Dubai Delights - February 2014

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Back in November 2013, i was already planning for first holiday of 2014 and Dubai came up as something feasible - both from time and cost standpoint. I searched more and made up my mind that its the Oasis in Gulf that we will visit in Feb, just after their DSF event in Jan.Just as we were abt to book logistcs, we felt like checking with few close relatives and we did with both Kaka's and to our delight, Prakash kaka agreed to join us.I booked logistics. Air fare specially b'use i was booking 2 months in advance turn out to be really cheap..approx INR 11k per person return from Mumbai on Indigo direct flight.The savings that we made there, we invested in our stay by booking a really good hotel apartments near to tourist places on Shaikh Zayad Road..Chelsea Tower just outside Financial Center station on Dubai metro.Post these logistics booking, rest of the days till date of travel as usual spent in researching what to see during our 6 days stay there.

ON Feb 13th Thursday we departed from Mumbai. Kaka & Kaki met us directly at the new T2 terminal.Flight was around 6 pm with arrival in Dubai around 9.15 pm leaving us in good time to check in ho tel and sleep.T2 was just opened few days back so we got the experience the brand new features and facility while it was still new.Its definitely meets and v close international standards.In a space starved Mumbai airport, we kept wondering where the all this space came from ?? Flight to Dubai was smooth. On both the legs i have booked 2 meals to be shared across 5 of us and it worked nicely keeping our stomach's relatively full till we reach hotel.Like Mumbai airport is not to far from the city in Dubai and infrastructure wise new Dubai can compete with any international city. They have a airport express which we used to reach Financial Center station which was just outside our hotel.and this turns out to be one of best features of hotel selection making our commute in next 6 days relatvely easy!Chelsea Tower is a medium size hotel group. Our hotel was 50+ storey. At the time of check inn i insisted on room facing the famous Burj Khalifa and may be b'use we have a booked a 2BHK, i got my wish fulfilled.We got the room on 23rd floor with 1 of the bedroom a cornor room with direct view of Shaikh Zayad road and Burj Khalifa is background.That night we simply unwound and went to sleep.

Next day was Friday and we gathered from our friends in Dubai that the local gold markets called as "Souks" will open late hence we changed our plans for the day and decided to spend the whole day in Dubai Mall-One of the biggest malls in Dubai and home to Burj Khalifa plus Dancing fountains and Dubai Acuarium and much more.It was hardly 5-7 mins taxi drive from Chelsea Tower.Costs us around 10 AED.With Free Wi FI there we made attempts to inform our close ones back home & Amey of our safe arrival, most of it worked...thanks to Whats App!We got some CCY conversion there and some small shopping at Japanese Daiso shop.Nam was happiest!!and from there started moving towards Dubai acquarium..our first halt for the day.Sai enjoyed most with whats marketed as biggest glass window for a acuarium in the world and we did as well.It was relaxing to wacth those marine creatures swim as if its a sea out there.This place takes easily 2 hrs of your time to enjoy everything at leisure.By the time we were out from there, we started feeling hungry..It was lunch time by IST then around 3 pm. Being a mall, finding food was not difficult.Whats more, we got a Indian place. So lunch that day was nice!POst lunch, it was strolling around the mall to experience the other attractions.Space is no constraint there. No wonder they can accomodate a sculpture called "Waterfall" inside the mall.It almost 1000-1200 feet wide wall from which water flows down from top at a height of 8-10 storey building and they have these steel statues of men put up in such a way that it looks like they are diving from top of the fall in the water below.Great piece of engineering and art!We couldnt help but spend some time there enjoying the view.Where else will you see a indoor waterfall of this size !!Before leaving from Mumbai on common advice, i have booked a 630 pm slot at "the Top" of Burj Khalifa.Getting a ticket to their observatory over the counter w/o advance booking is almost impossible and even if you get it, it cost 4 times more than normal ticket.Our planning paid off and we manage to sit around and relax in nearby cafes waiting for our turn to go up, to whats currently highest observatory in the whole world at some 125th floor.TAgged as fastest in the world, the elevator it takes you to 125th floor in some 40 odd seconds...amazing!!Observatory however failed to live upto my expectations however.Only 1 side of the floor which has best views is the observatory is which as a result gets too crowded especially around sun set and post that as there usually the best time to be on top.One can see the dancing fountain show from there which is a experience in itself. We waited for that, saw it and then moved on.After reaching the base, i wanted to see the blend of water,music and lights again so we waited in the promanade, saw another show and then left.However we made a error of judgement. We thought the train station is a small walk and will be cheaper compared to taxi and it turns out to be opposite on both the sides.It took us close to 15 mins to reach the station and tickets for all cost us almost 1.5 times what taxi could have cost!!But it is what it is!!The mood after reaching home changed howwver it was eve of Nam's bday on Feb 14th. I kept telling her that Dubai visit with Kaka/Kaki was her bday present!!We blowed ballons, small cake cutting..Simple things gives you more joy many time..this moment was one of it!!

