Dubai layover tour!
On my way to Nepal, I had an 8-hour layover in Dubai. Rather that spending this time at the airport, I decided to book a city tour. I arranged a private tour through “Withlocals”, hiring Gomez as my tour guide. This was an expensive tour, but I have learned that you get what you pay for. The communication prior to the tour with Gomez was great, so I had little worries about the tour, or making my connecting flight to Nepal.
I arrived at the humongous Dubai airport in the evening. As I passed through customs, I was surprised that the officer had a sense of humor. He told me I needed to pay for a visa to enter, which was contrary to the research I did prior to my trip. I asked him “oh, how much?” He quickly said “$1000”, and just as quickly let me off the hook by saying, “Just kidding, we are rich”, as he waved me into the country. This was a great start to my visit.
Gomez picked me up at the airport and we quickly left in a private car and headed to the Gold Salk (market). Despite being in a daze after the 14+ hour flight, I was able to learn quite a bit about the culture. There is very little to no crime in Dubai, and no police presence at the market. As a matter of fact, it’s more likely for a tourist to commit a crime, like being intoxicated in public. I even felt safe leaving my backpack in the back of the car while we walked the city. The highlight of the Gold Salk was a gold dress, which I admired from outside the shop.; and the famous gold ring, the largest in the world, weighing in at 64 kg and worth about $3 million USD. The plaque from Guinness Book of World Records sat below the ring.
Next, we toured the spice market, which was my favorite spot. The colorful spices were stored in large bags outside the shop, and Gomez pointed out the uses of these precious goods.
Another highlight was trying the local cuisine. Gomez took me to a local street vendor where I ate a delicious wrap, and then he bought me a cup of traditional coffee. Afterwards, walked to a boat dock, where the locals take a water taxi, called an Abra. We boarded a private abra and rode the river to the other side, where our car and driver were waiting for us.
Next stop, new Dubai. The UAE (United Arab Emirates) was founded in 1971. There are 7 Emirates, with Dubai being the most populated. The country grew from oil money, which has since diminished significantly. Gomez informed me that this money was invested wisely and continues to grow as a result. Today’s revenue relies on tourism, and Dubai is the 4th visited city in the World. Other world records include the Burg Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, standing a half-mile from the ground!
We walked through the famous Dubai Mall and saw the large fish tanks and entrance to the aquarium as we passed through. We didn’t visit the mall, although I was struck when I saw the burger joint “Five Guys”. My favorite burger place when I visit PA, we don’t even have one in Alaska. Gomez told me the burgers are over $20. Dubai is very expensive. On my way home from Nepal, I got a standard burger and fries at the airport and paid $32!
We arrived just in time to watch the water fountains dance. Similar to a show you might see at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, this water fountain show was on a much larger scale.
Dubai is also home to the Palm Jumeirah, the man made islands that are formed in the shape of a palm tree. We drove the “trunk” of the island, while Gomez pointed out the multi million dollar homes situated on the “branches” of the island.
We visited a few more areas with gorgeous city views, and drove past the gold horses at the entrance to a luxury hotel. We also stopped at a beach, with a view of the famous Burg Al Arab in the distance. Burg Al Arab is a 7 star hotel, the cost of a suite running about $22,000 per night. All of the rooms are suites, and have access to a 24-hour butler service.
I had learned from my research that it is nearly impossible to become a citizen of Dubai, unless you were born to a Father who is a citizen, or a woman marries a citizen. What I didn’t know is that 83% of the people in Dubai are not residents. Most people are there on work visas that last 2 years. You can continue to renew your work visa, but if you lose your job, you have 28 days to exit the country, and you will be fined for each day you stay beyond that date. Also, once you reach age 60, you cannot renew your visa and must leave the country. The UAE also does not have any federal income tax.
I really enjoyed my short visit to Dubai! The 4 hour tour was perfect for the 8 hour layover! I got a short adventure in before my long adventure in Nepal. Can’t get any better than that!!
