Tuesday 20th April....Dubai.............panic!!!

Our day began very early as we had heard that flights were on the go...However, no flights to the UK and when I rang bookings they said no flights to Hamburg! So...letsmove on and plan our day. Claire and Jill, the two ladies I met at the camel rides and shared dinner with, were planning to do the Big Bus tour of Dubai so I set about connecting with them and booking a seat....however....a text message came through from Ginger @ ABC News in Cairns asking whether I would do an interview with her...and a phone call verified that we were to be connected at 10.30am Dubai time/4.30pm EST Australia!!!.....WOW......Thommo I knew you were the instigator...great work!....
So, in hindsight, thank heavens I didn't get to book or leave for the bus tour because the next hour turned Hollie and I upside down!!
 Hollie found me down having breakfast and updating my diary with the news that she had been informed her flight to the UK was leaving @ 11am....she had quickly packed and we ordered her a taxi and sent her off to the airport....we were so excited that one of us was on the move!...However, I discovered on the noticeboard in the foyer of the hotel that flights to HAMBURG were departing.........WHAT?????????........I quickly rang bookings to discover there were no lines available and to ring back later.....I ran upstairs, checked my flight online @ Emirates booking site to find out that MY FLIGHT EK059 was listed as LEAVING DUBAI @ 11am....................!!!!! OMG.....It was 10.25am....my phone interview was coming in @ 10.30am.....but I had to go....if I missed this flight I would have to wait until 28th April before I could book another flight and I'm sure Emirates wouldn't have looked after as they have been in the last few days!!!............
A.......C.....T.....I.....O.....N......>>>> textmessage Ginger....can't take call ring me on mobile....reception please help= taxi called......pack bags in 2 minutes flat.....fly down to ground floor....a phone call @ reception for FRAN BRUTY...it's ABC news..."Fran can we call you on your mobile in 2 minuntes for the live interview....mmmmm  "No problem, I will do my best to negotiate taxi man who doesn't speak clear English....and talk sanely to Ginger on Live radio.....and not PANIC.....about the fact that I only had 15minutes before my flight DEPARTED!!!.......I'm not really sure what I actually said to Ginger...."Thanks Ginger for being so understanding...You were so reassuring... ".I hope I didn't sound too panic stricken because my stomach was churning and my legs were shaking....but we finished the interview just as the taxi pulled up at Terminal 3! I found some money and ....RAN....I don't think I have run as fast as I didn loaded up with my cabin bag...Kelly...backpack and suitcase with hopefully, everything from my room, in it. I pushed into the front of LONG LONG queues.....to get from one checpoint to the next. When I got to the bag drop off I was a wreck....but the Emirates people...after their first concern that I only had 7 minutes beofre the plane flew....actually checked in my bag while a lovely lady by the name of Lyn calmed me down and helped me with the practical things like clsing zips and securing passport....Thanks Lyn and every other wonderfully helpful person I accosted as I ran blindly in my quest to get through to departure gate #217...........
No minutes to spare.....
.....and so I stared at my fellow travellers, who all seemed to have their eyes on me.... to hear the announcement that Flight EK 059 was delayed for 20 minutes!!!.....I felt certain that this had occurred because they needed to load my bag!

I reorganised my cabin bag and backpack and took a few deep breaths.....
It is now 12.30pm.....1 1/2 hours after my frantic dash to get here and we all wait in anticipation.....My concern is: Is this flight going to be safe????....but I guess I wouldn't drive a car if I had that thought all the time....The prayer chant has just begun so I am going to leave you and join them...I think that I need all the help I can get!!
I will keep you in the loop!
Cheers...Fran.....yet again stuck in the Dubai International Airport!!! :-))
................Hang on a minute.............I didn't even get time to pray......they have just announced that my flight EK059 to Hamburg has been.......wait for it................................... CANCELLED!!!! 
Straight on the phone to Premier Hotel.....my room 316 is still booked in under my name......atleast I will have a bed but I have just realised that now I don't have any luggage AGAIN!!!!
...............until I know what's happening in my life.....cheers! :-))
You Gotta Laugh.!!! 

