DAY 19, DATELINE ABU DHABI – The QM2 makes its maiden call and is greeted by fireboats, ceremonial food and (the best part) dancing men with camel whips. That squawk behind the women in the bazaar: Hawks? That falcon?
DAY 18 DATELINE DUBAI – It’s as over the top as they say. Vegas with more money. Not all the women wear veils. (When they do it’s with a designer handbag and fabulous make up). 
Also the world’s tallest building and luxury malls with chic W.C. signage.
Stew note: ah, a change is gonna come.
Oh, btw, yes, that IS the tower Tom Cruise was climbing in the latest Mission Impossible movie: Mission Impossible 4 Ghost Protocol. Check out the link. If you have a strong heart. Gulp.
This is a meeting of the Titans. The boat Kiki rode in on, the Queen Mary 2 is the largest Cruise Liner in the world. And the building Tom Cruise is climbing is the tallest in the world.
Hey Stew,
We did clear Dubai and I’m going to send pix as soon as I can. I agree with you on pirates and the QM2. In fact there’s a journalist here from Reuters who asked if he could quote me on not being worried about pirates. My logic was the same as yours but I’m sure it will come out dumb because all I managed to say was ‘It’s … a … big … ship’ Kathleen O’Connell, 66, Portland, Maine, USA.
Hey! I was forgetting you might be still up. We’re now 10 hours ahead of you! I’m having coffee and juice. Heading offline now — it’s expensive!
Kiki
DAY 17, DATELINE DUBAI – We did a roller coaster 4-wheel drive through the dunes then lounged in tents eating dates and sipping Arabic coffee. Stew, you asked about coffee on the cruise: The QM2 does tea much better. Every afternoon with scones and cream.
Day 14 – Can someone explain haggis to me? The Burns celebration last night started with a procession of the stuff, which was then honored in poetry. Men in Kilts, dancing and Auld Lang Syne, too.
Day 12 Transiting the Red Sea – Every noon Commodore Rynd broadcasts from the bridge. It’s all very stiff upper lip. Here’s today’s report. It’s four minutes and starts with a couple of blasts from the ship. It ends with – what else? – a security update. Those pirates again.
And yes, Shireen, that is your trusty bag relaxing on Queen Mary’s sun deck.
In other ship-board news, Diarmuid is trying to book for the Dubai/Hong Kong leg but so far it’s fully booked with a waiting list. His best hope is if something untoward happens to someone. We can always hope.
Kiki
Sent from my iPhone