T minus 6 days and counting

It would be a bit odd if a writer travelled overseas and didn't write anything about it. So the idea of this blog is to keep it as a journal of the mis-adventures I get up to during the trip. And none of you want to get copy and paste emails where I just change the names now do you?

I will have a camera handy throughout the trip, so it's not just going to be endless drivel. After all, a picture speaks 1000 words. Damn sight quicker to put together too.

I can't remember exactly when I originally came up with the idea to travel to Singapore and Dubai, but I think I was in the travel agent's office making the first arrangements about June. No, paperwork says I booked the flights on the 29th of May. Anyhow, what's a few days?

I knew I wanted to go to Singapore for the Formula 1 race, and anyone who knows me well knows that F1 is a powerful motivator in my life.

But that didn't seem enough. I actually wasn't that interested in much else in Singapore, so it would be something of a hit and run mission.

And going overseas for about 5 or 6 days seemed a waste - if you're going to do it, do it properly was my thought.

Then it hit me...Dubai. I'd seen a couple of episodes of The Amazing Race in Dubai and it bowled me over. How on earth could they build a skyscraper 800 metres tall? How on earth could they build an offshore island in the shape of a palm tree? How on earth could they build a place where you can snow ski indoors?

I've said to people since that the Dubai government obviously works on the "Field of Dreams principle" - if we build it, the tourists will come. Hey it's worked on me, so obviously they're onto something!

This trip seemed like a crazy dream at first, but the more I thought about it, the more I realised that it was possible.

And now it's drawing ever closer, I almost can't quite believe what I'm about to do. "One small step onto a plane; one giant leap into the future". And I can't wait.