still waiting for upgrades into first and business. We had to go back to the gate since a passenger did not make it to the flight even though their bag did. We had to get the passenger on the plane or take their bag off… the second option was exercised. We were only delayed for a little bit from London and the rest of the flight was smooth with no problems. The captain left the seatbelt sign on from the time we departed to and through the entire dinner service.

I talked to my seatmate, a man that changed jobs recently and is moving his family to Dallas. He has earned 2 million miles with flying 15 years on American Airlines… I am only ¼ of the way there so I need to catch up pretty soon. I got my first choice of beef/potato gnocci over chicken or scallops or pasta. The appetizer of smoked salmon/cucumber roll was ok. I manage to eat a large part of the salad served with blue cheese (my choice) dressing or oil/vinegar. I ate most of my beef but it was way too much food. Dessert was Ben & Jerry’s mint chocolate chip ice cream and I got my with decaffeinated coffee. I watched Clash of the Titans while enjoying my meal. The movie was not bad and it had a lot of action. I attempted to watch Valentine’s Day but had to turn if off after 10 minutes cause I knew that it would be a bad movie from the start.

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AA 51 Business Class Dining Service Menu
To Start: Warm mixed nuts

Appetizer: Smoked sesame salmon and cucumber roll, accented by a Thai sweet chili sauce

Salad: Fresh seasonal greens and an assortment of fresh vegetables offered with blue cheese dressing or Sapori d’Arte olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Bread Basket: Assorted gourmet breads

Main Course:

Beef Fillet with Shallot Sauce (Grilled fillet of beef offered with a shallot sauce, accompanied by potato gnocchi with truffles and a medley of sautéed vegetables

Chicken Provençal (Herbed breast of chicken provençal accented by a wild mushroom reduction, served with green beans and wild rice)

Scallops with Lime Champagne (Seared scallops flavored with a creamy lime champagne sauce, complemented by a mushroom and asparagus sauté and rice pilaf with leeks)

Rigatoni with Cream Sauce (Rigatoni pasta enhanced by a rich cream sauce garnished with pine nuts)

Dessert: 

Ice Cream (A scoop of Ben & Jerry’s Mint Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream)
Fruit and Cheese (A selection of gourmet cheeses offered with fresh seasonal fruit and assorted crackers)

Mid-Flight Snack
Fruit and Cheese (A selection of gourmet cheeses offered with fresh seasonal fruit and assorted crackers)
Snacks (Assorted snack items available: Cookies, Rice Crispy Treats, Nutrigrain bar, Cheese crackers mix, and other items)

Light Meal (offered prior to landing)

Select From:
Uno’s Four Cheese and Pesto Pizza (A traditional deep-dish pizza with mozzarella, Muenster, Romano and feta cheese blend, basil pesto and plum tomatoes accompanied by a green salad

Turkey Sandwich (Sliced turkey breast served warm on a Kalamata olive ciabatta roll topped with Swiss cheese and roasted eggplant coated in tomato sauce, accompanied by a green salad with olive oil vinaigrette.

Dessert: Blackberry currant mouse cake

Pre-Arrival Beverage
For Your Enjoyment: Chilled sparkling or still water with a fresh citrus garnish

Beverages
Spirits: ABSOLUT Vodka
             Beefeater Gin
             Bacardi Rum
Whiskeys: Canadian Club Reserve Blended Whisky
                   Dewar’s White Label Scotch Whisky
                   Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch
                   Jack Daniel’s Tennesee Whiskey
                   Jim Beam Black Bourbon
Beers: Amstel light, Heineken and select U.S. Beers
Brandy and Liqueurs: Baileys Irish Cream
                                     Courvoisier V.S.O.P. Fine Champagne Cognac
                                     DiSaronno Amaretto
                                     Kahlúa
Other Beverages: Carbonated Beverages
                               Still and sparkling water
                               100% Arabica roasted coffee
                               Necafé decaffeinated coffee
                               Tea
                               Fruit Juices
                               Milk

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I took about a 2 hour nap after getting out ear plugs and the eye shades. We got some snacks to enjoy about mid-flight. I watched some episodes of Heroes on the rest of the flight since the movie and TV selections were not really enticing to me. One of the problems with American is that they do not really rotate that many movies on their entertainment system but I have learned to bring my own entertainment (ipod or laptop) to help pass the time. The pre-departure light meal was offered very late in the flight due to turbulence for a majority of the flight.  I went with the turkey sandwich which was surprisingly good.  The blackberry currant mouse cake was ok, did one bite on that one.

Landing was smooth and I had no issues with getting to Immigration.  I had to wait 15 minutes for for my bags and they only had 2 people working customs desk so that took forever.  I was happy to be home and glad I came back a day early.  Not a bad trip overall, did a lot of stuff that I never would have dreamed of or will experience again.

