Dubai, United Arab Emirates

October 10, 2014

Smack dab in the center of the Middle East, Dubai, United Arab Emirates is one of the safest and most prosperous places on earth. We chose to fly Emirates Airlines for our flights from Istanbul to Nairobi and from Cape Town to Bangkok for a couple of reasons. Firstly, they were competitively priced with Qatar Airways and Etihad; and secondly, it would take us to Dubai, a place we’ve always wanted to visit. I’ve always had a thing for flying and getting the chance to fly the Airbus A380 was an added bonus. However, unless you are fortunate enough to sit on the second deck (Business and First classes), it’s just like any other Emirates flight. Having said that, ‘any other Emirates flight’ is no ordinary flight, especially by North American standards. We’ve flown a lot and flying Emirates truly is an experience in itself.

Best shot I could get of the A380!

Jess and I had two stopovers in Dubai giving us a total of about eight hours to explore this mind-blowing city. We landed at DXB around 10 PM so it was almost midnight by the time we got to our hotel, however, we did catch a view of the Burj Khalia on the drive. You can’t miss it, given it’s the tallest building on the planet.

Tallest, and possibly the most photographed, building in the world!

Bright and early the next morning, we grabbed a taxi to the luxurious Dubai Mall. Not for shopping, just to see its famous waterfalls, skating rink and more importantly, Tim Hortons. Yes, Dubai was full of Tim Horton’s coffee shops! Of course I enjoyed a little taste of home ordering a “العادية كبير مع الحليب” or “large regular with milk.”

Not quite as busy as Tim’s in Carbonear…

With an entrance in the Dubai Mall, the Burj Khalifa is the tallest building on earth at 830 metres to the very tip. That’s almost a kilometre high. Tourists are allowed to go to the “At the Top” observation deck on the 124^th floor. The tower is home to the Armani Hotel, apartments, corporate offices, and retail space.

We had a relatively clear day so the views were spectacular, looking out over the Persian Gulf and the man-made islands just offshore.

Dubai mall

Dubai skyline looking northeast

Looking up from the 124th floor

A friend of ours said that having just one day in Dubai is criminal and while this is true, one should also keep in mind that prices are also criminal. There are so many things to see in Dubai including Atlantis, the Burj Al Arab, and the Arabian desert, just to name a few. For extended stays on your own dime, you’ll definitely require deep pockets.

jess + trickett