UAE - Dubai

When you talk about Dubai to most people they ask: 'Is there anything to see there?' Well, there surely is.

For starters, Dubai is the only town in the UAE which still has an old town. It's very nice to walk around there, finding all kinds of quaint shops. There is also a massive renovation going on (Dubai will host the World Expo in 2020) but here they are doing a good thing. They restore houses and shops just like they used to be ages ago, and you can't even tell the difference!

Next to the palm islands, Dubai has a creek. Our hotel was near to it, and from our room we could watch the dhows go and leave the harbor. A visit to Palm Jumeirah is of course due. You can do that by car, or by helicopter (we did both). On Palm Jumeirah the most expensive hotels are to be found, including two 7-star hotels (Atlantis and Burj Al Arab). You can only enter them if you are a guest there, but you're allowed to take pictures from the outside. Jumeirah also has a marina. Very pricely real estate there, as well!

Most people will have heard about Burj Khalifa, up to now the highest building in the world (though the government intends to build one that's even higher). Tourists can go up to three different levels, and of course the ticket price will correspond. You already have breathtaking views from the 125th floor. When leaving the Burj Khalifa, you can see the fountains that move to music starting at 6 pm. It is really worth waiting for that.

When you get tired of the sun, and want to do something more active than shopping in the many malls and souks, you can go indoor skiing. Ski Dubai is modern and has nice slopes for beginners and experts alike. Outside +32° Celsius and inside -4°. Included in the ticket price is the rental of the material, which is in good quality I must say. We tried it out and it was a very nice day. You can ski, have a warm drink or grab a bite to eat nearby.

Just outside Dubai there's the desert. Different compagnies offer trips into it. We went for a sunset camel trek. We had private transport into the desert (about one hour's drive). The last part of the drive was riding up and down the sand dunes (nice!). Then we went for our camel ride (just take care when the camel gets up) in the early evening. When we returned to the bedouin camp we got some mint tea and dates, and afterwards we could sit down to a traditional dinner. Very tasty, and quite to my liking. After dinner there were traditional dances and opportunity to have a henna tatoo on your hands. You could also pose for pictures with a falcon on your arm.