How to get back to the US?

We used stand by tickets on Delta and we have last priority for boarding. We went to the Delta counter to check in for our flight tonight and we did not get on due to weight restrictions on the plane. Only paid customers could fly and we do not know how many days we have to stay. The agent said that maybe we can leave on Thursday and get back on Friday if they had seats. There has been a backlog of several employees that have priority ahead of us on the flights back to Atlanta on Delta. That is not possible for me stay a few more days since I have to work Thursday afternoon.

How will this end? Found out soon :) Hint below

Burj al Arab tour / Ski Dubai / iFly Dubai

We woke up at around 8AM this morning and it did not take me very long. I did realize that I could never get a real tattoo ever. The scorpion I have on will fade off in 7 to 10 days, but I could never get something permanently drawn on my body. It would get old very quick and it seemed more like a mistake this morning more than anything. We did some last moment packing and ate breakfast before heading out to the Burj al Arab for a private suite touring with our new friend that works at the hotel.

We took the taxi there and waited by the front area until he showed up. We walked up to the hotel, enjoyed the sights and were greeted by the front reception for our tour. The cost would have been 175 AED ($50) but we got in for free due to being an employee guest. We got to go up to the 27th floor at the skyview bar where they have a limited edition of Johnny Walker 2,500 AED ($700) shot available, but they ran out recently of that drink. Then we went to suite 901 where it costs 10,000 AED ($2,500) for 1 night stay. They had remote controlled everything ranging from the television monitor, curtains, lights, to opening the front door. Each floor of the hotel had its own reception desk. The suite was 2 levels the first being the office and living room while the 2nd floor consisted of the bathroom and bedroom. The bed itself is replaces each year and costs 50,000 AED ($13,000). Our last stop was the restaurant on the first floor where there is an aquarium as well in the dining area giving the appearance of being under water.

From there, we departed to the Mall of the Emirates to enjoy Sky Dubai. There was a giant plastic snow ball that one can climb inside and I of course took the opportunity to enjoy the fun as well. We bought an 2 hour pass for 190AED ($50) that also included rental equipment. What we did not know was that it took forever to get the clothes, change, get the boots, skis and then the poles. It took us an hour for us to be ready to ski and it was not easy since I had to change the sizes on everything.

Once we got inside the snow park, we to took the ski lift to half way on the slopes. I began there with reacquainting myself with the skis. All that I remember is that in order to slow down, one must bring the skis closer together. I did fall down several times in the snow and sometimes the ice got into my clothes, but it was fun nevertheless. It took me several tries to get comfortable with the speed and controlling where I was headed. The restroom facilities inside the ski park was closed for maintenance so I had to leave to use the restroom which ate into my play time. Eventually I had the courage to take the ski lift to the very top and went down from the top all the way to the bottom about 6 times. The last time, I did everything in one try and did not fall down at all. I was not brave enough to take on the expert slope as it was very steep. I will have to save that for next time. I was very pleased that I got to ski in the middle of the desert. I was smart enough to bring my hat and gloves so that I would not freeze to death in the extremities.

After that adventure, we took the metro to Al Rashidiya station and then a taxi to the Mirdif City Centre mall. We sought out iFly Dubai where we got to experience weightlessness in a air chamber. The cost was 195 AED ($50) which included a 15 minute class, equipment (goggles, ear plugs, suit, and helmet) and then two 1-minute sessions in the tube. It was exhilarating to be able to fly for a brief moment. After that experience, we took a taxi back to the metro, then took the metro for an hour to Dubai Marina station, then took another taxi to our apartment. We had to cab driver wait for us as we were heading off towards the airport. We went up quickly, grabbed our bags, made a last minute pass to make sure we collected everything, drop off the keys at reception, and then proceeded to the airport. We stopped by the Burj Kalifa to see if there was any fountain shows going on, but we barely missed the cutoff time so it was off to the airport to catch our 10:30PM flight on Delta back to Atlanta.

Wild Wadi Water Park / Desert Safari

I discovered that the hard Rock Café in Dubai is closed for the mean time for remodeling. So that is one shirt that I am missing in my collection. The past night was the best night of sleep that I had gotten in a while. I turned in at about 1PM local time to bed and fell asleep immediately. Given the fact that I had stayed up for over 36 hours, I was all tired out. I got woken up by the sound of surprise/screeching that we were late. We had about 20 minutes to get to Wild Wadi water park to meet our friend. We got quickly/prepared for the day hastily and proceeded to the ground floor. We hoped in a cab and were on our way. We got there about 5 minutes late and waited in the front area. I quickly pulled out some pastries to eat and washed it down with a can of Pepsi… breakfast of champions. After a few moments, we saw our friend Si, from the Burj al Arab. He took us to the ticket counter and we were admitted in with his employee discount. A full day ticket price is 200 AED ($55 USD) and a locker rental was 35 AED ($10).

