Also in Dubai, one year, during Arab Health Week (The Regional Doctors conference & exhibition) I was being visited by a couple of senior bosses from Europe, quite a few phone calls to a bunch of hotels later demonstrated to me that the town was practically full (at least in terms of remotely affordable, available, hotel rooms) eventually I managed to get a booking in the Fairmont hotel (5 star on the Shk Zayed Road) at significantly higher rates than normal but they would only take the booking on the proviso that I paid the full room rate for both guests stay in full, in advance, at first I thought it was a bit of a cheek, but given the problems that I had getting rooms I decided to pay for the full booking upfront - my god was I glad I did, my 2 guys arrived in the middle of the night, were shown directly to their rooms whilst a queue of about 100 people were waiting in reception trying to get rooms where they had booked & not paid, when I met my people for breakfast the queue in reception was still about 50 people long & it was clear that most had been there all night with every hotel frantically ringing other group hotels trying to get people rooms.

I thought a limerick was coming for a moment there, Willow.

Palace since 19 August 1972. Palace 1 (Tony Taylor) Liverpool 1 (Emlyn Hughes)

Yes, wouldn't have been a good career move to leave the company MD & Ops Director camped in a hotel reception just because I didn't stump up the room rate in advance to ensure they had a bed for the night upon arrival.

Oh go on, then:

There was a young lady from Edenbridge
Who turned Willo's head more than just a smidge
The figure she'd got
Made Willow quite hot
That he had to cool off in the hotel fridge

Palace since 19 August 1972. Palace 1 (Tony Taylor) Liverpool 1 (Emlyn Hughes)

With an Edenbridge lady in tow
Went a scrivening dullard, Willo
Despite his pomp and his ardour
If she'd tried a bit harder
It could've been Michael Portillo

Living down here does have some advantages. At least you can see them cry.

I am convulsed with chortles, faced wreathed in merriment.

Gaining inspiration from the marvellous offerings I made a feeble attempt at a limerick however my cerebral matter is not of sufficient quality to the extent that I could not compose an ending.