Its always that last moment when things start popping into your head. Its late into the night and I’m still checking what items I haven’t packed. I know that I’m forgetting something, and I won’t know what it is until I need it.
Check List:

• Passport – (Visas Checked)
• Credit Cards
• US/UK chips
• Ticket
• Magazines
• Camera
• Lenses
• Camera Charger
• Phone Charger
• Laptop
• Anime
• Moleskin
• External HD
• iPod Touch/Charger
• Cash
• Somebody to Pick Me Up

And I usually have a process when I pack, since I’m going on a well deserved extended vacation I’m packing two bags. And splitting up all the essentials into two different bags, just in case one bag gets there a day later then the other one. That is one of the main reasons why work has been so damn hectic over the past couple of weeks, even though I am only taking about two weeks off, I’m not really going to get away from work.

It really is a story every time I go on Kuwait Airways. This time around I really didn’t a choice in the matter, it was due to the availabiliity of flights and timing with my meetings.

The Lounge
I haven’t used to the Lounge for Kuwait Airways before since I try to avoid taking this airline. Surprisingly the lounge is large and comfortable, big leather seats and the food seemed good. The wireless connection was very strong, and its the first time I see something good from Kuwait Airways. The only problem was that the staff were anouncing the flights wrong, and so I wasn’t being updated on my flight.

The Flight
It said gate 23 on my ticket, but turned out to be gate 22 which means you have to take a bus to the plane. There was nobody to organize the bus ride so the driver came and told us to get in, it is hot as hell outside and the A/C wasn’t working on the bus. We waited about 15 minutes for other people for no reason, it was ridiculous.

We got to the plane, it was an Airbus A320, I really don’t like those planes because of their configuration for any airline. When I walked in, it reminded me of 1988 and I don’t it was upgraded since then. I sat down in what was supposedly in business class and the seats were manual, I didn’t know their were still manual seats in these planes. As things progressed I had an assumption of the amount of time needed before take off. We were on the plane by 11:15 pm, the plane didn’t take off until 12:05 pm which cut things very close for the meeting. The worst part was the plane smelt like stale food throughout the flight, that was just disgusting. When the plane took off it made the weirdest noises and you never know when the plane is going to fall apart.

Got up around 6:30 am, got to work around 7:30 am. I had a few reports and emails to finish up before taking off to the airport. I had the 10:45 am Kuwait Airways flight to Dubai, I didn’t have any luggage to check in, I just had my brief case with me. Left work around 9:50 am, got to the airport by 10:15 am to find the flight had been delayed to 11:15 am which worked fine for me. As for the flight details I will be discussing that in another point.

The meeting was starting around 3:00 pm and I finished around 7:00 pm Dubai time. My flight was at 8:35 pm on Emirates, so I was flying to the airport. I had no choice in the matter, the next flight to Kuwait was around 1:35 am which is nuts. Luckily for me the driver took a back way to the airport which was a first time for me, we pass three or four very large round abouts and I got to the airport by 7:40 pm. If I took Sheikh Zayed road as the usual route then I wouldn’t have made the plane due to the rush hour traffic. Got home around 9:40 pm, and hungry as hell didn’t have a chance to eat anything all day and the airplane food wasn’t that appetizing.

I really do hate these one day flights, got a lot of work done but still really tiring.

Forget all the other copy cats, this is the original, Coldstone, I loved going to the Coldstone in the Bay Area. As soon as I saw it I wanted to try the one thing I always had after a long day in the lab. Strawberry ice cream with fresh strawberries, it sounds simple but when they make it, its just a world of a difference.

There are a lot of toppings, and I know some places have already copied the concept, but I couldn’t resist it. Just before boarding the plan, I got a small portion and put it in a medium cup so that it doesn’t spill. I Can never get enough of ice cream.

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This the usual scene at Mall of the Emirates main entrance, two rows of cars parked and one lane left for cars to move in. There are a lot of nice customized cars, and they belong to certain people, you can tell by the license plates of these cars. It was also doesn’t help that its very humid in Dubai and they are saying it hasn’t even peaked yet with the humidity.

