Dubai
Finding a city of the future in Dubai
We take an overnight flight from Zambia and arrive in Dubai early. Too early to check into our suite. Too early for much of anything.
But the drive from the airport into the city enthrals us. Dubai may be just a 10-hour flight from Africa, but it might as well be another world.
Modern buildings hug the road. A city of the future stretches out before us.
It was built out of the desert in just 30 years. Every building is more impressive than the last.
We crane our necks as we drive through the streets, missing the wildlife and simple villages of Africa, but amazed by the city that surrounds us.
We arrive at the hotel and get a cup of tea – the most expensive tea any of us has ever had and we know we’re in for a decadent couple of days ahead.
There is nothing to do but embrace the opulence around us and appreciate the next adventure on our itinerary.
We celebrate a special birthday (my big 5-0) with a cocktail overlooking the bay and an Italian meal where we’re seated next to a wall of wine.
The waiters sing ‘Happy Birthday’ and bring out a cake in celebration.
When the morning rolls around we walk across the road and immerse ourselves in the salty ocean that laps at the coast. A body of water so salty that we float effortlessly as we stare up at the bright blue sky.
The beachside pool beckons and provides a slightly cooler relief than the ocean. We sip cocktails in the almost cool chlorinated waters and gape over the day beds with air conditioning units at the ready to cool hot bodies. And once again we marvel at the opulence and sheer indulgence of this playground for the world’s wealthy.
In the afternoon our driver picks us up to take us to the desert, Dubai style.
We leave the city and are soon surrounded by endless sand dunes.
We pass through small towns and alongside amusement centres built for desert adventures.
Eventually we stop at our own adventure playground where quadbikes whizz around a desert track, falcons are shoved in our faces and all kinds of desert delights – from headscarves to sand art – are offered for sale.
We join a cavalcade of cars out into the sand dunes.
The image of the white dunes against the bright blue sky is breathtaking and we follow a line of four-wheel drives along a pre-determined desert track – up and over the dunes.
We stop to watch the sun go down and take photos against an Arabian backdrop.
But our day isn’t over.
The driver takes us to a desert camp where we ride a camel, marvel over an epic moon and watch fire twirlers and belly dancers, all while eating the world’s most disappointing dinner.
Our last day in Dubai is spent exploring the remarkable city.
We drive past the world’s tallest residential building, the world’s most expensive hotel and stop at the world’s largest mall, where an aquarium, an ice-skating rink, a waterfall, a water fountain and a traditional souk sit side-by-side with department chain stores and designer stores.
We call in to the museum of the future and an old-style museum where we’re shown tapestries made from gold thread, jewellery made from gold and beautifully scented essential oils that lure us in and we stop by the old town that overlooks the river and is almost devoid of people but turns out to be our favourite part of Dubai.
Fast Facts
We travelled to Dubai in 2023.
We stayed at an AirBnB on the palm fronds. It was the only thing that was good value in Dubai.
We were here for two nights.
Was it long enough? There is far more to see in Dubai, but it was long enough for us.
Highlights: Dubai has to be seen to be believed, it’s a city that sprung up in the desert in 20 years and looks like a city of the future. The buildings are incredible.
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