Update:

We were moved out from the waiting area to another small area where we were detained as our flight was now going to Vienna!!! Oh No....not all of us wanted to take this option but we didn't know if we had any choice in this....People were crying and spent....the emotions were so overwhelming...my heart went out to them but there was nothing I could do to help apart from giving them a hug and wishing them a quick journey home! I knew that I had a bed being paid for by Emirates and chose to stay in Dubai....not fly to Vienna where I could easily be in a similar situation with no support and having to find my own way to Hamburg. I knew I could manage this but chose the security of waiting it out here. I was reassured that having given up my flight to Vienna, I would still have a seat on the next EK059 flight to Hamburg....we will see?!

I am a happy camper...I finally got my luggage back after trying firstly, to get out of the Arrivals/Departures floor...through customs....etc, etc, and secondly, enduring 2 hours yet again... of waiting in queues.... On my travels back to the hotel I met many other travellers with a similar story..a single Mum with 3 little children had been at the airport everyday waiting in line to get on a flight only to have them cancelled. She had given up and is going to wait it out hoping Emirates will come good with their promise of a flight for her family..I have nothing to compain about when I see people struggling ....those who have no money left...elderly people who can't travel the long distances by Eurail if they take a diverted flight....families who haven't got accomodation....people losing jobs because of the domino effect.....etc, etc....

Hollie, Shafik and myself took the free shuttle bus to The Mall of The Emirates to be treated with a beautiful sunset over Dubai then on to delight in some window shopping...gloating in Tiffany's...I thought of you Jo and selected the next piece of beautiful jewellery Parky will buy you! ...a Starbucks coffee - Hollie was in her element....I thought of you, Aidan as we watched the skiers having fun in the Winter Ski Park and realised that I so need to go skiing this season....then we dined - Shafik's shout .."thanks heaps mate!"....at a Lebanese restaurant...

On returning to the hotel, Hollie and I decided that we would enjoy a well earned drink. There was very large social group of travellers outside. People were unwinding, sharing stories, socialising, playing pool or watching the TV....we slipped right in, sharing our own stories alongside the high spirited crowd!

Monday, 19th April. .....Dubai.....and some adventure!

Our day began knowing that Emirates have given us another 24hrs on our vouchers....everybody sighed with relief however this means that there a no flights departing today to Hamburg or most European destinations!
I filled up on breakfast and having searched the net for relevant, recent information we confidently decided that today is a 'tourist' day! Hollie has yet another vanilla coffee and is able to chill somewhat as she now has her boss's feedback to stay put and ride it out! However we have to go to the airport to give them my bag number again....on arriving at the bag collection area the first thing I see as I get closer is......................my pink ribbon and pink security lock!!!! ..............I was stunned.....immobilised.....then it struck me that it was there............and I started jumping around very excited...this was shared with all of the other travellers as they were just as pleased for me as I was excited!!!........all of them knew what I had been through because they were going through it too!!! One guy informed me that his bag is very similar to mine and had hoped it was his...until he saw the pink ribbon! He said that it had only just arrived on the last trolley 2 minutes before I arrived.... good timimg Fran!
Back home to make some choices. I had spoken to our next door neighbor (he must be okay as he is a Marine Engineer) and he was heading out on safari and invited me to join the fun.....I decided that never having riden a camel, it would be appropriate to do it in Arabian sand dunes....so I'm heading off to get a taste of life outside!

UPDATE:
Yesterday was truly amazing and I now feel I have experienced some af the real Arabian culture .....Waiting for our tour guide, I was interviewed by CNN news about my story....(it felt familiar DT & Abbie!!) Our Landcruiser arrived and we headed off towards Hatta, collecting another couple, Nic and Jenny from frankfurt, who are actually holidaying in Dubai by choice....great fun people looking for adventure too. It felt good getting out of the city and into the dessert country......flat, then red sandy dunes for as far as you can see. Having driven for an hour we arrived at the dunes and for the next hour spent a crazy time flying over and around the red sandy dunes.....with an adrenalin junkie at the wheel.....we squealed with delight/fright/anxiety/relief and loved  every minute of the play time....I just wished I had been allowed behind the wheel!

UPDATE: 23/4: We had Arabian turbans fitted and dressed up in belly dancing gear...then were harassed to pay them for the pictures we had taken on our own cameras....we arrived at the camp site just on dusk...there were 100's of stranded travellers all doing the same as us...people sandboarding...taking snaps of the beautiful sun setting...and I finally got to take a camel ride!...It was very toursity but I didn't care as I was in the correct country to be doing it! I met Claire (from Brunswick in Melbourne) and Jill and linked up with them to share the evenings entertainment whilst we wined and dined. We shared a table with Thomas and Eva who work in Brisbane and were travelling to visit their families in Vienna to share with them their exciting news that they were newly pregnant...good luck guys!..

