We got back last night after spending 2 nights in Dubai with visiting family. Every time I go to Dubai I am reminded why I don't want to live there. Its wonderful to visit as there is so much more there than here (beach, shops, etc) but the traffic is a headache and the humidity is too much for me to bear.
Its interesting to see the UAE through the eyes of visitors. I think that everyone has a certain impression of this place and, no matter how much you try to explain it, it cannot be understood until you are here. You can tell people that it is too hot to go outside but its hard to understand how it can be that hot so they tend not to believe you. It needs to be remembered that this is the desert and that means sand and heat and not too much of anything else. Whatever else there is here is man-made and generally geared towards indoor living.
We visited the Atlantis Aquaventure park on the Palm Jumeirah which was really impressive. JJ had an absolute blast but freaked out when I was dumped off of my tube by a fake wave. He was very brave going down much bigger slides than I thought he would until he fell and grazed his foot and came crying to me that 'there was blood'. I didn't get to see the whole of the park as it was really too hot and humid to walk around too much but I believe they have a dolphin experience (for about R2000!) as well as quite an awesome tunnel through an aquarium that you do on the tubes (for a further R100). These prices are on top of the R500 per person (R300 for kids) that you've already paid to get into the park. A little steep, if you ask me, but it was an experience to remember.
Other than that we went again (3rd time for me) to the Aquarium at Dubai Mall because JJ just loves it there and for a bit of a mosey around the shops there. It really is a huge place and I am yet to see all I want to see there but one day I will!
What can I say about driving in Dubai? Driving in Al Ain is bad enough but it seems to be ten times worse in Dubai. The traffic lights are very very slow, the drivers are unpredictable, the traffic is unbelievable. It took me an hour to drive 25km. I spent the entire day in the car yesterday trying to get around Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman (the latter 2 being seaside Emirates next to Dubai) and then back home to Al Ain.
As much as there is to complain about Dubai, I still look forward to my next trip there as the change of pace and scenery is a nice variable on life in Al Ain.
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