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Day 1 - Left Brisbane 9pm arrived in Dubai at 5am(14hr flight) and then is was a very long walk, came to customs and then onto a train to go to luggage collection area. The drive to the hotel was different. They drive on the wrong side of the road to us & they keep on beeping their horns, especially at intersections & for no apparent reason. After a quick shower the adventure began. We hopped on the driverless train (The Metro) and headed to the Dubai Mall. The stations are great and safe, you actually wait behind a glass wall and when the train arrives the doors open in line with the train doors and allows you to board the train - all automatic. Not many seats as this way they can fit more on. An all day pass for the metro costs 16 dirham ($5) - great value. When we got off the air conditioned train we then had another very long walk in an air conditioned closed in walkway with travelators going both ways - maybe roughly 1k before we actually got to the shopping centre. Like everything we had seen to date it kept with the theme of being bigger than big. Here we purchased our tickets (125dirham ea $40) to go up 124 levels of 164 level of the Burg Kalifa - the world's tallest building (829m). Fantastic view from the external viewing platform, extremely hot hot hot. Our glasses continually fog up on leaving the aircon to go outside - so hot. The city seems to be continually hazy at times unable to see the top of some of their fantastic sky scrapers. Back on the metro and headed in the opposite direction to the Mall of the Emirates. Off the metro and another long walk in an airconditioned tunnel before arriving at the shopping centre. The main attraction here is the Snow Skiing slopes and the huge aquarium. Back to the hotel to be ready for pick up at 4.30 to head out to the Desert Safari adventure. About a 40 minute drive to reach the desert and here we met up with about 40 other Land Cruisers (all fitted with internal roll cages) and off we went. Over the sand dunes in true 4wd style for the next 45mins then a short demo and lesson on the Falcon (bird) before heading for a camel ride, picture with the falcon and then dinner desert style. Opportunity presented itself for some pictures of Arabian Gazelles in the wild. Entertainment with belly dancing and free henna tattoo before heading back to the hotel - extremely tired and hot to end a wonderful day.
- comments
Pam Walsh Sounds great. Look forward to visiting there one day. Enjoy your travels.
Colleen Hart Lovely, were shivering here in 3 degrees.
Denise C What a great start to the adventure! Hoped you slept well.