From Far to Middle: Judy flies from India and arrives in Dubai.... 

The flights with Lufthansa were good, in Business. Even the European flight was quite good, although it really is all about who you get on the day with them. Some of their crew are just so cold and unfriendly - for example, the (rather good) noise-reducing headphones are fixed inside the seat-arm, but mine had somehow become unplugged.

Due to poor design, the armrest is too narrow for anyone except an Asian child to get their hand inside to replace the plug. I asked the hostie if she had any secret tip as to how to fit your hand inside to hook up the earphones and she got really peed off! 'Gott, oh Gott', was muttered several times as she tried to force her trotter into the tiny space - my own dainty digits would have had more chance of fitting!

I did offer to get out of my seat to give her more room, but she insisted I stay put and leaned over me with her boobs in my face.

She then stomped off to get some older hostie who had more wizened fingers and was able to successfully restore the gift of hearing to me. The older one didn't even look at me, and neither of them acknowledged my thanks - now, that's just rude!

They also insisted on speaking Cherman to us EVERY time, despite the fact that we would ask or answer them in English.

Of course there was a lovely queen, who smiled and offered us extras - I mean A CHEESE PLATTER!! Unfortunately he wasn't doing most of the service in our part of the cabin.

I did like their almost-flatbeds, complete with massage function. This was probably quite effective when it was new, but now it tends to feel like an iron bar moving up and down your back....which could well be a popular spa treatment in North Sea resorts, but not a function I left running for very long.

We arrived in Dubai Airport at 3am, which is probably when it is at its most bustling.

The sight of Arab men in their starched, full-length white dresses and headgear is a bit startling at first, as are the women in their black burkahs. Smiles are few and far-between, this is one SERIOUS country!

The Fastpass for Business class passengers to get through the cattle-grid immigration queues wasn't very effective; it took a long time, and then our limo transfer company knew nothing about our booking, so starting to get tired and cranky at this stage.

We got to the hotel and they wouldn't let us check in, telling us that check-in time was 2pm!!! I told them I'd be asleep on the couch in the lobby in front of the reception desk for the next eight hours, and they could give me a shout when I be allowed into my room.

I had expected a little more flexibility because I'd booked a Club Room, but nothing doing!

While we were waiting there at 4am, a minibus pulled up and the lovely Singapore Airlines crew arrived and were promptly checked-in.

Back to the foyer of the hotel...the crew came and went, I told the receptionist I worked for an airline too, and asked if he could possibly do us a favour and let us check in early.

They made us wait 'till 5am :-(

Our arrival in Dubai was not the glamorous Business-class-limo-transfer-Club-room experience I'd hoped for!

To be continued.....

yours,
Judy Free
xxxx