Flying in style

Jolyon fforbes may have crossed over to the dreaded side a couple of years back, quitting hackdom for PR, but he has not forgotten the dreary grind suffered by smudgers, snappers and shooters of the Dubai press corps.

Witness today's media event: breakfast at the Dubai Creek Golf Club (pastries 5/10 - unfresh, and gelatine coated), helicopter flight to Al Maha desert resort, lunch (9/10 - scallops both huge and succulent; home-made caramel and chocolate fudge sauces), Jeep tour of desert and nature reserve, and chopper back to Dubai.

Plus one of the most substantial media goodie bags ever received. Binoculars, t-shirt, sun-cream, water, and a very good and usefully shaped hat, nothing at all related to a baseball abomination. (Take heed American software companies: Your vile peaky headware is no more appreciated than your current goverment's imperialist aggression).

Also one of those strange beige waistcoasts so beloved of Indian camera people here. They probably won't like this one though, as it doesn't refer to Dubai Shopping Festival or Dubai Summer Shite on the back.

All in all, a great if blastingly hot day, and some wonderful filming.