Stepping off the plane, I had been expecting the blast of heat, glad I'd already taken off my suit jacket, though I knew sweat stains would likely appear within a matter of minutes unless I got myself inside something with air-conditioning. Glancing up, there wasn't a cloud to be seen, nothing but endless blue sky and glorious sunshine.

Following the other passengers towards the terminal, I joined the line for EU passengers, passing through the border control quickly before heading straight to the luggage collection. My small bag appeared after fifteen minutes, walking out through the last-minute duty-free shops before stepping out to where the usual crowds were waiting to...