Entertainment included: fire twirling....People twirling.....They guys twirled non-stop for about 15mins demonstrating a visual delight of skill......then...........he stopped....drums rollled while he ran around the arena and...............YES................he stopped at me and took my hand inviting me to do what he had just done!!!!....Crumbs.....out of ALL those people....I became the entertainment!.......I was so thankful that I had only had one wine because, twirling with the beautiful skirt on for what felt like an eternity but was more like 4-5mins, was challenging!!!....When I stopped he was very kind and said that I was amazing...and that most people don't last that long...(demonstrated by the poor man who wanted to have a go too, and lasted only one minute before he fell over!!) Claire and Jill were great company and we have followed each other's journeys since then. Before we said farewell we decided that I would join them on the Big Bus Tour of Dubai the next day to see the sights....It was something I really wanted to do and was pleased to find others who were going to do it too!
Our trip home was fun as Abdul, our driver, decided to treat us to part of the trip in a Hummer instead of the Landcruiser we had been in...He knew we were loving the ride!
On returning to the Premier, I found Hollie and Shafik. another stranded traveller who does a lot of work in Dubai, working out their strategy for coping!......
It became a very late night!

Sunday 18th April, Dubai.

Home has become the Premium Hotel..'on Emirates' and our family is now huge!! Eveyone here is a transient traveller and it has become a very social, multicultural mecca. We have realised that Paul, Premiumm's Manager, is far more organised than the Emirates people. Their two representatives sent to The Premium were totally confused as to what their task actually was! Paul is a step ahead of them and has collated all our information so that he has everyone's flight destination at his fingertips. There is a board in the foyer being updated almost every hour with relevant information. The Hotel has put on extra shutlle buses to the popular destinations so that his guests don't have to rely on the Metro rail to get around. Emirates have agreed to give us another 24hrs 'on them'...so I am very glad I managed to get the voucher from them!

After enjoying a filling breakfast........all cooked food as well as continental selections were offered....Hollie and I returned to the airport to discover the bag collection area overflowing with very irrate travellers desperately trying to get their bags....I gave them my luggage number....for the 10th time and decided that I needed to get out of the airport which had become like a prison for me!

I headed off alone to see some of the real Dubai. The Metro rail leaves from the airport and is very similar to using Melbourne's rail ticketing system so I bought a ticket feeling that I was in control so far! Arriving at the Dubai Mall stop I learned that, to get the shuttle bus to the Mall, I should have bought a siver ticket instead of the red one I had. People have been very friendly and helpful outside the airport and the rail lady showed me how to find my way to the Mall on foot. It was a beautiful blue-sky day and I enjoyed a much needed walk.... talking to travellers doing the same as me and taking pics of the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa....pretty impressive. I will put some pics on soon...I hope!....I managed to find the scenic route to the
area of the fountain..."follow the cars, Fran...not... "go into the carpark under the Mal, Fran!".....Oh well...I certainly got to see heaps more than other people did!
Gucci......Armani......Gold Souk.....Bloomingdales.....my head was spinning with the glamour and diversity of it all.....but all I wanted was to buy some cheap t-shirts and some Haviannias.....fun...fun...fun.....people..people... people....an Aussie style supermarket- a wholemeal bread roll and banana.....too excited to stop and eat! By the time I had actually found some T's and light shoes it was 6pm when the Water Fountain show begins. I was getting confident with my sense of directions by then and made my way outside to be treated to a wonderful water display together with hundreds of other curious tourists and travellers....the backdrop being Burj Khalifa and traditional Arabic buildings...such a contrast! My new little camera's HD video is great ....not sure if the operator is so great at using it though!

 On dusk, I made my way back on the Metro...people just wandered along the roads...the color of the buildings is mainly sandstone and thecontrasting color you experience is a mauve/blue....workmen's overalls.....walls lining the roads.... many other obscure items which were quite blatant against the bland neutral sandstone!
Stopover at airport = still NO BAG!Home in time for a yummy dinner and a couple of vinnos!...The mood is one of being

on holidays and friendship amongst the family!!...I worry about the people still at the airport with no support and nowhere to go!

Saturday 17th April @ Dubai Airport...............ALL day!

