Abu Dhabi Day 7 of 7: Arrive at Airport

I fly home tonight at 2.15am. Weather  23°C and warm. No music or photos but free wi fi at the airport.

Skype Jennie and go down to checkout. My taxi driver (from Nepal) of this afternoon has promised to return at 11.30pm and take me to the airport. Suffer the twin traumas of checkout and taxi journey.

Trauma 1 at checkout. In reception at the checkout, instead of returning the unused balance of the 1,000dhs they took on my arrival they tell me I owe them 165dhs! They have not only included the 315dhs I already paid by visa card for a cash withdrawal during the week when the ATM refused both my credit cards, but have also added on an extra nights stay at 500dhs. 

It takes a while, as I worry about my taxi arriving, but is soon all sorted. However, they now offer me the balance of 750dhs in cash! Eventually persuade them to credit it to my visa card and we're done (or I nearly was). For imformation, 750dhs is about £126. Before I go I leave most of the notes I have not used in a sealed envelope as a tip for the guys who run for taxis etc (not a good idea, see below). They get paid peanuts.

Trauma 2, the taxi fare. The taxi driver from Nepal has just arrived as I'm led outside by another guy from Nepal, who insists on carrying my bag. We head for the airport and chat, then pass the Grand Mosque which is lit with a pale blue light at night. I should have stopped for more photos. It's then, as the meter reaches 15dhs, that I look in my wallet and realise that I'd completely forgotten about the taxi fare when I gave the guys at the hotel a large tip. All I have left is 26dhs. 

I worry as the meter passes 20 then 25, 30 then 35, 40 then 45 and stops at 47dhs. Oops! However, the driver is very understanding and waits while I run in to the ATM. It's only when I push in my visa card that I remember what happened in the week, both cards refused. I wait, fingers crossed, and it's accepted, the only drawback being that 100dhs is the minimum withdrawal. Return and pay the driver, include a big tip and then go and wait (and blog) in the departures lounge. No sign of a check-in gate yet.