Watch out British Airways, there is plenty of competition about

Sitting on a British Airways flight to Singapore recently, I found myself wishing that I had flown with Etihad Airways. A few months earlier I was a passenger on Etihad's new Airbus A380 in economy to Abu Dhabi and was amazed by the service, the food and the aircraft. It was almost like being in a hotel – even the loos were well decorated and pleasant to use. Etihad’s employees are proud to work for the company and it comes over. The crew cannot do enough for you.

Now here I was on a British Airways flight in Premium Economy flying to Sydney via Singapore on an aircraft (Boeing 777) that was beyond disappointing. The service and food were poor. I thought longingly of the perfectly-cooked chicken breast I had on my Etihad flight.

We arrived into Singapore in the evening yet BA served a mediocre breakfast. Well, at least the entertainment system worked and offered all the latest movies.

Things did not improve on the flight from Singapore to Sydney, though the crew were slightly more attentive. 

Going from Sydney to Auckland I travelled with Qantas operated by Jetstar. I expected the same service that I had recently experienced on a short-haul flight out of Heathrow with BA to Helsinki. You paid for refreshments and there was no flight entertainment.

Etihad Airways A380 was amazing

I was in for a real treat on my two-and-a-half hour journey with Qantas which was a slightly shorter flying time.

Everything was spotlessly clean. I was handed a welcome drink as soon as I sat down. I wondered if I had turned left instead of right as I was booked on economy. I had a screen which I thought was not going to be operational. How wrong I was. I watched Lion.

The chicken couscous salad was so good that if I had bought it in a café I would have been pleased. The wines were of a high standard. The red was served at the right temperature. I even got an ice cream for desert. The crew was warm and friendly. I would certainly want to fly with this airline again.

Flying from Auckland to Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific in Premium Economy was another wonderful experience. Service and food excellent. Two proper meals served on this 10-hour flight. 

There was even a glass of champagne to welcome you on board. (With BA now you have to ask for it – even in Business Class.) Travelling with BA on its A380 from Hong Kong to London was a let-down after being treated so well by other airlines. 

Cathay Pacific was another wonderful experience

Everybody is human and can make a mistake which is why I am giving BA another chance and flying with them again this month.

This time, I hope, I will see the British Airways that I knew and loved and have so loyally used for years. 

By Daralyn Danns

Etihad Airways is the national carrier of the UAE and offers three daily flights between London Heathrow and Abu Dhabi. Etihad Airways also flies from Manchester and Edinburgh to Abu Dhabi. For reservations and further details visit etihad.com or call 0345 608 1225

A return fare departing from London – Melbourne via Abu Dhabi starts from £659 in economy class. (You can fly to Sydney. For rates check website.) This fare price is inclusive of all taxes and subject to availability

Cathay Pacific flies from Heathrow via Hong Kong to Australia (make sure that Cathay Pacific is operating the flight and not just code sharing). There are 5 daily flights to HKG using 777-300s and from June 2017, a daily direct flight from Gatwick on its new A350. There are good connections through to Sydney. For best rates and details of departures from regional airports visit cathaypacific.com

Qantas flies to Sydney from London Heathrow and Gatwick. For details of departures from regional airports and stopovers as well as best rates visit qantas.com Check that Qantas is operating the flight and not just code sharing

First published in All About Hair (All About Hair UK), the travel and lifestyle blog with a luxury twist

 

Destination Dubai, United Arab Emirates

It is a land where nothing is never knowingly underplayed and superlatives litter every sentence that comes out of a tour guide’s mouth. So you would expect Dubai to resemble Las Vegas.

Yet this Emirate has no neon signs lighting up the sky. What was once a small fishing settlement on the Gulf now has stunning skyscrapers piercing through the clouds and elegant hotels, all constructed with style and panache. Dubai seems to have taken the best designs from the rest of the world and made them better. 

