Flew over on a 747

Forgot to mention...on British Airways (you know the one that may have a Flight Attendants strike) flew from London to Dubai on a 747. It's the big boy that has the upstairs in it. My seat was originally in the lower level in Business Class but before we took off one of the Flight Attendants (one of those) came and asked if the guy next to me and me wanted to swap seats with a mother and her child upstairs so they could be with their family downstairs. Abso-damn-lutely! For some reason there were lots of families with kids in Business Class and I already started dreading the noise, so this really was a terrific bonus.

Upstairs is so quiet. Seems I remember way back in the day when the upstairs was a lounge, where one could go to have a drink and a smoke...but I never saw that first-hand. Hard to picture that these days. Just as it once was in the back of the plane where the smoking section was. Another thing you whippersnappers haven't had to endure...though we hardly thought about it back then...unless we were stuck back there on a 10-hour flight to Hawaii and the little lady next to you was chain-smoking. She and her mother.

These days the upstairs is very peaceful. And just as in Business Class downstairs the seats are in reverse order next to each other. I've never flown like this before...unless you count the old SWA planes that had the seats that faced backwards. :) There's a little window/partition between you and your seatmate so you don't have to look at each other. Also, all your trays, screens, and yes, ottomans, all come out of the sides so that you have maximum stretch out room.

Here's a photo that hopefully shows up on this link:

http://airplanepicture.blogspot.com/2008/08/british-airways-new-club-world-cabin.html

Switching gears, on the dining front, have added Lebanese and Portuguese since last we spoke. Tonight there is a Hotel Wine Reception at Oscar's. French wine will be served. See how that goes.

Then tomorrow in late afternoon it's off to the desert. What they call a safari (similar to Luau in Hawaii and Wrangler Night, or whatever, in Texas . We will ride out there is some SUV and do "dune bashing" which I think will be like ripping through the sand in our vehicle (a professional will be driving!), perhaps a camel ride maybe?, then watch the sunset on the desert with a bbq dinner complete with...a belly dancer or two. Then back to the hotel by 9:30.

Will still have Friday - which we all remember from last week's lesson is the Holy Day so it's rather slow the first half of the day. Still hoping to get to the Spice Souk to see what kinda stuff they got there. Have been to the Gold Souk twice now, thanks to my colleague.

Then home Saturday - leave here at 2:30 a.m. and get to DFW, via London, on Saturday afternoon. Will be gaining 10 hours that day. I should be in fine shape!

Still organizing my pictures and will send out when I have them completed.

Later!