Vishal Kodvilkar, my NM College mate has settled down in Dubai since last 4-5 years.I have talked to him before leaving Mumbai and he said he will make himself available while we are there. He stood by his word. Next day on Saturday, we met him at Burjuman station and spent rest of the day with him...a Dubai local now i must say!First he took us to the Gold Souks..Famous gold market of Dubai.Having a local to shop value always helps and he did exactly that.Helped both the ladies buy some good quality stuff at affordable prices before we left for his place.He stays in Area called "Al Karama" which is mostly occupied by Indians.Obviously lot of Indian joints. We ate lunch in one of the South Indian joints and food was good too.Vishal was courtious enough to take us to his home post that. we got refreshed, had tea.It was nice meeting his wife who has just delivered a baby and whats more his elder daughter "Jui" was with us and Sai thruout the day.That evening he took us to this place called "Global Vllage" in hi car.A seasonal fair where they have shopping gallaries for almost all countries from around the world and a small fun park for kids.Weather was cold in the evening so that helped.I spent lot of time talking to him and reliving our old college memories.I was meeting him almost after 5-6 years.Last we met was when he came to my place in Narayan Heritage before his marriage.So lot of time but like good old friends, that long time didnt came in the way of we connecting at same wave lenghth which made us best frinds back in college days.People dont show courtsey in today's world and knowing this hospitality that Vishal showed towards us all the way upto dropping us back to hotel that night was truly amazing and something that we owe him.Hopefully i will get the chance to return the favour some time soon!

Next day i picked up a spot. Place called Miracle Garden..a newly developed flower garden in the middle of desert.I have read good reviews about this place on web and it lived upto those in real sense.It was a bit far from Chelsea Tower.We reached there by 11 am.After getting inn, one cant help but feel impressed with what they have achieved here.Flowers in different shapes and almost all the colours around you, nice walkways, fountains, arabiran music in the background,it is i believe bit underrated than what it deserved.Some of best snaps of the tour no wonder came at ths place for us.Kaka and Kaki are nature lovers and they liked it as well.I felt nice that i picked up a place worth visit which is more natural than mos of the things that we saw in last 2 days.From there we took taxi to a mall called"Ib-n-Batuta" named after a 16th century sailor from the gulf region.Nothing extraordinary there but huge and spacious as what one can expect in Dubai.We had our lunch there and then left for a walk in the sands to the famous "The Walk" on the beach side.Unfortunately for us, there was lot of civil work WIP at the Walk so it was not in its full glory.in Full glory, it mimicks the famous shopping streets of the world like Osford street of London etc with big brand shops, coffie shops, hotels facing the sea.Lot of western folks prefer this area in Dubai..very upmarket!That night we also planned to take the Cruise at night. I knew they had a boarding point there but not sure where so we decided that i will go hunt that down while Nam,Sai,Kaka and Kaki will relax on the beach.I had to walk a lot but somehow i managed to find the place.They told me that the boarding will start by 730 so i went back to the beach and escorted my people to the docks by around 7 pm.Me & Kaka managed to negotiate a good rate for all us and also good seat on the upper deck.It was a 2 hour cruise with dinner onboard plus Local Tamura Dance event.It was cold in general and at sea we felt it more.Food was nice..some indian varieties.There is a night Dhow Cruise in Old Dubai as well but Iam sure that it wont match one that they have on Downtown Dubai simple b'use old dubai doesnt have the skyline that downtown has of 21st century skyscrappers.This is something that Kaka has insisted he wants to experience and we managed really well to get it before we leave from Dubai.After a leisurly dinner on boat for 2 hours we alighted back at the docks then took train and went back to hotel.End of another great day in Dubai!!

