Travel Diary: Dubai Part One

Four months ago, my dad and stepmum moved halfway across the world to sunny Dubai. I was desperate to visit after not seeing them in (what felt like) forever so I decided on just a brief month-long visit and here I am in Dubai! Obviously, I couldn’t come all the way over here without blogging about it and here is the first instalment of little Dubai diaries… So get comfy, grab a cuppa and have a read of my adventures or a flick through the millions of photos I’ve taken. 

My initial thoughts about Dubai were: ‘wow everything is super tall’ and ‘oh it is like a proper desert here’.

The first few days I spent settling in, being introduced to people and just driving about to take everything in. On my first day we had at the Observatory  which was 52 floors high and has the most breathtaking view of the Palm and Dubai Marina!

As I had arrived towards the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan, we went for a iftar dinner a few nights after I arrived with some of my dad’s work pals. It was an incredible buffet style dinner which broke the daily fasting during Ramadan. The food was so incredible and I basically stuffed my face with a lot of hummus and falafel. Arriving during Ramadan was actually amazing because I got an insight into Islam that I had never had before.

Fujairah over Eid al-Fitr

At the end of Ramadan, there is a two-day public holiday called Eid so we took a day trip to Fujairah which is another Emirate close to Dubai. Our trip to Fujairah started off with the most crazy experience ever: CAMELS ON THE ROAD. (Here is a video I tweeted of it)

There was such a difference between Dubai and Fujairah because everything isn’t super tall or modern! However, it was so incredible to see a more traditional side of the UAE. The coast was so picturesque, it was like something you’d see on a holiday brochure with perfectly white sand (which feels like stepping on fire!), palm trees everywhere and the most clear blue sea I’ve seen.

The shopping malls

So, you can’t really visit Dubai and not check out the malls that they are so famous for! However, I don’t think you can truly appreciate how insane the malls are until you are there. I mean, you don’t go to Westfield and see an aquarium with sharks or huge ski slope with real penguins in it!

Aquaventure, the Palm

On Friday, my dad and I ventured to a water park, but we were stupid enough to go on the hottest day of the year… I mean 46° is slightly unbearable!

Aquaventure is the coolest water park ever and the rides are so exhilarating! Plus, the entire park is very aesthetically pleasing. I had such a great day shooting about on rides and lazing on the rapids, even if the heat basically killed me! Attached to Aquaventure is The Lost Chambers which is the most incredible aquarium. Throughout the aquarium were comfy cushions on the floor to just chill and watch the fish swim about.

Boat cruise to the Burj Al Arab

I spent my Saturday evening in the coolest possible way! I went on a boat trip with my dad and his work pals. We started in Dubai Marina and cruised up to see the sunset at the Burj Al Arab (which is the super fancy, seven-star, leaf shaped hotel!). Dubai Marina is one of the most breathtaking places at night with all the super tall buildings lit up and sparkling!

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