Dubai boasts the world’s highest skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa, the largest shopping mall, Dubai Mall, the most enormous indoor ski resort at the Mall of the Emirates and the largest man-made marina and, reputedly, it also has the longest driverless rail system in the world as well as the tallest hotel on the planet, the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai.

Dubai landscape
Courtesy of Dubai Tourism

Regarded by many as the most luxurious hotel in the world, the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab is one of the region's most renowned landmarks. The sea is littered with man-made islands. Yes, Dubai is the place where self-indulgence knows no bounds. From extravagant restaurants to absolutely amazing shopping malls, if you want to immerse yourself in luxury you will find it hard to beat this place. So you can see why it has gained favour with those with bulging pockets who want to be cocooned in grandeur looking for sun, sand and retail therapy.

It may be the building projects that make the news but the real story about Dubai is that, like its neighbour Abu Dhabi, it is a peaceful oasis in a problematic region because of its political stability and promotion of religious tolerance.

Dubai has a population of about 2 million which is predominately male. Emiratis, Arabs, Indians, Filipinos, Iranians as well as Europeans live in harmony and give this young city a wonderful cosmopolitan flavour. Everything is clean and spotless – even the Metro. You feel so safe here. Crime is almost unknown. People are warm and friendly and readily go out of their way to help tourists. 

Palm Jumeirah

Courtesy of Dubai Tourism

What you do have to remember is that Dubai is one of the seven Emirates that form the United Arab Emirates. It is a Muslim country and the laws and customs are different from ours. So when in Rome, as they say….

Dubai is not only about glitz and glamour. Dig underneath the surface of this sprawling desert city and you will discover it has a heart and soul. The city started its life at the Dubai Creek. You can take a boat trip cross to the old town of Deira. It is a far cry from Palm Jumeirah, the world’s largest artificial island, home to some of the most astounding hotels in the UAE. This district has an authentic charm about it.

Here you can see old Arab traditional houses, slotted between souks where you can haggle for spices or whatever else takes your fancy in the shops that flank the chaotic alleyways and streets. 

The Gold Souk is - you guessed, another record - the world’s largest gold market. Shop windows full of glittering gold and diamonds try to grab your attention. And you can buy with the assurance that the quality of the merchandise is regulated by the government so what you buy is the genuine article. It is said to be one of the best places on the planet to buy gold.

Dubai at night
Courtesy of Dubai Tourism

Close by is the Spice Souk. Exotic fragrances waft through the air and every imaginable spice can be found here. I was also given the chance to try chocolate made from goat’s milk. 

If you thought Dubai lacked culture you are wrong. A crop of cool art galleries have sprung up in Al Quoz. The Dubai Opera, designed to resemble a dhow, pays homage to Dubai’s maritime past. Floating above the lake next to the Dubai Mall, it hosts only the best productions from around the globe. 

The snow-white Jumeirah Mosque, is one of Dubai’s most stand-out sights. Unlike most of the mosques in Dubai, which non-muslims are not allowed to enter, this one opens its doors to all. The Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding (SMCCU) organises tours so you can have an insight into the religion of the Emirates. Whatever your own beliefs, you will be glad you made the effort.

Dubai at night
Courtesy of Dubai Tourism

If you want to get a feel for the simple pleasures of the region’s Bedouin past you can experience falconry, ride camels in the desert, and see folk dancing. You can also take a trip to find out about pearl diving. Before the heady days of discovering liquid gold, that is oil, pearls were the mainstay of the Dubai economy. Now, they are distant memory.

I was worried that Dubai would be a city of bling. How wrong I was. It may have the biggest and the best. It may also be constantly changing. But what really wins you over is its rather endearing personality.

By Daralyn Danns 

Getting there

Fly with Emirates. For more information and best fares visit emirates.com

Stay at One&Only Royal Mirage. For more details and best rates visit oneandonlyresorts.com

For more information about Dubai go to visitdubai.com/en-uk

First published in All About Hair (All About Hair UK), the travel and lifestyle blog with a luxury twist

Destination Muscat, The Sultanate of Oman

Drenched in history and traditions that go back at least 5,000 years, Oman, or The Sultanate of Oman as it is officially called, hums gently to the tune of the 21^st century. 

