I have said before in this blog that if Costa, the UK coffee chain, were to go international, it would wipe the floor with Starbucks. I now find that Costa is in 40 countries and it certainly seems to have already seen off Starbucks here in Dubai. Costa is everywhere and I have seen one Starbucks.
Today we went up the Burj Khalifa, currently the tallest building in the world. If you come to Dubai, my advice is to give this a miss. Karen had bought our tickets online so they were a quarter of the price paid by those queuing up on the spot, who were paying 400 UAE Dirhams, which is about £70 sterling. It is all a bit of a swiz. Despite being shunted here and there into one queue after another before shooting up in an immensely fast lift (elevator) you emerge onto a viewing platform which is only half way up the building. That would be fine if this were known in advance, but the impression is given that you are going to the top. When I am at home in France, I go to bed every night at a greater altitude.
In fact I am left wondering just why so many people go to Dubai. There is a great deal of shopping available but I don't think it is particularly cheap.
One thing that is definitely worth seeing is the musical fountain show which takes place every 20 minutes. This is particularly splendid at night, when it is also illuminated.
Tomorrow, after a full day awake, we go to the airport for a flight, starting at 0130 in the morning and lasting fourteen and a half hours, to Sydney. Deep joy.
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