Dubai

Days 51 to (a really long time after we left Australia) - 04 to 08 July
We left Bilbao on 4 July and took a short flight to Madrid. When I say we, I mean Rhonda, me and Rhonda's suitcase. Mine didn't make it to Madrid - but it eventually caught up with us in Dubai (via Frankfurt) - naughty Iberia Airline.
Our flight into Madrid gave further evidence of the poor attitude of Spanish women when it comes to behaviour on flights. The photograph below was taken as we were landing (the wheels were down and we were about to touch down).

Let's not worry too much about safety during landing

The girl in the aisle seat had a cup of coffee, and her friend in the next seat had her tray-table down, with an open can of Coke Zero and a cup of tea. Our experience of Madrid Airport was also underwhelming - the 'lounge' that we had access to was frankly a dump. Our departure couldn't come soon enough. Thankfully we arrived safely in Dubai - thank you Emirates - and were soon in our hotel room, at the Crowne Plaza Deira. Very comfortable.

Lovely room

A bed has rarely looked so comfortable

We had decided, when planning the trip, that we would have a look at Dubai for a couple of days on our way home. It's amazing. The buildings are incredible and there is quite a lot to see. We'll definitely have to go back again for a closer look. Our three mistakes, in order of importance, were:
1. We went to Dubai during Summer, and it was uncomfortably hot. Far better to go during the cooler months.
2. We went during Ramadan, which meant that all the coffee shops and restaurants were closed during daylight hours. Dubai still caters for tourists as you can order room service in your hotel, and there are some food courts open in the bigger shopping centres - but it's not quite the same as just being able to get a cup of coffee when you feel like one.
3. We only went for two days, which simply wasn't long enough.

During our time in Dubai we managed to do the following: visited the Dubai Mall (the biggest shopping centre in the world); went on a dinner cruise; did a half-day sightseeing tour of parts of the city; went back to the airport to get my suitcase (Emirates won't deliver baggage for other airlines - I still blame Iberia); went back to the Dubai Mall; had dinner at a Thai restaurant (organised for us by Sharon, our stewardess from our first Emirates flight) and watched a water fountain show.

A sign inside the Dubai Mall - yes, they have an ice rink, aquarium and underwater zoo, waterfall and other stuff here

That's the outside of the Aquarium - it's very big and contains all sorts of fish, including rays and sharks

Yes, that's a gold-coloured Lamborghini

A Ferrari, just in case you don't like Lamborghinis

The sign outside the food court at the Dubai Mall

One of the food outlets inside the food court - they could sell food, but they couldn't display it, hence the green curtain

The Dubai Mall Waterfall - impressively huge

Close up of the 'divers' (they were human sized)

Me channeling my inner diver

Beautiful chandeliers in one part of the Dubai Mall

Rhonda found the Nespresso shop

A boat similar to the one on which we had dinner

Our dinner companion - Alvaro from Sao Paulo in Brazil - a lovely guy on his way back to Brazil after working in China

Glimpse of the Burj Al Arab - a 7-Star hotel

Better view of the hotel (from the internet - it was very unclear, almost misty, when we were sightseeing)

The Atlantis Hotel, at The Palm (the man-made island shaped like a palm) (from the internet - we couldn't get a clear shot)

Very impressive 'bling' at a gold market we visited

More gold bling

The Ritz-Carlton in Dubai - not the most impressive-looking building, but it's enormous

The Burj Khalifa - the tallest man-made structure in the world - we shot this a short distance from where we had dinner

The fountain show is starting

More 'water bling'

Reaching a climax

Eventually (thankfully) we had to go home, and rarely has Canberra looked so good. Even though it is winter in Australia we felt very much 'home' when we saw the wind farms at Lake George.

Sunrise from above a foggy Lake George as we flew towards Canberra

Our vacation is over, and it has been a remarkable experience. We were truly privileged to have been able to indulge ourselves on such a long holiday. The experiences we had, and the wonderful people we shared them with, will stay with us for a long time - or, at least, until our next trip away.