Well, the journey has begun. I am writing to you from my hotel room in Dubai, courtesy of Emirates. Because my flight to Melbourne does not leave until the morning, Emirates has put me up in a hotel with all meals included. Let’s see Air Canada do that!  Being the travel fanatic that I am, I have flown countless airlines in my lifetime. None stands out in my mind more than Emirates. Flying economy on an Emirates flight is like flying business class on other airlines. When you take your seat, you are treated to a welcome package and a menu, outlining your meal choices. The meals are obviously not like eating in a chic Paris Bistro, but they were tasty and filling. They also followed the meals with a fresh fruit basket and a selection of chocolate bars. A nice touch, but for a chocolate fanatic like me, two Aero bars and a Coffee Crisp after every meal is not something I like to do often!  Flying on the A380 is a treat in itself. This massive airliner carries almost 500 people into the air. I walked the perimeter of the plane and it seemed like it went on forever. It is amazing that something this big can even get off the ground. It is the equivalent of a flying office building.  Flying with Emirates obviously has me spoiled now. Every time I have to use another Airline, such as Air Canada, it seems sub standard. The food Air Canada serves is what you would see being served in a bad prison movie and it is available to you for the price of an entry level BMW. It is hard to believe how airlines such as Air Canada can stay competitive on an international level with the likes of Emirates and other world class airlines.  Having just started my journey, I have already captured some nice work. I have vowed to capture the beauty of everything I encounter, even if it is just the inside of an airport terminal. It is only the first day and I have already gone shutter happy!