In the space of just a few hours bumping across the Persian Gulf, I went from Iranian gritty to Dubai glitzy as the dramatic skyline of the United Arab Emirates revealed itself amid a haze of heat and pollution. Inside the catamaran, the sickbags were being handed out – and filled – but I managed to squeeze out onto a small front deck where the warm ocean wind warmed my face, settled my stomach and lifted my spirits. I was on my way again and had made it to the Arabian Peninsula.

Continue reading Total contrast — arriving in the hub of the Middle East →