I woke up, startled by the deafening alarm bell in my hotel room.
Just hours ago, I had landed in Dubai for my new job as a trailer producer in the Middle East Broadcasting Centre, the region's premier television station. I dashed out of my room and joined the other hotel guests clambering down the 14 floors. I remember, when I emerged, how surprised I was that there was such a sharp chill in the air at 5am. It was only 15 deg C, as I found out later.
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