I’m ready to come home now, my family are worried sick. We’re really hoping to make it out of here on Sunday, but we’ve had four flights cancelled already. We’ve said, just get us to any UK airport. The flight situation is frustrating but we know there are thousands of Brits trying to get home from the region.
We went to the Maldives first for my partner’s 30th and then his family met us here in Dubai. We’ve been away nearly three weeks now. My husband is a self-employed scaffolder so he’s had to rearrange work and isn’t getting paid.
My daughter turns four on Monday. All her presents are at home and I’ve just had to cancel her birthday party on Sunday. She’s not really aware what’s going on, we’ve tried to hide it from her, but she is ready to go home, she’s missing her toys.
My colleague Amy Richardson at Aspire Travel is booking the flights on our behalf. I’ve been speaking to her non-stop. I’m just so grateful we booked a package because we’ve met lots of people out here who didn’t, they’re forking out loads of money on hotels and new flights, and have nobody to call for help.
We were originally staying in a pricier property but we’ve moved hotels since Saturday, just two hotels along, so that our accommodation will still be covered by the supplier. Luckily, I booked on a half-board basis, so we’re not paying for much extra food.
I’ve managed to get a load of washing done. It’s really good in Dubai, you can download an app on your phone, they come and collect the clothes, and return them to reception a day later, washed and ironed.
Dubai hotel basements have been quickly kitted out for guests to shelter in © Libby Tucker
Life feels very normal out here, we’re just spending our days by the pool really, with various members of Charlie's family who are still here. His aunt and uncle did make it back to Manchester but there's a few of us still waiting on flights. We’re based in the waterfront area of Jumeirah Beach Residence and everything is open, like the restaurants and shopping malls. The response from the UAE government has been incredible – I wouldn’t want to be stuck anywhere else.
When the crisis kicked off at the weekend, that first night we went to down to hotel basement, and there wasn’t much there at first, but they quickly sourced foldaway beds and blankets. By the second night, the basement was transformed. There were rows of beds, rugs on the floor, and a children’s play area with a TV. It was out of this world.
It is a bit strange, getting alerts on your phone, saying take shelter, but we’re kind of used to it now, and there are signposts directing you to the nearest basement.
A play area in the hotel basement © Libby Tucker
But, despite the alarms, we’re not all confined in a basement waiting to home, and it does feel safe. We haven’t actually had to sleep in a basement since Saturday night.
Today I’ve been on ITV News and on Heart Radio. There has been a fair bit of media interest, which is a bit crazy to be honest. Being on primetime news wasn't on my 2026 bingo card!
First thing I’m going to do when I get home, is go and see my mum. No matter how old you are, you always need your mum.
This hasn't put me off travelling. I've got a holiday booked to Turkey in June and I'm not worried about that. It wouldn't put me off coming back to Dubai either.
As told to Katherine Masters
