Middle East

Cairo (Egypt)–Kuta (Bali) via UAE Sri Lanka Singapore Java: June/Aug 07

Constantinople – Colombo  (via Yemen,Ethiopia,UAE)  December 2007/ January 2008

United Arab Emirates (UAE) (2007) I arrive at around 4 pm in Dubai.  I am double security checked, maybe because I am the only western person on the plane from Cairo!  Anyhow the visa is free for EU citizens and valid for 1 month; they seem amazed that I am only spending one night in UAE and then flying down to Colombo, Sri Lanka.   Dubai Airport is large with long distances to walk.  I get a taxi to Sharjah, ½ hour’s drive and costing 40 AED.  The driver is Pakistani but has trouble finding the hotel; he only knows his area round Dubai airport! Around 80% of the UAE population is non Gulf Arab, mainly from the Indian subcontinent.  (This is my 2nd visit to UAE, as I had spent a week in Dubai last year, also visiting nearby Oman).