Dubai!!!!

Hi Everyone,

After a 13 1/2 hour flight i arrived in Dubai airport at 5.40am on Friday morning where Bev was waiting to meet me. We jumped straight into a taxi and headed for her apartment to get a few hours sleep before we ventured out anywhere. Her apartment is lovely - it's huge! After a few hours sleep we jumped in a taxi and went to the Madinat Jumeirah which is a shopping, entertainment and hotel complex constructed of old Arabian architecture. We wandered through the winding lanes before stopping for a cocktail on a terrace overlooking a Venetian style canal. After taking in the beautiful water views we moved on to a restaurant for a tasty bite to eat before heading to Dubai Mall. Dubai Mall is massive!!!!! You could literally spend hours on end wandering it! As well as the general retail outlets the mall boasts the world's largest indoor gold souq, a designer fashion avenue with dedicated catwalk, a massive aquarium, and Olympic sized ice rink! After checking out a few shops and popping into bloomingdales to treat ourselves to a cupcake from the Magnolia Bakery we ventured outside to get a good view of the Burj Kalifa - the tallest building in the world and once it fell dark we got ourselves into a good spot to watch a musical water fountain display. It was fantastic, arabian music started to play and the water fountains danced and moved in time with the music. After the display had finished we headed back to the apartment to watch a film and get an early night as i was still pretty shattered from the flight.

The plan for my second day in Dubai was to go on a desert safari which started at 3.30pm and lasted until 9.30pm. As we had some time to kill before the safari began we decided to head to Karama for a few hours - the place where you can get all the fake designer goods! I didn't really know what to expect but when i arrived it did not disappoint! We went inside the first shop and had a quick look round what they had on display, there are so many shops so after a short amount of time browsing we headed for the door to check out another shop. As we were leaving the owner of the shop asked if we wanted to see more.....better quality items....apparently this is normal, they let you wander around the shop, have a bit chat with you while they check you out and if they are happy they invite you to look at better items.....all very strange! We agreed to see more so we were shown out of the shop and had to walk for about 5minutes away from the shop to an apartment complex.....all seemed very dodgy indeed but Bev assured me this was normal! We got a lift up to some floor and shown into what looked like an apartment but it was really another part of the shop......it was all decked out like a designer boutique! I wish i could have taken some photos but you were not allowed. There were amazing fake designer handbags, purses, shoes, sunglasses etc all of amazing quality they looked real! Every now and again there would be a knock at the door and someone else would enter, people were also appearing from behind shelving that was really a door it was all very bizzare and they even brought out a tray with drinks on for us! A very surreal experience! After purchasing a few prezzys we had to leave to get back in time for our pick up for the desert safari! We were going to have to come back to Karama as we got carried away in that one shop and didn't have a chance to look anywhere else!

After a quick change we were picked up for our desert safari at 3.30pm by a 4X4. There were 3 other people in our car already so myself and Bev jumped in the very back of the jeep. We drove for about 40minutes before we arrived in the desert! It's really strange leaving the built up area of the main town in Dubai and then 40minutes later you are literally in the middle of the desert with nothing surrounding you for miles! Our first stop on the safari was for a refreshment break where we had our photo taken with a camel! During our refreshment break we watched a falcon display which was interesting before jumping back in the jeep ready for some dune bashing! Our jeep followed in convoy with others up and down the sparse dunes throwing us about up and down and from side to side as we slid round corners and skidded up and down steep slopes! It was really good fun! As we got thrown around the desert there were opportunities for us to stop and take in the surroundings. I had never been in a desert before so it was a new experience for me! We stopped just before sunset so we could all watch the sun go down and take photos. This was breathtaking! After the dune bashing we were dropped off at a bedwin camp where our evening meal and enterteinment would be held. Upon arriving in the camp myself and Bev were shown into a small wooden shack structure where we were somehow coerced into changing into traditional arab clothing! Being a female myself and Bev had to put on an abaya (the full length black robe and head scarf that only leaves your eyes showing) and pose in varoius positions - with a shisha, with a pot of tea etc whilst getting our photo taken! I hadn't realised what i had signed up for but we had fun with it all the same! After a quick change we headed into the main camp area to grab a well deserved glass of wine before finding a spot to sit for our evening meal. The camp was really pretty, we all sat on cushions on the floor for our meal which was gorgeous! After tea we watched a belly dancer and i got a henna tattoo on my foot! Just before it was time to leave the camp and head back to the city they turned off every single light in the camp and everyone was asked to stay as quiet as possible so we could all lye down and look at the stars! There were so many of them and the sky was perfectly clear......it was an amazing sight! It had been a really fun safari and unlike anything i had done before! We jumped back in the jeep and headed back to the bright light of the city to call it a night.

