An Interim Update

We seem to have packing down to a fine art by now, even though it still took a while to get ourselves totally organised and into the cars. Our hosts kindly escorted us to the airport terminal and made sure we were safely on our way before heading off to other engagements. Their hospitality was fabulous and greatly appreciated. It will be wonderful to see them in Aus in the future so we can respond with some typical Aussie generosity in kind – prawns on the barbie – that kind of thing.
British airport security is totally over the top, shoes off, belts off (resulting in pants around ankles), body searches, fluids in containers in plastic bags – confiscate this one and you can by another just over there before you get on board. Ridiculous, demeaning and a money spinner. Needless to say this created a bit of stress. Due to poor planning in seating arrangements we are spending these two 6 hour stints cramped into our seats with little room to express ourselves. No aerobics on this trip – not when a bump from the person in front results in a tea spilt all over ones lap.
Leaving the patchwork quilted fields of bonny England behind us we find ourselves back in the same place as our first day. Dubai Transit lounge at 1:00 am is as busy as 1:00 pm. It also as hot apparently. It’s 36 Celsius outside and we have no indication of it at all. It’s about 9 degrees sitting here and feels like they’re pumping in the air from that shopping mall that has the ski slope in it. Hopefully on the next flight we’ll get some sleep.