Travelling, transport from one place to another can considered time-consuming and bothersome. You can also choose to be mindful and enjoy the ride while it lasts.
4:30 the mobile alarm sounds. Rise and shine. Half an hour to dress and pack. 5:00 get a taxi on the street by the Hotel Sofitel, The Walk, JBR, Dubai.
At this time of day, traffic on the six-lane highway through town is still smooth and the trip only takes about half an hour, so we reach the airport DBX well in advance.
No queue at check-in, super. We have checked in online, so we just need two show our passports and check in our luggage, two old, worn, dirty Samsonite suitcases, which have served us well.
After check-in we go through the passport control. Super, no-one there, no queue. We go to straight to the inspector behind the desk. He looks without words in our passports and then on us. He gets up, still without words, and gives a sign; we must follow him?
So we trot along behind him. He leaves us by a long counter where an officer now inspects our passports very thoroughly. Without any exchange of words finally he hands us the passports and points toward security. We have apparently been cleared.
For two relatively talkative persons, the silence felt eerie. Still, we felt no urge to persist, we nod our thanks and go to the security scanner.
Here you have the usual stripping seance; shoes, belts and jackets off. Wallet, phone and watch on the tray, pc out of the bag, and then through the scanner. Pain-free, though.
We go to the departure hall. Find a chocolate café (with sockets for pc’s). Then we order an ultra-unhealthy breakfast: coffee, americano and latte, a muffin and a croissant. The price is astronomical, but then we also get a piece of ‘free’ fine chocolate in the bargain.
DBX smart: Conveyors with an overtaking lane, but not everyone discovers this feature …
We go to the gate. We meet the same couple, we met on the way out and have a chat about Dubai and the city’s attractions. Then we boarder the KLM plane, again a Boeing 777’er. Lovely. Ample space to stretch your legs and do some “onboard fitness” …
The 777 in the morning sun with glimpses of Dubai in the background.
7:55. Soon after take off a meal, an later another meal, and snacks and drinks on request. Extensive entertainment system. The 6 ½ hour flight-time passes quickly. Especially, when you also have to take the many, many mandatory pictures out of the small windows. Preferably with airplane wings in focus.
You know how economy seats look? So here is a photo of business class seats.
We land almost exactly on time in Amsterdam and quickly go through security via an advanced new scanner; here you do not have to take your pc out of your bag.
We continue through Schiphol, a modern airport with art, internet center, spa, champagne bars and cafes with delicious, healthy snacks. More over there are a lot of shops.
We have some hours before we have to fly onward, so we find a café (with sockets) and answer e-mails and enjoy a couple of smoothies and rustic eco sandwiches. It’s not that hunger is overwhelming, but the products on display are too tempting.
At four o’clock it is time. We board and fly the final stretch from Amsterdam to Aalborg with a smaller KLM aircraft. The trip only takes about 1½ hours and time flies …
We land safely and on time 17:15 in Aalborg. And surprisingly our luggage is almost first out on the conveyor belt. We quickly head for the car park (where parking is free; brilliant).
After a 1 1/4 hour drive (plus a two hour visit for dining with a friend) we are home again in cool, rainy, pitch black Djursland after an eventful week in a warmer climate … but on second thought some fresh, Danish countryside air is not that bad.
At 22:00 o’clock we turn off the light and go to bed.
fitness wellness world 