The next morning i woke up excited as we were off to the iconic Burj Al Arab (the famous sail shaped hotel) for afternoon tea! (a surprise birthday present from mum and dad.....thanks!!!!!) Jo Bevs flat mate joined us and we jumped into a taxi to take us there. The interior of the Burj al Arab was like something out of an arabian fantasy with gold used throughout. We took the lift up to the top floor where we were met by the most attentive staff. We were shown to our seats which were right by the window so we could take in the spectacular view of Dubai. It was a perfectly clear day so we could see for miles! The service was impressive and before we knew knew it we were poured a glass of champagne.....the start of our 7 course afteroon tea! This was then followed by some fresh berries with cream. Then out came a plate of salmon wellington followed by numerous minature sandwiches of all different flavours, fruit and plain scones with jam and clotted cream, biscuits and creme brule, various other desserts and cakes and the choice of a variety of teas and coffees with chocolates! The food was gorgeous! I was stuffed by the end but couldn't stop eating it was all so nice! Such a nice treat and well worth doing! We left the Burj al Arab and were driven round to the Madinat in a courtesy golf buggy where we sat in the bar we had been to on my first day in Dubai for a cocktail by the waters edge. We sat there for an hour chatting and taking in the sunshine before leaving to head to Barasti Beach Bar to watch the sunset. We ordered a pitcher of pimms and sat on the beach and watched the sun go down which was beautiful. As soon as it got dark we headed up to the main bar area where we ended up sitting for a few hours before heading back to the flat to quickly get changed ready to dance the night away at Rock Bottom! (a club) We were joined there by a few more of Bev's friends and had a really fun night!

After a lye in the following day Bev took me to the pool at the Shangri-La Hotel. It's a really gorgeous roof top pool where we spent the whole afternoon lounging around and swimming in the pool to cool off. It was a perfect relaxing day! After a few hours at the pool we made our way back to the flat as Jo was preparing for a bit of a halloween party. She had decorated the apartment and made food for us all. We sat round and had food and a few drinks and watched old school scary movies! It was a really nice night. We were all pretty shattered from the night before so it wasn't too late a night.

Day 5 in Dubai was spent at the Atlantis Hotel at the water park there. It is a huge water park with the longest lazy river in the world! We wasted no time in getting hold of some rings and off we went floating down the lazy river! After the lazy river we decided to check out one of the rides which was really good fun before heading to the beach area to sit and relax and swim in the sea. It was so nice to lye on the beach but then go in to the main bit of the water park whenever we felt like going on a ride....best of both worlds! One of the rides even took us through a giant fish tank which was an amazing sight....there were stingrays and sharks swimming over the top of you as you floated past in a rubber ring! We spent about 4 hours at the water park before heading back for a quick shower before tea. The plan for that evening was to head to The Belgium Beer Company for food Karama to do the last of the handbag shopping! The Belgium Beer Company restaurant was lovely and the food was great, we sat on the terrace outside overlooking Dubai Creek which gave us fab views. After a tasty meal we jumped in a taxi back to Karama where we ventured inside a different shop this time to make our final purchases!

Unfortunately Bev got called into work on my sixth day in Dubai as she was on standby, they gave her a layover and not a turnaround which meant that i would be on my own for my last 2 days in Dubai. She would be back late on Thursday night so would be able to take me to the airport on Friday morning which was good. It was a shame that she got called in but we knew it could happen and couldn't really complain as we had had 5 full days together. So Bev left for her flight in the early hours of Wednesday morning so that day i decided to head back to Dubai Mall and check out a few more of the shops! After wandering around for a few hours i stopped off for some food before heading back to the apartment to watch some films and get an early night. I was up reasonably early the following morning - my last day in Dubai so i thought i would make the most of the gorgeous weather before heading back to cold wintery England so i spent the full day on the beach! It was really quiet so it was lovely and relaxing sunbathing and jumping in and out of the sea - a perfect way to spend my last day here.

Dubai has been fantastic.....can't wait to come and visit again! It is a beautiful, vibrant, over the top, wealthy place and a nice way to end my travels with a bit of luxury! I fly back to England tomorrow morning!!!! Can't believe my travels are officially over now! What an amazing 4 months it has been!!!!!! I am very sad that it is all over but i am looking forward to seeing everyone at home! So i will say bye for now and see you all very soon!!!!!! Thanks to everyone for following me on my travels and for all your messages along the way! Lots of love Ali xxxxxxxxxx