Hi, Dubai!

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I left Sydney, Australia in a rush. I went from Sydney to Singapore and then from Singapore to Dubai. The journey took the better part of a day and I landed in Dubai late in the evening on Tuesday. I'd never been to Dubai so I confess I wasn't sure what to expect. I couldn't find a clear picture of what the VISA requirements were for entering the country, either. Most websites I found said that Americans didn't need VISAs, but I couldn't readily find anything that looked like it was from the Dubai government. So, a little nervously, I arrived, queued and talked to the immigration officer. It couldn't have been easier, or more modern. There were smart, face-detecting cameras. It was as if Apple or Tesla had designed an immigration system. I talked to the officer. He didn't ask me about business or tourism. Didn't ask much of anything, really. I don't think he even asked where I was staying. It was so painless! And there I was, in this amazing country that looked like the computer-generated models of futuristic cities in science fiction movies or in advertising but that we hardly expect to experience first hand. It was awesome! What a country! It was modern, clean, bustling and shiny. And yuuuge! Words fail me when I talk about the structures. Skyscrapers everywhere! And, apparently a lot of them use the same contractor! Most of the buildings say EMAAR on them, presumably a common, very prolific developer. Whatever it was, the results spoke for themselves. It was absolutely amazing.

Obviously, when in Dubai, you must (and can scarcely avoid!) see the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building since 2008.

The Burj Khalifa is not the only thing from the future you'll see in Dubai. The place is oozing future-tech.

I spoke to some amazing groups there, as well. First up, the amazing combination of the Dubai DED and Emiratech - a leading technology and management consulting company in the Arab World.

Then, I went and spoke to the world-famous Emirates airlines, routinely ranked among the best airlines in the world. Turns out, they love Pivotal and Spring almost as much as the world loves their airline!

Needless to say, I was even more grateful to be flying Emirates on my way to my next stop, India!

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Josh Long
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