Fascinating Dubai

What a great two days Kay and I have had here in the United Arab Republic. Dubai is a crazy mix of a new building frenzy, great freeways and mad drivers. Kay and I have crammed a lot into a couple of days, Ireland will be a welcome and less hectic experience I'm sure.

We left Sydney on a night flight so arrived in Dubai at 5.30 am which was good because we had the whole day yesterday to settle into the hotel and do some sight seeing. The Grand Hyatt is a large hotel close to the airport but has no supermarket etc nearby, which meant for the next couple of days we relied on taxis to take us to shopping malls etc. the first afternoon we looked around a mall a ten minute drive away. The taxi drivers and tour drivers are  all the same when it comes to driving. The faster you go the sooner you will get there.

We had a great tour the first day, the City of Merchants tour which included good photo stops and tours of a heritage area. A wooden boat ride and a walk through a spice market. The Dubai Creek area is very pretty, coming home after dark there is a lighting show along the waterfront of old boats, some getting new lives as restaurants.

Dubai has four million residents. Arab born only make 20% of the total population. The city is getting ready for Expo 2020. There are large cranes all over and buildings under construction 24 hours per day.

There are two distinct seasons here, summer and winter with temperatures soaring to over 50c in August.

The bus stops here are the only ones in the world to have air conditioning in a fully enclosed room. 

        

The city is hosting an expo in 2020 so there is a big rush to get construction  finished

         

A sample of apartment living

The tour took us to the waterfront where we taken on wooden boats (called Abras ) across the Dubai Creek to the spice markets. We wandered through the very pleasant aromatic laneways bustling with locals and tourists. I always imagined Dubai being an old city but in fact it is only 200 years old and a population of Victoria. We were back to the hotel around 8.30 and enjoyed a late dinner in the Italian restaurant.

      

Day 2 saw us enjoy breakfast in the hotel the catch a taxi to the Dubai Mall one of the largest Malls I have seen. It has a huge Aquarium inside the Mall and all the world's best known brands. One level is totally devoted to children's wear, maybe at a guess about fifty stores. Marks and Spencer, H&M, Galleries Layfette and Debenhams were some of the stores we saw during our time there. We finished up sitting outside overlooking the Dubai Fountain in a little French cafe named Madeliene's.

The dune sunset safari was our last tour in Dubai. The tour starts with us being picked up at the hotel and then driven in a land cruiser to a Conservation park where we were entertained with a guy with his trained falcon who gave us a demonstration of falconry before we headed for the Sandhills and a dune driving experience. One girl in our vehicle got nauseous in the back seat so our driver had to give up going over the high sand hills.i scored the front seat, being older has its advantages sometimes. We were in a convoy of about fifty vehicles and  after stopping for the sunset photo opportunity arrived at our "camp"  for dinner. Seating was on low cushions which I found hard but placed myself near a pole where I could at least have as a leverage to pull myself up. My lovely sister got my wine and also my dinner to save me moving. We enjoyed a Middle Eastern dinner of kebabs, salads and lamb 

Our Dubai experience ends today as we make our way to Ireland, a seven hour trip. 

Shhh we are going to Ireland!

And we can't tell our Dad. He often says that "when I get stronger in the legs we will go to Ireland"

We all know sadly that isn't going to happen. He is almost 96 and in a care facility. 

When Kay and I started planning for Europe, one of the places Kay wanted to return to the area in 

Limerick that Dad comes from. He was only 12 years old when he made the long journey to Australia with his Dad in 1931.

Kay and I are hiring a car in Dublin and driving south to Limerick and down to Tralee and Ballyseede Castle where we will base ourselves. There are three lots of Irish family and friends whom Kay has met before that we are meeting up with during our stay. Our first and last night are booked in Dublin. 

                            

   

   I am slowly getting myself organised, the suitcase is almost full and room for last minute things. I have a new suitcase on four wheels so eager to try it out and hoping it is easier to handle. 

I'm cooking a few things for John, mainly cutlets. He has pretty simple meals and Coles Supermarket is a few minutes drive away. He has being shown how to work the dish washer and the washing machine. 

      

                           

            The last King of Iteland Brian Boru, is one of our mother's ancestor's according to family heresay. We are still researching this.

Less than two weeks out from trip

                                                                                   

  Most of the planning is done now, the final payment off to the travel agent. I exchanged aussie money for USD and GBP. Will get Euros later, when we get to Ireland.

Otherwise we will use the ATMs.   I haven't packed the bag yet but have put a few things aside I will need.  I'm packing a parka for Ireland, could be a little chilly.          

                                         

                            

We are staying in the Grand Hyatt Dubai for two nights. A half day tour is booked for the first day and a safari sand dune tour and dinner for the second night.