My flight on Emirates to Dubai was pleasant - even in steerage a.k.a. Economy class,  Emirates is one of the nicest airlines. I had hoped to do some sightseeing when I arrived in Dubai at 2 in the afternoon, for my 17 hour layover. I even contacted and arranged for a private local tour guide to meet me at the airport and tour with me for 3 to 4 hours, and then bring me back to airport, to sleep in one of those pod hotels. I really wanted to see the Museum of the Future, even though it is closed ( which I find kinda oddly funny!) because of the interesting architecture see below. The pod places are inside a secure area of the airport that doesn't require a customs check, you actually are kept sequestered, so you go right to next departure gate, without going thru customs at all. Unfortunately, i didn't understand this when making my tour plans and went thru customs and found out i couldn't get back into secured pod area for another 12 hours, because I had to wait that long to go thru customs again. Was very confusing. Tiredness was creeping in, it was 103 degrees warm, and there was a heavy haze all over the city. I had to find new accomodations to get some sleep now outside the airport, so i never got to go on the tour but I did get a decent sleep at a IHG Holiday Inn across the highway from the airport.