To Dubai on an Emirates Airbus 380

My current business trip started by heading for Dubai, United Arab Emirates. I had been invited to attend the Global Agenda Council meeting organized by the World Economic Forum. It was easier to say yes than usual: I'd never been to Dubai or the region, and the government of Dubai and Emirates airline offered to fly me there business class!

I was stunned when I found out in New York that the plane I was boarding was the new Airbus A380, the massive, double-decker airliner. The entire second floor is first and business class, and the first class (which I didn't get to see) is famous for having showers. The experience was wonderful, although I must admit I slept soundly for at least eight hours.
When I got up, I hung out in the bar taking pictures (of course). I had slept through the night and into the late afternoon in the Middle East. We flew over snow-capped mountains in Turkey.

I was surprised a little later to realize that we were flying over Iraq. It seemed ironic, to be encased in this latest and most luxurious flying conveyance, drinking fine wine and eating good food, while Iraqis and Americans are still dying and struggling to bring peace to that troubled land.

Flying down the Persian Gulf, alongside Iran's coast, we arrived in Dubai.

I headed to my hotel to get some sleep before touring the Emirates on the day I had before the Council's started meeting.

My full set of pictures are on Flickr: Dubai, UAE, Oman and Airbus 380 - a set on Flickr