The travelORRs left southern Africa one week ago – time is already flying! We are starting our 4 month travels in Dubai so we could visit a corner of the Middle East and also visit with some friends. We have had a fabulous time, but I can say for certain that a shopping, dining, and luxury megatropolis plopped in the midst of the desert is not my ideal city. At least not if you are visiting during Dubai’s sweltering summer anyway – our heat index reached 125 F! I miss the color green and the outdoors and am excited for our next stop in Dublin!
WHERE WE STAYED
We are fortunate to have friends in Dubai – one family from our church in Orlando, and one couple with a girl we met while on vacation in Botswana. She is from Swaziland originally but lives in Dubai now. We are splitting our time between both homes – the first was a high-rise apartment with a distant view of the Burg alArab, a building that looks like a sail ship, and the second has a close view of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, and is a few minute stroll from the Dubai Mall, the largest mall in the world. Both apartments have community pools, comfortable beds, and running water (that still excites us).
WHAT WE DID
Dubai is a very easy city to drop loads of cash in, so we have been choosy in our activities. We strolled the Madinat Jumeirah riverside shopping complex while taking in views of the sail ship-inspired Burj alArab, visited the Dubai Mall and viewed the Burj Khalif while watching the amazing fountain show outside, strolled the Dubai Marina, drove out on the Palm (a giant man-made island in the shape of a palm tree), and swam in the Arabian Gulf (which was so warm it felt like a hot tub). We also did Ski Dubai at the Mall of Emirates – snow skiing in a giant stories-high hanger in the middle of the desert is ironic and incredibly fun. Plus, it was good practice for our later trip to the Swiss Alps!
One of my favorite, but most touristy, activities was our desert safari through Saadi Travels. We went dune bashing (zooming up and down giant sand dunes in a 4×4 with, luckily, an expert driver), rode a camel, smoked sheesha (traditional pipe with fun flavors – ours was apple), I got a henna tattoo, and we ate loads of Middle Eastern food while watching a belly dancer and a tanoura (spinning) dancer. The tanoura dancer called me up on the small stage, picked me up like a child, and spun with me until I couldn’t see straight – a cruel thing to do after you’ve fed me a buffet dinner!
My second favorite day was wandering around the old town area. We visited souqs (collections of shops) that sold mounds of gold jewelry, perfumes, and spices, as well as everything else you can imagine. We visited the Heritage House, a museum that shows traditional Aribic architecture and home life, and then took an agra (small boat taxi) across the river. On the ride, I made friends with two lovely robed women by sharing my sunscreen, and they then shared a scarf to cover my burning head. We visited the Dubai Museum on that side of the river, which details Dubai’s rich history and culture, before dragging our sweat-drenched feet back home.
I should also mention that we did GroupOn Dubai and Entertainer Book deals throughout the week – we paid full price for very few items on our activity list. Budget travel made easy!
WHAT WE ATE
My favorite dish was cheap roadside shawarma in the Old Town area – it was 5 dirhams ($1.36) and the meat is carved off a huge spit as you watch. I also tried avocado juice, arabian tea, arabian coffee, figs and chocolate-covered dates for the first time – I loved it all, but I don’t understand how people in a sweltering hot country can drink piping hot beverages.
We also self-catered, cooked meals with our friends, and did quick takeout. Our favorite thing from the amazingly well-stocked grocery store was fresh hummus and local flatbreads from the deli – so cheap and abundant! (There is Burger King here, and this American has gone over 2 years without a Whopper Junior, so I also did the tacky tourist and got crappy food from my own country while traveling abroad. Lame, I know, but sooooo delicious to my homesick tastebuds.)
travelORRS 