Hey everyone!

Greg and I just got back from our first international trip together, and boy, do we have stories to share! Our destination was the quaint, historical town of Stratford-upon-Avon in the UK, where we spent a magical Christmas with Greg’s family. But, of course, no journey is complete without a few hiccups along the way, right?

We chose Emirates for our flight – a decision we were initially thrilled about. The business lounge was a dream start to our adventure. Picture us, two travel enthusiasts, nibbling on treats and lounging in luxury, waiting to board our flight to Dubai. Yes, we were those people sitting right at the front of the line, eager and ready!

The flight itself was a bit of a marathon. My gluten-free meal was, well, let’s just say it didn’t quite hit the spot. However, the real adventure began once we landed in Dubai. We had a whopping 9-hour layover, which, according to Emirates’ policy (check out their Dubai Connect service), meant we were entitled to a free hotel and visa. Sounds great, right? Well..

Our ‘short’ stay in Dubai quickly turned into a wild goose chase. Despite our planning, navigating the airport was like being in a maze with no exit in sight. The staff, unfortunately, weren’t as helpful as we hoped, and we were sent back and forth with little to no clear direction.

When we finally reached the Emirates Connect desk (for the second time!), they mentioned a hiccup with our visas but assured us it would be sorted. Fast forward 45 minutes, with no updates and a growing sense of unease, Greg checks back, only to be told it would take another couple of hours. By then, we had about 6 hours left in Dubai and decided it wasn’t worth the stress to leave the airport.

Here’s the kicker – when we asked for our passports back, mine was nowhere to be found! Talk about a heart-stopping moment. Thankfully, Greg’s calm demeanor kept me from full-blown panic mode. After an agonizing wait, they finally located my passport (phew!).

Exhausted, we retreated back to the lounge in Terminal 3, where I discovered the most heavenly massage chairs. I might have hogged them for a good hour and a half (sorry, not sorry – the lounge was practically empty!).

With some rest, a bit of window shopping (yes, I’m still dreaming about that Dior handbag), and some light refreshments, we were ready to continue our journey to the UK.

So, that’s the tale of our Dubai layover. It’s safe to say that Dubai has slipped down our travel wishlist, and the thought of another layover there isn’t exactly thrilling. Emirates, you’ve got some work to do!

Stay tuned for more tales from our UK adventure!

Jess & Greg 🌍✈️