The Parker famlily brought me to the Melbourne airport. We were there quite early so I didn't have to wait in line to check-in. Just after I was done with that, there was quite a line.
I went through security and customs within 10 minutes. Then I walked through all the duty free. before I went to search my gate. Gate no 8. But it wasn't where I would expect it, between 7 and 9. It was somewhere between 1 and 2. really confusing. Boarding and departure were 20 min late.
Thanks to great on board entertainment the flight went by quite fast, then we had to get of in Singapore for an hour before we were able to coninue our journey to Dubai.
I arrived at Dubai way early at 4 am. After getting my baggage I took the Metro to get to my hotel. Since it was that early I obviously wasn't able to check in , but I was able to leave my luggage.
Then I went to the Metro station again (a day ticket is 14 Drh) and went to Dubai mall in the hope of getting some breakfast anywhere soon. But as pretty much everywhere in Dubai, days start late and shops didn't start opening till 10 am. But the way between the Metro station for the Mall and the actual mall is very long. If you don't rush and use the travelators it still will take almost 20 min. And the mall is that huge that it even has e-car taxis. In hope to get breakfast somewhere else I took the metro to The Mall of the Emirates, But it was pretty much the same there, after walking through emty halls and having a look into the windows, I went back to the Dubai Mall and had a look at the free Aquarium there. It holds the record for the biggest largest viewing window. It is enormous.
Finally after breakfast I thought it might be late enought to check into my room now, So after a quick look at the Mall's Ice Rink and fountain, I took the Metro back to the hotel.
There I got my room, with a free upgrade. The room was amazing. Then I fell asleep for a while, luckily I had set my alarm, because I had booked a ticket to go to the Burj Khalifa Observation deck at 6 pm.
But I still was quite late so I had to run through the Duabi mall and almost get lost before I arrived about 5 past 6 at the "At the Top"-Office. But I thinks it wouldn't have been a problem if I were even later, because you just had to get in line for the elevator and wait for the next one.
But before the elvator they had a bit of informationa and pictures. And also a "movie" chair that was given to the Sheik of Dubai, when he visited the set of Tom Cruise's "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" That was partly film at the Burj Khalifa.
The elevator is very fast, about 10 m/s, and takes you to the 124th floor (452 m (1,483 ft)) within seconds. Once up there you stay there however long you want. The view was good enough to see downtown, but the typical sand, smog, cloud mix was at the horizon.
But it was definitly worth it especially after the sun had set and all the lights were on.
In the evening they also have the Dubai Fountain which is synchronized to music which is also played at hte observation deck, but the view is not that good from up there.