الشاطئ والمدينة والرمال وألف ليلة وليلة : The Beach, The City, The Sand and the Arabian Nights – Day 2
Day one hadn’t
even ended before I started day two early in the morning, before sunrise. My
plan was to capture a time-lapse video of the sunrise from my hotel room window
on the 13th floor, as the view from there was perfect. As soon as I woke up, I
quickly set up my mobile phone on a tripod and started the time-lapse function
and began recording. The icing on the cake was that the frame included both a
mosque and a skyscraper, creating a stunning view. After completing this task,
I got ready and went downstairs for breakfast — an omelet, fruit, and a
chocolate croissant — before spending some time in the lobby. At 9 AM, I
boarded our tourist bus and the minute we left from the hotel I saw today’s
first another man-made phenomenon structure of Dubai, “Museum of The Future”.
The building is an architectural and engineering marvel. It is designed in the
shape of an oval ring, and from the outside, it resembles a shining silver
ornament with Arabic script adorning its surface. According to the official
museum website, the Arabic words represent the poetry for His Highness Sheikh
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, rendered in the calligraphy of Mattar bin
Lahej. Our bus crossed from front of this building, and it took us to the
world-famous Jumeirah Beach. As we approached the beach, I noticed several
foreign tourists riding bicycles toward the shore. The road was spotless, and
the weather was perfect for a beach day. We all got out of the bus, and as
expected, the beach was very clean. I saw several Indian and foreign tourists
enjoying the sun, playing, sunbathing, and swimming. The world-famous luxury
hotel ‘Burj Al Arab’ is also located on this beach, built on a man-made island
in the shape of a striking sail. I took a few photographs with the hotel in the
background, then wandered around the beach, enjoying the sand, sea, and vibrant
atmosphere.
We left a bit
earlier than planned, as the tour operator had a tight schedule to show us
various spots. The bus then took us to another famous man-made island, ‘The
Palm Jumeirah’. As the name suggests, this island is built in the shape of a
palm tree. A monorail runs in a loop around the island, offering a breathtaking
view. I didn’t take the ride, but we did stop near the top of the island, known
as “The Pointe,” where the luxurious Atlantis, The Palm hotel is located. This
hotel is one of the famous landscapes of Dubai and also it is famous in
Bollywood films, especially those starring Shah Rukh Khan. I captured the
moment in my camera and took some postcard perfect pictures. I bought a few
items before we moved on from souvenir shops located here. Next, we reached
Marina Walk, which is close to the renowned Marina Beach. From this point, I
had a 360-degree view of several tall skyscrapers, including the stunning Cayan
Tower, which is built in a twisted design — an amazing feat of engineering. I
also notice that there was a long passageway lined for walking with several
cafes and restaurants. One of was a Turkish restaurant where the staff wore the
famous Turkish red cap with a tail. I seized the moment and started talking to
one of the staff members, after few moments without hesitation, took off his
cap and put it on myself. Everyone around me started staring and smiling. I
took a few snaps and selfies before returning the cap and moved on. After
roaming for a while we left from this place. On the way I encounter a
breathtaking view of Dubai city where I was able to see several skyscrapers in
the line which was visible towards the horizon of the sea. I immediately
capture the view on my camera. It was like a postcard picture perfect shot of
the view.
After leaving
Marina Beach, we stopped at Indian restaurant called “The Lal Qila — a Theme
Restaurant”, named after the famous the Red Fort in Old Delhi. At the entrance
of the restaurant a fountain was installed which was shaped like a fort with
mosaic tiles on its dome and its interior was complementing its name and theme
beautifully. Several famous Indian dishes were cooked like Kadhi Paneer, Dal,
Biryani with mix vegetable pickles, Raita, Chatnye and my favorite Papad; it
quite obvious that I enjoyed my lunch delightfully. After having my meal, the
bus took us to the sand dunes of Dubai, located on the outskirts of the city.
On the way I encounter one of the most iconic views of structures located here,
“Dubai Frame”. I have no words to describe how amazing it was looking. As name
suggests, this building is built in the shape of a frame, but the twist is that
the whole building is like this only, there is nothing inside the frame area,
its hollow. Any flying object like a helicopter can easily pass from this empty
space. I didn’t got chance to get inside but the people who went inside told me
that it amazing from inside similar to other malls. At the top of the building
there is an area where the entire floor is transparent and one can see
everything at bottom, must be an incredible & thrilling experience. So,
this must be on the list of every tourist who visit Dubai.
Now, it’s time to
experience the true essence of Dubai and the heart of the Middle East — the
iconic Sand Dunes. Around 4 p.m., we arrived at a spot located between the
dunes, where we first encountered a variety of AVT (All Vehicle Type) bikes and
four-wheelers available for rent. Visitors could rent them for a thrilling ride
across the sandy rollercoaster landscape. Our guide informed us that we would
have an hour to explore the area and enjoy the adventure at our own pace. In
addition to the AVTs, there was a souvenir shop selling various gift items, a
few cafes, and a man holding an eagle on his arm. He was offering people the
chance to hold the bird on their hand or head for a small fee. Curious, I
watched others take part and thought it looked amazing, so I decided to give it
a try. I approached the man and paid 10 Dirhams. He wrapped a green glove
around my right hand and gave me a few important instructions. In no time, the
young eagle was perched on my right hand. Its leg was tethered to the glove with
a small, thick rope. The bird twisted its neck, opened its mouth, and suddenly
spread its wings before leaping onto my head. It was a surprising moment, but
soon enough, I was smiling with the eagle on my head. The experience didn’t end
there; the man returned, unwrapped the glove, and placed the eagle on my right
shoulder. The bird was so close to my face, and its wings were partially open,
which made me nervous that I might get scratched, but fortunately, nothing
happened. After taking several pictures with the eagle, the experience ended.
