Welcome 2017. It's gotta get better than the start ...

After coming down a bit from the excitement of the fireworks the plan to get home begins. My intention was to just get a train. Seems like 4 million others had the same thought.

It was the first time ever that I thought my safety may have been in jeopardy. So many people all converging onnobe train station. It was like those massive crowds you see at Mecca where people end up stampeding and hundreds get crushed. It was bedlam and loud. The police had no chance of controlling the masses and they even broke through the barricade and took over the freeway.

I decided to head in the opposite direction just to get away from the marauding heaving crowds. I walked in what I thought was the right direction until I can across the Dubai canal. A wonder of modern technology that provides the city with water features. Beautiful but you can't get across it. So the only choice was to walk along it for about half an hour until I could figure out that I was approaching the beach. I found that the street I ended up in was the road directly to Bur Dubai, where I was staying.

This is the canal. Lovely but you can't cross it!!

So I walked and walked keeping a close eye on my map. I then noticed my tablet clock was showing it was 3:00 am. Where did the last 2 hours go? Crap. I knew I had a walk in front of me and I would probably get to the hotel in time to shower and change and go straight to the airport. Bloody hell. So much for a relaxing last few days of my trip. I pounded the footpath and noticed I was probably moving faster than the traffic that was just stopped it was so congested.

I walked and walked and walked. Eventually passing landmarks that I began to recognise. Eventually made it to the neighbourhood. One last corner and there it was. My clock saying 5:45am. Bugger.

I race into reception ask for my room key and a taxi and that I've got a flight to catch at 10am. " But sir it's only 3:00am". My clock had buggered up and I actually had time to have a sleep. Crisis averted.

I looked up on Google maps and I had just walked over 11 kilometres. Great start to the New Year!!!!