Touchdown in my favourite city...alas, just a stopover!

Dubai airport was just as loud and vibrant as I'd remembered. There's a massive new terminal being built, and as per usual the Glasgow flight was assigned a bay miles from the main terminal and we had to be bussed in to the main building. Since our last visit, extra security's been put in place at the entrance where transit passengers enter the terminal - shoes and belts have to be taken off, all luggage x-rayed and everyone through metal detectors. Not so unusual but you then have to do it all again inside the terminal before you can go downstairs to the departure gates. The queues were really long and we were getting a bit panicky we'd have to run for the flight, but a helpful airport employee directed us slightly further along the corridor to another security checkpoint where the queue was much shorter than the first one we'd come to.

So after a bit more shopping (bottle of gin: check. Chocolate: check. Emirates Rugby Shirt  because I was so cold on the flight from Glasgow: check!) we grabbed a bite to eat in the business class lounge, bid farewell to John, Rozanna and Michelle, crossed our fingers that Mark would feel better and stop vomiting (I know, not nice, he'd eaten something spicy on the first flight which had upset his ulcer...he'll never learn)!

We were properly Maldives bound at last - and so tired we conked out straight away, dreaming of the paradise we were headed for.