Venturing into the middle east has always been a point of interest as many disregard this area due to the negative portrayal in the media. I didn’t venture too far but I did manage to go to two of the 7 Emirates that make up the UAE.

Dubai once a quite coastal settlement, now boasts iconic towers that soar to the sky, thrilling theme parks, massive shopping malls, multi-faceted cultural centres and even artificial islands. Although Dubai has a list of achievements it’s the underlying Arabian traditions of hospitality and generosity which makes the Emirate what it is. Being by myself in a Middle Eastern city- I did not once feel unsafe or out of place. People are willing to help and have a good command of the English language. This colourful city is basically populated with other middle eastern nationalities, indians, pakistanis, malaysians and filipinos. Although Dubai’s economy was historically built on the oil industry, the Emirate’s Western-style model of business drives its economy with the main revenues now coming from tourism, aviation, real estate, and financial services.

Accommodation in Dubai is very expensive both as a local and as tourist so you have to be able to come with a decent amount of money to stay or holiday here. Luckily I was fortunate enough to have a close family friend lend me an apartment room for the duration of my stay. This was handy because it was close to the infamous Raffles Hotel and also to the metro line. There are only two metro lines so getting around is very easy.

         

If by yourself the best way to see this Emirate is by opting for the guided tours offered by various companies. It depends what kind of traveler you are as there are a multitude of websites to assist with this. I’m a historical traveller who yearns to learn about the history of places and also to understand what it’d be like as a local living in this city/ country. The website I went through was http://www.getyourguide.com. With this website it gives you the best deal and you can narrow down your searches according to what you like. I decided to do a couple in Dubai as I wanted to self explore too. The two I did were the 4X4 Desert Safari & Hatta village dinner & Historic Merchants Village Tour.

4X4 Desert Safari & Hatta village dinner was the highlight of my trip. Being a bit of an andrenalin junky- the 4×4 adventure in the Big Red Sand dunes was out of this world. The driver picks you up from your hotel and then drives 45 mins north towards the dunes and from then on it’s all twists, turns donuts for a good 30-45mins. It was exhilarating and mind-blowing and it gives you very little time to think! I managed to grab a small video but it’s very hard as we had to hold on the entire time. See the link below, might need to copy and paste it into a new tab.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09s45N4IUYA&feature=youtu.be

      

Then after this we were taken to Hatta village- given our seats for dinner and allowed free time to explore the village. In this time Riccardo, Jessica and myself managed to get some crazy photos in the dessert, go for a camel ride, get dressed up in some traditional gear and also enjoy some henna painting. This was all done by locals residing in this place and was a very memorable experience.

                        

       

After the activities we got to feast on a lovely buffet style banquet dinner and enjoy some of the live music and Tanourah dancing which was beautiful. Around 9pm we were picked up and taken back to our hotels. It was a great day with both adrenaline and culture which was a good balance.

     

 

       

The following day I went on a smaller half day tour so in the morning I was greeted by my cousin sister and her sister’s husband. It was a very special moment as I hadn’t seen her for well over 4 years and my sister’s husband Albert hadn’t seen me since I was 10. It was so nice to catch up and feel like no time had elapsed. They took me to a special Goan (food from Goa, India) restaurant for lunch and it was amazing. I spent another day with my cousin Blanche too who pampered me with a manicure and pedicure. I was really grateful for this and to have had the chance to spend this quality time.

The Merchants Historical tour was really interesting as it took us to the old city of Dubai- which boasts a number of heritage sites and villages. We were first taken to Al Bastakiya which is named after the Bastak region of Iran. Established in 1859 during the rule of Sheikh Hasher, this district is characterised by old traditional houses with large courtyards, tall wind towers and narrow winding lanes. Our tour guide gave us some basic information and then we were left to our own devices for 30 minutes. This was good because on our own we could explore the art cafe, coin museum and other such sights within the vicinity.

