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Published: December 2nd 2006
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PRE WARNING...THE PICS FOR THIS BLOG GO ON FOR TWO PAGES...MAKE SURE YOU DONT MISS OUT!
After 26 hours of travelling (and yet another stop in Singapore) we made it to the United Arab Emirates! Although we have been here many times we were not prepared for the weather forecast......RAIN, RAIN and yes more rain. Steves dad and Lillian have said they have not seen rain like it. Today we write this blog looking over flooded streets. See the pics to prove it! So any chance of a tan has literally FADED! Of course this has not stopped us having fun, but also a slight exaggeration, there has been some sunny spells.
So what pictures do we have so far? Camels crossing the road, causing the traffic to stop...something you dont see everyday, we halso had to take a picture of the road signs that have a sign warning of camels crossing along with a warning for a road hump coming up, talk about juxtaposition! other funny sight. We are now informed that they race the camels with robotic jockeys instead of the small indian boys that they used to use! Goodness!
Where do we start?! Well this
time round we wanted to do different things/activities to what we normally do here in Dubai. And for those looking at the blog for things to do in Dubai we would suggest the many hotel restaurants and restaurants that Dubai has to offer along with the Marina, Wild Wadi (the most amazing water park) and the famous Desert Safari where you get thrown around the desert in a four wheel drive with a arab style dinner and belly dancing show. Also you can smoke the Shisha! So this time we chose not to do these things as we already have a vast amount of photos (which we can show you when we return) and memories of these. So what can one do in Dubai that one has not already experienced????
Hot Air Balloon, over the desert! To see the sun rise, yes believe your eyes, we thought we had done all modes of transport this holiday: Car, Train, Bus, Coach, Flight Plane, Sea Plane, Helicopter, Ferry,Boat, Tuk Tuk, Abras, Monorail. Chris and Lillian reminded us that we hadnt done all the modes of transport when they kindly booked us on a hot air balloon ride. We were picked up
at 5.30am and to the desert on a one hour car journey, we were met by the captain, given the safety briefing and we were up up and away. Nothing could preapre you for the floating/flying sensation and the views were just gob smakking, we watched the sun rise which was stunning and took photos of the patterns in the sand and camels roaming below. We also saw a small desert village called Mulleha with only a very small population, we actualy landed in the middle of the compound, we were unable to take pictures once landed but we sneaked some in from above! The strangest thing was that the four of us including pilot then moved from the compound (a small drive away) and had breakfast in the desert with camels just wandering past, was so funny! A lovely breakfast of pastries, and fruit, have to say very very surreal, and something not many people can say they have done. We even saw a rainbow! That day was a truely wonderful experience...thanks dad and Lillian!
Now what else could we do apart from the norm? How about SKIING?? In the desert?? No! How about on real snow??
Yes, thats what we did! Dubai has recently opened the largest indoor and real life ski park! It was being built last year when we visited the Mall of the Emirates (also the biggest mall ever) and we eagarly waited its opening. We were not sure what to expect, but it was fantastic. We booked on a level 2 ski lesson that lasted 1 hour 30 mins, you get kitted out with all the gear inc boots, ski suit and socks! Gloves are really cheap to purchase. We chose the correct lesson for our ability, having not skied in six years we both were a bot rusty, however, it realy is like riding a bike it came back so quick, by the end we were actully flying down the black run and Steve even managed a jump! Amanda got scared and tried to snow plough over the jump casuing her to get stuck on the jump..yeah was hilarious! Anyway, does it compare to a real skiing holiday?......hell yeah, we were so amazed, obviously the views were missing but everything else was spot on, another very surreal experience. A definate must for anyone on a trip to Dubai, we will now
be yearly visitors!
We also did something very naughty, we drove onto the palm (the huge new dubai development in the shape of a plam)....... yes we have an exclusive, we soon got chucked of and whistled at by a security guard but hey ho, see the pics!
This isnt our last blog so dont worry, we will have one more after this, with more tales of Dubai! We intend to something that we defintely have not done before and neither have many! (well definately not backpackers)....WATCH THIS SPACE!
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