Best way to really appreciate any place in the world is to look back at its history. All of us agree on this hence agreeing to visit Dubai Museum the next Day on Monday was easy.Its in Old Dubai and that day evening we have booked "Desert Safari" so we wanted to visit a place which we finish in good time to return to hotel and relax a bit before going for safari.Developed in a old fort, Dubai Museum offers you good insight into how a small harbour in early 20th century has turned into a Global city and financial center today.Dubai is a natural harbour and fishing and trading is still the main business of majority of locals here but with financial growth, many expats from all over the world have come and settled down here which adds that Global dimension to the city.If you are keen to understand the roots of this city, this museum is a must visit.We managed to wind up in good time here and went back to hotel to have lunch that day.Having a kitchen and family always helps i/o staying in a hotel and eating outside.Nam & Kaki have brought lot of edible ready to cook type of food from Mumbai which really helped us thruout this tour to eat healthy and of our preferance also help cut of the cost a bit.Plus joy of eating home in relaxed fashion. Nothing can beat it!At appointed time their driver called us from the lobby.It was a Pathan from Pakistan who has been in Dubai for last few years.He drove us in a Toyota Range Rover from our hotel to the desert where safari will take place.It was almost an hour travel to reach there.Like us many have come to that spot for the safari experience that evening.Almost 25-30 range rovers with close to 100 odd folks.After reaching the starting point, they let us be on our own for a while and in meantime checked tyre pressure etc for the fun ride.We all were excited except Sai.In Safari they essentially takes on and off the desert dunes in a moderate speed but it feel like being in a roller coaster.Sai doesnt like it and she didnt like it that day as well. No sooner we started, she started complaining.We all tried to divert her attention but it failed and she ended up vomitting..worst that we fear!!generally it takes 45 mins of that fun ride but we only could manage for 15 odd min and rest of the travel to the base camp driver was nice enough to take on lesser bumpy route.It was almost sunset when we reached the base camp.Basecamp resembles a "Kabilla" where they have made all possible arrangements for a nice evening out for the guests...Food,drinks,Dance event including the Famous Belly Dance show..One couldnt ask fro more!!Sai was back to normal by now..hence we all enjoyed that evening nicely.Base camp wraps up after the last event which was Belly Dance show by around 830 pm.Same driver then drops you back to the hotel.By now we have covered all the "Must Have" experiences in Dubai, leaving the next day completely open for whatever we want to do before we depart for home on Wesnesday.

Last day on Tuesday, we decided to take it easy.After a leisurely morning, we went to Spice Souks for some local shopping of the ladies.Place was close to Gold Souks in old Dubai.We bought dry fruits in good quantity for sharing with family and friends back home.That market was a place similar to our Crowford Market in Mumbai.Came back to apartments in the afternoon. After relaxing for an hour or so decided to go to Jumeirah beach garden in the evening.Nicely maintained, close to Jumeirah beach we all had nice time watching the sunset there.After coming back around 7 pm, i went out again to meet Vishal and say thanks to him. We met close to his place at President Hotel in Al Karama, one of the few places where liquor is served officially ie all big hotels mostly, i had great time talking to him with a glass of beer...by 10 ish he dropped me back to the station and i came back to apartments.Packing was almost done by that time so only thing left was to checkout.

Next Day on Wednesday morning, flight was around 11 am i believe. We checkout, took cab and reached airport in time.Travel back we were bit concerned as we have purchased a Harmon Cardon Sound Bar which we were preying reaches in good condition.Fortunately for us Indigo took good care of our luggage and we were able to retrieve it in good condistion in Mumbai.It was by 6 that we managed to check out from the airport.Kaka and us took seperate cab as it was more convenient that way.Kaka called me after reaching Goregaon and Dubai trip as he nicely summarised was a "Leisurely and Luxury Experience"..Definitely a delight to be together and create memories to cherish for long long time!!

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