Blogs from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Middle East - page 126

I have come to believe that you can tell a lot about a city by its airport. This is true about Cairo Airport, where waiting for 12 hours in a dirty, stinky, uncomfortable and unorganised terminal, is pretty much is similar to the city itself. This theory is also true about Dubai International. Modern, efficient, clean and roomy. There is also a terminal 3 under construction which will dwarf the original. It's sleak, modern, unusual architecture pretty much sums up the city. Nowhere else in the Middle East, or perhaps in the world, is there a city quite like Dubai. Once a small creek side fishing and pearl village, Dubai has risen to become one of the fastest growing cities in the world. After the oil boom in the 60's, the United Arab Emirates (which was ... read more

In researching a route to Egypt we found a flight on Air Arabia that stops off in the UAE, in Dubai. "You been there?" "No." "Yeah me neither." That's how we found ourselves staying in the Emirates for 2 days. Dubai is currently heralded as the hippest city in the world. In practical terms that means open up your pockets and let the town rape you of your wad. Unlike it's Middle East brethren, Dubai is unable to suckle at the oil-lactating teat as its waning reserves expect to tank out by 2015. But not to be shown up in the arena of the obscenely rich, they've come up with other plans to engorge their bankroll-- seduce money from the world's elite. Put up a song and dance about how great a place it is ("hippest ... read more

LONDON IRISH ON TOUR IN WHICH FOGGY-BALLA DISCOVERS THE JOYS OF TOURING Anyone who knows me will be aware that I can bore for Britain and Ireland on the subject of Rugby. This enthusiasm is, sadly, backed by little real knowledge or any discernable talent. If it were a certain J Wilkinson would languish in obscurity as a relatively successful kicker somewhere in a part of the country better known for the round-ball abomination, pigeon fancying and hard men going out on the toon in Arctic temperatures; while the hero of the game would be F Balla having made the jump from Nottingham Casuals 3rd XV (2nd XV if they were really desperate) to representative honours despite his refusal to wear a jersey looking more like a T-Shirt bought from a petrol station by an “Engerlund” ... read more

Ah the desert I LOVE! (please excuse the bad hair... I had to cut it because my 5 hour mini-bus adventure in Malawi included having my hair blowing in the wind the whole time... needless to say it was pretty damaged after that! and it was very windy when we took the pictures...). Anyway enough about hair!! This trip was only 45 minutes from Dubai and Arun's friend Jake personally took us there. Unfortunatly we left a bit late (at least I had a chance to get over my hang-over from the night before...) and didn't have a chance to leave with any other jeeps... so we couldn't stay too long in the dunes. But it was amazing! The sand is naturally of a reddish color and with the sunset was just breathtaking! Jake was a ... read more

Ok here is the text I wrote in Nairobi while waiting for my flight, as promised... please excuse the typos... as I think I mention in the text I took Gravol and was totally passing out... November 22 Well well… A month has already gone by. It has gone by fast yet I have absorbed so much that I feel like I was in Malawi for longer. I am traveling alone because I am spending some days in Dubai. Melanie and Chris are heading to Montreal tomorrow morning, and Richard, well, I think he’s leaving on Thursday. I don’t think I would have been able to do this on my own when I left Canada. But I think I have grown a little since then. I managed to get myself from via minibus from Mangochi, which ... read more