Yep, it’s official, 365 days have gone by since I landed in the middle of a desert. I have seen a viaduct being built right in front on my window, a few dozen new towers spring up, a few hundred new roads layed out, all this in the span of a little year. A year full of fond memories (I know I’m probably going to be a tad nostalgic in this post but I don’t give a damn). Memories of batch mates, trips, flights, passengers, crew and places. I have seen so many things in 365 days whilst working for Emirates that I won’t be able to recap them all here. But my top ten would definately be, in no particular order :

1. Landing in Mauritius for the first time, doing a boat trip to the most beautiful beach I have ever seen.
2. Meeting the people I hang out with whenever I’m here. Some of them leaving us soon by the way. You know who you are little bastard.
3. Seeing a construction site (Dubai itself), getting even more cranes.
4. Learn how to appreciate the fog (picture above), even if it delays your flight by 12 hours.
5. Deal with the most unpredictable customers ever. Good or bad.
6. Having so many stories to tell to my kids in the future.
7. Feeling like being on a permanent holiday.
8. Being able to visit so many cities, covering over 41 of them, all around the world and being able to write about it here.
9. Just enjoying my proud self for achieving things I always wanted to do.
10. Just being the happiest kid on the block right now !

So celebrations went down according to plan tonight, we hit up Barasti which was an absolute nightmare as always, packed with football goers and pissed aussies all over the place. The problem with Barasti is that you have to come in mid-afternoon and drink from there to be in the same state as all the other punters around. We came in at half ten and everyone was already high. We were sober and not enjoying it. We then decided to head to New Asia above the Raffles hotel. Very nice place with views of the city and real nice drinks on offer. The only downside being Saturday, the place was empty. The DJ even left a CD playing the whole evening, he went home. We obviously finished in ZINC, where we met up with the rest of the party hard geeks of our batch. All the others out flying. Special mention to Richard, Oz, Kelly, Wassika, Maria, Yun, Noha, Gregory, Tall Ben for being there and making fools out of yourselves !

Finally we’re on for another exciting year, with plans to move on to Business Class whenever they need me there. Who knows, I might even be convinced to work on the A380… Hard to imagine but let’s see what happens. I will also do my best to discover new cities and destinations. Get a driving license here and buy some wheels. Save even more cash. Meet new interesting people. And many other things I cannot think of at this time of the night.

Ooops, before I forget, here’s the video I promised in the previous post. The song title is Barra Barra, by a famous Franco-Algerian singer Named Rachid Taha. You’ll see what went down in Johnny Rocket’s the last time we were there… I also haven’t skyped home for almost a week now, goes to show I’m enjoying myself, lolol. I miss Mum & Dad thought. Will skype you tomorrow Mum, I promise !

Airboy does Atlantis & Johnny Rocket’s from Airboy Sodwee on Vimeo.

Related Posts, according to Airbot... (automatically generated)

• Airboy does Hong Kong… in the very front…
• So far, So Good. Or supposedly. TWO NEW LAVIATORS. DL#81.
• Airboy does New York & Aquaventure in Dubai
• Airboy does Shanghai #2 + VIDEO
• I visited Sharjah, the different way.
• Shaping up. Doha turn and The Burj Dubai @ Dubai Mall
• 303 MATT drops a tune. Two LAVI8TORS
• Inside my RV(s)
• I Need Wheels, hot wheels !!
• Well Done. Update of the last 72 hours