After some much-needed sleep, we headed downstairs to the cafe for our buffet breakfast; Ange went for fruit and what resembled an 'English breakfast'; I had chana masala, paratha and pineapple. Very Arabic. We walked down to the Creek, watching the endless aircraft taking off from Dubai International, just southeast of the City. This part of the City has such a different feel - grubbier, a little rougher and a whole lot more real. We crossed the Creek on an a...

'Twas a gorgeous flight, almost empty so we had 3 seats each to lie across to sleep. We arrived at some unearthly hour in Dubai and went through the passport desks staffed by Arabs in various traditional headdresses. Angie has developed a fascination in the said attire, thinking that they say something about their owner but she can't think what! After whiling away some time in Costa Coffee as it was still only 6.30am, we emerged from the airport and were direct...

Strangely enough, there were lie-ins all round today. Sam's head felt a little delicate today, probably because of her age. We mooched around drinking coffee; Angie packed swiftly and efficiently while I looked helplessly at my mountain of belongings on the bed. It was a miserable day, cold and pouring with rain, which perhaps reflected our moods - tired, sad that our China trip had come to an end and sad to be saying goodbye to Sam after an amazing three weeks. ...

Sam's 40th birthday!!!! Woo hoo!!! The day started with coffee and singing to the birthday girl. We had a range of yummy steamed buns and dumplings for breakfast, then jumped on our trusty 58a into town with Sam's friends, including a newly arrived teacher, MJ, for a massage afternoon unlike any other!!! The massage place was a huge room - the size of a small school hall - full of mirrored posts and reclining easy chairs and stools equipped with tv screens, plat...

At 4am, I lay awake in bed wondering what on earth posesses these wonderful people to get up early and set fire to what must be the largest and loudest firecrackers in the world! Is it a sense of naughtiness, of fun or possibly a way to get rid of tourists from their magical world? I almost fell back to sleep before it happened again and then again. I was at the point of hiding my head under the pillow when the dragon drumming started, the firecrackers reached a ...