In Dubai, every day is an opportunity ...

I adjusted my seatbelt when told to do so by the olive skinned stewardess - the airbus was approaching Dubai - soon we'd left the icy empires of the stratosphere -

I saw the barren mountains of Oman pass swiftly beneath us - there, gleaming in the afternoon sun, were the cruel soaring towers of the city -

I watched the shadow of the jet moving over the desert - I could have been skimming the surface of Mars -

Once inside the airport's vast shining halls, the illusion persisted that I was a character in some Science Fiction novel - 

We lounged near an indoor garden, sipping iced lemonade - Arabs in spotless white robes strolled past - their cowled wives bought Bulgari watches -

Graceful Filipinas swept the marble floors - 

I remembered how Richard loathed Dubai -  

He'd repeat, ironically, scornfully, the words - In Dubai, every day is an opportunity -