We dropped our bags off in the locker and our food was taken into custody from us to “keep from spoiling in the sun.” This is also known as making us buy park food later… one of the downsides in going to a water park. The half day there was amazing. We went all over the park with the tube slides. The ride went up and then down and had all these twists and turns along the way with the black hole tunnel at the end. We also did the water slide down on the Jumeriah Sceira which was exhilarating. Just me and the water down a slide… I had to keep my eyes closed due to the speed/water splashing down my face. We also did the surfer rider with a boogie board and I tried my best to stay in the water but had a blow out eventually. The hardest part was walking without shoes on as the ground sometimes got very hot and we had to find a water source to cool our feet off. We took a food break in the middle and eat pizza/chicken tenders/fries to get some energy. We did water tubing for 3 times and the rest of the time consisted of floating on their version of the lazy river. We had to grab our bags and change clothes and then leave the park. It was a very enjoyable experience and I would highly recommend it to any visiting Dubai. We left at 3PM and made sure to look at our pictures by the gift shop after saying good bye to our friend who had to report to work. I purchased a photo of myself in front of the Burj al Arab… it was worth every penny (or fil in AED). We took a cab ride back to the apartment and got ready for our desert safari of the rest of the day.

We left promptly at 4PM with our driver, Malik, waiting for us in front of the complex. He took us to the Arabian Ranch community where another party joined us and we headed for the desert after a pit stop in front of a grocery store where all the Palm Oasis tours met up. When we first arrived, we had the opportunity to take photos. Then the tires were deflated somewhat for the dune bashing experience more enjoyable/safe. The driver did a great job driving us around the desert dunes and it was a fun experience. I enjoyed cruising down the dunes sideways and rolling up hills at top speed. We did get off to do sand boarding for a bit. I did fine the first time around but fell on the second time. The next stop was a camel farm where we could take pictures of the camels. I took some time out to dump the sand from my shoes.

Our last stop was the site for dinner and entertainment.
There was opportunities for sand ATVing and camel riding. I declined on the ATV since there was a charge but the camel ride of 2 minutes was included in the ticket. It was a different experience all together especially from horse riding. I enjoyed some appetizers and goat milk/tea when everyone went ATV riding. I did get to enjoy some hookah pike smoking and realize that one time would be all that I needed in this life time. It was tobacco-less but still the smoke can choke someone up. We bought some shirts from one of the local vendors so I am now a proud owner of a Emirates (Airline) shirt. We all got Henna tattoos and the artist only knew how to do a scorpion… wonder what she did for the ladies?

Dinner started at about 7 PM and we got in life for the buffet spread. We had a belly dancer for about 20 minutes and it looked pretty sad for her to be there by herself. I would have only asked them to have at least 2 dancing since there was about 80 in the audience. The facility could accommodate up to 180 people for the high season. Before we left, I made sure to try out their local clothing and got a picture in it as well. We were one of the last groups to leave and the driver dropped off the other group first. We got to learn more about the culture and the city itself from the driver and the other group. The driver, originally from Pakistan, has lived/worked in Dubai for about 10 years. The place that he rents costs about $1000 a month and that is how much he makes from the salary. He shares the apartment with several other people and is only able to go back home once a year for about a month. Dubai is an expensive place to live but for the citizens (20% of the population), they have free housing, schooling, healthcare, and other several benefits. They do not extend citizenship to foreigners at all whether it be naturalization, marriage, or birth. We got back to the apartment at about 10PM and packed our belongings for the return journey home. It was a great day and probably one of the best ones I have had in a long time.

Jumeirah Mosque / Burj al Arab / Burj Kalifa

We woke up and had a quick breakfast before heading off to the Metro. Our first stop was the Jumeirah Mosque where we had about an hour education session on the Muslim faith by volunteers Latifa and Amel. It was a good educational opportunity to learn about the 5 pillars of Islam and how they want to lead a peaceful life (not everyone is a terrorist). We also learned about the clothes that they wear and how religion makes an impact in their law. They also demonstrated their prayers and the procedures for their 5 daily prayers as well. For only 10 AED ($2.70) this session as well worth it and about 40 people showed up for it. They offer it 4 times a week at 10AM each time.

Next, we went to the Palm Jumeirah as it is the only one of the three completed thus far (Jebel Ali and Deira are still being constructed). Each frond had 2 rows of residential houses each with their own access to the beach. At the end, there was a crescent built for hotels and Atlantis was at the center. We got off to enjoy the resort and some Coldstone ice cream as well. We bought some souvenirs in the gift shop and took pictures before heading back to the Marina apartment to change our clothes for our afternoon tea.

