At 4:30am, I was done with all the final checks - set on my bed sleepily, trying to swollow my breakfast. I was practically stuffing myself with food just for the sake of having some energy - just milk and fruits. The hotel breakfast wasn't even ready as it was way to early! Nearing 5am, my room phone rang as the lobby called to inform me that the car has arrived. A porter came to help me with carrying my stuffs downstairs and right b4 I left, I dropped that 2 postcards which I've written the day b4, with the lobby, asking for them to be sent via post to SG (ok, i know this sounds kinda stupid cos I cld 've handcarried it bk but I just wanna experient with snailpost in UAE). So off to the airport!
I've seen Dubai in the day, night, now at 5am- another chance to look at this country fr a diff manner - in the wee hrs of the morning. Practically, it's still hot but comparatively, it's like SG normal temp...not as hot as the beginning 7am morning, 12pm sun, late evening, kinda hotness. So one can now imagine the kind of temp in Dubai. As I gazed out of the car's window, this country now looks very much like a desert to me (which it is, and in the day/evening it hardly look like a desert for there are too many activities/vehicles gg ard fr the people's daily life). The streets were quiet with few vehicles at 5am, blue skies gradually being lighten up by the sun rising in the horizon. What I envision was that 'life was just starting up for the day'. I dunno why this sudden feeling - mayb it's becos of the hard truth that it's the end of my very long holiday...mayb it becos, the stark comparison of Europe vs the UAE - diff landscape, temp, food, pple.....For whatsover reason. But I muz say, Dubai is really beautiful at this wee hrs of the morning. I enjoyed this serenity.
Nearing 6am, I reached the airport. The driver helped me unload all my stuffs. Well, it's the airport so with the airport trolley, dragging all these items ard were easy. I headed for the check-in counter which given this hr, I still needa wait in queue! Boy....what came to my mind was "my flight is certainly full today". Anw, my greater concern was I hope the ground crew dun ask me to unpack my luggage again (just like in Paris). I know my luggage was overweight but I hoped they turn a blind eye to it. I'm just so accustomed to overweight luggages as aft all, 10kg overweight in SQ, they din even care!! When it was my turn, I was thkful I got away with the overweight luggage. Ok only 2kg overweight, same weight as Paris...But noe what - this means that my handcarry was infact very very heavy!!!!!!!! I've dates, cheese, macarons, chocs, waffles, all in my handcarry. These weight adding on to my bags brought fr Europe. It's freaking heavy! As I got my boarding pass..and starting making my way to the transit area, I now fully understand - it's easy to buy but never easy to carry, esp when alone and travelling to so many countries. Even having a huge luggage doesn't help.
I had slightly over 1hr b4 boarding time, so quickly went to get the younger twin his present. Basically, I've gotten everyone in my family a present except for the younger twin as I wanted to get him an Herme cufflinks here at Dubai airport. I've seen the cufflinks when I was transiting fr Dubai-Amsterdam on Day 1 and noted that it's price was cheaper than Europe (i.e Luxembourg & Paris). But right now, when I shopped for it, I realised, I muz 've got all my prices confused. Darn, infact it was more expensive in Dubai. I was really in 'trouble'......it's sooooo last min now to decide what to get for the younger twin and I felt very bad for not getting him any stuffs as he had gotten me a Prada wallet earlier this yr in Europe. I was pacing around Mont Blanc for its belts, Herme's ties...which to get...I'm also spoilt for choices. Hence, just called him right there and ask him what he wanted. He told me not to waste the $$ for (1) it wasn't any cheaper than SG (2) no pt buyin in Dubai where I cld let him choose in SG (3) he has alr been to Europe and had his fair share of enjoyment so it was not need to get him anything but more for the older twin. End up, I din get anything for him. Felt kinda bad. It was close to boarding time but I had to make another last rush to the souvenir shop - this time to get all the food items for office. Yes, I kept this buying to the last as I wanted to buy at the airport due to luggage weight problem. Aft all, in transit area - who checks handcarry weight and items bought fr there? And anw, I had kinda reckon that the office may prob like the food stuffs that I see here where I can choose fr a huge selection under 1 roof. Grabbed the stuffs and it accurately wiped out all my dirhams then. I was penniless when I left the shop.
Ok, done with the final shopping, time to rush myself to the boarding gate. Dubai's boarding gate (or rather mayb for my plane), there was no aerobridge so I needed to quickly rush myself to the gate check-pt to make it in time for the shuttle to the plane steps. This is the most annoying part. With alr so many and heavy stuffs to carry, I had to climb up the steps to the plane. And, who wld've guess that at 6+am, the airport was so crowded and busy? By the time I reached my plane, I noted that most of the passengers were alr onboard. As I settled down, I was relieved I made it b4 the plane door closes...My neighbours were pretty gd...exchanged students who were Singaporeans so I had quite many friendly conversations with them thr out the flight. They were telling me abt their travels in Europe, all the must-knows abt Dubai airport - what fringe benefits I can reap. Interesting! So the next time I travel to Dubai again, I'll explore.
Flight departed at close to 8am and I reached Singapore 9:15pm that evening, with brothers & mum at the airport to pick me up.
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