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Published: April 6th 2010
Jumeirah Beach Hotel
With just a couple of cheap motor craft in the foreground! Well, where to start? Let's set up like Lonely Planet chapters with a twist!
1. The journey and travel around Dubai
Thanks to the lovely Kristen at Darley, Alex and I enjoyed a business class flight to Sydney, followed by a night at the Four Seasons Hotel - with a lovely view from our room overlooking Circular Quay and the harbour. Unfortunately, the 10 minutes of happy snaps which I took was all we had time for. It was 10:30pm and we were bring picked up by a chaffeur at 3:30am!
The Emirates lounge rocked - pre-breakfast consumed whilst waiting for boarding. Ignored the bar - too early. BUT, Alex and I did get into the Moet & Chandon once on board. Ok, so it was 5:40 am - but we were prepared to adjust our watches to Dubai time from the beginning so it was most appropriate.
Enjoyed the in-seat massage chairs, fully reclining seats, good movies and fantastic food and beverages in business class. Highly recommended!
Once in Dubai, quick ride with the chaffeur to the Jumeirah Beach Hotel - aggghhhhhhh, luxury, glass of OJ whilst checking in, some fresh dates and
Burj Al Arab
......... at Sunset. Taken from our room in the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. then a quick orientation of the hotel and our room by the check-in staff. Could seriously get used to this lifestyle.
Some of the other travel was less pleasing. For example, Dubai taxi drivers like travelling very fast and don't mind if that involves texting or changing tracks on their iPods at the same time.
Crossed the Dubai creek on the water taxi and, due to Alex's current role working with transport at Treasury, we also checked out the metro system (trains started running quite recently) and buses - and on both the women and children section is at the front! Great systems, although limited at this stage, and, with petrol at 6c per litre, it is no wonder why!
2. The shopping
Spent our first afternoon in Dubai at the Mall of the Emirates, the second largest mall around, mainly to get a SIM card and cruise the supermarket (still one of my favorite things to do in a foreign country). Also got to see some very bored partners of ex-pats shopping in the upmarket stores.
We also managed a visit to Dubai Mall - the largest in the world (for now).
Burj Al Arab
....in the early morning light In addition to all normal mall facilities, it has an ice rink and an aquarium. It is basically themed with a whole wing dedicated to children's designer clothing - too much for me. It also had the most impressive chocolate shops I have ever seen - seriously looked like jewellery stores from the outside - so well set out and so glamorous.
Back to real life, Alex and I visited the Gold Souk. I went to this last time I was in Dubai and was equally unimpressed this time. Alex and I had a game of finding the most tasteless item on display. There were plenty of contenders. We then went to the Spice Souk - much more my scene - and the Textile Souk - where Alex bought some beautiful green suiting material. Finally, visited the Fish Souk. After almost gagging on the way in (Alex's quote here was 'I feel like I am in the sea lion's cage at the zoo!'), we discovered the best ever fish market. It was so fresh that it didn't smell at all and we wished only that we had a kitchen to take advantage of the range of seafood on offer.
Me yacht
Well, this was my pick from the local marina Next door were equally impressive fruit and vegetables. I highly recommend visiting this spot if you ever get to Dubai.
And what did I buy during my visit? Dates, a camel magnet......and that'll be it! Sorry to those of you who expected a shopping spree!
3. The Arabian desert nights
Alex and I spent 2 nights out on the desert. The first was part of the Darley trip - Arabian Nights. We were bussed out to the middle of nowhere where there was a magnificant amphitheatre with tiered seating so we could all see the arena. I was expecting lions etc (well, it was an amphitheatre!) but instead there was a stage where performers sang (or wailed, depending on your eardrums), danced, and tossed their hair! In addition, the arena held a series of 'stalls' where you could have your name written in Arabic (sadly, mine is just the 'M' - all too hard, my name), pat a camel, hold a peregrine falcon etc. It was a hoot. Dinner was a massive buffet. And drinks.....start laughing now my dear Australian friends, the white wine was from Tahbilk!
The following night, Alex and I went
Bright flowers
......in the hotel grounds. Can anyone name it? dune bashing in a 4WD and then had another buffet dinner in the desert with more performances - but this time with a bit of belly-dancing thrown in for good measure.
Quite exhausting this living it up bit!
4. The horsey bits
The first of two humorous stories associated with our first function - Breakfast with the Stars. Alex and I scoffed down pre-breakfast in the hotel before waiting impatiently for our bus on Wednesday morning. Thankfully, one of the JBH staff was wise to our plight and told us we were 24 hours too early! Oh well, we wandered back to breakfast and enjoyed a relaxing morning!
