Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Word of the day: إغلاق الأبواب - pron: Al-abua bu-du black - "doors closing". Heard twice at every single metro stop between origin and destination, it's catchy.
Highlight: Seeing in the New Year, with a toast to the many adventures already had, and many more still to come.
Lowlight: Sad camels
Weather: 23 degrees celcius
It's nice not to be wearing thermals, but the dress code doesn't seem to be as stringent as we were told. Rich thinks it's because we're in an area accustomed to tourists. Sure there's been a lot of the traditional Muslim dress, but since being here I've witnessed mini skirts, strapless booby dresses, frilly tutu skirts, above the knee below the armpit numbers I wouldn't be caught dead in. Admittedly the culprits are European but I'm yet to see one single stoning.
Dubai itself is New. An efficient running metro, pristine highways, sparkling sky scrapers stretching and competing for their place in the sun, shimmering man-made waterways shooting fountains of water so high into the air that the thud it makes coming back down echoes through the city. But all the gargantuan sky scrapers seem like they are cursed to a lifetime of second place next to the massive Burj Khalifa, named after the president of the UAE. From it I witnessed one of the most spectacular New Years fire works displays I've ever seen. Overlooking the city 30 floors up (in an apartment Rich's family friends Rosie and Selwyn have so kindly let us borrow for our time in Dubai) corks popped and bubbles poured as the tallest building in the world exploded into a rainbow of lights and colours. It really was wonderful.
Admittedly we are in the CBD so the sparkle can be attributed to being surrounded by new developments, hotels and malls. We did venture past the façade and found what you'd expect in any big city. Run down shops, broken streets, stray cats, faces full of hurry and anguish. We were told by a Bangladeshi driver that life for immigrants here isn't amazing. He said that Emirati locals get all the cushy government jobs, three times the salary, housing perks, flash cars, healthcare and education... while immigrants work long hours in back breaking jobs, living and working in harsh conditions with no benefits, struggling to put food on the table. He said even though he is born here he is still considered an immigrant and the Sheikh only looks after his own. A conversation with an Emirati confirmed it, they're handed jobs, free health care, free housing, free university, food assistance - the government even pays the locals 90,000 dirhams (31,000NZD) to get married. In a population of just over 7 million, where around 1.7 million are local I guess they can afford it. But for 80% of people living here life isn't so sweet.
We found the Spice Souk, a market with exotic spices like cardamom, cinnamon and saffron lingering in the air. Then the shops turned into walkways, the walkways turned into lanes, lanes into streets, streets into blocks, and blocks into a neon lit maze of chaos and junk being bartered off to the next unsuspecting tourist. But that's what you come to the Spice Souk for, to be hounded and haggle down a vendor to a ridiculously cheap price on souvenir junk - a lot of fun with good walking shoes. That I didn't have - but nothing a metro stop at the Dubai mall for "quality" made in China kicks couldn't fix.
The malls are interesting… more so are the food courts. Every fast food outlet in the world, everything you could ever dream of, packed into a small section heaving with huge families pushing and fighting for the next available table. Muslim men in their white gowns, their wives in black gowns covering everything but their eyes; kids and all chowing down on deep fried carb loaded diabetes infusing greasy muck. I'm told 40% of the population is diabetic and I can see why. Rich thinks it's just another way the West is killing the East. But it's all done with finesse; with a man with dust pan or woman with cloth fiercely protecting their corner of the mall. These clean fanatics are everywhere... every corner of every building; shop, toilet, hallway, foyer. Rich says it's the UAE's version of Russian Babushka's on every corner, except in my opinion Babushka's don't clean, they just sit and growl.
Continuing on from my toileting obsession.. in Dubai they're what you'd expect back home. Bowl, seat, paper… stock standard. Except for what looks like a shower hose attached to the wall with a head that sprays at the same intensity as a water blaster. I'm not kidding. Let's just say experimentation meant finding out firsthand just how powerful these taps are; as did the lady next to me when it shot up over the toilet cistern, up the back wall and into the next cubicle. Let it be known the water blaster will forever stay firmly fixed in its holster on the wall.
We went Wadi bashing, which effectively means driving like a lunatic over sand dunes. The aim was to send sand flying over the roof of the 4x4, and make good use of the vehicles roll cage interior until the passengers squeal. An invitation I was happy to accept. It was an adrenalin rush and an experience not to be missed should you venture into the desert. But it paled in comparison to meeting camels face to face. They're magnificent animals. Calm, majestic, ancient, happy to be pet and prodded any which way my little heart desired. Such a pleasant temperament, their big dopey eyes adorned with long flicking eyelashes looking intently at you and wondering why you're looking so intently back at them. Their big droopy bottom lip I imagine would dribble milk back into the bowl if eating cereal. I'm adding a camel to my list of household pets. So far its only companion is a donkey, but there's still the rest of the world to discover.
Another desert day we ended the adventure at a traditional Arabic camp. It was a "Mc Arab" camp of course, tailored for western tastes with flushable loos (complete with water blasters) a two course meal served from silver serving platters and a Henna artist in the corner. But it was an amazing experience. To sit in the middle of the desert, gazing at stars in the Arabian night sky; eating barbequed skewers on low tables watching while a belly dancer and an Egyptian curtain dancer entertained. It was here the opportunity arose to ride the amazing humped animals I'd met the day before. But the chains around their heads, the covers on their mouths, the whips… the groans and protests from the camel who'd been there for hours entertaining humans was heart breaking. It was hard to watch tourist after tourist climb on as it was dragged in a small circle around the sand and back into place for the next person to climb on. They looked desperate, tired, worn and sad. It was all I could to do not tear up, and there was nothing I could do to stop it except not participate. An experience worlds apart from the camels I met at the farm a day earlier, free to roam around and be pet and indulged. I wish there was more I could do.
- comments
Rich & Krissy Off to Everest tomorrow. Wish us luck!
Tracey the best blog yet hon, you made me laugh, cry and eveything in-between. Cant say I'd like to spend my time in Dubai, thank goodness, as you two have already got us talking "russia as a destination' . Good luck, you lucky lucky two, on your Nepal adventures. Is the world ready for THAT little blog?
BigGeek Hey guys, good luck. Luv the Camel photos - they look so cute. Geek - if you see an owl take a photo of you and it :-)
Val Awesome stuff Krissy, Mum introduced us to your blog at dinner last night... I think I am hooked! Good luck in Nepal