Day 548: World Cup Pool Party

02.07.10:

So I rolled back into Dubai for the third time of asking. After a delightful chat with the Filipino women who worked in the Burger King by the Saptco bus station (she told me which bits to avoid in The Philippines) I jumped in a cab and headed off to see me auld mucka Damien.

DAMO!!!!!!!

As you may recall, Friday 2nd July 2010 was the day of the jaw-dropping Brazil-Germany and the heart-breaking Uruguay-Ghana matches, so feeling the atmos in the air, Damo and I slinked off to the Atlantis Resort on the Palm thingy (an artificial peninsular built to look like a cartoon drawing on a palm tree when viewed from Google Earth – wonderfully nutty in it’s conceit) for a World Cup Pool Party.

And yes, it was as awesome as it sounds!!

Bikinis, Booze, Brazil – over one thousand people from every single corner of the planet. Damo’s mates did their best to get me so drunk I could barely see. A group of lads recognised me off the telly (Nat Geo Adventure have been hammering the Graham’s World trailers like you wouldn’t believe) and came over for a chat to see how the journey was going. Yey! Fame at last! When you start getting recognised by random people it’s time to buck up your ideas, level up and fly straight. I mean, I guess I’m kinda like a worldwide ambassador for National Geographic now – and Lonely Planet and even the BBC. I can no longer revel in the joy of complete anonymity and must never again make a fool of myself in public.

My first fans!

Ahahahaha – sod that. I’ll start being sensible tomorrow.

Maybe 😉

Next Month (Yes, This Is The Last Entry For July)  >>>

Graham Hughes

Graham Hughes is a British adventurer, presenter, filmmaker and author. He is the only person to have travelled to every country in the world without flying. From 2014 to 2017 he lived off-grid on a private island that he won in a game show, before returning to the UK to campaign for a better future for the generations to come.

This Post Has 4 Comments

  1. Janine

    Brazil took a beating from Holland skatie 😉

  2. Derek Dias

    oy mate, no updates in a month? still holed up in UAE trying to sort out india and the rest? whats the deal? your loyal followers await!

  3. Nick Rice

    Graham mate,

    I sent you a message about ten minutes ago to your contacts page… I’m a fellow traveller, writer and northern countryman… and I’m gonna do a feature on you in Open Skies, ironically, an inflight magazine… the emirates one called Open Skies..which I edit… but more important than an interview is the fact I’m having a right big night tonight with plenty of birds, booze and bedevilment… so giz a bell if you’re not India bound… nick, 050 28 373 29

    Peas

  4. Allan

    Hi there..I gathered you bumped into my son Barry Who works for the french shipping lin..Well the agent….He sent a photo of you shaking hands with him at jebel Ali Port…Travel well and stay safe ….

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