Stop Over in Dubai - Do and Do Not

Arrived 5am Sunday morning and caught a transfer to the hotel, thankfully. Do this. You don't feel like arranging transport after an 8 hour flight and sleeping tablets that haven't worn off. Imperial Suites. Nothing Imperial or suite-isn about it. Don't stay there. Couldn't check in until later so had to book another half day in the hotel, which we didn't actually end up being charged for. Needed a shower badly after the long flight. The room smelt muggy, the shower leaked and as a result the carpets were wet. Even the toilet paper was soggy. Opened the windows to let some fresh air into the room. Air so hot it set the smoke alarm off. We asked to be moved to another room, which they arranged, and the next room was much better. No water rose between our toes when we walked around without shoes on.. luxury. 

Went out in search of breakfast. Negative on that. Unsuccessful. Dubai only opens up at about 10am. Decided to walk around a bit. Negative on that. Dehydrated and ready to faint from the heat after one block. After recovering in an air-conditioned bus shelter we returned to the hotel. Decided on a 'hop-on hop-off', air-conditioned bus trip for the morning. Do this. The benefit is getting an overall feel for where you are and what you want to go back to, to visit properly. 

Blending in

The start of the tour included a visit to the old Souk. Do this if you want to buy gold and lose a few kilograms walking around in the open air markets. Just before hopping back on the bus I was force fed a chocolate date at the Sovereign shop. Not too bad. For a first date. 

Besides the market, we saw the beaches, the largest man made island in the world, the tallest building in the world, the washroom of a gas station, the marina and the exterior of one or two super large malls. Dropped off at roughly 2pm, back at the hotel. Roughly being us, not the time. 

Burj Al Arab - Seven Star Hotel

Do the desert dune riding trip. It's lots of fun. One 4x4 with a Pakistani driver who looked like Nicholas Cage, two retired Australian women who did not stop talking, a newly married Saudi Arabian couple and two South Africans in the back drinking cans of red bull topped up with whiskey miniatures from the Emirates flight. Otherwise known as us. After some extreme dune riding in the vehicles we had an awesome dinner at a camp. Hummus, falafel, curry, salad and some entertainment. A long man with a very heavy skirt spun around about 734 times whilst rearranging the skirt. Impressive. Especially when he switched the light bulbs on. Then a belly dancer. One bad henna tattoo later and we were really, really ready for bed. 

Sand dune riding in the desert

Breakfast the next morning was served in the ballroom on the roof of the Imperial Hotel. It reminded me of the Sea Belle in Durban. We snacked on a light breakfast of fried egg on bread and some water. Don't worry too much about breakfast. Do have the tea. Lovely.

Driving through the desert

Do go to the Marina for a swim. Don't walk there. Do remember a towel. Don't think that the water will cool you down, it's hotter than outside. Do try to dry off without a towel, but it won't work. Don't bother trying to get into any of the hotels, security can spot an unprepared South African full of salt from a mile away. Do keep looking for the oasis, because you will eventually find it. It's right at the end. The one beachfront hotel that allows members of the public onto their sand and actually serves alcoholic beverages. Don't gasp when they tell you how much your Mojito will cost, just remember that it comes with a shower. Do have another Mojito - it's worth skipping dinner for.

The most beautiful desert sunsets in the world

Do Dubai. My tongue in cheek recollection of our brief visit was precisely as meant. Amusing, fun and I would do it all again.