Jim Verdonik, Founder of NOT DEAD YET TRAVEL:
“If you’re still learning about the world, then you’re NOT DEAD YET.”
Jim is also a novelist, lawyer, journalist and teacher.
Like many ancient travelers, our road to India passed through the Middle East. Indian spices and other goods went by land and boat to Persian and Arabia, and then on caravans through vast deserts to the Mediterranean. Dubai was one of many small ports where caravans began.
We did a three-day layover in Dubai, which is now a financial and tourist center. An Arab country that works. Dubai is a fascinating example of what people in the Middle East can accomplish when they stop fighting one another.
Dubai reminded me a bit of Disney World’s Epcot Center – bold architecture that focuses on the future rather than the past and an international mix of people from all over the planet.
Like Disney, Dubai is totally artificial. There wasn’t much here there thirty years ago – just a village where the desert meets the sea. Now there are 4 million people.
Like Disney, Dubai is in the business of making money.
This creates an unusual. The call to prayer is heard all over Dubai five times each day while cash registers ring up alcohol sales.
One common misconception is that Dubai is about oil money. Dubai is part if the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but 90% of the UAE’s oil Arab Emirates is located in the UAE state called Abu Dabi. Dubai has little oil. So, it turned to other businesses. Real estate development is the biggest local business. It attracted oil money, but also other money from all over the world.
The result is a prosperous, clean, modern city of about 4 million people filled with skyscrapers that is almost crime free.
Another reason to start exploring India in Dubai is that most of the working people in Dubai are from either India or Pakistan, with a sprinkling of other nationalities mixed in. In Dubai, the Indians and Pakistanis seem to get along. Of course, it might help that they are all on temporary visas that the government can revoke for any reason. Dubai seeks to avoid trouble.
One odd thing about our visit is that our plane landed at the end of a huge rainstorm. It being a desert city, Dubai didn’t invest much in water drains.
Some streets were flooded. Not what we expected in the desert. The first of many surprises on our way to India.
Here are some snapshots that tell the story of our three-night stay in Dubai. Unless you’re in Dubai for business or for the beach, three nights is probably long enough. It was for us.
Making Friends
It’s easy to make friends in Dubai. Pam made a friend at breakfast the first morning at our hotel.
Burj Khalifa – World’s Tallest Building
Our hotel was across the manmade lagoon from the Burj Khalifa – the world’s tallest building. Here’s a picture of the Burj I took from our hotel pool.
Every night they stage massive water and light shows, which we viewed from our hotel balcony.
Listen to the Concert; Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion (recording)
Dune Buggy Racing on Desert Sand Dunes
Victory is Sweet.
Valentines Day Desert Sunset
Here’s the desert sunset we enjoyed on Valentines Day, the night before we left Dubai for India. Our 43rd Valentines Day together. Getting better every year.
A champaign breakfast in Emirates’ business class lounge the next morning was a fitting end to our Dubai holiday and the beginning of our India adventures.
After our champaign breakfast, Pam settles in for our 3.5-hour flight to Delhi in India.
CLICK BELOW TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED IN INDIA.
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