I had every intention of starting this post along the lines of : I am sitting a bar x enjoying the sunset while I wait for my flight to continue my adventure.
Instead I will start it with a picture:
I was fortunate that I decided I would get to the airport with ample time to spare, I intended to write this post before my flight to Harare. The picture is the queue to get on the shuttle bus to the north terminal. My adventure was to begin at the airport already. From what I could gather they found a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot and needed to do a controlled explosion. This meant that no cars were allowed in or out of the north terminal and the train between the two was shut.
Upon reaching the terminal it was a bit like scenes from 24 days later, we all had to get off the bus and trudge up an on ramp under the watchful glare of blue flashing lights to make it into a deserted terminal building. I made it to my gate 1min before it closed, so much for my relaxing start.
With one leg done and 3 movies down, I now sit on a blistering Dubai runway waiting to take off for the second time. The flight seems rather empty and being one of the first to board, I have been afforded the opportunity to observe the other passengers as they pass. What strikes me is the number of Chinese people on the flight. Thinking back to a trip to Swaziland in 2006, I recall making the remark then at how much China had invested in the country. Which makes me look at my fellow passengers and think how I am on a plane with the new super powers. Step over the west, the east is fast on its way to take top spot again. The question is how will we in the west respond to this?
Instead I will start it with a picture:
I was fortunate that I decided I would get to the airport with ample time to spare, I intended to write this post before my flight to Harare. The picture is the queue to get on the shuttle bus to the north terminal. My adventure was to begin at the airport already. From what I could gather they found a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot and needed to do a controlled explosion. This meant that no cars were allowed in or out of the north terminal and the train between the two was shut.
Upon reaching the terminal it was a bit like scenes from 24 days later, we all had to get off the bus and trudge up an on ramp under the watchful glare of blue flashing lights to make it into a deserted terminal building. I made it to my gate 1min before it closed, so much for my relaxing start.
With one leg done and 3 movies down, I now sit on a blistering Dubai runway waiting to take off for the second time. The flight seems rather empty and being one of the first to board, I have been afforded the opportunity to observe the other passengers as they pass. What strikes me is the number of Chinese people on the flight. Thinking back to a trip to Swaziland in 2006, I recall making the remark then at how much China had invested in the country. Which makes me look at my fellow passengers and think how I am on a plane with the new super powers. Step over the west, the east is fast on its way to take top spot again. The question is how will we in the west respond to this?
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