Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
We arrived early morning in a very hot Dubai. The sun had already started to bake the Desert City but we couldn't feel it in the very huge and impressive Dubai International Airport. Dubai is out to impressive from the moment you step off the plane. Through passport and customs (where noone else was) our first task was to locate a ATM. Here we hit our first problem - we had left Beverley's cash card with all our spending money on it at home. Lucky we still had Adams and backups so we managed to work out a solution with a quick (expensive) phone call.
With cash for a taxi in hand we headed out to find a taxi. Jumping into a new female driven taxi (the taxi was orientated towards women and the roof was pink and the drivers headscarf was pink to match) we drove out into the baking sun. The driver was very kind and made our journey as comfortable as she could. Heading to the Primer Inn - Beverley had a basic understanding of where it was, due to staying here before.
As we approached the area we spotted the hotel from the highway. We thought it would be easy from then. We spent most of our taxi ride trying to negotiate the Dubai road system, around and area that is still being built, to find the hotel. The poor taxi driver asked many other people but their directions didn't make sense to either her or us. By luck we came across the hotel and paid our lovely taxi driver who we feel won't forget us in a while.
Tired from both the flight and taxi ride we took a nap to recharge our batteries.
Awake and refreshed after lunch time. We headed for a quick dip in the hot pool while we waited for the shuttle service the hotel provides for all guests. The pool water was hot due to the desert sun. Boarding the shuttle we headed to the Dubai Mall for the evening. The sun started to set and we could see the Desert city start to light up. We reach the Dubai Mall with the sun fully set and the night taking hold. But the suns heat still stuck around.
The Dubai Mall was a real eye opener for me but not so much for Beverley as she has seen it before. 3 floors of shops, spread over a huge area. Easy to get lost as we did many times. First of all Beverley took me to see the waterfall with the diving men statues. We then headed to the famous fountains that dance to music to entertain tourist and locals. These sit at the foot of Barj Khalifa the tallest building in the world. Towering up into the night time sky, it shines with sparkling lights. Dubai's use of water to entertain and create lakes and rivers is astonishing in a city built in the Desert. You would think that water would be seen as a very precious entirety. But it feels like another way to impress and show it's wealth.
Back into the mall we went on a hunt for some new footwear for Beverley as she found her sandals hurt her feet and realised that would be the reason she hasn't worn them in such a long time. The mall was full of shops selling the latest fashions and electrical goods. I was very impressed with the indoor ice skating rink and the biggest aquarium I've ever seen. The outside had a viewing glass that was about 3 stories high and around 75m in length. Opposite the aquarium we brought sweets and candy floss from what can only be described as a sweet superstore. We had been looking for it as it was Beverley's strongest memory from her last trip to Dubai.
An easy taxi ride back to the hotel saw us complete our day as the next one started.
Author: Adam Turner
Editor: Beverley Turner
- comments