Alarm @ 5.30am...bus to airport 6am.....Departure board informs me = Hamburg flight cancelled!

Liquid breakfast.......(NO ALCOHOL here!)..Freshly juiced fruit..'Cancer Killer and Bladder Cleanser' ...!!
Lynne flew out to Brisbane. I connected with Hollie who had spent the night at the airport with no progress on the standby flights! Hollie is from New Zealand travelling to UK for 6 months to train polo horses. We decided to link up and share accomodation so I booted up Kelly having plugged her into the battery charger Hub to recharge her batteries. This is where many of us spent the day coming and going while one or other of us stayed with everyone's gear! We shared all our resources. Kelly helped many people trying to book accomodation on line as Emirates had stopped giving vouchers. Emirates claimed that, as the occurence was 'an act of God', they were no longer responsible for duty of care after the 48 hours they had given most people support!!! This knowledge was devastating for so many people who just had no money! I decided that I was going to get a bed regardless, so had very early on in the day and luckily, booked the last room at the Premium Hotel for Hollie and me. Most people could not get a room anywhere by about midday!
I still couldn't get my bag so we caught the shuttle bus to the hotel where, Paul, an Englishman and the Manager of Premium Hotel, suggested that I try really hard to get an accomodation voucher..with it he could then help us...so....we returned to the airport where I was treated VERY badly in my quest to get the voucher! Doggedly determined and angry...because I could see others walking away with these precious vouchers....I succeeded!!!!!!!....YES!
Still no bag though! Tempers and energy was very negative in the bag retrieval counter as people, who had rebooked flights to fly to accessible destinations, desperately needed their bags! Back to the hotel where Paul and the whole staff there were SOOO supportive and helpful. Paul organised a refund on both nights I had paid for and he made a temporary booking to stay for 1 week with the voucher ruling for bed and food until Emirates decides not to support the transient travellers!
Hollie went straight to bed as she had slept at the airport last night.
I went to dinner and celebrated with a much needed glass of red (AED $35 = A $12!)
Showered....washed nickers and socks...fell into bed for some good old Brutysleep!....knowing there will be no flights scheduled until 6am Monday 19th April....

16 - 20. April.Melbourne...Singapore...Dubai........................................volcano ..........................!!!!

Sorry for the delay in writing about my European adventure but my journey has taken another unpredictable turn and I am stuck with all the other transient travellers, mid journey in Dubai!  Being very new to travelling and using Kelly on the move....when I brought up my blog the instruction bar was wrtten in Arabic!!! I tried to find someone who looked a bit technically inclined to help me fix this as I had tried everything that seemed logical....anyway....I'm into here now and able to share.......

Leaving Melbourne I had no idea what was in front of me...during the hour stopover in Singapore, Gary informed me that some airports had closed due to the volcano eruption but Hamburg was still open! Arriving in Dubai, we were all confronted with the stark reality that we were not going anywhere! I quickly started asking questions as to what/where we had to go and a group of us stuck together and began an amazing unfolding of events!
Emirates were not able to answer questions and as there were...and still haven't been any announcements or any broadcasts to inform people accurately, the spiral of frustration and heated emotions began!! 
However, the positive in all of this is that it has been a VERY social friendly situation amongst the travellers because EVERYBODY is willing to share their story and chat! We have had sooooo much time standing in queues trying to secure information from the authorities which is relevant to our own situations so this time has been spent getting to know people from all over the world! We have realised that the most accurate info has come from travellers who have had access to the internet and also that if one avenue of approaching a situation isn't productive then someone will have an alternative suggestion that has worked for them or someone they have spoken to! 

I linked up with Lynne Hinton, an exPrincipal from Brisbane, travelling to The UK to run a 2 week inservice for Principal/teachers. It was great to have a friend to talk things through with. We tried to retrieve our bags to no avail. Before Lynne had left Brisbane she had been redirected to Paris however when she got to Dubai, Paris was congested and eventually shut down so her only decision, after a whole day of lining up to get info, was to return to Brisbane. We shared a room at a hotel which Emirates refused to pay for regardless of the fact that we were entitled to a voucher. We resigned ourselves to the fact that atleast we had a room whereas many others were not so lucky or able! Marcus and Sandra and two others, whom we had bumped into all day, were on our bus to the hotel. They were trying to get to Frankfurt. Emirates had given them all vouchers yet Lynn and I seemed to be the only people who had to pay their own way????!!! We had left Hollie at the airport. She had decided to stay in the standby queue for a flight to UK.

