Day 1: Arrival in Dubai

Gazing out of the window when one is on final approach to Dubai is a vaguely surreal experience. The majority of the short flight from Doha is spent over the empty black expanse of the Persian Gulf. Dubai appears at first as many well lit roads and grows at an ever increasing pace to a somewhat dazzling crescendo of lights and buildings. The finishing touch to this trance-like approach is seeing the Burj Dubai (literally, Dubai Tower) piercing the skyline. By the time it comes into view, it appears higher than ones eye point, and probably is. It only seems to get taller the closer one gets to landing. So far I have yet to be in a place where I cant see it prominently on the horizon.

Before everyone starts writing to me telling me that they flew into Dubai at night and didn't have an experience at all like mine, and didn't see any towers at all, do remember, some of my surrealist vision could be due to just having walked off a thirteen hour flight were I felt for the most part like I was impersonating a sardine.

Photos to come.