Just a spoon full of sugar....

To all loyal blog readers,

I feel you should be privy to one of the great Daniel blunders of all time. Following on from the rave reviews for "Daniel Loses $400 in Birthday Cash and Cheques" which had audiences captivated in 1994, comes the long anticipated sequel: "Daniel Loses Non-Replacable British Airways Ticket the Day Before He Takes Nicole to London!"

You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be glad you're not me.

After spending all day legging it around this, the financial epicentre of the Middle East, trying to get the tickets in the first place (I won't even bother denying the bribery of officials charges that may be filed against me), I managed to lose them within 10, yes, 10, yes, 10 MINUTES in a shopping centre. Somewhere between Virgin Megastore and Mango, I lost a 700 dirham ($236) air ticket!

To cut a long story, I had to schlep all the way back to the airport after dinner to throw another 700 dirhams at the cow-to-beat-all-cows at the staff travel counter. Time to breathe easy kids - it's just money. Suddenly I found myself back ON the flight in the morning (8 hours time from NOW.) When I got home, ready to collapse and in denial about the amount of packing, washing and cleaning that needed to be done, I got a call from the security officer from the mall - my ticket had been handed in! So back in another cab to the mall (situated 80% of the way to the airport) I collected said tickets and now here I am. I can bring my identical twin with me ! Good news is staff tickets are refundable (just not when they're lost!)

So why am I going to London on British Airways anyway? Well it is Nicole's birthday on Thursday and I am taking her there for her present. Staying at one of the London Hilton's and going to see Mary Poppins on the night of her birthday. We come back Saturday morning. Aren't I nice?! Well it's fun for me too, so I'm not entirely selfless, just mostly.... :)

Congratulations Damien Leith! The best man won!

Marge! Look! The rains are 'ere!

Last Tuesday, an unsettling cloud hung over the perennially sunny Gulf city of JewBye (is that how you spell it?) and I don't mean the metaphorical morning-after-the-night-before kind of cloud. I'm talking PRECIPITATION peoples! YES, actual droplets of rain gracing us with their presence for the first time since February. Immediately traffic came to a grinding halt because people normally capable of casually cruising at 160 kp/h down Sheikh Zayed Road, couldn't seem to muster the courage to go faster than 50 in what could best be described as a light shower. I was having an incredibly uncharacteristic watching dvds and eating takeout kind of day over at my friend Nena's place (with a MUCH better view than my own) and so out came the camera for some blogging love.


I live in the building at the end on the right with the ballpoint pen-style peak on the top... Apartment 306 if you want to stop by!


Behind the Dusit Hotel on the left (blocked from view) is the construction of the Burj Dubai, the world's tallest building. It is already 86 stories tall and only half it's estimated completed height!

Holey cheese, army knives, amazing tennis players.... Where am I?

Just came back from Zurich yesterday and had a truly amazing experience. My fellow crew members in economy were fun, entertaining people and the passengers were friendly and accomodating (any crew reading this will know how few and far between flights like this are!) We made a quick stop at the hotel for a shower etc and then headed into the city centre to explore. I find great pleasure in simply wandering around a new city for the first time, observing everything - the people, the architecture, the atmosphere, the weather, the SHOPPING! I almost enjoy doing this more than seeing the traditional tourist attractions themselves.

On the advice of my friend Toby, I led the 3 other economy crew through the cold and the fading daylight to search for the hallowed BLINDEKUH - a famous Swiss dining institution. My extremely limited German was put to the test as we negotiated the public transport system to find this place, praying it was not going to be awful after I'd dragged the faithful down hills and up dales for over an hour...

Well, awful it was not. After securing all possessions in a locker and choosing your menu, you are led by your certified BLIND waiter into a PITCH BLACK ROOM where you EAT, DRINK, and CONVERSE in the DARK! No lights, no nothing! A completely unique experience for all of us. It's so bizarre pouring a drink, locating cutlery and eating a hot meal with no eyesight - it made everything taste and smell so much better. The others really loved it too which made the whole thing a very 'Emirates - Keep Discovering' moment for all.

Loitering with intent in downtown Zurich


Outside the Blindekuh. Close your eyes. Now you have all the photos you need of what it looks like inside...

Mauritius - le plus long blog de tous!

Where to begin?! I've been back from the tiny Indian Ocean nation of Mauritius for a few days now, and have had a chance to reflect on a fantastic holiday. It is very easy to take for granted the opportunities for international travel that are granted to me in this job, so I tried very hard to savour and appreciate every moment we had - by 'we' I mean myself, Nicole and her parents Peter and Deirdre.

Without going into boring details, we spent our 6 days at the 5-star resort 'Shandrani' on the island's south coast. Our days involved the usual beachy things - books were read, Malibus were consumed, cancer-causing UV rays were absorbed.....as I said, the usual. In addition we decided to 'get involved' which became the official slogan of the holiday: water skiing, parasailing, mountain biking, snorkelling, windsurfing, rock pooling, tennis, tai chi, ab classes.... I definitely earned my new moniker SPORTY DANIEL!

On the last day we took an all-day taxi and travelled to the north coast of the island to the capital city - Port Louis, and saw some of the northern beaches which made us generally grateful for choosing to stay at the other end of Mauritius. Good, just not as good would be the best summation I feel.

Let me go a bit photo crazy now. I think I may aim for smaller thumbnails and let you click to enlarge. As I've said before and will no doubt say again, it's all about getting involved!

Yours in buffets and tanning oil,

Sporty Dan (nee Cap'n)


All in the first hour - getting in the island spirit!
One for the mantelpiece, I feel
Nicole thinks I look like a boy band member here, and who would I be to argue?!

-Tim Tams. In Mauritius! Who'd have thunk it?! 87 rupees is $3.43 - not bad!
-The inner workings of a French/Indian/Mauritian supermarket for those interested...
-Dinner by the beach on night 2

The Mahebourg markets on Monday, by the ocean (like everything I suppose) - we cross-country-mountain-biked to get there...as any sporty person would!

Nanna, it's your choice of photo for Christmas this year!

This is Sporty Daniel. Sorry I can't take your call at the moment. I am out being sporty. Leave a message.

Shandrani - I know, it's a total dive, you don't have to say what we're all thinking!

Nicole welcomes you to the BEST DAY EVER - enjoy!


Heading out from Shandrani to the waterfall for some rock pool diving...

The family (minus half Daniel's head) with new friends Dean and Christina - a recently engaged British couple we met at the hotel

Did someone order a supermodel?! - enough posing, time to parasail!





Anyone that's been parasailing over the coral reefs of the south west corner of the Indian Ocean in November will KNOW what I'm saying when I say - BEE-YEWD-AFUL!

The very popular Mauritian island - Il Aux Cerfs. The one of Nicole and I was taken on the way home on a COMPLETELY deserted sandy island in the middle of the ocean.

Drinks, dinner, drinks and drinks with Dean and Christina (congratulations on your blog debut by the way!)

The final day - the Port Louis waterfront

The last one of Team Mazurkiewicz is overlooking a massive resevoir in the mountains - a perfect way to end our week!