Dubai

Well, I'm glad I decided to fly to Ethiopia on Emirates air. The route starts with a 14 and a half hour flight to Dubai, over Iceland and Turkey. Once in Dubai, the airline provides a free hotel room and meals for layovers of over 6 hours. Mine was almost 15 hours, so I had enough time to take advantage of these amenities. I arrived after 7 pm and didn't expect to do or see much, but a vendor in the hotel offered a two-hour van tour of the city. (I would have needed to be there during daylight for the desert camel tours!) Not knowing when or if I might ever be back, I decided to sign up.

Dubai, one of the seven United Arab Emirates, is a glitzy, booming, and very modern city in the middle of what was, according to our tour guide, largely desert only 25 years ago. He described how the economy is fueled by tourism and shopping (other Emirates, he said, have most of the oil). With a massive foreign workforce (interestingly not eligible for citizen rights), the city was buzzing with activity and development. Dubai has become a destination for the world's wealthy; one can, for example, have a new, private island built to spec in the harbor.

I was impressed by the modernity: the glittering towers (including the world's tallest skyscaper), the elaborate hotels and resorts (including a twin of the Atlantis in the Bahamas - aquarium and all), and the world-class infrastructure (tunnels under the bay, fancy shops and cars, etc.), but I couldn't help wondering at how energy-intensive it must be to have all those fancy buildings, and air conditioned bus stops. Dubai relies on desalination plants for 80% of its water I also knew that there would be a dramatic contrast between Dubai's wealth and what awaited me in the capital of Ethiopia.

The morning flight to Addis Ababa only took four hours. The best part was flying over Djibouti and recognizing the Gulf of Tadjoura and Lake Assal (the lowest point on the continent of Africa!); they look just like they do in the atlas! Once landing at Addis Ababa's Bole Airport, I knew my adventure would begin...