Day 1 – Perth-Dubai-Casablanca

Day 1 – Perth-Dubai-Casablanca

10363 metres up, somewhere over the Arabian peninsula. Some time after breakfast, where I was offered croissants and coffee until bursting. The seat moves in more angles than I can count, and massages my back, bum, thighs, and calves as I type. There’s a menu offering me the choice between 18 year old Chivas Regal and 15 year old Glenfiddich. There’s lobster and slow cooked lamb on the lunch menu, and the strange pod in front of me has a screen about the size of a 17″ monitor. I can’t even get my ample arse cheeks to touch both sides of the seat.

I’m in business class. Wow.

The touchscreen works, I have armrests on both sides, there are two controllers for the screen too. And as I type, my laptop is plugged into power. Part of me wants to turn off flight mode andd see if we get wireless too.

Thank you L and your fabulous frequent flyer credit card.

Did I mention they also supply noise reducing headphones, and champagne (Bollinger) on arrival?

The first leg, Perth to Dubai was not like this. I had the middle seat in cattle, shared armrests, and didn’t sleep for more than 20 minutes at a stretch. Most of the time being in some sort of contact with the passengers on either side, and sucking in all the body fat I can. The usual experience, really.

The Emirates terminal at Dubai airport is not likely to become one of my favourite places. Busy, lots of slow moving folks, (and the Business Class lounge isn’t that great, to be honest, oh shucks for those first world problems).

I’m quite tired, and waiting at the end of the flight is a 6 hour drive to tonight’s hotel. I’m in two minds, I don’t want to sleep and miss all that business class has to offer, but i am quite tired, with those scratchy eyes that come from countless hours in airconditioning — they feel as dry as the Sinai below.

L informs me that the whole point of business class is to sleep. That really is weird, where’s the fun in that? There’s four types of tea to sip inflight, and a coffee choice too. If I get bored with whisky, there’s always Bombay Sapphire gin and Grey Goose vodka. And what’s scary, we’re not even in first class. I can’t even imagine what joys exist there.

Part 2

Managed an hour or two of sleep, waking up in a tangle of cords — it’s so hard keeping these things organised when there are headphones and power cords and all the mod cons to manage. Had a nightcap of the Chivas, not a bad drop, lots of nutty speyside to the blend. Woke in time  for the lobster and lamb, and multiple types of bread, and little bottle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and a 2005 Admiral de Beychevelle St Julien. Dessert of cardamom creme caramel and coffee, and a little box of chocolates, all while watching Arabic music videos. They can be pretty hard to follow, some are a ccollection of scenes that seem to have nothing in common. Then there’s the strong masculine side on stare, that comes up a bit. It might help if I understood the lyrics, but I’m not sure. Still, they do seem to have an exotic elegance not found in the average Beyonce-look-at-me clip. Lots of smokey, sultry eye close-ups.

Part 3

coming soon, after some sleep.