DUBAI

Another longish walk to security. This time I'm arriving a bit later and there are huge queues at security (backed up both sides past transfer desks and into the main corridor). It took me about 30 minutes to get through - which is much less than I feared when I saw how long the queues were. Back up to the lounge and first call is a shower.

I then caught up on some messages after being offline for a day, while trying to ignore the paint smell from the construction zone just outside the business centre. I noticed that one set of toilets were out of order and another seemed to be closed for cleaning for a very long time (as in hourse). Too bad if you needed to go in a hurry at this busy hour of day in the lounge.

I decided not to eat as I would soon be onboard another flight. Later I would regret this.

After a few hours it was time to board. I left the lounge for the gate which was right in front of the entrance. I was told there was a minor delay and to please wait in the lounge. Back inside I checked how long the delay might be but there were no indications of anything significant.

The hammering & sawing noises and paint smells meant the lounge stay wasn't particularly restful.

The time of scheduled departure came and went and still no boarding announcement. Meanwhile other flights on the departure monitors were boarding, having final calls, closing and disappearing from view.

Time seemed to stop still.