DUBAI to PARIS (September 6)

Tuesday, Sept 6 (DAY1)

Foggy morning in Dubai.

My alarm was set for 5:30am, but I awoke at 4:45, my heart racing.  What am I doing?   How am I going to get the huge box in a taxi to the airport?  Will they accept it just as regular baggage like the website claims?  What if I get to Paris and the bike isn’t there?   Why are my windows wet?  Look at the fog?  I wonder if they closed the airport- this looks like the really bad 100 meters visibility stuff.  AHH!  I forgot to call my bank and tell them I would be using my credit card over seas!  Stress.

I imagine my anxiety is what a lot of people feel when they travel.  Not something I usually feel when traveling.

I called the taxi and asked for a van.  It was outside my apartment elevator in 5 minuets.
 “No Problem”

I got to the airport and went to check in.  The ticket counter agent looked at me, then at the big box, back at me blankly.

 “Is that a bike?”   Yes.  “No problem”.  Since it was under my 40kgs baggage weight allowance (at just 19kg) it was free.

The next thing I knew I was through security carrying my duffel bag.  My very heavy duffel bag.  Which after 15 minuets of walking from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1 it became almost unbearable.  I’m already regretting how much I brought?

"No Problem" Taxi-Van

Burj Kalifa on my foggy ride to the airport

This is my first time on the A380 in the upper deck.  It’s a completely different product from business class on the 777.   And it’s a MUCH nicer product than the economy cabin on the lower deck.

Picture of my TV screen with live video from A380 tail over Europe

Almost there.  More pictures of my screen

She either didn't understand me saying "wait wait, I'll get it after the picture" or else she really wanted a tip.

I was told my bike-in-a-box would be the last item of checked luggage off the airplane when I arrived in Paris.  As the 500 people stood around waiting for the baggage belt to start moving, a porter arrived with a push-cart with my boxed bike on it.  "Here you go".  I was the first passenger through customs.

After checking into the hotel, I took the RER train into Paris center and found the Randos bike center, bought saddle bags and a trunk bag and headed straight back to my airport hotel for bed.  I'm still not used to sleeping at night and being awake in the daytime.

All in all, an excellent travel day!