Day 45 (Mon 21 Aug) - Dubai
We decided today would be our sight seeing day. After breakfast we bought tickets for the Big Bus Company tour of Dubai. Just like the London version - it is a double decker bus which you hop on and off and you have to complete a mortgage application to buy the tickets.
Luckily we jumped on the city tour bus just outside our hotel. The bus headed off into the city, travelling under the tunnel to the other side of the creek past the Gold Souk and Commercial district. There was quite a few impressive looking office blocks and mosques.
We got off the bus at Deira City Centre so we could join the beach tour bus. We had to wait a bit so we ventured into the massive shopping centre. We didn't buy anything, although Jo was tempted - but as always Sarb reminded her she would have to carry what she bought!
We boarded the beach tour bus which took us back over the creek and towards the seaside.
We were amazed by the amount of construction currently going on in Dubai ( [1], [2], [3] ). Our tour guide explained that there are currently over 5,000 office / apartment buildings
under construction. Everywhere you look there seem to be massive sky scrapers being built.
Along the beach there must have been at least 15 five star hotels and a good number of stylish palaces. Off the coast we could see an island in the distance. Our guide explained that they were building the "World Islands" just four km off the coast. The World Islands are a collection of man-made islands shaped into the continents of the world. It will consist of 300 small private artificial islands. Each island will range from 23.2 to 83.6 thousand square meters in size and is due to be completed in 2008. Whatever next! If you're interested have a look at http://www.theworld.ae/
We continued along the coast and came to Dubai's famous seven star hotel, Burj al Arab. Fortunately for Sarb, you have to make a reservation 24 hours in advance so we weren't able to pop in for a glass or two of champers. It did look pretty impressive.
We headed back towards the city, on the way we saw the construction of what will be the world's tallest building - Dubai is definitely trying to do everything bigger and better than everyone else.
On the way back we stopped off at Dubai's largest shopping centre which even boasts an indoor ski slope.
By the time we returned to our hotel we were very hot and tired. We chilled for a bit and packed up our rucksacks as we were leaving in the middle of the night.
Since we were going to have over three months of Indian food we decided to have an "English" in the Sherlock Holmes pub in our hotel. Sarb had fish'n'chips and Jo had Cottage Pie with chips - what a treat!
We checked out of our hotel at 12.30am and took a taxi to the airport.
Luckily we jumped on the city tour bus just outside our hotel. The bus headed off into the city, travelling under the tunnel to the other side of the creek past the Gold Souk and Commercial district. There was quite a few impressive looking office blocks and mosques.
We got off the bus at Deira City Centre so we could join the beach tour bus. We had to wait a bit so we ventured into the massive shopping centre. We didn't buy anything, although Jo was tempted - but as always Sarb reminded her she would have to carry what she bought!
We boarded the beach tour bus which took us back over the creek and towards the seaside.
We were amazed by the amount of construction currently going on in Dubai ( [1], [2], [3] ). Our tour guide explained that there are currently over 5,000 office / apartment buildings
under construction. Everywhere you look there seem to be massive sky scrapers being built.
Along the beach there must have been at least 15 five star hotels and a good number of stylish palaces. Off the coast we could see an island in the distance. Our guide explained that they were building the "World Islands" just four km off the coast. The World Islands are a collection of man-made islands shaped into the continents of the world. It will consist of 300 small private artificial islands. Each island will range from 23.2 to 83.6 thousand square meters in size and is due to be completed in 2008. Whatever next! If you're interested have a look at http://www.theworld.ae/
We continued along the coast and came to Dubai's famous seven star hotel, Burj al Arab. Fortunately for Sarb, you have to make a reservation 24 hours in advance so we weren't able to pop in for a glass or two of champers. It did look pretty impressive.
We headed back towards the city, on the way we saw the construction of what will be the world's tallest building - Dubai is definitely trying to do everything bigger and better than everyone else.
On the way back we stopped off at Dubai's largest shopping centre which even boasts an indoor ski slope.
By the time we returned to our hotel we were very hot and tired. We chilled for a bit and packed up our rucksacks as we were leaving in the middle of the night.
Since we were going to have over three months of Indian food we decided to have an "English" in the Sherlock Holmes pub in our hotel. Sarb had fish'n'chips and Jo had Cottage Pie with chips - what a treat!
We checked out of our hotel at 12.30am and took a taxi to the airport.
posted by Jo and Sarb at
8/21/2006 11:51:00 am
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