Dubai does justice to the word “Majestic”.  Ultra-luxurious skyscrapers painting a mesmerising skyline. The sheer development of Dubai in just the last few years is bewildering and they are not stopping anytime soon, a lot of ambitious projects are underway. It is an ever-growing metropolis. However, You will still find the esense of old dubai just across the town with its winding souks, old town and humble beginnings rooting to just fishing.

The advantage of being a middle eastern hub is, it will always have the flight connectivity. A round trip from Bangalore took me around 30k INR with Emirates. Expect a crowded airport and delayed immigration. Mode of transport is quite straightforward, hail a cab or get into metro and all that you will see is buildings kissing the sky with roaring sports cars along the way. This is Dubai’s soundtrack, and it’s different.

Accomodation shouldn’t be an issue as well,  but will not be cheap either. A travel card is suggested if you are planning to use public transport. Keep topping it up at the metro junctions. And that should be it for the metro and tram. We stayed near Dubai Marina and it is a fabulous place to be in. Near to the beach, and lively night-life.

With the accent of evening the towers here light up, showcasing an odd yet glamorous sky. With plenty of options to dine in, time ekes by. And adding to the vibes are the screening of live matches. As soon as we had a chance, we dived into some kebabs, kuboos and mighty Shawarmas. Point to note, Old Dubai will be relatively cheaper in terms of street food and dates are damn cheap everywhere. We also went into a floating restaurant, many of which are available to book. They offer a lavish spread of buffet while moving leisurely through the water between the city. Although the boat just waddles as if nowhere to be, the gentle wobbling over the water aids the belly in making space for more 😋

Food court here is good enough to appease your hunger, unless you fancy the dining @ atmosphere or Armani hotel. A day should be more than enough for Burj Khalifa.

The very next day we had Desert safari lined up, an experience of a kind.  Available for booking online or through any of the tourist desks, this is a 5 hour extravaganza emulating Arabian desert culture. A Toyota Landcruiser will pick you up and drive you to a desert near Sharjah. Deflating the tyres a bit they will request you to fasten your seat belts and then this 4X4 beast will glide through the sand dunes. Feels just like a roller coaster on the sand. The car easily gets to a near 90 degree angle. Stops will be made ensuring that you have the chance to feel the finely milled sand, almost like fresh flour. And miles of it untrodden. The package also includes visits to camel farm and a falcon show. But what tops everything is the desert camp. Camp sites in the desert are set up to give you a sense of desert camping.

It is complemented with the sublime belly dance, fire show and the lavish spread of a middle eastern buffet. Boy! you got to be on the front row for the belly dance and remind yourself to blink. On a separate note, try riding a camel or may be sand-boarding before the dusk sets in. That is when you will be invited for dinner with a fabulous middle eastern fusion spread of cold salads, lamb grills, biriyani, pita, humous, chana masala to name a few. A long day ending with an overstuffed “belly”.

Dubai’s ultra-modern, audacious and eclectic skyline is just part of their story, old Dubai reflects on a quaint neighborhood. A half-day trip to Dubai creek and the souks nearby will show you the traditional traders market. The creek is the original trade link between Dubai and the outside world. Traditional boat rides are offered across the creek for cheap. They are called ‘abra’. Around a 10-15 minutes ride. They will drop you on other side of the creek and as you meander through the narrow alleys of souks, vibrant colors and strong smell of spice welcomes you. If you are enthusiastic about cooking, I definitely recommended stocking up some spices. Iranian saffron is relatively cheap here. Few miles down the radius is the gold market, not an interesting place to be but certainly the largest you will see. Few shops here holding Guinness world records in ornamental craftsmanship. It will be an arduous walk, so when you are in the old town grab a bite of shawarma.

The next day, we had a garden visit. Thought I would never say this but a garden full of flowers tripped me over like a vibrant yet calm sense of magic mushroom experience. Although the bright colors and a sun over the head are enough to make you hallucinate. Miracle garden is indeed a miracle in the desert. Opens up during Nov-May, this is again a half day’s trip. 72K sqM of man-made yet natural wonderland of vivid colors, scents, arches and patterns. Picturesque you ask ? for sure. Given the weather conditions, nurturing this garden must be very demanding. A tremendous amount of time and effort reflects here.

Other attractions include global village, museum stuff and few more ‘meh’ buildings. What is worth a mention here is YAS island which needs a day of its own with Ferrari world amusement park, WB amusement park and lot more.

Most often the last day of the trips are reserved for relaxing and packing stuff. However this was different. Even before my travel tickets were booked, I had made this my sole purpose of the visit. You can read about the amazing experience here –

https://eat-n-roll.com/2020/05/31/skydive/

My recommendation is straight and clear. If you have a chance – “ DO IT “ . This is an experience of a lifetime. A soul liberating free-fall that can’t be explained over a write up. I left that day with an elated urge to do it all over again. Who knows, you might too.

Dubai has so much to offer, a myriad of unforgettable experiences that takes you through their journey from modest souks to the world’s tallest building. An ever growing metropolis that is not to be visited in the summers.