First stop Dubai

مرحبا شعب رائع

 

The first stop on my travelling agenda was Dubai, United Arab Emirates. While I was excited to see the extravagant glamour and grandeur that Dubai had to offer I also had my reservations.  As two young females travelling alone we were full of apprehensions concerning Dubai and it's cultural acceptance of Western women. There had been numerous stories in the media relating to Westerners being arrested for improper dress or behaviour and as a result we were unsure of what to expect. Furthermore, I was worried about what two backpackers on a budget would be able to afford to do in a city famed for its wealth. As it turns out (bar one slightly scary experience) our fears were totally unfounded and I thoroughly enjoyed my short stay in this lavish city.

 

After a 2am start, 3 hour drive to Heathrow and a 7 hour flight we finally landed in Dubai. We were pretty exhausted and being stuck in a taxi queue in 40 degree heat was not on the top of our agenda. Once in the taxi however, I could think of no better place to be than back in that queue. It's safe to say that my first experience of Dubai was not the best and lived up to my stereotypical fears. To cut a long story short we were quizzed by the taxi driver about our martial status, need for a husband and phone numbers. This may not seem too sinister, but coupled with the fact that we were constantly reminded how the cab windows were blacked out and no one could see us, made this journey a whole lot creepier. After providing the driver with fake numbers (which he proceeded to ring, then questioned why we lied to him) and finally managing to escape the car (after 'promising' to meet up with him) we checked into our hotel and explored the surrounding area.

As we only had two days in Dubai and had a pretty tight budget we prioritised what we wanted to do and booked onto a desert safari. This consisted of dune bashing (check out this video) which was completely terrifying, camel rides, shisha, a middle-eastern dance show and some amazing food (I got a tad too carried away with the hummus and pitta breads)! For the equivalent of about £35 this experience was amazing and I would highly recommend it if you're in Dubai for a stop over or on a budget! Also, if you're not a fan of the heat don't be put off! While the temperatures in the desert were incredible (around 45 degrees) the safari begins in the late afternoon and you eat outside once it gets dark!

In order to experience a taste of the extravagant side of Dubai we decided to head to one of the world famous shopping malls. Our mall of choice was The Dubai Mall located right next to the stunning Burj Khalifa and it proved to be an eye opening experience into the wealth of the city. Not only was this a shopping centre filled with the most luxurious high end shops, it also housed stunning statues, waterfalls, restaurants and even an aquarium! The outside of the mall is just as impressive as it stands in the shadow of the world's tallest building, providing a dramatic setting for such extravagance.  

 

 



 

I must admit, before I visited Dubai I had several preconceived ideas about what to expect, the majority of which proved to be wrong. Despite initially wearing modest clothing ourselves, we encountered many tourists in revealing western dress (skirts, vest tops etc), dispelling any worries regarding a culture clash over clothing. Furthermore, while the city obviously oozes wealth and opulence there are still several things for backpackers on a budget to see and do. However, if I was to return again it would be with a much bigger budget to experience Dubai in style.



 

 

وداعا الآن