Dubai

Dubai has it all - sea, sand, sun and shopping! It's everything I expected it to be and more!!!!

Dubai Stopover - December 19th-21st 2006
Leaving London Heathrow was a little sad, but I was excited to be returning. The airport experience this time round was a nightmare. They have reduced the luggage limits and hand luggage. You are only allowed 20kg. My luggage weighed in at 37kg - trying to be organised for Chrissy pressies, I shopped before I departed!!! And I was running late!
I had to reduce my luggage or pay an extra 237 pounds... When I heard this I suddenly fell ill!!! The contents in my suit case probably wouldn't even be worth that much cash!!!
Lucky I'm a charmer!!! The lady felt my pain at the desk!!! I had two bottles of wine that I had recieved as gifts - they weighed a few Kg so they were the first to go! Of course I gave them to the lady behind the desk!! Then she only charged me for 3kg over - even though I was still 15kg over the limit!!! How lucky was I to have got her behind the desk and had wine with me!!! Anyway 56 pounds later and I was on my way!!! Got ushered through massive line ups and then sprinted to Gate 19!!! Made it wiuth 5mins to spare - phew!

Admiral Plaza Hotel
Stayed here for a two night stop over. Great place with really friendly staff!!!

Dune Dinner Safari
Decided to go on a desert safari making the most of my two days here in Dubai.
We left at 4pm and headed out of the City to the rolling dunes through the Dubaiu Desert Conservation Reserve, deep into the heart of the desert.

The whole experience was adventure plus!!!



Activities

• Four-wheel driving on the sand dunes - This was so scary at the beginning, but then I settled down and bewgan to enjoy the ride. We were literally sliding sideways down dunes!!! Crazy.....
• Camel riding at the Camel camp - Not as comfortable as I thought!!! Exciting though to be very high up!!
• Watched the sun set and wrote my name in the sand. As I was doing this, these arabic men came cruising up on four-wheel motor bikes... They offered for me to have a go so I did!!! Very fun, but those who know me well, know that I would only putt along sensibly!!!
• Dressed up in traditional costume (not for long though!!)
• We then went to the encampment, where we were greeted with a traditional Arabian welcome. They are such lovely people!! - We relaxed on cushions on the floor and enjoyed some aromatic shisha, had a henna design painted on my hand (only for the women), was entertained by a belly dancer (who drove with us from the beginning of the tour!! She was from romania - very stunning!) and finished with a tradition Arabian feast and listened and even danced to Arabian music ... It was a great night!!!

- Sorry about photo quality: When the sun went down I forgot to use the night vision.... You can get the gist of my adventure though!!!!

Dubai City tour

Background:
Dubai is a city of fascinating contrasts, offering a distinctive blend of old and new. It's where East meets West. In less than a century, under the visionary leadership of Dubai's ruling Al Maktoum family, it has been transformed from a small fishing village into a modern vibrant city full of surprises.

The tour included sights from both the new and the old Dubai. The tour started with a stop at the Jumeira Mosque, one of the landmarks of Dubai, followed by a drive along the Dubai Creek, the lifeline and pulse of the city. We then stopped and walked around old Dubai, and continued to the Al Fahidi Fort, which houses the Dubai Museum. We did a tour of the museum where I learnt a lot about Arabian culture and living. Also learnt about the young history of Dubai and plans for the future!!! From here, we walked through the souks and cross the Creek in an Abrah (water taxi) and continued through the spice souk, with its aromas of exotic spices and the walk to the Gold Souk with its 220 glittering shop windows (I'm not really a gold person though!!!).

Then drove around the new city and saw many of the amazing sights Dubai has to offer.

City Tour sights just to name a few:

• Wafi City
• Karama
• Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House / Heritage and Diving Village
• Deira City Center
• Wonderland /Al Boom Tourist Village
• Indoor Ski slops
  

Beach Tour:

• Deira City Center
• Wafi City
• Jumeirah Beach Park
• Jumeirah Public Beach
  
• Burj Al Arab (7 star hotel - see picture) - shape of a sail!
  
• Souk Madinat Jumeirah
• Le Meridien Mina Seyahi
• Le royal Meridien
• Oasis Beach Hotel
• Hilton Dubai Jumeirah
• Sheraton Beach hotel
• Mall of Emirates
• Mercato Mall
• Jumeirah Mosque