Dubai Love You

Feeling small with the world's tallest building : the Burj Khalifa

        One year ago I was given the opportunity to go to Dubai. I remember calling my Mom and asking if I should try to swing it and she said "Do it. You might not get this chance again."
        I prefer the natural wonders of the world, but when I get the chance to see those that are man-made, I do it. The buildings, the islands, the malls...all nothing short of mind-blowing. It's wild to see what humans are capable of. Dubai is a Muslim region, so people advised me to pack some long sleeve shirts & skirts, as well as a scarf. Covering up isn't easy when it's 100 degrees every day! Don't expect to get any relief in the ocean either; it's on the Persian Gulf so the water is hot and stagnant(Watch out for the jellyfish too!). Luckily, you only have to wear extra clothing when you're in the older parts of the city or when visiting mosques. They suggest this in the malls as well & public displays of affection are also a no-no.
        If you make it to Dubai, do the first two on my list, if nothing else. Dubai is known to be the most expensive city in the world, so be prepared to pay off your credit card for a solid 6 months after you get home!(Worth it) Only do the things that really interest you and save when possible so you can do the once-in-a-lifetime activities.

Desert Safari Tours with Orion Tourism: I list this activity first because it was so memorable and it wasn't all that expensive considering what you get. This tour picks you up at your hotel in the late afternoon and drops you off later that evening. It costed about $54 a person for 5-6 hours of entertainment(and food!). At one point in the drive to the location, the jeep goes off the road and into the abyss of the expansive desert. They call this part "dune bashing" because they do donuts and cruise up, down and around the sand dunes. It's a thrilling ride, to say the least. They'll stop on top of a dune so you can get out and take pictures. This experience took my breath away. Turn in a full circle and all you see is sand. The sun was setting when we were out there, so our pictures came out incredible. I don't typically have a weak stomach, but even I needed a breather once the dune bashing was over! The next stop is a campsite where you'll find drinks, camels, henna painting, a booth with souvenirs for purchase and a barbecue in a circular set-up, with belly dancers and other entertainers on a stage in the middle. Alcoholic beverages were sold separately, but mostly everything else was included in the tour. They provided an international buffet dinner, with plenty of vegetarian options if you're like me!

Views & Reflections from the top

Atmopshere: We had planned on just going to the tourist look-out at the top of the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, until we heard about the world's highest bar up there called Atmosphere. Drinks and food are pricey, but well worth it. Rather than going to the look out for a couple minutes, you can relax for a couple hours and take in the view from Atmosphere. The bar is a full floor of the building; from it you can watch the fountains and see the world islands as well as the palm tree islands(these are *man-made islands* that look like the world map and a palm tree from above.) We went right before the sun set and it was perfect timing. We sipped on a couple fancy cocktails and we ordered some delectable snacks. When the sun went down, we were able to watch the fountain show. Our evening here was surreal and powerful, albeit a little rough on the wallet.

Ski Dubai: I'm an avid skier, so this attraction was a huge draw for me. Even if you don't ski,  this is a ski slope INSIDE OF A MALL in the desert(Mall Of The Emirates). Need I say more? There is a restaurant with an observation window to watch the skiers, in case you don't want to ski or spend the money. If you do ski, it's pretty cool. They suit you up and give you skis and poles. It's not a large slope, but at the top there's even a small terrain park. There's also a lodge at mid-slope where you can get hot chocolate and snacks.
     
         In the same area of the mall as the skiing, they also offer a penguin encounter, which we splurged to do. We paid extra to meet 10-15 penguins. We got to watch them swim, feed them, learn about them, kiss them and we even painted a picture with them!
       I don't remember how much these activities were, but I remember they weren't cheap. It's worth checking out and then deciding what's worth it to you!

     

Sky Dive Dubai: Dubai is probably the most expensive place to jump out of a plane in the world, but the view of the islands and the city is the best there is. I had been sky diving once before this on the coast of Florida, so I was not as nervous or shocked as I was the first time. I was able to really enjoy it this time and take it all in. Thanks for the inspiration, Flo-Rida(his music video "Wild Ones" was one of the reasons we wanted to do this!)
   


     

        If you're going to Dubai and would like some more tips or information, feel free to ask. I'm always happy to help and re-live my trip like I did in this post!

This picture & the desert background on my home page
were both taken during our desert safari tour!