Dublin to Dubai

As I write this I am sitting in the squeakiest (albeit funkiest) chair in Haagen-Dazs.  Despite my perfectly legitimate fears that everywhere would be closed/closing at 12:00am (9:00pm GMT) the duty-free and food court is hopping. Silly me, basing my logic on tiny little airports.  I’m having ice-cream and (stocking up on a large bottle of) water precisely because it is about 30C and this large air conditioned building feels like a sauna. I couldn’t have a shower but I did change my shirt and clean up a bit. The toothbrush was an excellent idea.

So, after making my way through the gates I realised a rather large problem with my fabulous new bag (gaze and weep mortals) and airport security. Namely that it is impossible to get my laptop back in without taking everything else out first. But seeing as the first thing I do after getting through security is put myself back in order it makes little difference. I just thought I’d bring it up because everyone male and female (heteronormative and effeminate) covets this piece of leatherwork….no, you can’t have it.

It’s one thing to know, another to experience….which is why I never want to set foot on Ryanair again. I know they’re dirt cheap (providing you only bring your wallet) but I had my own television in front of me to play with, I didn’t pay an arm and a leg for a cup of orange juice and no one tried to sell me scratch cards. (The bus from Cavan to Dublin is nicer than Ryanair)

Aside from that, it was a long flight like any other. I got uncomfortable, the food was horrible and I had a window seat. Those sitting beside me were civil and I wound up watching two movies (Muppets and Tintin) being unable to sleep.

Although Herge drew him like a 15 year old it was fun to remember how much time Tintin spent punching people, shooting guns, having high speed chases and generally being GAR in a manner Indiana Jones would be proud of.  Actually, the movie was pretty damn awesome all around. You’d think the animation would be off-putting but it was fantastic, it segues far better than in The Polar Express. You should see it as soon as possible. Even the fight scenes were brilliant!

I bought The Hunger Games and already have no plans to buy read the rest. They go on about how young the author is and well, her age is really, really obvious. It reads like something written by a teenage girl, not that’s necessarily a bad thing, and the first person (Oh, first person perspective how I hate how society abuses you) simply makes it more-so. Personally, I thought the perspective weakened the opening. It was a bit too busy kicking down boxes to scream “Sue! Sue!”  An outsider perspective would have made Katniss more likeable I think, or rather more forgivable plus adding a juicy ambiguity to everything, not simply the minor inferred.   Collins compensates nicely in the latter half though. I don’t think it deserves the flailing hype surrounding it but then again, few things do.

Now, I know you wanted a lot of photos of Dubai but:

·         I am in the airport

·         It’s 12:00am at night

·         It’s very, very dark

·         They have a real duty-free

The last one seems irrelevant but I just couldn’t fail to notice.

Flying over Dubai I couldn’t help but notice the ships. It got dark fairly early in the flight so all I could really see for the latter half would be lights. Occasionally I would catch a glimpse of a cruise liner, all lit up. But reaching Dubai it was strange. The sea was pitch black and the only light was from boats but there was just so many. There were enormous liners, lit up like an inner city but then there were ones only identifiable by the light on the stern and prow. They were laid out in the ocean on invisible byways which could be the only reason for such mathematical precision on the waters.

But it was still dark, so take it all with salt. Better you go to Dubai yourself. (Note: It’s hot.)

So now, I have nothing to do but sweat unproductively until the flight starts loading.  Hopefully, I’ll get some sleep on this flight now.