The Burj al Arab has a strict dress code so we had to wear Sunday best clothing. We took a taxi and they made sure that we had reservations before letting us in past security. We arrived about an hour early so we took the time to walk around to take pictures. The 7 course tea service costs 325 AED ($90) took about 2 hours. The courses were: fresh fruit/berries, finger sandwiches, raspberry sorbet, chef’s carver of salmon, scones/jelly, petit fours, pastries, and assorted sweets. We enjoyed date juice, coffee, fresh water melon juice, fresh pineapple juice, and hot chocolate. The dining experience was definitely world class and fun. We stayed until 5 PM when all the other restaurants were in-between service so that we could go and take pictures. We went to the 27th floor skybar to enjoy the view, the ground floor to the seafood restaurant, and finally the outdoor dining area. We took a walk around the area to the front to enjoy the sight.

When that was all done and finished, we took a Lexus cab to the Burj Kalifa (the tallest building in the world). The only access to the observation deck was through the Dubai Mall. The cost of 100 AED ($30) granted us access to the 124th floor where we had a breath taking view of the city at night. I felt cheated as we did not get to go all the way to the top (167th floor) and the lines were quite long as well. We strolled around the mall for an hour or so afterwards checking out the shops and the aquarium located inside of it was well. After that, we headed back to the apartment and then getting some more groceries at the store. I attempted to go to the Hard Rock café to get a T-shirt, but they were closed for remodeling. I was very disappointed that I would not be able to add that shirt to my collection.

Dubai Museum and Dinner Cruise

The good news was that I did able to fall asleep, even though it was for a short time of 6 hours.  I can handle it, I have gotten by on even less sleep before.  Woke up promptly at 7AM for our long day ahead in Deira section of Dubai.  I fixed myself some breakfast consisting of orange juice, chicken puffs, and coconut Greek yoghurt.  I enjoyed my breakfast in solitude on the balcony while basking in the warming sun.  The sky was quite hazy compared to the other days but still required the aide of sun glasses to fully see the view.

We attempted to get water from the gym on the 5^th floor but the dispenser was empty.  Back to the drawing board on that one.  Somehow, I got really drowsy and went back to sleep only to be awaken at 2PM for lunch.  Needless to say, I felt really rested after the 4 hour nap.

We took the metro to Deira City Centre which took about an hour only to find ourselves in the wrong metro station.  We had to backtrack to Khalid bin al Waleed station since we wanted to visit the Dubai Museum.  Knowing that our time was tight, we took a taxi to the Dubai Museum.  The entrance fee was only 3 AED (less than $1) and we went over the exhibits for about an hour.  I learned more about how life was back then and how much has changed over the years.  By the time we left, it was already dark.  We took an alleyway to the wharf area and strolled down near the creek.  There was still plenty of bustling from the locals as they boarded and crossed on river taxis across the water.  One notable building stood out and it turned out to be the government building.  The design is very ornate and grand so it stood out greatly. 

We saw dinner boats lined up one-by-one trying to solicit customers to dine with them.  We got a good deal with one group who wanted 125 AED per person and eventually went down to 100 AED.  We boarded the Palm Oasis and immediately went to the bottom lower deck where it was air conditioned.  We enjoyed mango juice promptly when we sat down.  The magician went from table to table doing tricks for everyone starting with those tables with small children.  The boat left at 8:30PM and we were served vegetable soup.  It was very salty but very still very savory.  The dinner buffet spread consisted of salad, grilled eggplant, fried fish, curry chicken, mutton, chicken nuggets, noodles, basmati rice, steamed veggies, watermelon, lemon baklava, and other assorted food items.  The food was not that impressive but since it was a buffet, it was expected to be not great quality.  The service was good and we were thoroughly well taken care of by the wait staff.  After dinner, the magician came out with his coat and top hat to entertain us once again with a better show.   

We made a long walk back to the metro that took about half an hour only to discover that it had closed an hour before.  Defeated, we took a taxi back to the Dubai Marina only to have the driver drop us off at the opposite side of the Marina.  We tried to figure out how to get across but gave up and got another taxi driver to take us back to our residence. Once we got back, it was well past midnight and we still had some planning to do for the rest of the trip.  We decided to make our trip one day shorter since it was recommended that we do not stay overnight in the desert since it is so hot.  There would not be any air conditioning in the tents so we decided to take the abbreviated tour for 6 hours in the desert.  Also, our chances would be better for upgrades from Dubai to Atlanta.  We did some rearranging of our schedule to cram everything that we wanted to see in the next few days.

