Hi everyone, I got back from Dubai yesterday evening. I had a great time on my two weeks holiday. Stayed for 10 nights in Taj Exotica Resort which was a magnificient hotel perched on a large granite rock and overlooking the beach. We swam in the pool, played table tennis, carrom, darts and I even beat my dad in a game of pool (shock!).
We were on full board which meant we could have a buffet meals 3 times a day - but we also had a special arrangement - because we are veggies - so that we could ask the chef to make us other dishes as well.
We didn't go on many tours in the end because the 24 hour journey to our resort left us feeling too tired to go on any more long trips along the island - tho it was a shame that I never got to visit the elephant orphanage - but not that bad because I have seen many elephants when I went to Kenya.
However, we did go on some short excursions - like to a herbal garden where they tried to seell us everything in the store - a devil dancing mask museum -and a turtle hatchery (baby turtles are soo cute - but shame that their pools are so crowded).
The people in Sri Lanka were very nice and we were always approached by locals willing to show us around the area. One guy even showed us around he is village and then took us to his father's friends house to have some fresh coconut water!
Oh we also visited a moonstone mine where we ending up buying three saphire rings. A large blu saphire for my dad, a red saphire for my mum with diamonds and a small blue saphire ring with two small diamonds for me.
Since it was low season - the beach was not large because the tide was in and the sea had a stong undercurrent so was not safe to swim in - but even though it was the off season the hotel was completely full - no rooms available!
Then we stay for 4 nights in Dubai in the Fairmont Hotel - this hotel was so modern and the designs were fantastic. They lit up the building a night which made it look spectacular. On the first night there we went to Meena Bazaar where all the Indian shops are. But even a night it was so hot - about 38C!. Well, I guess we did visit at the hottest time.
We used to have very large breakfasts here - museli and a smoothie, toast and tea, some arabic bread with hummous, olives and cheeses and maybe some fruit - but this didn't match the size of the Arabs' meals!
The next day was spent in one of Dubai's (and the Middle East's) largest shopping malls - called City Centre. Although clothes were the same prices as in London, the electronic goods were nearly half the price - so we bought a dvd player, a webcam, a microphone, two pc games and a radio contolled helicopter for my bro.
On the third day we visited some reletives and in the afternoon we went on a desert safari. This involved dune bashing - where you drive up and down the dunes on a jeep - a bit like a rollercoster though it wasn't scary. After we stopped to watch the sunset we were taken to the camp where we had our evening meal and watched belly dancing and even got to try out some sandboarding. My parents and my bro did well but I think I got too nervous -I don't like heights - so I kinda lost my balanced and when down in a crouched position.
The final day we visted a partner hotel - Le Meridien Min Seyahi to see the beach. But it was very hot and the sand was burning - about 45C and the sea temp was 29C!
I was glad we were staying in the city because we couldn't have made good use of the beach in that heat. Later, we went to the Wild Wadi waterpark - this was quite good but not as good as the waterparks in America. Most rides involved sitting in rings and being pushed up and down water chutes, a lazy river, a wave pool, two fake surf waves and a large water slide - but we didn't go on this one because it was a long walk and the soles of our feet were burning from walking on the hot concrete - plus maybe a bit of fraidiness on my part!
http://www.wildwadi.com
Overall, I had a nice time - but as always - there's no place like home.
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