Dubai - For many, the hustle and bustle of Dubai’s airport is just that, as travellers scramble towards their connecting flights. For others, it acts as a stopover: a place for the weary traveller to rest or indulge in the world’s finest shopping experience before heading home. For me this is my final destination, a return ticket, as I explore all Dubai has to offer and give some insight to those opting for more than the 96-hour visa.
Waking up to temperatures exceeding 30C and rising fast, it was time for the beach. There certainly are some exquisite beaches on offer. Walking along the beachfront is an experience in itself, of gazing at the flush architecture and luxurious cars which line your path, then heading for a swim that provides some relief from the searing heat.
If you are looking for adventure over relaxation, The Wild Wadi Water Park, situated in the area of Jumeirah, not only offers whimsical views of the Burj Al Arab and the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, but is sure to get the adrenaline pumping with some monstrous waterslides.
I follow signs to one such slide, Jumeirah Sceirah, but am convinced I am going the wrong way. So, like a salmon returning to its place of birth, I fight my way up the stairs, through the throngs of people and retreat down the staircase. As I reach the entrance to the ride, I realise my sense of direction has been spot on, but it is my sanity which needs to be questioned. Stepping into a capsule I await the click of a switch which will activate a trap door, then drop me vertically into an endless abyss of fear.
Dubai offers one of the world’s best sky-diving facilities. Although my addiction to adrenaline is beginning to grow, I am not quite ready to throw myself out of a plane, so I opt instead for iFly Dubai, a fantastic alternative.
Boss
Thrust into a wind tank, I find myself hovering weightlessly in anticipation of my guide’s next hand signal and within two minutes I have shown gravity who is boss; gliding, spinning and turning like I was born to fly.
However, this is not where Dubai’s “bigger-is-better” and “what-can’t-be-done-shall-be-done” mentality ends. It comes as no surprise that a country known for its sweltering heat and arid landscape also makes room for a winter wonderland.
Before my body has time to process the 40 C swing in temperature, I am on a chairlift marvelling at the activities showcased within the ski dome. Screams from those harnessed to zip lines whiz over my head, while kids in toboggans and tubes slide below my dangling feet.
From jumps and rails to a relaxed stroll among the penguins, Ski Dubai caters for every level of skiing enthusiast, and while I sat in the mountain cabin sipping on a hot chocolate and welcoming feeling back into my fingers, it was hard to remember the dry heat awaiting outside.
Of course, you cannot visit the desert and ignore the magnificent beauty of the majestic sand dunes and vast open spaces which dwarf the newly created metropolitan feel of Dubai’s city centre.
Royal Arabian Tours gives one the opportunity to experience the best of the desert in an afternoon. Picked up from my hotel, I am whisked away in a luxury land cruiser heading towards the setting sun and leaving civilisation behind in the dust. After an hour’s drive, the driver stops to let air out of the tyres and I manage to sneak off for a pitstop of my own.
Returning to the vehicle, it is clear the deflated tyres have only inflated the spirit of adventure in our driver. The only way to really describe these guys is as “desert surfers” as they scour the landscape in search of the “lip” of each and every dune, performing some of the most absurd cutbacks, then racing down the dune and joining up again with what has now become a rather substantial luxury land cruiser convoy.
From the gasps of the multigenerational family of six in the back and myself strapped in tightly in the front, it is clear desert acrobatics are something new for us all. Yet glancing to my left I’m reassured by the calm and professional demeanour of our Arabian guide behind the wheel.
Without him having to speak a word I am quickly educated on the skills these men possess and slowly begin to relax into my seat. Just as I begin to feel at home in my comfy leather throne, we stop for dinner. An Arabian feast is set within the walls of a desert camp.
Some choose to smoke sheesha with newfound friends, while others prepare for their first ride on a camel before settling down to enjoy dinner and belly dancing. All too soon I find myself back in the land cruiser heading towards the glow of the city lights.
Having experienced the elation of riding in the desert I am eager to make my way back, but take control of the wheel myself this time. It is with this in mind that I come across Just Gas It, a biking company which allows riders to do exactly that. They have a range of motorbikes and quad bikes which are an ideal way to explore the desert and there seems to be just one rule: Just Gas It.
Unearthing every type of human emotion, from sheer fear to fist-pumping passion, this is an experience that leaves me breathless as I pass Bedouin camel farmers who awake to the hum of the bike’s engine as I open the throttle on Dubai’s largest playground.
One of the great things about Dubai is that it attracts people from all over the world and, as my time draws to a close, I head to the desert one last time for a braai with friends, old and new, to say goodbye to the place that has been home for the past two weeks. A place that deserves more than just a stopover.
If You Go...
Flights: Emirates flies direct from Cape Town and Durban.
Visas: As a South African, you need a visa to enter Dubai and if you are staying longer than four days you should be issued with a 30-day visa. However, if you fly Emirates, you can apply for this visa through their website once you have booked your ticket. The Visa costs $57*. Add to that a $23* processing fee.
Language: While Dubai has a very cosmopolitan feel to it ,with people from all walks of life, if you can communicate in English you will manage just fine.
Money: Be sure to take plenty of it. Dubai uses the Dirham, which is currently R3.03:1*. Currently there are no taxes levied on goods.
Water: As Dubai is in a desert, you may be thinking water will be scarce. However, as with most things in Dubai, there is an elaborate plan in place. Dubai is home to the world’s largest desalination plant, so most of their water supply is processed in the country. While the tap water is drinkable, most people prefer to drink bottled water owing to the lack of minerals in the desalinated water.
Planning ahead: The Government of Dubai, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing was very helpful in identifying some great experiences, so for these and other ideas of what to do you can visit their website at www.definitelydubai.com or contact them by phone on +27117029600.
Places worth a visit:
Wild Wadi Water park – www.wildwadi.com
Ski Dubai at the Mall of the Emirates – www.theplaymania.com/skidubai
iFly Dubai at Merdif city centre mall – www.theplaymania.com/ifly
Royal Arabian Tours – www.royalarabian.com
Just Gas it – www.justgasit.net
* Information accurate at time of publication. Costs subject to change without prior notice
The Mercury