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In March 2009 I enjoyed a long weekend in Dubai. As part of the United Arab Emirates Dubai is developing so fast that nobody can fail to be impressed with the country’s vision and the speed with which the people are committing to and making things happen.

What excited me even more was the fact that I was about to fly on the largest passenger plane in the world. The Emirates A380 stood waiting. Although I was flying economy, the seats are spacious, the entertainment immense and the food was superb. Not only can you see the flight map, but you can select to watch the views around the plane from video cameras placed at 3 strategic positions above, below and at the front of this enormous aircraft. I passed through Business Class which was extremely impressive and had its own lounge bar to First Class which had a bar and 2 showers on board if you felt like freshening up! Amazing!

During my short stay at The Harbour Hotel situated in the marina area I managed to see some of the latest and most impressive things for which Dubai is famous including The Burj Al Arab, The Palm and The World.

These also included The Burj Dubai (which when completed in September 2009) will be the tallest building in the world…see my photos. Where can you go skiing in the desert?...'Ski Dubai' is the largest indoor ski dome in the world. As I watched skiers and snowboarding enthusiasts from the ski slopes it was hard to believe that this is all happening in the middle of the desert! The 'Mall of the Emirates' is right next door and shopping is tax free, so bargain hunters were everywhere. I spent a few hours in 'Aquaventure' which is an amazing water park where I had hours of fun, riding the rapids, passing through an aquarium with sharks and thousands of other colourful fish all around me. With white sandy beaches to relax on and water rides and slides that were rollercoaster rides in water, it all made a very different and exciting experience.

And then there was the Dune Bashing! Arabian Adventure 4 x 4’s hurling themselves up and over the sand dunes, sometimes nearly vertical - it was 30 minutes not recommended for those with a bad back or pregnant, but for me it was another great experience which was finished by enjoying traditional alfresco Arabic cuisine and entertainment under the stars. The belly dancing was great, but I decided to stick to the bar area with new found friends, some beer and wine.

I enjoyed some great meals in The Royal Mirage, The Palace Hotel (Downtown), and Madinat Jumeirah located right next the famous icon hotel which is The Burj Al Arab. The hospitality and friendliness of the people in Dubai was excellent and certainly somewhere that I would like to return to one day.

I was told that the vision for Dubai was not complete. Apparently only around 10% was completed and there was so much more to do…who knows if Dubai will ever be completed, but what we do know is that as every week passes, new developments begin, develop and complete.

My time in Dubai was great fun and very educational, I now understand much more about the city and why so many are drawn to it for short stopovers, city breaks and beach resort holidays. Although there are many differences between Las Vegas and Dubai (no gambling and not many bars) the desire to have the biggest, tallest, most unique and the best in the world did seem to keep being impressed on me everywhere I went. The ‘WOW’ factor is here and left a lasting positive impression.

Please feel free to call or email me if you would like to know more about Dubai…I hope you enjoy looking at my photo selection.

Thank you for reading my travel journal.