Round 2 - Alex and I arrived early, 6:30am, for our bus to Meydan on Thursday morning. We did say we were with the Darley group but one of the JBH staff insisted we get on the bus. So we did. That was mistake number 1. Mistake number 2 was me not having plugged the Darley contact numbers into my phone! Oh well, surely we would
View from JBH back to the Dubai proper
Looking back to Dubai city from our hotel - see Burj Khalifa if you look carefully be fine meeting up with them at our table at Meydan? Nope - no allocated seating! To cut this long story short, we managed to get the concierge at JBH to break into our room and fetch the Darley numbers, then called Ajay. In the meantime, we met a lovely couple from Brisbane and ate breakfast, so it wasn't all bad!
Did not see too many horses working, sad to say, but did see Francesca Cumani and Mick Kinnane interviewed and also got a good look at the Meydan track and facilities. Saturday night was the big night for the course.
After breakfast, our Darley group of Alex, me, Pam and Ern (Sydney), Rolando (USA), Sabina and Peter (Ireland), Philip (Sydney) and another couple (also from Sydney), together with Ajay, Joe, and Tanya from Darley and others headed off to the Zabeel stables. What an experience. I have been to some lovely stables in Australia but this was something else and right smack-bang in the middle of the city. The was a 100m horse pool, great treadmill set up
Camel parade
No matter where I go, an animal parade follows. In Dubai, it was not cows, but camels everywhere! and A SPA!
The only other horsey event was the big one - the 2010 Dubai World Cup. One interesting fact about this meeting - it is the richest race and the richest meeting in the world but there is no betting! Of course, that didn't stop me losing money, I just rang home and got Dad to put my bets on at the TAB for me! Oh well, I continue to gather more evidence that professional punting is not likely to be a future career move!
The Darley group were in a private suite in the grandstand - sensational. Great food, great champagne and wine, and I finished off with a 12yo Glenmorangie - just to get me ready for my upcoming venture to Scotland, of course!
Meydan has 2 tracks - turf (as we do in Australia) - and an all weather track - dirt-like. The Aussie sprinting contingent of 'All Silent' and 'Eagle Falls' (both unplaced, btw) raced on the turf and left this foreign surface to the rest of the world.
The first race was for pure bred Arabian horses only - most unusual. And the main race was last on the
Lifesaving practice
Early morning drills on the beach. I have never felt safer than I did at this private beach. 4-5 lifesavers along the 200m patrolled beach plus one in the water on a board! card and won by a Brazilian horse - great outcome.
The after-race show was awesome, especially the fireworks, followed by a 1 hour performance by none other than Sir Elton John. Not a bad way to end the night!
There would definitely have been a few sore heads the following morning from those in our suite but not Alex and me! We headed to the 24th floor of the JBH for a final and celebratory drink for a great trip! I don't care to mention the cost of my piccilo of french champagne - suffice to say it was the most expensive glass of liquid I have ever consumed - but it was worth it - what a great outlook!
5. The people
Finally, the most important part of travelling - the people you meet.
Alex and I had lunch and dinner with some friends of hers, Ep (Estonian) and Martin (Irish), formerly of Melbourne, but currently 3-year residents of Dubai. They gave a great insight to life and work in Dubai and also were responsible for ensuring we saw the fountain show at the Dubai Mall. Thank you both.
Our group
Gold Souk
Alex outside one of the dazzling stores! - the Darley staff, including Emma, and our fellow prize recipients from around the world - they were great. In the wonderful 21st century, we will be able to keep in contact electronically and I am hoping to at least catch up with Peter Kelly (Ireland) at Newmarket in mid-April. I won't be surprised if there are other familiar faces there too!
Finally, thanks to Alex for being a great travel buddy.
6. Farewell
Last time I left Dubai, I described it as the strangest/whackiest country I had visited. I have to say it retains that mantle. The place is like Disneyland - all sweetness and light with plenty of gloss - but scratch too far under the surface and that is not the case. If you feel inclined, and can put up with a little propaganda - check out this article from Australia's 'Foreign Correspondent' program http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2009/s2841143.htm
Anyway, I certainly enjoyed this luxury trip of a lifetime - plenty of 'firsts' for me including the business class long haul flight and being present at the first Dubai World Cup meeting at Meydan. What a buzz!
Early Sunday morning......off to Aberdeen, Scotland via
Dubai Creek 1
Very busy area - taken from the balcony of the very tiny Dubai museum! an overnight stay in London (thanks to the BA strike action) for the next part of this holiday adventure!
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Colleen McKay
non-member comment
Wow!! Absolutely fantastic
Hi Merryn, just loved your blog of the trip so far. The way you write, you can honestly hear you speaking. It sounded as though it was absolutely out of this world. Good on you, you deserve every minute of it. I think the Scotland trip will be slightly different, no make that totally different. Your trip is one contrast to the other. Hot dessert, sheiks, oppulent life to cold, misty, history, whisky etc. etc. Have a blast and above all stay safe yourself. I look forward to the next chapter of your travels.