Sunday — April 22, 2021 — touchdown in UAE!Fly fly away!  We had a little unplanned detour through Toronto – apparently to pick up enough passengers to fill the plane to the brim!  If we had flown straight to Abu Dhabi from Chicago, I would have been completely alone in an entire row of seats — Travellers’ Heaven.

I was on the ground in Shiekville (Abu Dhabhi, capital of the United Arab Emirates empire) only about an hour.  The airport is pretty grand in spots, as would be expected of a culture so filled with dramatic dress and shiny accessories.

I have always said that food bonds me with the locals when I travel.  But this trip (at least the flights) left me the Pied Piper of the kids….  They followed me (and in some cases adhered to me) in the airports and on the plane.  Not sure where it’s coming from — but little ones were my bonding element the last 24hrs.  It’s interesting how quickly uptight parents loosen up when you and their kid start talking about the Lorax or how they didn’t really like “Happy Feet 2″…  All fun — and nice to find something other than spicy food to be a connection point!