Sharjah... don't go there

I ended up not falling asleep despite listening to several podcasts and surfing the web for long periods of time.  By the time everyone else got up, it was about 10 AM.  I enjoyed my curry vegetable pastry, Greek coconut yoghurt, a chocolate chip cookie, small orange, and a tall glass of orange juice. While I consumed my breakfast at about 6AM, I did manage to enjoy an apple later with everyone else as the previous breakfast seemed so long ago.

After some last minute packing to make sure we had all our supplies for the day.  On our way to locating the bus station, we met a young Palestinian man who was visiting his father and heading off to the Mosque for Friday Prayer.  He was about to take the Metro when we asked him about the closure status as it was Friday.  He forgot and then went back to the apartment complex/tower to get his car.  He offered us a lift to the financial district (1/2 way to Sharjah).  He also told us that Sharjah was ugly and nothing was there except really old sites.  We should have listened to him and made plans to visit something much more interesting.  We chatted with him for a bit about his life here in Dubai for the last two years.  We found out that his mother is a physician working in the US.  His father owned a factory in China for building materials.  He was very helpful in sharing with us the lifestyle in Dubai. 

We took a taxi for the remainder of the Journey to Sharjah.  We got ripped by the taxi driver and the ride took longer than expected.  After arriving near the Al Hisn fort, it was right about noon so all the stores and restaurants were closed for noon prayer.  We walked around in the hot sun and found no solace from the burning heat.  We used up our water supply very quickly.  Eventually, we went to a farmer’s market but their prices were higher than the local grocery stores.  After a brief walk through the market, we got to the local bus station.  We wanted to take an air conditioned ride around the city but it looked like the buses did not go around Sharjah in a circle, but mainly to different places in Dubai.  By that time, the shops opened and we made our way to get lunch.  We “enjoyed” the local kebab food with plenty of self servicing in the hospitality.  First, ice water would cost us money… as we were informed “nothing is free.”  When we got our food, the vegetables were presented with a knife as we had to cut them ourselves.  The plate was filled with a tomato, cucumber, lettuce, peppers, and a bell pepper.  After trying to figure out the best way to enjoy the food, we were pleasantly surprised to figure out that we got pigeon legs to eat and among other things, goat meat.  While the lunch was nothing spectacular or worth writing home about… we were in an air conditioned facility.

We stopped by the local market to get some ice (which became ice water quickly), ice cream, and sodas to help us beat the heat.  We headed back to the Heritage Square to see if the museums were opened.  By that time, the heat had gotten to us and we were ready to leave.  We strolled down the wharf area and looked at all the boats passing by us.  We went inside a shoe store to take advantage of the air conditioning inside.  The owner was really nice to us and told us that most Chinese people he sees do not speak English well.  He used small Styrofoam cups to help display his shoes on the window front.  He did help us by directing us back to the bus station which was about a 20 minute walk away (near a stinky fish market).  We were exhausted by the time we purchased the tickets and boarded the bus to Al Rashidiya station to catch the Metro to the Marina which took about an hour altogether after a small stop.  We did meet a Filipino man who showed us the way to the Al Karama market where one can buy knock offs several brand name watches, sunglasses, bags, and other items such as gold/silver.  We went back to the Metro and got off but we got lost as to how to get back to the apartment.  We stumbled across a water fountain where a large people were watching and enjoying.  We made a stop by Spinner grocery store to buy more groceries.  We for back and had a dinner consisted of beef and noodles.

Flight to and arrival in Dubai

The Admiral’s Club closed promptly at 8PM.  We were one of the few people left when they asked us to leave.  I was impressed on the décor of the club and enjoyed my 6 hour layover in the club.  It was like an oasis in the midst of the airport.  There are so many people in the terminals.  Even though our flight did not leave until 9:45PM, we headed to Terminal E (I’m guessing that is the international terminal).  It was weird seeing KLM employees at the airport as I have never seen before.  It is not a surprise as Atlanta is a Skyteam hub and Delta is working more closer than ever with KLM and Air France.  I could tell that Delta has a very strong presence at this airport.  When I came to Atlanta back in March of 2005 for APhA conference, I had flown on United.  I departed from Terminal T near gate 10.  I remember the Starbucks that I had went to that morning for my departure.  The Admiral’s Club is located across from gate 10 so I had a déjà vu moment when I realized where I was when I stepped outside the club briefly to make a phone call.

