My flight was scheduled for a 4:45pm departure from LAX on Emirates Airline direct to Dubai, UAE on August 1st, 2014 to begin a 2 year stint working in the Middle East. There was a point in time that I was convinced that I could never be paid enough to go to the Middle East…..guess I was wrong!  Katie and I headed for the airport about 2pm.  I had been working on the LA County Rancho Los Amigos project up to the day before I flew out.  So my packing actually only took about half a day.  I had 2 duffle style bags and my “geek” bag for the laptop, passport, etc.  I know that there is a limit of 50lbs per bag with a limit of 2 bags per person.

The check in line for Emirates (Economy) was really long.  Fortunately I had checked in on line so I got to move to a line that only had 2 people instead of the 100+ in the regular line!  My bags weighed in at almost exactly 50lbs each…perfect!  Now came the hard part, saying goodbye to Katie.  No matter how you look at that one it was never going to be easy.  Goodbyes said and I’m off to the TSA line where the “Randomizer” selected me for International PreCheck…yay!  So far this adventure is going pretty good!  Didn’t even have to take off my shoes!

First stop after security is to buy a neck pillow; $40!  Katie thinks I’m crazy, maybe but I did sleep reasonably well on the plane while using it!  You should know that I’ve done this flight before in 2012 but unlike this trip I was ticketed in Business class…this trip – Economy.  I’m thinking that this is Emirates so even the cheap seats won’t be too bad.  Wrong!  I’m now convinced that the cheap seats on every airline are the same, narrow and uncomfortable!  Because my ticket was purchased 2 days before my departure the only ones left were in the back of the plane and in the middle.

The plane was the A380-800.  That’s the double decker jumbo manufactured by Airbus.  I got a brief look up the stairs into Business/First Class and at the bar….wow, what a difference!  Ok, this just means that I’m going to have to save up miles and upgrade on my next flight!

The flight went pretty well and faster than I thought, only 16 1/2 hours.  Changed planes in Dubai for the hour flight into Dammam, Saudi Arabia.  Got to Customs about 10:15pm local time.  I’m standing in line with lots of Expats but at least I get to go through the “re-entry” line.  Standing there I see that everyone ahead of me is holding not only their passport but a letter of sponsorship so now I’m thinking….where’s mine??  I had one for my first trip to Saudi but nothing for this one.  I’ve been determined to not let anything on this trip make me nervous or get anxious…this is my first big test of remaining calm.  Of course thoughts of spending the night on the floor in a country where I don’t speak the language, know the customs or have any way to contact anyone if I’m not allowed into the country are running through my head.  Finally with a deep breath and a confident stride to the customs officer I hand him my passport and declaration form, hold my breath and pray for the best.  He scanned my passport, went to the visa page, typed in the number, stamped my passport and handed it back!  I’m in!!  No sleeping on the floor this trip!!

Picked up my bags and headed out to where a driver was waiting to take me to the hotel.  Arrived at the Le Meridian in Al-Khobar about 1am…..off to bed.