It was August 6th 2001 as the diminutive pop star was woken by the Emirates Airlines flight attendant to let her know they would soon be landing at Dubai International Airport. Ex Spice Girl, Geri Halliwell was flying back home from Sydney after a promotional tour and she wanted to break the long journey. Her watch showed 5pm
It was her 29th Birthday and she was spending it away from home and her family; but such is the price of fame. But she got a birthday present she will never forget, nor want to. And it all happened in Dubai.
Geri's brain was still full of sleep as she fumbled in her bag for her travel schedule. She would be met by a "personal protection officer" in the 1st class arrivals area and he was in charge of the transfer to the Renaissance Hotel. She was stopping over in Dubai and flying on to Heathrow the following day and would be staying overnight so everything was laid on to look after her until her departure at about 4pm. She popped quickly to the washroom to freshen up before settling back down in her seat for the last ten minutes or so of the long flight.
She looked out of the window at the Gulf and the brown hilly shores of Iran over in the distance whilst her head cleared and she became more aware of what she was doing as her ears popped as the big Airbus started its decent. She had slept very well in 1st class and recalled the days prior to all the fame when she went on holidays with her parents and travelled economy. How people manage to sleep in those seats, she tried not to remember as she enjoyed the relative comfort of the 1st class seat.
Being a well-known celebrity certainly has its drawbacks when travelling in public but she was well sheltered from the throng behind her and the flight attendants had been very protective. Geri was ready to leave as soon as the plane came to a halt next to the futuristic buildings of the new Dubai airport.
As she disembarked, carrying her bag, Geri could feel the searing heat even though there was air-conditioning in the connecting corridor. She hurried along to the top of the short climb into the terminal building where an electric buggy was waiting to rush her through to the 1st class arrivals lounge.
Dressed in a pair of low slung hipster jeans showing her tummy and navel with just a light sleeveless tee-shirt, which was slightly see-through to her bra underneath. She made people stare as this was one pretty petite lady. Her famous panther tattoo in the middle of her back and the sun shaped tattoo across the back of her shoulders were visible to those following behind.
Geri's body has been well photographed since she was a teenager and she enjoyed keeping herself as trim as possible. She'd been offered $10 million to pose nude again which was a bit of a drag as she'd only mentioned the figure of $10m to try and put the magazine people off. She was not going to agree anyway. She had too much else to lose and could make that kind of money in one year if she worked hard enough.
Geri had toyed with the idea of doing a Madonna and producing her own sex book. Madonna had posed nude in every fetish theme she could think of and she'd made over $25m all for herself. Madonna was Geri's idol and she would love to be brave enough to copy her, but she wasn't.
On reaching in the arrivals room, there were very few people about but she could just see the throng of press photographers on the other side of the glass screen flashing away as she appeared. A couple of her fellow passengers asked very nicely if they could take her photo and she happily smiled in that seductive way of hers as she posed for them. They were delighted as she also signed autographs.
After going through a rather rudimentary check of her pass-port and answering the usual questions in immigration she stepped through the doorway into the main airport complex. The press were held back as this huge man in a very smart suit appeared from the throng and flashed his I/D card to the officials and then introduced himself to her as John.
This was her personal protection officer and Geri was immediately taken by his boyish good looks and the sheer size of him. He towered over her 5ft 21ins by more than a foot and she guessed he must have been over 200lbs. He was very fit looking and he certainly caught Geri's attention. She was pleased that he was not the usual big bruiser which they usually provided for her. Just for a change he sounded English rather than American. She guessed he was in his thirties, which proved to be right as he was 33 at the time.
Two local bag couriers took charge of her trolley with her cases (after she'd signed autographs for them) and John strode slowly along with her to the awaiting BMW with its darkened windows. It was nearly 6 o'clock and the light was just starting to fade but the heat hit them as they stepped out into the concourse.
As soon as she got into the back of the car, the biggest bunch of flowers and a bottle of champagne were handed to her by the driver as John opened the door for her, closing it behind her before getting in the front in the front.
Both men then sang a rather out-of-tune rendition of Happy Birthday which nearly made Geri cry. Not from happiness alone but the appalling way the guys sang it. "Ah that was lovely guys. Thank you," she half lied. She was really delighted. "What a lovely gesture," she thought to herself.
As they sped off into the city Geri tapped John on the shoulder and asked, "Was that your idea then John?" He nodded. "I'm a big fan of yours Geri, and when I found out that I was working for you today, I knew it was your birthday and I thought I'd surprise you." Geri stood up and leaned over the back of the seat and kissed him on his cheek. "Thankyou John. That was really thoughtful. You'll have to join me to drink this champers a bit later when I've settled in." "Yes please. I'd love to Geri," he was almost drooling which made Geri shudder a little in a nice way as he was a real hunk.
The Renaissance Hotel externally is not the handsomest hotel in Dubai but it is close to the airport and, like most Dubai hotels; it's 5 stars. Inside it's a superb hotel with a lovely atmosphere made more real by the vegetation hanging over the rails of each floor as they surround the central atrium.
Geri's room was on the top floor and John escorted her from the check-in desk up the lifts to the beautifully furnished room with its en-suite and all the mod-cons of a class hotel. The bell hop delivered all her cases on a trolley and Geri tipped him with the only money she had, which turned out to be 50 Aussie dollars. The man was obviously delighted and Geri was sure, for a change, that he had not a clue who she was.