We fell into bed exhausted, having managed a filling dinner 'on Emirates' knowing that we were both booked on flights out of Dubai on Saturday...Lynne to Brisbane and me to Hamburg at 9am! We were 'serenaded' until 3am by very loud Indian music out in the courtyard!

Thursday 15 April...Yes...Yes...Yes....Up...Up...and Away!

No more sleeps...
Today is Thursday 15th April in Australia ..but of course we are ahead of the rest of the world....and it's my fly away day! 6pm....Hamburg...here I come!

Tuesday 13 April - Thursday 15 April.....and so my adventure begins..

Yes..I'm on my way...having a stopover at Mum's in Ballarat! When I left Ballarat a few weeks ago I had left my warm winter gear here as I don't need it in TNQ and I thought that I would be back down about now doing my next days of training for Africa...! But...having organised Europe...I needed to either fly out of Brisbane or Melbourne to go to Hamburg so I chose to go to  Melbourne a few days earlier than departure so that I could collect my jeans etc...see the family...then fly out. So........here I am after several hectic days of getting organised and leaving the house safe and clean at Tari Place....in between getting more vaccination shots for Africa....and ofcourse the inevitable farewells...(How many farewells can a person have cos I've already had a few?... but each time they have been authentic and it's always a good excuse to catch up with friends and have a great time..thanks guys....it's just that I seem to keep changing direction and returning to places for the next chapter of my journey!!)

So...I thought I would catch you up on where I am because I will be recording my travels here on my blog....and, if I can work out how to download lots of pics at a time...I will share them as I go!!..catch you soon...

Cheers. xx

one week until I get to use my passport!!

Wow...It's so hard to believe that I will be the one walking through those international doors at the airport ...they have always just swallowed up whoever I have taken to the airport to farewell....and there have been many of them during my lifetime!! Now I am happily going to be swallowed up and it's only one week away.
Getting organised for both Africa and Europe has been a bit of a head spin. People are genuinely interested in my African adventure and many of them have said that it is something they really want to do too. The lady I bought my cabin bag from today was so passionate about it that she had me engaged in a discussion for a long time....(the shop was very quiet)...but I was very happy to share my interest and passion for where I am heading and why I am pursuing volunteer work in a developing country. I believe that there are many of you out there who would take the opportunity to step sideways from the 'norm and comforts' of life in Aus and take the path I am on when the 'time is right' in your lives.....put the thought on the 'back burner' but don't bury it. I hope my diary will be an inspiration for you. However....for the time being...I am putting Africa 'on my back burner' because Europe is calling.
Mmmmmm....what a contrast in anticipated experiences! I am really looking forward to sharing time in Germany with my good friend Gary. He is working in Hamburg so this will give me the chance to experience his life as a Marine Engineer on a refit of a very expensive yacht on the 'other side of the world'! This will be rewarding but fun will also be had sharing the life in Hamburg.
I am planning to meet up with Gemma, my daughter, who is in Europe with 3 of her best friends....touring....for 8 weeks. We hope to connect in England at the end of their tour, 29 April ... before they head to New York to do the Sex In The City experience!! I can't wait to share time and country with them....I have many 'Mum' hugs to give and need just as many 'Daughter' hugs from all of them....I anticipate FUN....will let you know as it unfolds!
Concerts, Ice Hockey....Berlin....a weekend there and a Blue Man Group concert....then off to explore France and stay with Maryvonne's family and hopefully catch up with Edith and Bernard. These wonderful people brought French students to Bacchus Marsh Grammar and I was fortunate to host them and show them the treasures Victoria holds. Having met my dear friends and family they fell in love with all they encountered....Their plan is to share their treasures with me.... Lyon, St Etienne and their home country and I know I'm going to love it too...and have a ball!.
I am planning to do northern Italy and some of Switzerland and .......who knows.....wherever I want to go, and have time to visit, on my Eurail pass!!!

....Okay....I am slowly getting organised between coaching at the pool....(I so love being back with my squad kids)....and more vaccinations....cleaning up Tari Place ...and socialising......Happy 18th Em!
I'm heading to Victoria to get my winter clothes and catch my family and stay with Mum for a few days....then off to Tulllamarine...Thursday 15 April 6pm..is when I will be leaving Aussie soil!!