Saying Goodbye in Dubai

And just like that, our time in the UAE was over. Quite cleverly on the part of the airline we were able to check in at their office in Dubai; they even took our luggage off our hands. Kudos to Etihad, particularly as the transfer itself was free. Our plan was to get into Abu Dhabi early in order to check out the Shaikh Zayed Mosque; on asking the bus driver for advice on how to get there from the airport, he told us he'd drop us off himself. Result.

The Shaikh Zayed Mosque itself was pretty nice. Grand and clean, it definitely looked the part. Personally I felt it lacked the sheer awesomeness of Hassan II, but I was still glad I was able to check it out.

And just like that, our time in the UAE was over. The two and a bit days had, unsurprisingly, flown by, yet as I got on the plane I felt happy that I had come, feelings that contrasted with the frustration I had on arrival. We got a lot done in more ways than one (business, sightseeing and socialising) and there wasn't really much I could have complained about.

But now that I'm back I really do promise not to go anywhere ever again. Well not for the next six months anyway.