The club had 2 computer stations for use and wifi was complimentary for members and one-day pass holders.  I asked the AAngel (agent) how to log on to the wifi and what the password was in order to gain access.  She told me that it would be my AAdvantage number and sure enough, it did work.  The only drawback was that I could only log on with one device at a time.  I enjoyed the atmosphere of the club and will be back next month as I purposed booked a connecting flight through Atlanta for 2 reasons.  
1) Double miles promotion going on with flights between Atlanta and La Guardia.  AA always gives out bonus miles for new service launches.  
2) The regional jet servicing Atlanta and La Guardia are the new configuration with First Class seating.  I wanted to try out the new service and will most likely get  my complimentary  upgrade.  I have never been on First Class with the regional jets as this is new for AA,

I am glad that I pulled the trigger last week in getting a Admiral’s Club membership.  There is a promotion right now in celebration of the reopening of the Heathrow Flagship Lounge and Admiral’s Club remodel that they are offering $50 off  the membership fee for new members.  That basically took the new member initiation fee off for me.  A day pass costs $50 per person so my visit  with 4 people would have been $200.  I am not saying that we got $200 worth of services, but it definitely helps justify my expenditure. Another reason for joining is that the AAngels are very helpful in irregular operations (irrops).  If for some reason a flight is canceled or delayed due to whatever reason, I can go to the AC and get them to help me instead of fighting with the general population at the gate in finding a way home.  I have heard stories of them being able to work their magic in getting people home and scoring upgrades for others.  I will have to keep track of my usage this year to see how valuable of a service it is to me for the future.

When we made it to Terminal E (the other side of the airport) via the tram, we proceeded to Gate 28 where our flight to Dubai boarded.  I found a power plug to charge my computer for the long flight.  Since we are standby for the flight, we had good chances of getting upgraded to BusinessElite (BE) seats.  The flight load looked good a few days before but somehow a whole bunch of active employees and their family decided to standby on the flight as well.  Two out of the four in my party was upgraded.  Since it was my first time flying on Delta, I was one of the two people in my part to get the BE seats.

I got to board before economy class and ensured that I had enough overhead space.  I got the lovely BE seat 10C next to the lavatory.  The seats are coffin or herring bone style where they are diagonal facing into the aisle.  At least there was no one in front of me.  I took some pictures before economy class boarded and got my enjoyed a pre-departure beverage as well.  One of the flight attendants came by to introduce herself as Kathy and that she would be attending to me on the flight.  We were handed BE menus and had several options for food.

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First Course

A Tasting of Two Appetizers
gravlax with seaweed salad and grilled artichokes with roasted tomato

Thai Chicken and Coconut Soup

Mixed Green Salad
topped with yellow peppers, pecans and blue cheese
with ranch or basalmic vinaigrette

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Main Course

Choice of one option:

Three Cheese Vegetarian Spaghetti Carbonara
tossed with english peas and roasted cherry tomatoes

Grilled Beef Tenderloin and Shrimp Scamp
served with lemon risotto and sugar snap peas

Roasted Chicken Breast
glazed with lemon and thyme, served with eggplant stew and couscous

Crab Cakes
and lemon aioli, accompanied by baked Spaghetti squash and leeks with red pepper

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Dessert

Fine Cheeses
selected to perfectly complement one another in flavor and texture
offered with fresh fruit (strawberries & grapes) and crackers

All Natural Vanilla Ice Cream Sundae
with your choice of sauces (chocolate or strawberry), whipped cream and chopped nuts, garnished with a pirouline cookie

New York Style Cheesecake

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Beverages

Cold Drinks
Coca-Cola Classic
Coke Zero
Diet Coke
Sprite
Fresca
Canada Dry Ginger Ale
Canada Dry Club Soda
Canada Dry Tonic
Mr. & Mrs. “T” Bloody Mary Mix
Orange Juice
Apple Juice
Cranberry Apple Juice
Tomato Juice
Milk
Bottled Water

Hot Drinks
Coffee
Decaffeinated Coffee
Tazo Teas: awake, refresh, passion, wild sweet orange

Wines
Chartron et Trébuchet Rully Cuvée ‘La Chaume’ Burgundy, France, 2007
Grove Street Chardonnay, Sonoma, California, 2007
Heritage Road Grenache, Australia, 2006
Louis Martini Cabernet Reserve, Sonoma, California, 2005
Deen de Bortoli Vat 5 Botrytis Semillon, Riverina, Australia, 2007
Penfolds Club Port, Australia, NV

Champagne
Champagne Piper-Heidsieck Brut, France, NV

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We were served hot nuts in the customary ramekin.  Meal service began 90 minutes upon departure.  I was greeted by name  when my order was taken.  I wanted the beef as my first choice but told the flight attendant that chicken was my second choice.  She told me that I would definitely get one of those two choices.  I had a hard time getting the tray table out as the compartment was well hidden.  I had to push it in and then pull it out as it was spring loaded on the bottom.  I felt the tray table was a bit far from my seating as compared to Business Class on AA, I could lie back and eat comfortably.  I played around in my seat trying to find the most comfortable position possible.  I got out my Vibram5 shoes as soon as the fasten seat belt sign was turned off.  I also took  a picture in the bathroom when I got a chance so I am a member of the “Laviator” club now.

