And today started my
first and last full day in Dubai. Waking up I had a small breakfast
consisting mainly of toast, butter and jam. The hotel doesn't offer a
lot more than that, as it is the cheapest one I got. At least it has
internet.
After breakfast I
wanted to try the online check-in for my flight to Australia as it
would be more comfortable for me to have enough leg room for a flight
more than double as long as the one to Dubai. Unfortunately it didn't
work for some reason again, so after chatting to Johanna in NZ and
getting a few tips from Brian as to where I can find a good bar (he
was here 12 years ago) I set of back in to the city proper.
First goal was the
renown ski resort built in the middle of the dessert. Getting there
wasn't that much of a challenge as it was uncomfortable. A full metro
train is not really my thing I like doing. Arrived at the desired
station and walked through the “Mall of the Emirates”. Loads of
clothes, jewellery and sun glass shops. So many it took me a while to
find the ski resort in itself. I was on the wrong floor to get in
thought, so I walked once around the mall (which took ages) and
walked in the correct way. I found the ski slope again, had a look at
the prices and left. They charge 200 Dirham (about 50€) for a two
hour ski pass. I pay less than that for a glacier in the Alps, so I
stayed to watching the slope through a glass window. Funny felling
seeing all the people inside wear snow suits and gloves when you are
in shorts and sandals. When I walked around the mall before I saw the
air conditioning machines, really big ones.
Getting back on to the
metro I headed further south than before and visited the down town
“living” section (I guess you could call it). From there I took a
tram to the beach and then a monorail connection to the end of the
palm tree they built in Dubai. At the end of the monorail/palm tree
was that very expensive hotel they built a while ago. I didn't know
it would take me there, but I got out with a rabble of Chinese
people. Walked along the “artificial” coast for a while, walked
in to the helicopter landing pad area and had a chat with a security
guy that was there from Nepal to work in Dubai. Said goodbye to him
after a while and repeatedly tried to get in the inner area of the
hotel. But they seem to have set guards up at every small entrance. I
did get in to the deposit area after a bit of wandering around but
was told to leave the vicinity immediately (their fault if they build
roads without walking lanes for the normal people). I also finally
got to see some beach after getting on to an open beach of sorts. Got
a picture towards Dubai down town and then went back on the monorail
and the tram to the metro. I took the metro all along the way until I
saw what I thought was the bar Brian had suggested. Walked down my
first street with skyscrapers surrounding me.
I found Brians
suggested bar after some walking, but they would have probably not
let me in, in sandals, shorts and just a t-shirt. I ate in my first
ever KFC instead. After the meal I walked back to metro and took the
journey to the airport, to see how long it would take. The daily
ticket I bought for the metro sure was worth it and I can see the
good side that some town people have always said. You get there when
you want to and in at least five minutes there is a train to take you
towards your destination. Going back I realised that nearly every
skyscraper has something no other city has in that quantity. A crane
at the top. Most buildings are being built and used at the same time.
I arrived back at the
hotel to have a shower and get prepared for the flight tomorrow while
the Muezzins are calling out over the city.
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