Apr 07, 2001 08:50 PM
3446 Views
I have visited Dubai 6 times now and each time I want to go back more.
You step off the plane and the heat just hits you - it is so hot and humid. Everywhere in Dubai is Air Conditioned.
The hotels are beautiful with no expense spared - marble, gold, brass on everything.
The people are lovely - although they don't talk much ot us Westerners. I have blond hair so people stare at you - it is unusual out there - in fact one child came and touched my hair when I was sat down. Everyone is smiling so you don't feel threatened at all. The crime rate is virtually nil - so you feel safe all the time. In fact a few times I saw people enter cafes/shops and leave their purses on a table/counter at the front and go off to the loos not worrying that someone may nick it.
You can eat out very cheaply if you go int the local restaurants - we had a lovely meal (7 courses - although we only ordered a mixed kebab) for £1.20 each - if you don't want to eat locally they have all the fast food joints - KFC (do a good as much as you can eat buffet !), McD, BKing etc.
The malls are something else - you go into a door execting one shops and inside are dozens of shops (and they are empty) - the designer clothes are cheap - althoug to get ''cheap'' clothes you have to go to the shopping villages - Nike/CK T shirts for £2, CK Jeans £3 etc ...
The gold Souk (market) is a sight to behold - rows on rows of gold shops all with millions of pounds worth of stuff in the windows. The gold is really cheap - I bought my mum a necklace last time for £90 - had it valued here for £550. Haggle them down and then Haggle some more - they are not pushy and will always offer you a drink and are not offended if you don't buy something.
Go out on a sand safari if you can - you get to go dune racing - excellent watching people getting stuck and having to be towed off (thats why you all go in a group) you meet the camels and get a chance to ride one if you want to. You're then taken to a area (miles from anywhere in the sands) for a BBQ and belly dancing. A very enjoyable time.
The duty free @ the airport is one of the cheapest in the world and you can buy a raffle ticket to win a car - not just any car always a luxury car the last time it was a BMW 540i.
The beaches are white and the sea is always hot (not warm actually hot !)
One of my favourite places in the world !
