Dubai

Kendrick and I flew into Dubai a few days ago, slipping into Cesar and Virginie's 47th floor apartment at 4:30am in the morning. I awoke to our lovely hosts jumping up and down on my bed, and was then treated to a staggering view of the water from their floor to ceiling windows. We have since experienced just some of the delights of the city: a fabulous brunch at a revolving rooftop restaurant, meandering through the old city (including the textile and gold souks), hitching a few rides on the abras (simple river ferries), indulging in a tasty but affordable seafood lunch in conservative Sharjah, jetskiing in Sharjah, and my favourite activity so far: bathing in the warm waters of the Persian Gulf as the sun sets. The waves here are big, but gentle, and it's a far cry from the frigid and ferocious waters off the coast of Portugal.

Complaints? Turkish airways. Never again.