Dubai (1) Dubai Mall

Sunday, 25 December 2016

After freshening up, we headed out to the Dubai Mall. I was amazed by the window displays - so exceptionally lavish! My mum was very excited to see a coffee shop - 100% Arabica, which we had with a Christmas mince pie.I was very excited to see stores like Bloomingdales and Pottery Barn. We found an awesome place to have a light dinner - India Palace. I think it was by far, the best paneer wrap I've ever had.

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Mum and I also found the Nespresso store, near the awesome Dubai Mall Waterfall. The human figures (apparently made from fiber glass) are mesmerizing, to say the least.

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We also went wandering around The Souk - a true marvel! I was also on the look out for Tim Hortons, a Canadian cafe and bake shop. I was so excited to have an "Iced Cap" and a few "Tim Bits".

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When my mum and I were ready to go home, we had to go to LG to catch a cab. The queue was unbelievable. After a long day of flying, we were back at the hotel by 19:00. We decided it be a good idea to rest so that we were properly rejuvenated for the next day.

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Day (1) Arriving in Dubai

Our flight was delayed by an hour, so our transit in Doha was short - as was our flight to Dubai.

Before we knew it, we arrived in the concrete jungle that is Dubai. We were greeted by the friendly staff of Arabian Adventures who escorted us to immigration. Getting our luggage was done with ease and we soon made contact with my dad and brother to wish them Merry Christmas!

We realized that the airport was very close to the hotel we were staying at - Ibis One Central. Check in was hassle-free, but we were a bit surprised to learn that there were no porters around. Made me wonder if we are too spoiled in South Africa!

 

Dubai (0) Getting ready to go

Friday, 23 December 2016
We were lucky to be able to leave work early, giving me a little extra time to run some errands, do my laundry and pack my suitcase. I'm usually a bit anxious the day before I travel, but I took it easy and decided to go with the flow.

Saturday, 24 December 2016
On Saturday, packed and ready to leave home, I had a really nice Uber driver take me to the airport. I still can't believe that I passed out and slept through almost the entire flight to Johannesburg. I knew that when I arrived in Johannesburg, I would head straight to Woolies Cafe for a nice hot wake-me-up drink.

At first, I sat at the counter, chatting to the barista, but soon met two sisters who just arrived back from Mauritius. My mum arrived shortly afterwards and we were just in time to meet Chancharmasi, who had just flown in from Cape Town. We didn't spend too long with her as we needed to start making our way to international departures. Mum and I had a light bite to eat before making our way to the boarding gate. The excitement was definitely starting to bubble!

Dubai (0) The idea to go

I remember calling my mum, saying to her: "Mummy, I don't know about you, but I need to travel. I need to use my passport! Let's go to Dubai."

My mum actually seemed quite keen and it was from then that I knew the ball would start rolling very soon!

Blog Challenge Day 3: One thing the world needs more of

I first heard the soundtrack of "My best friend's wedding" when I was in Canada in 2002. These songs make me feel nostalgic and I really love it. It brings back such wonderful memories.
 

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Blog Challenge Day 2: Someone I admire

Anyone who follows me on social media knows how I absolutely love my parents. My mum and dad have afforded my brother and I the best opportunities in life. For this blog post, instead of choosing only one person, I have decided to write about both my parents. I admire them equally. But, why? They have raised my brother and I with such valuable life skills that no amount of money can buy. They have given us more than what they had growing up and for that (and I can easily speak for my brother) we are forever grateful for that.

Blog Challenge Day 1: Qualities I like about myself

I consider myself to be loyal friend. One who cares genuinely and listens intently. I think I am quite resilient and when I want something, i will stop at nothing until I get it! I try my best to see the good in everyone and believe that each person has the ability to overcome any adversity they are faced with. By no means do I claim to be a religious person or staunch follower of any given faith, but I believe that the power of prayer can do wonders. I love my parents and brother unconditionally and am indebted do them for the constant love and support they have never ceased to give me.