As my adventure to Dubai comes to an end, it is time to leave this luxurious lifestyle behind. It has been a great experience here and I had the opportunity to check off many to do's on my bucket list. I was fortunate enough to have such amazing host to show me the local things to do around the city. However, the tourist attractions were fun too. I have to say, the people of Dubai are so friendly and welcoming. Maybe cause I was traveling alone? But most of the time, people would come up to me to strike a conversation often asking where I am from... and offering to take photos for me. Thanks to them, there was no need to take awkward selfie! So thank you kind strangers.

Made a visit to one of the largest mall in Dubai... well the largest mall I ever stepped foot in, Dubai Mall! Consisting of an aquarium and underwater zoo, along with many other attractions you would not expect in a mall. I don't know if it is anything like Ripley's Aquarium in Toronto since I have never been but this was pretty amazing! Guess I will have to see whenever I come back to Toronto in order to compare the two.

 

One of the best part, dunes bashing to an Arabian camp for dinner and traditional belly dancing show! For anyone traveling to Dubai, I highly insist you do this - Arabian Desert Safari. It is quite an experience that no one should miss out on! They directly pick up and drop you off at home, extremely convenient for those of you who don't own a car or new to the city. A 4x4 land cruiser comes to pick you up along with other travelers like yourself to take you to the Al Hatta desert about an hour away from the city where you join an Arabian camp for dinner and traditional dancing show. In my case, I met a couple from Vermont, USA and another from Macedonia. I recommend not going on this adventure on a full stomach... dune bashing is quite a bumpy ride. There were moments where I was pretty sure the car was going to flip... but luckily it didn't. Apparently, it happens. Once arriving to the camp, camels await to take you around the camp. My camel friend was named Stella, she was very sweet and obedient. Another off my bucket list!

By the end of the night, the amount of sand in my shoes was as if I brought the

Definitely, an experience no one should skip out on while in Dubai.

Dubai fountain show definitely shouldn't be missed either, beautiful water show that happens every 30minutes. Whether you're shopping late in the evening at Dubai mall or visiting the Burj Khalifa, make sure you stop by the fountain outside for the show. It's a beautiful sight. & hey, its free of charge!

 

Another one off the bucket list, had the opportunity to walk along the very tip of the Palm Jumeirah, the man made island in the shape of a palm tree that can be seen from space. Where the well known hotel Atlantis is located representing the myth of the lost city. While driving up the trunk of the palm, there are endless amount of hotels and residential villas as well as many areas still under construction. Everyone strives to live by the coast in Dubai where it is cooler and given the heat, I don't blame them. But the amount of islands and construction are a little overwhelming...

To experience the real Middle East culture, I would recommend giving Dubai creek a visit. You can choose to either take a boat or a water bus tour along the creek. Or you can take a water taxi (shown above) to get you from one side of the creek to the other which is relatively accessible anywhere along the creek. You can see the contrast of old (Bur Dubai) and new Dubai (Deira). On the side of Bur Dubai, you can practice your bargaining skills whether it is spices, gold or textiles you are looking for. For myself, I was particularly looking for pashmina scarves to bargain for and I managed to bargain two for 70dirhams equivalent to 14€... pretty good for a first timer! It was nice to get away from the busy city of skyscrapers for a day.

It is a whole different world. It is crazy to think that 30y ago, this was all desert and the only form of economy was through trading of gold, spices and pearls. Where now its population consist of 90% expats and only 10% of actual locals, and economy has risen exponentially. Within one generation, people now lavish themselves in luxurious goods such as high fashion materials and cars.

The various views from the observatory deck, 124th level.

 

One off the bucket list! There is nothing more I enjoy than traveling on my own. 

Finally, after a long day of traveling...

First impression? It is HOT here and everyone speaks English... almost a shock actually, now I can listen in on conversation unintentionally... so I can only imagine how it will be like when I return to the motherland, Canada.

Time to get some rest, I am exhausted after the weekend I had.

This isn't my first birthday away from home, come to think of it I haven't celebrated my birthday at 'home' in quite some time... home is relative. It's just like any other day of the year, it's actually like New Years. I spend most of the day reflecting on the past year, where I am now and what I can do to better myself.

Probably why I never make New Year's resolutions.

Though, is it just me or is it once you hit 21... time doesn't slow down for nothing. Birthdays tend to sneak up on you and I tend to not look forward to birthdays as much as I used to. All I really want is just to hit the 'pause' button. This year will be a fantastic year though! It has only been a short two months since I took my big leap of faith moving to a foreign land which now, I call home and during that time, I have met so many amazing new faces and am fortunate enough to have such an amazing and loving host family.