Mays Dubai report

“You are flying business class. It’s an evening flight, so you’ll be well-rested upon arrival.” That’s a nice idea from PR tycoon Daphne Knijpinga who invites us for the annual Coty trip where our main task is to spread (with Lancaster) and roll and spread and roll. In practice, it works a bit differently.

Put me in the business class of Emirates and the chance that I will immediately obediently unfold my blanket to take a nap is as small as Melania Trump having her lip fillers removed. Negligible, really. I mean: I’m sitting with my industry friends on the plane, that plane has a bar (I repeat: a BAR) and there are a thousand great movies on the menu. And they have white Burgundy. We’ll sleep later. So I indulged in the tastiest nuts and buttery soft white Burgundy and talked about life and love with Esther Goedegebuure from JAN and Anke de Jong from Glamour. Then Esther (my film and book prompter) tipped me A Beautiful Boy (With HELEN! From The Affair! Another friend on board then) which I watched until my eyes could no longer fight gravity. Thanks to the stewardess who cleared my wine glass and pulled my blanket over me again. When I woke up, it was just in time to finish the movie (so beautiful that I was crying on the plane in the morning) and we headed into this Arabian Emirate.

The airport so clean that it sparkled, a customs officer in a traditional dishdasha and a stamp in my passport. I love it.

As we drive towards Nikki Beach Club & Spa where we will fulfill our heavy task in the coming days, it starts to rain. Even that seems scripted. Keeping us a bit grounded seems to me, given the luxury to the max, not a bad idea at all.

More tomorrow, May.