"Once upon a time..."

Isn't that how all good stories start?

While there is nothing glamorous about Intercontinental Airport Houston, it is the start of this Arabian adventure. As this is my first trip to the Middle East, I won't let the fact that it's for business dampen my curiosity.

I'm quickly fortifying with a snack and adult beverage prior to the flight, in the hope I'll be able to settle in and slip off to sleep quickly. So far there is no one sitting next to me, which means I can perhaps stretch out a bit since economy class is not known for its overly generous space.

It will be a long first leg of the journey - about 15 hours to be exact - from Houston to Doha, Qatar. After a short 2 hour layover, I'll be back on a flight to travel another 1 hour to Abu Dhabi, UAE where it will be nearly 10 pm.

I hit the ground running Monday morning and will have lost about half a day somewhere along the way.

Where will this adventure take me? Who knows but I'm excited to see.Read more