Arrived in Dubai at 00.35 local time and within 15 minutes was being treated to a random act of kindness from a total stranger...

My goal for the 12 hour stop over in Dubai was to get out of the airport and get a couple of stamps in my passport. Mission accomplished! All the groundstaff as I got of the 'plane told me I couldn't leave the airport and made me join the queue for flight transfers... after winding up in departures I was mooching around trying to figure a way out when an airport employee came up to me and started chatting. Within abot 10 minutes he had whisked me to his mate who works on the passport control. 5 minutes after that and with 2 new stamps in my passport, he bought me coffee and a cake and then delivered me back to the departures lounge (via another passport control). He did offer to take me into the city, but I didn't want to push my luck. Cheers Mohammed! He even gave me the lowdown on the quiet lounges and which was the best to sleep in... A bit too wired to sleep though, so been chilling out in the recliner seats listening to music and reading a book, bliss! I spent a total of about half an hour out of the airport, and could see the city in the distance - very pretty at night.

Just to annoy all you at home - it was a "cold" night out there - 18 degrees! Enjoy the snow forecasted :D

And to make you feel better about the snow - take comfort in the fact I have already had to face a squat toilet!