Dubai Diary: Travel & Shopping

My Dubai Diary, a total of 4 days experiencing Dubai, begins with travel and shopping.

Travel

A mild panic set in when the first leg of the train journey to Gatwick airport was delayed. It always pays to give oneself plenty of extra time when relying on rail services even from a first world country…

With England’s sky more grey than blue and the wind inflicting heavy breaths of chill, I most looked forward to real heat again; a constant heat that reaches my bones.

My first experience on Emirates and I’d definitely repeat it anytime, especially when the food served on board was concerned. Appetiser: Tuna salad with new potatoes and olives; Main course: Pan-fried salmon with sundried tomatoes and herb butter, saffron risotto and seasonal vegetables; Dessert: Chocolate mousse with cherry compote. And then afternoon tea: assorted reception sandwiches, scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam. Tea or coffee and unlimited complimentary alcohol for those that need it… Sounded too divine to be true but believe me when I state:

This was the best food I’ve ever eaten on a Boeing. And I’ve flown on many Boeings in my lifetime.

When I arrived at the other end I stood waiting for my baggage for ages until I realised – the last person at the carousel, and only a few bag-stragglers going round and round – that the case I borrowed from a friend was wrapped up in plastic. It had been ripped open, clothes spilling out in to the plastic. I marched straight to baggage services where I instantly received a new Samsonite bag but with the Emirates’ logo replacing the Samsonite’s logo. No questions asked, as apologetic as possible and with beaming smiles. My friend needed a new bag anyway…

The moment I stepped out of the airport what felt like a heat wave with 100% humidity hit me, all 39 degrees Celsius, and it was after 8pm. I didn’t think Durban could be this hot if it tried.

Shopping: The Dubai Mall

The following day, two stops on the tram, also known as the metro, took us to The Dubai Mall, where a 1 km air-conditioned passage of travelators, feeling as though I was riding through a sparkling airport, awaited us.

We walked for about 5kms (6650 steps, my Moves app confirmed) around the mall, which houses just about every major fashion brand worldwide, the largest collection of brands under one roof in the world. Did you know that The Dubai Mall is the world’s largest shopping mall?

If you’re in to viewing fish behind glass then there’s an aquarium and animal zoo in the middle of all the shops.

Outside, in the heat, I thought that by drinking a hot drink was supposed to cool one down. What a load of codswallop! It made me hotter and it felt as though the weather outside had increased by at least 3 degrees.

This is where I spotted the impressive 830m-tall tower, (yes, I know, most difficult to miss) known as Burji Khalifa that overshadows the skyline. At its base sits Dubai Fountain, with jets and lights choreographed to music. Apparently, “The beam of light shining upward from the fountain can be seen from over 20 miles away, and will be visible from space making it the brightest spot in the Middle East, and quite possibly in the entire world…”

Shopping: Souk Al Bahar

The Souk Al Bahar is directly across the promenade from The Dubai Mall. Surrounded by water, the Souk Al Bahar celebrates Arabic heritage with stone corridors, tall archways, low lighting and arabesque décor. The subdued scents of spice and oil divinely intoxicate, and the combination of tradition and modern make it an interesting experience.

Shopping: Mall of the Emirates

Mall of the Emirates is the second largest shopping mall in Dubai; however, this one offers something a little different. Fancy a bit of snowboarding or skiing before or after shopping? Well, you can at Ski Dubai, which is in the middle of the shops. It offers Ski School, Penguin Encounter, Snow Bullet, Ski Camp and Private Lessons. What more could you ask for when it comes to shopping and skiing in the middle of a desert?

Shopping: Dubai Festival City Mall

Dubai Festival City Mall – the 5^th largest in Dubai after Bur Dubai and City Centre Deira – is near the Creek Harbour at The Lagoons. Creek Harbour is in the process of expanding the heart of the city and will become an ecologically responsible waterfront community, and minimising its environmental impact is at its core.

Footnotes

Most brands – such as Boots, The Body Shop, Marks & Spencer, Molton Brown, Stella McCarthy, BHS, French Connection etc. – are all from the UK and much cheaper there too.

The secret to bargain shopping in Dubai is to only purchase the local brands, which aren’t so easily spotted amongst the overbearing luxury brands. Research is required before even attempting to bargain hunt. I’ve been told that Old Dubai, the geographical and cultural divide, offers the bargains the average tourist would be after. I’ll be experiencing this in a day or two so watch this space…

Everything, from the high-rise apartment blocks and hotels to the shopping malls all ooze opulence. And everywhere is as clean as a holy temple – even the streets. Perhaps cleaner than Singapore? A minimum one can clearly expect from a strict government. Imagine if a 10th of the South African population had to set foot on such pristine soil…