We were first served the appetizers.  I ate the roasted tomato and tried some of the lox (gravalax) and as well as the seaweed salad.  The only thing good was the soup which I really enjoyed.  It was awesome and I made sure to use my wheat roll to soak up the excess soup in my bowl.  I did not like the lox nor the seaweed salad but at least I tried them.  

The mixed green salad was decent and much better than the ones I have gotten on AA international business class.  I went with the ranch as I was not feeling the vinaigrette.  I did go liberal in using the ranch dressing.  I used the technique of dipping my fork  and then attacking the salad.  I skipped on the yellow peppers and bleu cheese. 

For my main course, I was given the chicken and was a little disappointed that the beef entrees were all taken.  I saw the catering load on a sheet on the way to the bathroom.  Twenty four beef and twelve chicken entrees were available.  The chicken was good and I liked the eggplant stew as well.  The couscous texture reminded me of cornbread.  I could not finish everything but did devour the plump and juicy chicken.  Kathy was very attentive and came by several times to refill my beverages and served the next course as soon as I was finished.  

Dessert was brought on a cart so that we could see what we were getting.  I went with the fruit and cheese plate.  The grapes were sweet but the strawberries were more perfect.  They were very juicy and not a bit tart.  I also asked for a sundae to satisfy my sweet teeth and treat myself after a month of dieting and losing more weight.  When asked what toppings I wanted, I responded with a request for everything.  The flight attendant was happy to hear as people usually get the plain vanilla.  She said that it broker her heart that they did not want any toppings.  The ices was very good and not a frozen pre-made sludge that I have grown accustomed to on AA.  I also got a cup of decaffeinated coffee to wash it down.  I was thoroughly stuffed after the meal service and was very impressed by the service.  The cabin smelled very good before we were served dinner.  I enjoyed my meal while watching “Date Night” with Steve Carell and Tina Fey.  That movie was one of the funniest ones that I have seen in a long time.  I busted out laughing several times.  Luckily, no one around me got hurt (including me with food as a choking hazard).

The amenity kit is different than the ones AA give out.  The socks are off better quality while the pen looked cheap.  I liked the style the case is made of with Delta’s kit.  American’s kit is rectangular  while Delta is more cylindrical.  I brushed and flossed my teeth before heading off to rest for the evening.  The only thing missing was the face mask.

I did check out the music selections on Delta In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) system.  They had a wide variety of selections ranging from hottest hits today, to past hits, Korean/Japanese/Indian/Chinese pop, classical, jazz and even more.  I was thoroughly impressed with the selection that was offered on the flight.  The presentation could be a little better, but it is on par with AA’s IFE.  The only problem I had was that my seat reading light somehow was messed up.  It would work if I flipped the light head to the down position, but it made the seat control inoperable so I could not adjust my seat until the light went off.  I watched some of the  movie, “Bounty Hunter,”  before heading off to sleep for the night.  I only got in about an hour of sleep before being awaken by the constant traffic of people using the bathroom and flight attendants coming around to do their service rounds.

I eventually finished “Bounty Hunter” and it was a good movie.  It was not great but not bad either.  Not as funny as Date Night but seeing Jennifer Aniston again brought back so many Friends memories.  The full 180 degree seat was very nice and the duvet was very comfortable.  There was not much turbulence so I did fall asleep eventually.  I hit up the snack tray and grabbed as much as I could for my traveling companion in 10B as he was staying up as much as he could watching movies.  He eventually succumbed to sleep as well about 5 hours before we landed.  Snack choices included: Nature Valley granola bars, Milano Cookies, Twix bars, Ruffles chips, bananas, pretzels, peanuts, and bottled water.  I made sure to  grab some snacks for our companions stuck in the very last row in economy.  I made a dash to the back of the plane and they were sound asleep so I left them some snack gifts.  


I tried to rest 2 more times but it was hard with the foot traffic.  I watched “All About With Steve” and finished it over breakfast.  Sandra Bullock was very spazzy/annoying with her random facts and being loquacious in this movie but she did a great job acting nevertheless.  Although it was not an Oscar-worthy performance, she still did a great job with the role.  Bradley Cooper was hilarious with his reactions of being stalked by her during the movie.  This mid flight breakfast snack included: 2 croissants, fruit bowl (honeydew melon, grapefruit, and orange), yoghurt, and apricot marmalade.  I went with a glass of orange juice as my morning beverage.  