Muscat, the capital, is as far removed from the glitz and glamour of Dubai as you can imagine. Overlooking the sea, sheltered by rocky cliffs, it charms you with its desert beauty, ancient forts and stories deeply rooted in its past.

There are none of the tallest structures on the planet here. Most of Muscat's new buildings are low-rise (the Sultan does not appear to be fond of skyscrapers) and whitewashed as is the long-established custom. 

Muscat
Courtesy of

Oman Tourism

Sauntering along the spotless pavements, taking in views of ancient forts that loom over the harbour and accompanied by the distant wails from the minarets calling prayer time, I entered through the gates of the old-walled city and arrived at the Al-Alam Palace. 

Nestled in the heart of old Muscat, this gold and blue spectacular royal residence is where the Sultan entertains foreign visitors and royalty. You cannot go in but even those whose interests do not usually span to architecture will be impressed with this extravagant modern Islamic design. Also nearby are some impressive government buildings. Another noteworthy stop on a tour of the city is the splendid Royal Opera House which resembles a fort.

The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque has to be one Muscat’s most exquisite jewels. A gift to the nation from the Sultan to mark the 30^th anniversary of his reign, it cleverly melds artistic ideas from different Islamic eras and regions. It is worth poking your head inside to see the Persian carpet and the Swarovski crystal chandelier. 

The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
Courtesy of

Oman Tourism

Muscat has its fair share of museums but if time it tight then the Bait Al Zubair is the one to visit. Once a house, it showcases artefacts from Oman’s past and present all collected by the Zubair family who own the museum. The women’s clothing and jewellery are the highlights.

Wandering around, even as a woman, you feel incredibly safe in Muscat. According to my tour guide, only four crimes were reported in 2015. So you can easily experience Muscat life.

Stroll along the corniche which runs along the picture-perfect sea front. Flanked by 18^th-century buildings and the imposing Mutrah Fort, built by the Portuguese hundreds of years ago to guard the harbour, the Mutrah area feels as if time has stood still.

Al-Alam Palace

The souk here, one of the oldest in the country, is heaving with locals traditionally dressed as well as tourists savouring the frankincense wafting through the air. I was with a bunch of German tourists who had kindly given me a lift from old Muscat. They fondly called me the “Brexit lady”. But, one thing for sure, we were all one when it came to getting good deals with the vendors. From bread to Arabian perfumes and gold, you will find stalls and shops bordering the labyrinth of the narrow alleyways selling almost everything.

When you think of the desert you conjure up images of a Bedouin lifestyle and authentic customs. For an Arabian adventure, spend a night under the stars in the Empty Quarter. Said to be the biggest desert in the Arabian Peninsula, there is not even an oasis here. 

For unspoilt beaches, rugged mountains and steep wadis, go to Khasab, capital of Musandarn province. Approximately 310 miles from Muscat, this region is often called Arabia’s Norway because it has so many fjords. The harbour filled with dhows and small fishing boats as well as smugglers’ vessels heading for Iran is a far cry from Monte Carlo.

Mum and kids walking along the pavement

I was spellbound as I stood outside a school watching a mother chastise her two kids for playing in the road when they were meant to be crossing it. She led them safely to the pavement and kept a watchful eye on them to make sure that they were obediently following her. What was special about this story is that the mother was a goat.

It is heart-warming sights like these, being entranced by an exhilarating landscape while being able to peel back the centuries yet still enjoy modern day luxuries, that encapsulate the draw of Oman and its capital Muscat.

By Daralyn Danns

Getting there

Oman Air has direct flights from London Heathrow to Muscat International Airport. For more best fares and more information visit omanair.com

Stay at the Al Bustan Palace. For best rates and more information visit ritzcarlton.com

First published in All About Hair (All About Hair UK), the travel and lifestyle blog with a luxury twist