Sept 24

Awake 530am local time. I will relax by the pool today until my friend gets up after night shift.  Then about noon will start on my tour.  Only in Dubai for 2 full days. So excited to see the most I can see. Woke with full on migraine.  Hopefully due to the long flight and not sign of things to come. 

I am staying in a huge villa. You walk in the front door and the whole living space is wide open with 20 ft ceilings. Then the kitchen and bedroom are around the outside. Each very larger bedroom has its own dressing room and bathroom. 

The day started off at 35 degrees at 6am and rose to well over 45 with the humidity.  It is unbareable to think how anyone works outdoors in this heat.  Not until it reaches over 50 will they allow workers 2 hrs off during the middle of the day.  In those 2 hours they usually don't leave site because have no way to get around so they just look for shade.  In other worlds their day now becomes 2 hrs longer.  

The ex pats or expatriots as they are called are considered of very high ranking here.  Most of them have maids and gardeners. They can live in gated communities of all ex pats or live among the locals. 

A local neighbourhood has its own grocery store.  Here you can stop to pick up milk etc.  You can call and they will bring it you house or you can even drive up and honk and they will run out get your order and run back in and get your food and change. Never having to leave the comfort of your airconditioning. There are no stairs and even if there are no one uses them.  Escalators and elevators always used.  All the high skilled labour is brought in from out of the country.  Most of the labours are from Pakistan, Philippines etc. If you are an emirate you have a very privilaged life style.  You have your schooling paid for.  You have the money to build your first home loaned to you by the government and you are given a piece of land once you graduate or if you join the milatary. There are no taxes what so ever.  No land tax. No sales tax.  Gas is a WHOPPING 50cents a litre. The cheapest gas in the world.  

There are mosques on every corner.

 There must be one every 500 metres. emirates must go to pray 5 times a day.  This is a way that the men are kept accountable.  The first one starts an hr before sunrise and the last one ends at sunset. This allows for no one to be lazy.  Prayer is a cleansing as well as a exercise. Emirates are very clean and in shape.  

Families that come here to work send their kids to private schools. These schools are very expensive and group by country.  For instance, there are American schools, kiwi schools, English schools etc. 

The schooling is of the best caliber and the teachers are brought in from all over.  They go from kindergarten to grade 13.  They must take a second language throughout.  

In Dubai the father is responsible for the children.  If you are a foreigner and something happens to the father. The children become ward of Dubai.  Therefore you must be very careful to have a plan in affect to get the children out of the country immediately if this happens.  You may have 2 hours to do this..

The laws in Dubai are very tight. You can go to prison if you steal, do drugs, are homosexual or have sex before marriage.  You can't drink without a license.  You must be 18 before you can get your drivers license.  

Dubai is growing faster than any other city.  The buildings are very unique. They spare no expensive at drawing the tourists and the rich and famous to their city.  

The palm is man made islands in the shape of a palm tree with a ring around it.  The fronds are all gated communities. Very expensive waterfront property.  At the top of the ring is the Atlantis hotel.  As you are  driving to the end of the palm you actually drive under the Atlantis through a tunnel. 

The views from the palm of the Burj al-Arab are stunning.  You can also see the Jumeirah beach hotel which is the shape of a wave behind it.  

Dubai has many Guinness world records!   The worlds heaviest ring! 

This was on display at the Gold souqs.  

We got to the souq by crossing the Dubai creek on an Abra. 

It was a very interesting mode of transportation.  The creek was dredged to allow the large boats to come up the creek to increase the trade.  At one time the creek was so shallow at low tide you could walk across it on the sand bars. 

The worlds largest mall is the Dubai mall.  Outside the Dubai mall is the worlds largest building the Burj Khalifa. 

Here you can watch a foundation show to music much like the one at the bellagio in Vegas. 

Inside the mall is the worlds largest aquarium.  

At the mall of Emerates you can go from 45 degrees outside to -3 degrees inside and hit the slopes at ski Dubai.  

We spent the afternoon walking around a city within the city call Madinat Jumeirah. It was hotel and restaurants, waterways and shops. You could take an Abra around.  There are breath taking views of the 7 star hotel Burj al-Arab.  The architecture is stunning.  There are wind tunnels throughout that are all lit up at night.  

Sept 23

Well I am about 1hr from Dubai.  Not as long a flight as I thought! Actually got some sleep.  I believe it was 14 hrs total. Emirates flight as been very nice.  Been feed three meals, alcohol beverages and all. Was a bonus that I had an empty seat beside me so was able to stretch out. The emirate flight attendants are beautiful in their attire. 

When we arrived there was a kit on our seats with tooth brush,towel,eye mask, blanket,pillow and headphones. Flight was smooth, pretty uneventful except for the girl beside me who split Bloody Mary all over empty seat in middle of us. Oh well one way to make sure no one sat there! 

Don't let me forget the nice hot face towels they hand out! 

So I arrived in Dubai about 30 mins early and it was such a easy smooth transition, literally 10 mins I was through customs and had my bags. 

My friend was late picking me up.  So I went around looking at strangers wondering if I would recognize her.  But as soon as she walked up I knew it was her!

We came home and had a lovely dinner. Met her husband Matt and 2 sons.  Got a quick history lesson on Dubai and the region and now hitting the sack.  Looking forward to seeing the sights tomorrow.  

Oh and did I tell you it was a 38 degrees when I landed at 7pm.  Had been 48 earlier in the day!   Ugh.  

Saw Palm island flying in and the worlds largest building Burj Khalifa! So cool.  

Sept 22

Sitting in Seattle airport, waiting for my connection to Dubai.  Excited to say the least!  Already had an adventure. Sat beside a lady who is from South Africa.  She has given me the name and number of a lady in Cape Town.  I have emailed her to see if she can hook me up with school to donate my school supplies,

toys and sports equipment to a local school in need.  So excited to help out some local children.  Thanks to all that donated!