          

After this we were taken to the Dubai Museum which is located inside the majestic Al Fahidi Fort which was built in 1787 to guard the landward approach to the city. This museum was unique as it displayed vivid scenes from the creek, traditional Arab houses, desert and marine life and souks and date farms. It’s an easy walk through underground and the life size scenes make this museum engaging and interesting.

         

Soon after we were taken on a beautiful Abra boat ride across to the Creek to the Old Souk Markets which had the most amazing spices and gold one could want. We were informed on how to barter down the prices and also the general price of gold per grams. Dubai souks are symbolic of the commercial roots of the city.

        

Dubai on it’s own has a lot to offer from it’s high rise building to it’s massive malls which serve as an entertainment ground. Dubai Mall itself boasts not only a number of brands from around the world but also has a massive indoor aquarium, sega world and also an entire level dedicated to JUST shoes…shoe district! This place works as people do not need money to enjoy the design and features of the mall but can use it as a place to escape, catch up and chill out. The fountain show at night is a must see sight as the water dances magically according to the song chosen at the time. It’s very easy to get here by the metro on the red line. Remember that this is NOT a normal mall so give yourself a couple of days to explore what this place has to offer. The other big mall is the Mall of Emirates which has an indoor ski area!

            

                       

Apart from self explorations and catch ups in Dubai my last day here was spent admiring the amazing man made Palm Jumeriah island. The Palm Jumeriah is the smallest and the original out of the three islands that were planned to be built. This palm boasts private villas and apartments and stunning hotels that have amazing views. The Atlantis Hotel which is the crowning jewel of the palm rises majestically over the soft white sand and shimmering waters of the Arabian Gulf. The Atlantis can be enjoyed by the public as it has an amazing indoor aquarium and aqua venture park. The other famous place on this island is the Madinat Jumeirah which was built as a tribute to Dubai’s Arabian heritage.

                

I finished this half day venture by going back into Dubai city and going up the Burj Khalifa- most iconic tower in Dubai and the tallest in the world. Rising above 828m and pushing the boundaries of high rise developments, the Burj was inspired by the desert flower, the Hymenicallis. It took only about a minute to reach to the 124th floor which is the observation deck and from there you were given a 360 view of the city. The tower’s interiors are designed keeping in mind it’s iconic global status and also paying tribute to the local culture. After this, I went to see the Burj-Al Arab which is the fanciest hotel in the world with a 7 star rating. Unfortunately the closest i could get was to the entrance by the beach as only VIP, paying guests and staff are allowed in.

                      

         

Abu Dhabi is the capital of the Emirates and also the second most populous state in Abu Dhabi. This city is a bit more conservative than Dubai; where the respected attire for male and female are covered shoulders and clothing below the knees. Unlike Dubai which is quite liberal Abu Dhabi is a bit more traditional. In my time here I got to visit some interesting landmarks- from the Grand Sheikh Zayeed Mosque, the Heritage Village, the Musuem & Ferrari World. The most interesting part of my travels here was the Grand Sheikh Zayeed Mosque. Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who wanted to establish a structure which unites the cultural diversity of Islamic world with the historical and modern values of architecture and art. His final resting place is located on the grounds beside the same mosque. This was a beautiful experience as we were able to go in no matter what sex or religion as long as we were covered head to toe. The interior is made up of cool white marble, gold and NZ wool. This place is visited by many tourists and still a mosque where people come and pray.

                    

             

The other places were interesting and also allowed us to see into the old village, markets and traditions of Abu Dhabi but all in all my highlight had to be this grand monument. Abu Dhabi has a very rich history and the first ever prime minister was very loved by the populous. It was good to have stayed in another Emirate and compare the differences and similarities between Dubai & Abu Dhabi.

           

         

The UAE was a unique experience and although the majority of my time was in Dubai I can safely say that I could go back and do more. I was worried I’d have too much time on my hands but it seemed to have been the contrary. My advice is book in ten days to visit these two places and appreciate not what you think they should offer but what they have to offer. Architecturally they have gone against all odds and built various leaning towers and buildings to be the best in the world. Make sure you take it all in, go with an open mind & snap away!