So guess which section Alex decided to hand me the shovel for a go? Yep, the steepest toughest part. But he gave it to me enough in advance that I could shovel a coal bank in the fire, as recommended and just maintain it as we went up. It seems I succeeded as we got to the top with lots of steam and water in the boiler and both Alex and Dave said I'd done well - admittedly if Alex hadn't had told me how to build the fire I would have been sunk.
Finally - am I excited? I am a bit scared at diving into the unknown of the UAE, my first real experience of a "foreign" country and a bit weary of the big flight ahead.. But I am finding the excitement growing as the clock begins to tick on, which is not before time!
So, let the next stage of the adventure begin!