Come on Barbie, let’s go party!!
Number of posts in a row: 1
Number of posts overall: 1
Around 5:30am there was a constant ringing in my head. At the time I had no idea what the hell was going on but of course it was my alarm. I was flying to Dubai today. Yay! I knew when I woke up that the day was going to physically and emotionally draining. Nothing quite like how I feel writing this (actually Dubai is 4 hours ahead so its a bit difficult).
After scoffing down a chocolate ring doughnut for breakfast, yes that was my breakfast. I set foot in the minivan that was escorting my family and I to Gatwick airport. Nothing too interesting during the ride, just updating my snapchat story and chatting to the taxi driver, who happened to be an old friend. Only remarkable thing to report was a Daewoo driver with the idiocy to drive on a streetlightless M25 with no front headlights on. Quite remarkable, so much so they couldn’t overtake the car on his left because they needed the residual lighting from the headlights of said car. Terrifying, I know.
Arriving at Gatwick, I thought a sense of normal was starting to take shape. Oh… was I wrong! Standing in the queue for check-in, out of absolutely nowhere, candy cane figurines appear perched 10 foot tall. I know why they were there, but it was 7am and I just wasn’t in the mood. Happy Dan, I know. You could have honestly been at a Christmas fair once you got past security, Christmas trees, pantomime performances and the like entertained the crying children and even their distressed parents.
Finally, it was ready for boarding, but like always, Emirates as many other airlines do, provide free newspapers and magazines complimentary to all guests. I don’t think I have seen anything quite like it. Tens of people flocking over one magazine, didn’t realise I’d warped into Hyde Park and the magazine was a breadstick and the people were pigeons.
For once, my dad had outdone himself and managed to grab Economy Flex seats on the outbound flight. Meaning marginally greater leg room and the icing on the cake, drumroll please… mahogany framed windows. Now how else would you want to travel.
The flight was fine, turbulent in places, but unlike what people may think, we cannot control climatic shifts to cater to our needs. I was sitting about 3 aisles from the toilets so as people rush by to evacuate their bowels, you notice the people that ordinarily stand out. Today we had quite a selection. Black-haired Hugh Hefner who was one tan away from being the label for Benidorm and his wife, purple-haired Barbie, as she would be now, triple chinned and washed up. My personal favourite however was the Chelsea boy. He had all the designer gear but with a whiff on an idea. The bit that got me was his almost plastered-back hairstyle and his summer scarf. For all I know, he’s the richest man I’ve laid eyes on but he really did look out of place.
Even in today’s society, the rich and the famous, still can openly flaunt their power and position over the common population. As was witnessed by everyone in Economy Flex, as First and Business Class customers were allowed to leave first. Have no objections to that, at all. But what I do have an objection to is making all the Economy Flex customers wait for about 15 minutes while we watched the First and Business Class people exit the plane. Just like a miniature, informal procession. Just what I needed after a 7 hour flight.
The last main thing to mention about my day, the Dubai International Airport is the first impression visitors have of this utopia of wealth. There was a smell, which I can only describe as the smell you get when you open the free bag of prawn crackers when you spend over £12 on your Chinese takeaway. I’m going to use an analogy here, just go with it. Just like the prawn cracker that we know its processed, artificial and fake, its white colour and crisp texture alleviate all worries and you’re lost in your own imagination. Obviously a prawn cracker is not that deeply thought about, but that was my first impression of Dubai. A rich, fancy place but for not so much purpose except to showboat about the money, Mustangs and yachts. Maybe I’ll learn more about this city in the next few days.
For now, that is this first post completed
Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas Eve, whatever you do.
I’ll catch you all tomorrow
I’m out
DN