DUBAI- Hello.

So…i have finally found some time to write a post on my new life in the Middle East! Where the hell do i start? What a hectic, mad couple of weeks it has been (3 weeks exactly tomorrow since i arrived on the dubai….sand!) But all i can say is- WOW. I am now truly living my dream out here- and after all the hard work endured to actually get here- i am making sure that i soak up and embrace every single moment. I still pinch myself that this is now real life (especially the part where i open the curtains every morning and see the sun beaming back at me. Full on grin. Teeth showing. Hat on- you get my drift. Now thats just a bonus!)
I’ll start from the beginning. After a bit of a traumatic airport farewell to my mum, my sister and V (i said bye to my dad at home)- i set sail through the departure doors and waved my family one last goodbye! I had been thinking long and hard about this dreaded airport goodbye for weeks. It had kept me up all night wondering how the hell i was going to be able to actually go through with it. Well- it was every bit as sad as i had imagined, but you know what? It was tinged with excitement, as of course- i knew i would be seeing them again soon. Very soon in fact due to the nature of the job obviously! And now, i really was headed on my way to- the sky. It was a very poignant moment i have to say. Although i do feel kind of sorry for the poor man who had to console me all the way through security- i am dramatic at the best of times let alone this kind of situation!
The flight over here was great, i was sat next to the other new recruits also flying out from Manchester, so it was nice to meet them straight away. Also helped to stop the tears- i dont want to be seeing as a drama queen blubbing all over the place infront of these people (that can at least come 6 months down the line). All the same, we are obviously all in the same boat. That is what is lovely about this job- everyone who is here is all missing their families, boyfriends (literally everyone has boyfriends that theyre away from too), cats, girlfriends- whatever. The point is- you are not alone in your thoughts.
During our flight we got talking to the cabin crew, who took us up to business class- gave us champagne, trying on the hat (yes we are geeks) and told us all about what they like about the job, the best places they’ve visited, little inside tricks to really make it for yourself out here and how to save so much that maybe one day you could maybe buy….a house- or two! Eyes lighting up now at this prospect. So not only is it an amazing opportunity to travel the world, meet people from all over the globe but also- throw in the deposit for a house or two. If i can buy my holiday home in Ibiza then i am more than happy. That is the plan! (Yes i know i might need to rob a bank for this in reality- but you just never know!)

So after a 7 hour flight, we finally arrive in Dubai airport- slightly weary by this point. We are joined up with the other guys who have travelled from other destinations (including my friend from Ibiza- Cat!) It was so nice to see her at the airport, and nice to see a familiar face! Still cannot believe we both started on the same date. Life works in such mysterious ways. We were then taken via a minibus to our accomodation.
And it is this leg of the jouney- in which things started to sink in that little bit more. And i started to think, oh shiii…what have i done! Where am i, and what on earth lies ahead. I admit, i got upset at this point. It was 3am by the time we left the airport, it was silent on the bus- no one said a word. It was dark. I was tired. I had no idea where we were going- i just knew it was in to the desert! I will never ever forget that bus journey, and those butterflies/ knots/ feelings in my stomach. You know the sort! But yes as daunting as it was- it was again, exciting at the same time! I just remember the bus turning the final corner in to our stop. I could see the blocks lit up by one or two streetlamps. First impression- they looked smart. Like little arabian palaces. (By the way they are actually lovely inside, beautiful little apartments really!) And then i could just see sand. Sand for miles and miles and…..MILES.
Yep- i was definitely in Dubai now…
For pictures- i use instagram: @lifeabovethecloudsx