My trip started in Trondheim with showers of snow which had been around for a few days. And still are!
Wideroe`s flight 354 from Trondheim to Copenhagen
Wideroe took me to Copenhagen airport, Kastrup, in short of two hours where I landed around 2:30 p.m. A go-around was made due to a departing aircraft still on the runway which gave us a nice view of the surrounding areas of Kastrup.
Kastrup airport
My flight to Dubai was not leaving until 09:05 p.m. so I decided after a meal at Prego located in Terminal 3, to spend some time in Copenhagen. I took the train from the airport to Copenhagen. In ten minutes you are downtown and it costs 25 danish kroner or $5 if I remember correctly.
After having spent some time in Copenhagen I went back to the airport where I took in on the Hilton Copenhagen airport hotel for a few hours to get a shower and change my clothes. It is nice to have the opportunity to book a room for a few hours to have some rest and get freshed up.
Scandinavian Airlines`s SK961 waiting at gate 11 at Kastrup
The flight from Copenhagen to Dubai took 5 hours and 42 minutes because we had some tailwind helping us. Scheduled time was 6 hours and 25 minutes. Even with the tailwind the flight was as smooth as ever and I was able to get a few hours sleep before breakfast was served.
I arrived Dubai airport at 06.10 a.m. local time. Next step was to take a taxi from Dubai airport to Abu Dhabi. The drive is around 1 hours and 30 minutes depending on traffic. And traffic was medium in my opinion. You can expect to pay around 250 dirhams which is around $70. That is relatively cheap considering the distance (160 km). I grabbed one just outside the terminal.
I recommend taxi but if you choose to rent a car you must expect the traffic to be a bit intimidating at first. Very aggressive driving and we almost collided with a car on the highway doing 120 km/h plus. It looked like the car to our right in front of us suddenly lost control and span round. My driver stepped on the brakes and avoided it narrowly. My first encounter with the UAE traffic and I am glad I was in a taxi with an experienced driver.
With six lanes in each direction there are plenty of drivers with a heavy foot. Stay away from the left lane while the rightmost are used by lorries, trucks and buses. With the accident rates increasing lately the number of radars along the Dubai/Abu Dhabi-highway are increasing. While the speed limit is 120 km/h, you can do 140 km/h before the radar catches you. The speedometer in the cars will also give the driver an alert if the car goes faster than 120 km/h. Be careful though, those areas without radar seemed to have unlimited speeds – for some. And they have tendency to not use the turn signal.
Remember that no taxi accepts any cards – only cash. If you forget it, no problem, they will make a stop at any gas station or similar for you to make a cash withdrawal.
Burj Khalifa, tallest man-made structure ever built
My return from Abu Dhabi to Dubai airport was with a car service, a bit more exclusive than the normal taxi. The driver was very friendly and we developed a small friendship on the way. He was kind enough to give me the scenic route in Dubai showing me the most famous buildings and sights. The price was fixed in advance and cost 400 dirhams / $108 but was well worth it. Nice car and friendly driver!
Downtown Dubai
If you want a an efficient way to explore Dubai, the Dubai Metro is highly recommended. It was inaugurated in 2009 and is the world’s longest automated driverless train system and the first Metro in the Gulf region.
My return went from Dubai with a stop in Bahrain and then London Heathrow. The flight was operated by Gulf Air and departed 11:25 p.m. The check-in opens three hours before the flight. Inside the airport there are as you would expect lots of various outlets and taxfree shops.
At Dubai airport I took the opportunity to use the shower and bath with the G-Force Health Club located after check-in at the second floor in conjunction with the Dubai International Hotel. If you have a few hours it is well worth the money. I spent 45 dirhams / $12 to use the bath and shower. You could also do a work-out at their gym.
- Dubai International airport
Dubai International airport
The transfer in Bahrain was only just over an hour, so all I could do was stand in line for another security check and then a check-in line for a new boarding pass. Then we were good to go again. While the flight over from Dubai to Bahrain was 1 hour, the flight up to London was just over 7 hours. It was a smooth ride once again. I arrived at Terminal 4 at 6:30 a.m. and had to take the Heathrow Express train from Terminal 4 to Terminal 3 where my flight to Oslo went from at 10:20 a.m.
Heathrow Express between the different Terminals
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