Day One-Auckland to Dubai

Yippee!! We have arrived in Dubai, the cross roads of the Earth! This place is amazing.It is huge, glittering and dazzling and everything looks so brand-new. At the moment we rare relaxing in a nice quiet lounge as we have four hours until our connecting flight to Nairobi. So, we are now in what's called the Middle East--we passed over Australia and the Far East (Asia)  first on our westwards flight from New Zealand. We travelled with the night, keeping time with our slowly revolving planet so that the entire trip has been in darkness and it was still night when we first saw the lights of Dubai gleaming like jewels on the horizon.
Our plane was magical, it is called an Airbus 380 and it has two levels. All the rich people sit upstairs in First Class and Business Class and all the poor people (like your poor, old teacher) sit on the bottom floor in Economy. But, how can anyone call themselves poor when they can afford to get on a plane and fly across entire seas, oceans and continents to amazing places they have never seen before? Plus, we had a big bonus-they changed our seats for us for free because we were so early to check in and we got to sit in what's called an exit row. These rows are great as you don't have anyone in front of you and you can stretch out your legs. Plus, plus. I got to sit next to a nice-looking young man and we got talking. He was really sweet and guess what?  His girlfriend is a teacher too and he has got a dream job. He is a professional cricket player and was on his way to play in a tournament in Dubai and after that he goes to another one in HongKong. He must be good as he plays for New Zealand and Holland.

So, over all the first leg of our journey with Emirates was really great. We need to give a big shout out to our travel agents Claire and Maree from Travel Associates, on Mt Eden Road, Auckland who recommended we try the non-stop flight to Dubai. They have given us so much helpful advice. I slept a lot and the food and service was great. I watched a Star Wars movie and the first episode of a TV show I haven't seen before (about aliens) so the time went really fast.

Early observations: travelling people are mostly very quiet and polite!! Everyone on our plane was so quiet and patient and we didn't even have any screaming babies. Now we are in the lounge where you get to serve yourself drinks and food and people have such good manners, they wait nicely in queues, talk softly to each other and say please and thank you a lot. I am totally impressed. They must have all been to schools as good as Ohaeawai!!!

Well, it's time to get ready for our next flight. We have to take a train--would you believe that this airport is so humungous that it takes you 20 minutes on  a train just to get to where your plane will be waiting?? Get ready to travel the world when you grow up. It is just more amazing than you could ever imagine!!!