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Pre-Arrival Meal

Hot Roast Beef and Cheddar Cheese Sandwich
With horseradish mayonnaise, served with potato salad

Chermoula Chicken Breast
on a bed of citrus couscous, served with breadsticks and seasonal fresh fruit

Chocolate Truffle Cake

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I went with the Chicken Breast once again for my pre-arrival dinner entrée mainly because I don’t eat potato salad.  Even though I had breakfast only just an hour before, I manage to stomach down my dinner.  Where did lunch go? I guess we lost it somewhere in the time change.

This trip could not have had a great start had I not flown in BE to Dubai.  The food was amazing and the service could have been a little better.  I enjoyed watching our flight path from time to time and see where we were on this earth.  Our path took us over the US east coast, New Foundland, Europe, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and the Persian Gulf to our destination of Dubai.  We arrived about 10 minutes late from the scheduled landing.  I saw the crew from the Cathay Pacific flight and it was awesome since I have never flown them before.  Looking forward to my First Class Award for LAX-HKG next year using AA miles.

It was a long 15 minute walk to immigration and customs.  We used the priority line for Premium Class passengers.  The officer was not the friendliest and asked where I was staying and wanted a contact number.   It was sweltering as soon as we got outside and eventually made our way to the taxi line.  We got a driver originally from Egypt and he took us to Marina Heights Tower at a cost of 80 AED ($12).  We waited around for our host to let us in to the apartment .  The place is very nice... kitchen, 2 bedrooms and 2.5 baths and a long balcony.  We went to the grocery store to buy some food for breakfast and snacks for the next day.  We checked out the gym, recreation room, and the pool on the 5th floor on our way up.  After we settled in, we feasted on Ramen noodles.  We were all pretty tired after putting everything away and retired soon to bed.  I suffered from jet lag so I tried listening to podcasts to fall asleep but succumbed to using the internet/facebook until I got tired.

Day of Departure

I woke up at my usual time of 6AM and made some phone calls to China.  Telling the relatives that I will be gone for a week so no phone calls from me until I get back.  Finished some errands and called to get a replacement faucet for our kitchen sink.  We have had leakage issues for quite a while now and have not been successful in fixing the leak from the handle.  I got picked up at 10 AM for our Delta flight to ATL.  The trip took only 40 minutes to DFW Terminal E.  We got dropped off near gate 15 and took the escalator up to ticketing.

Since we were on Non Revenue Stand By tickets, we entered the special services line.  I was tempted to use the sky priority line since I am a Gold Medallion Skymiles member.  Since there were 4 of us and being stand by, we waited our turn.  We were aiming for the 11AM flight but we settled for the noon flight.  There was 12 First Class seats and 20 Economy Seats.  On the stand by list, there was 25 people waiting.  Eventually, First Class got filled up.  We had 5 people added to the stand by list (in front of us) and 30 economy seats were available.  We snacked on cookies and apple slices while waiting for general boarding to end.  Everyone on the stand by list got accommodated on the flight.  I was one of the last ones to clear and ended up in seat 25B... a dreaded middle seat.  My only worry was that there would be no more overhead space and I would have to gate check my duffel bag.  Luckily, I was able to find an overhead bin.  The only bad part was that since I was so focused on finding space, I got in the wrong seat.  I ended up in 26 E (next to a portly man) and was told by another passenger that I was in his seat.  I hung my head in embarrassment as I headed to my assigned seat.  I wanted to note that this Boeing 757 aircraft is one of the old Northwest Planes.

The flight took off after much taxing to another terminal.  About 15 minutes into the flight, I was falling asleep only to be awaken by turbulence.  For the next 5 minutes, the flight seemed more like a roller coaster ride more than anything else.  I brought my laptop and caught up on an episode of Heroes from January.  Too bad the show got canceled.  We had a quick snack and beverage service.  The flight was only 90 minutes and we taxied for about 10 minutes after we landed in Atlanta.  Upon arrival, we stopped at Chic-fil-a to grab lunch.  After lunch and using the facilities in Terminal A, we boarded the tram to Terminal T.  It was time to use my Admiral's Club membership.  We took our sweet time to find the Club and almost left the secured area and headed to baggage claim.  Even though I as an Admiral's Club member can bring 2 guests with me during each visit, the AAngel (agent) let me bring 3 with me.

The club was nice and not too crowded.  One of the World Cup games was on.  I used the complimentary wifi and caught up on more TV shows that I missed.  I made sure to drink plenty of water and have some snack mix.   It was a great place to relax for the 6 hour layover that we had in Atlanta.

Posts to come!

So I have been lazy and haven't really updated is blog. Going to Dubai next week via ATL on Delta... will have a trip report.

Planning a NYC weekend getaway in August... booked 2 nights at the Andaz 5th Ave and 1 night at the Grand Hyatt... will have a report as well.

China in late September to mid October... will have a report as well. I'm back!