The Curious Camera: Abu Dhabi, UAE

The Flight from Phoenix (with a stop in Chicago) to Abu Dhabi

I now know that some airlines are sticklers when it comes to the weight of your luggage. Luckily I arrived at the airport early enough to move a few items from my check-in to carry-on, and the employee at the ticket counter was correct when she said books and shoes tend to weigh the most. After a three hour flight from Phoenix to Chicago I was then directed to the Etihad airlines ticket counter where I was told that my carry-on luggage now weighed too much. It seems the the overhead compartments on the Boeing 777 cannot carry as much weight as other planes. After moving a few things around again I then had the privilege of going through a TSA checkpoint for the second time of the day.

Spending 14 hours in an airplane to travel 7,265 miles is not my idea of a fun time. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the service provided by Etihad airlines. The meals were delicious and the flight attendants went out of their way to make sure you were comfortable. What I really like, and I'm sure it helped with jet-lag, is that they kept all the windows closed, and then the cabin lights changed colors to simulate daytime and nighttime. Of course it didn't hurt that nobody was sitting in the seat next to me, they provided dozens of current release movies, and the drinks were free. This flight turned out to be one of the best I've ever been on.

Life in Abu Dhabi, UAE
The entire month I was there it was 105F with 60 percent humidity during the day. Still, I managed to get out to see most of the city. I will post more photos and videos soon.