I'm Off!

I can't ignore my itchy feet any longer. I'm dying for a change of scenery. So I've decided: That's it. I'm packing my bags, and I'm leaving.

Did that get your attention? No need to panic, Dubai chums, I'm not leaving permanently. And to be honest, I'mnot really leaving. Well not until the August trip home, anyway. No, I'm doing what every sensible girl needs to do from time to time, and I'm checking into a hotel for the weekend. And this being Dubai, you can rest assured, it's going to be good.

The story goes like this: my good friend and hot-shot corporate lawyer friend M was put up in aforementioned gorgeous hotel when they first arrived in Dubai, and the large proportion of hot-shot lawyers who are sorting out Dubai's debt problem (you may have heard of it) still reside there. But even hot-shot lawyers have to escape the heat once in a while - thus leaving swathes of empty suites just waiting to be stayed in.

And I LOVE staying in hotels. Who doesn't? Obviously a 5 star luxury gaff has more cachet than a Travel Lodge on a work trip, but there's even something attractive about those for me. I think it's the fact that when you're away from home, real life can seem very far away. Don't get me wrong, I love my real life, very much, but there's definitely something in the 'belief suspension' that appeals to me. And the fact that when you're travelling on business you can't do any of those boring but necessary chores that you find yourself doing when you're sat on your own sofa....

The weekend's brief is as follows: you have the run of the suite (it's ten times the size of my apartment), can lounge by the infinity pool all day, use the gym, hang out in the bars, and watch the sun set behind the Burj whilst sipping cocktails on the wrap-around balcony. Just the two conditions: don't trash the place and don't disgrace yourself. Trash? Disgrace? Us?! We’ve promised faithfully to be on our best behaviour…watch this space.