We are on our way. Only 10 minutes between checkin and getting to the lounge. Must be a record. The Emirates lounge is acceptably grand. Very large and only half full. Mike has found the rugby. 

This is the first time we have flown Emirates and the second time we’ve been in Business Class. It certainly makes travel an experience. We were on an A380 which I think is the biggest passenger plane. There is a separate boarding gangway for Business and First so that we board directly to the upstairs. The seats are large, comfortable and have all sorts of treasures. There is wifi available free all flight (except when we flew over a country that didn’t allow access.)

A few rows behind us were curtains and behind that the lounge/bar.  You can just wander down there and get anything from coffee to martinis and there are olives, nuts, fruit kebabs and club sandwiches available all the time (+loads of other yummy nibbles).

Dinner comes on individual trays and you choose your entree and main from the menu. There’s also a wine list and I went for the Bordeaux from St Emilion.  Totally yummy. We watched a movie (of course) and then settled down to sleep. The seats flatten down to a bed and are really very comfortable, especially with the mattresses the bring you to sit on shortly after takeoff. 

There are external cameras on the plane but the one on the tail was a bit fuzzy. The side ones are better but there’s not much of a view at night.  

Breakfast was yum. We had the lot including omelette, beans and sausages. Then a freshen up with the little toiletry kit they give you. One for girls and one for boys. The girl’s one had moisturiser and perfume + brush, toothbrush set and mirror.  The boy’s one had deodorant, amongst other things. Says it all really.  We’ll get another one for the flight to Nairobi so left them on the plane. 

Dubai airport is new and has lots of aluminium and glass.  It’s shaped a bit like an aircraft body and very spacious. That dark wall at the bottom right in the photo below is a waterfall extending about 80m wide and 10m high. Maybe it’s salt water? 

The Emirates lounge is enormous. It overlooks the concourse and runs along about one third of the terminal. There are 6 or 7 food and drink stations and a smoking area down one end.  They also have numerous bathrooms and showers.

The flight to Nairobi was ok. Leaving Dubai was spectacular. I could see all the little reclamations shaped like palm trees and the other islands like the world. Also the Burj Khalifa,  which looks surprisingly like its photos.  It was a Boeing 777 so no lounge but nice food. Watched a couple of movies and the time went fast. The entry to Nairobi was ok. We got visas reasonably quickly, collected gear and then had to fuss around because we couldn’t find our transport. A lady tried to hustle us into a taxi ride but we eventually found our driver. The trip in was in dense traffic and I struggled to stay awake. It’s reasonably green in an Australian sort of way with different colours of bougainvillea growing wild all over the place. 

The hotel is a 1970s fashion statement but very comfortable with a big room. We had to put our bags and selves through the security machine which was strangely comforting.  It’s a good temperature – about mid twenties so a swim might not be out of the question.  The staff are friendly and helpful. So far so good. Mike decided he wanted to check out the pool and bar so we went down at 6pm. It was a bit chilly and I was glad I had a jersey. The pool is a large rectangle with bar and dining along one side, though the main dining room is inside. They were waiting for a big group to be seated at the end and a buffet meal was set out   in readiness. The staff were ultra attentive and there were loads of them. Mike ordered a club sandwich which turned out to be this gigantic thing cut into 4 and covered in fries. I enjoyed my Diet Coke, especially when the men brought over this heated chiminia thing which was lovely and warm.