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It was a hectic weekend to say the least, I did have some fun but you know when the timing of the trip was a bit off. There was not time to breath always running around, and I had to answer some work emails to get things done. It was a real run around, and I had to take some friends on the tour, it was fun since I got to do something different. When I landed it was nice being back in Kuwait even though it was hot as hell.

Going with a friend for two days to Dubai to finish up a few things, it is a decent break but I really don’t feel like traveling. When you have been postponing something for sometime now, and then it just comes up that you have to take care of it. Too bad I have already seen all the movies that are currently in the theaters, so going to check out a few things while we are there. The thing its really humid at this time in Dubai, but at least the city isn’t too packed, I’m hoping it isn’t. And just before the flight getting a bite to eat at Pizza Express for lunch.

Its always one of the fun the places to walk around it but you really don’t know where it starts and where it ends. I always want to jump in the waist level water of theirs were the boats keep going back and forth. I have an idea of where things are but I really don’t know how to navigate the whole place. I do like the architecture even though it doesn’t feel authentic. But I really like how they laid out the shops and it feels like a bit of maze, there are some very good restaurants that need reservations and a few normal places where you can stop by for a quick bite.

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Now this is a very interesting sight, this developed from an idea in the Industrial age around the 1800s. Where they wanted to make an undersea telescope of some sort from London to New York. And now in this modern age, an artist took this interpretation and made it true with modern technology, but instead of a tunnel, it is connected through fiber optic cabling with a screen to see the other side, it is real time and you can see people walking by or looking into it. The piece itself is a work of art and the technical idea is very fun.

Link: TheTelectroscope

What can be said about Kuwait Airways that hasn’t already been said. They have an abysmal record for customer service and I doubt its going to improve any time soon. There is a lot that can be said for Kuwait Airways, but I’m going to break it down by flights just to give people an idea of what happens on a Kuwait Airways flight.

KA to Dubai:

• The plane was about 85% full, but in economy there were a few empty seats. We were six guys and had a full row to ourselves which made things a bit easier.
• They loaded us into the planes but A/C wasn’t really working so it was getting hot and damp in the plane.
• The seats need to be reupholstered, out flight had no screens on the way to Dubai which is odd for a plane in 2008.
• They served us food which looked like fish but was really chicken.
• We asked for water the first time they passed by, she said “ok” and didn’t come back for 20 minutes.
• We asked for water again, and then again, nothing, they just said yes and passed by.
• 45 minutes later still no water and we were pretty much almost to Dubai.
• The staff didn’t give a damn about the people they were either rude or indifferent towards everyone in economy.
• The seats are relatively tight, it wasn’t comfortable at all, and to recline the seat there are strange buttons
• The A/C was barely working on a plane that is at full altitude, they might as well have opened a door to let some cool air in at that height and speed.
• The plane was 45 minutes late

KA to Kuwait:

• I’m going to start off with the plane being 1.5 hours late.
• A fight almost broke out in the bank from three drunk Kuwaitis who were rude to the stewardess and the whole crew were in the back of the plane. It took them over 45 minutes to get them off the plane. That was rather entertaining for keeping us delayed, but in reality it was originally delayed but taking the passengers bags of the plane was taking some time as well.
• There was a level of excitement on the plane at this point.
• There were screens on this plane but I think the screen on my Sony Ericsson is bigger then the ones they had on the plane. Upgrading their equipment is not going to happen any time soon.
• The stewardess was very rude to an Indian gentlemen, and it was really getting on my nerves, he was very polite and asking to move he seat around to sit next to his wife and daughter, but she was acting like a complete bitch which really pissed me off. Again some of them were very indifferent to our requests.
• I decided to sleep most of the plane ride to not waste any time being awake on this plane.
• The landing was decent but the staff is lacking any level of customer service, the plane feels like its falling apart, and they are habitually late.
• If you can, really do avoid flying Kuwait Airways.