Dee's Birthday

I've just been to London for my friend Dee's 28th birthday. It was a fantastic night and definately worth the airfare! I also got to see my other friends from bmi who I'm going on holiday to the USA with in September. Check out the pictures below...
Me with Dee (on the left) and Martin (his partner).
Martin spent the whole day setting up for the party. He did an excellent job in their back garden.
Everyone got to have a really good chat with each other.
There were some 'interesting' dance moves during the night!
Some people managed to make it all the way through to 5am.

Martin and Dee have just returned from holiday in Austria where they learnt to play this game. Each person has to try to hit a nail into the wood using the small end of the hammer. The last person to hit their nail all the way in has to drink a shot. It's not as easy as it looks!
Another popular party game was Jenga. This photo shows Sarah (Martin's friend) getting really stressed as she tries to decide which block to pull out.
Me surrounded by my old bmi friends. L-R Alex, Scott, Nat and Chris.
We went out for the day and Alex drove. Everyone is slightly concerned by the speed he takes corners at!
Out in the town of Staines, Scott and Chris try to help the locals carry a big pipe.

Windsor Castle.
Nat, Scott and Chris riding the travellator in Tesco.
I flew to London on Virgin Atlantic as all the Emirates flights were full. You can see the Virgin Airbus A340-600 parked in front of several of the Emirates aircraft at Dubai. The fare only cost me 850 Dirhams (£115 or $280 Australian) which is amazing for a 7 hour flight!
Inside the economy cabin of the Virgin plane. There were only 40 passengers so I got four seats all to myself.

Doha

Tonight's Doha trip was meant to last only 2 hours. Due to a technical problem with the aircraft it was 5! The passengers were all very upset and it has been a very long night. Off to sleep for a few hours and then it'll be time to do it all again on a Mumbai flight.
The airshow map showing the location of Doha. You can see how short the distance is between the 2 airports.
We parked next to the local airline, Qatar Airways, in Doha.

Nairobi

Kenya was totally different to what I was expecting. I had a picture in my mind of it being just like a safari as soon as we got out of the airport. The land was very green and the only animals I saw were some giraffes on the way to the hotel. Nairobi was very run down. It did have some nice parks though. The highlight of the trip was visiting the Carnivore restaurant. A place I had been told about during training. It is a big meat restaurant and along with serving the normal meats they also serve some other interesting ones. I tried crocodile and ostrich. The crocodile was very salty but I did thing the ostrich was very tasty. I would definately do another Nairobi flight just to go back to Carnivore!
The view from my hotel room.
Looking towards the park from my room.
The Kenyatta Conference Centre Tower.
Carnivore!
The menu.

I was joined in the restaurant by L-R First Officer Nicolas (Belgium), Samantha (South Africa) and Kata (South Africa).
The Dawa Man! Dawa is the Kenyan drink. It is 2 shots of vodka, 3/4 of a lime cut up, sugar and a stick covered in honey. You have to use the stick to squeeze the juice out of the lime. It tastes great!
My dawa.
Kenyan traffic jam on the way back to the airport.
The local airline.

Kenya from the air just after take off.
This was taken about 10 minutes after we left Nairobi.

May 07 Roster (Updated 10/05)

My roster for May:

02MAY DUBAI - SANAA (YEMEN) - DUBAI
03MAY DUBAI - DOHA - DUBAI (ARR 04MAY)
04MAY DUBAI - MUMBAI (ARR 05MAY)
05MAY MUMBAI - DUBAI
08MAY DUBAI - ADDIS ABABA (ETHIOPIA) - ENTEBBE (UGANDA)
09MAY ENTEBBE - ADDIS ABABA - DUBAI (ARR 10MAY)
13MAY DUBAI - MALÉ
14MAY MALÉ - COLOMBO - DUBAI
17MAY DUBAI - TRIPOLI (LIBYA) - TUNIS (TUNISIA)
20MAY TUNIS - DUBAI (ARR 21MAY)
24MAY DUBAI - LAGOS
25MAY LAGOS - DUBAI (ARR 26MAY)
28MAY DUBAI - HAMBURG
29MAY HAMBURG - NEW YORK
30MAY NEW YORK - HAMBURG (ARR 31MAY)
01JUN HAMBURG - DUBAI

Back To Perth, Back To Business

I was working in Business Class again on this Perth trip. It's so much better than working in economy as there are less passengers so you have more time to talk to them. When I was in Perth I went out for lunch with my Dad, my Aunty Maria and my Nanna and Grandad. There was a big storm just before we left to come back to Dubai.

I forgot to take my camera out for the day so I've posted this picture of Perth city from the air instead.

This is a snack trolley in Business Class that I had to set up.

Mum's Dubai Visit

My mum and my friend Paul from Bolton came to visit me in Dubai last week. They did so much shopping that I've got to send it back to the UK as cargo! Mum and Paul being silly in Duty Free at Manchester Airport.
Me and Paul in the galley on the plane. We drank champagne all the way to Dubai!
Mum, me and Paul in TGI Friday's restaurant.
Paul and mum in front of the Emirates Towers.
Mum and Paul pretending to read their books.

In the lobby of the Grand Hyatt hotel where we went for Friday brunch.
I took Paul on the same desert safari as my brother did when he was here. We saw camels this time.
The desert just outside of Dubai.
Paul and I wearing Dishdashs.
On a night out with my friend Justine.

We had a Fishbowl which is a large container filled with all kinds of alcohol.
We must've been thirsty as we finished it off!

Holly's Birthday

I have never missed a plane (as a passenger)... until now. I woke up at 9am for my 7.30am departure to the UK! I was in a major panic as the reason I was flying home was for my best friend's birthday. I had the trip planned for months and I couldn't believe it! I decided to go to the airport and see if it was possible to get on any flight. They offered me Paris which I turned down and then I managed to get the last seat on a London flight. My great friends from bmi in London put me up for the night and I caught the first flight up to Manchester the next morning. Holly had a great birthday and it was a really good night. Check out the photos below...While I was waiting for my flight to Manchester I saw my friend Alex from the lounge. You can just about see him stood at the front door of this bmi Regional embraer aircraft.
L-R Hannah, Holly, Liz and Zoe at Holly's house before going into town.
On the way to the bar.
In the bar with some other friends.
Me and Holly.
Me, Liz and Hannah.

The next day we went out for lunch.
The restaurant was called Toby Cavery.
I really like icecream.
Afterwards we went for a drive.
A view of Horwich near Bolton.

The church in Bolton.
Me and Holly in ASDA buying goodies for our night in.

We always used to rent DVDs on a Friday night so we decided that is what we should do when I was back. Choices is the video shop we always visit.