It was a memorable moment, and I like to think the bird enjoyed it too.
Although I like the experience but later, I thought we should not promote such
activities as animals belongs to their natural habitat.
After spending
about an hour, our guide informed us that the desert safari was about to begin,
as several cars were on their way to pick us up from this spot. Within minutes,
a line of SUVs arrived, the majority of which were white Toyota Land Cruisers, with
a few yellow ones mixed in. These seven-seater vehicles were incredibly
spacious, bulky, and extremely comfortable — perfectly suited for the sandy
terrain we were about to explore. There were more than 40 SUVs lined up, ready
to accommodate all the tourists. Soon enough, I climbed into one of the
vehicles. Our driver, a Pakistani national, spoke Hindi fluently. He mentioned
that almost all the drivers in Dubai were from Pakistan, highlighting the
significant presence of Pakistani nationals in the region’s tourism industry.
All the drivers were wearing traditional Arabic outfit, a long, white tunic
called Dishdasha which helps keep the body cool in the heat of the gulf region
with a white turban on head. This tunic is usually worn with short Sherwal trousers
and a Ghuthra, and a black & white headscarf known as Keffieh. All the
drivers were impeccably groomed and looked incredibly sharp in their
traditional attire. I even managed to snap a few selfies with them.
Our car tour began
here, and after a short distance, all the drivers bent off left towards the
sand dunes. I was in the first car of the convoy, and as we ascended the dunes,
the driver took us slowly and stopped at the peak. One by one, all the other cars
followed and queuing behind us. Our driver was shouting and coordinating with a
few other drivers over his phone, his goal being to consolidate the convoy so
the safari could start on time and no car would be left behind. Soon, all the
vehicles had gathered in a long, organized line. I had never seen such a vast
queue of massive SUVs in my life — this entire scene felt like something
straight out of an Indiana Jones movie. And then, the real thrill began. The
driver shifted into first gear and steered the car toward the steep slope to
our left. I was seated in the middle of the second row, and from where I sat,
it looked like we were about to lose control as we headed straight down the
steep incline. But no, the car gained speed and, just as it hit the bottom, the
driver swiftly made a right turn and drove up the next dune. With the high
traction on the rear tires, a cloud of sand erupted in the air. The terrain
here was dotted with dunes of all sizes — small, medium, and large. The driver
skill-fully navigated the vehicle between them, like a rollercoaster, up and
down at a moderate pace. Inside the car I was feeling like we were gliding on
sea of sand, the drive was incredibly smooth, yet inside the car our bodies
swayed gently, as if a breeze was nudging a sheet of paper, making it flutter
with every slight movement. This safari lasted around 20 minutes, and once
again, the driver took us to the peak of a sand dune and parked the car. Now,
I’m going to describe the view I saw from there. As I got out of the car, the
scene unfolded before me — surrounded by a sea of sand in a 360-degree view,
with a mild breeze and a slight sandstorm in the air. The sun was about to kiss
the sand, casting a golden glow. Gradually, all the SUVs began to emerge one by
one. I quickly grabbed my camera and started capturing their movements as they
emerged from the dunes. At first, they appeared small, but as they climbed the
dunes, they grew bigger and bigger. I managed to capture a video of all these
SUVs coming through back-to-back, inclining up the dunes, and finally stopping
in sequential order. It was 6:30 PM, and the sun was about to set. The entire
atmosphere felt like a scene from an Arabian Nights movie. In the distance, I
saw another group of cars near the sunset, positioned on top of a sand dune. In
this view, five SUVs were parked in a line, with the silhouettes of people
standing near them. In the backdrop, the sun was setting — a perfect postcard
moment to capture and end this unforgettable safari.
After our
thrilling safari, we left the sand dunes behind and made our way to the safari
camp where dinner was waiting. On either side, transcending sand dunes
stretched out, and the car cruised along the highway, with a stunning sky
overhead filled with twinkling stars. Within 30 minutes, we arrived at the ‘ICL
Lama Tourism Platinum Desert Safari Camp.’ The camp was beautifully set up,
with a rectangular stage in the center for the Arabian dance performances.
Around the stage, tables were arranged with cozy pillows for seating. To the
left, a spread of starter foods was laid out, and drinks were being served
nearby. Due to the mourning in the state, the dance performance was
unfortunately not scheduled which was a bit of a letdown for me and also there
was no Arabic music playing, which added to the slight disappointment. However,
the atmosphere was still enchanting. The camp’s boundaries were illuminated by
soft bulbs, and the lights around the stage created a warm, inviting ambiance.
Dining under the open sky in such a stunning setting made up for everything —
it was an experience I’ll never forget.
While returning to
the hotel, it had become completely dark, and my wristwatch showed 9:30 PM. I
was sitting by the window in the car, enjoying the view outside of desert,
planes and I also saw a stunning sight of the Sharjah Masjid, beautifully
illuminated in the darkness. We stopped for a bio break as well and our car
driver was also got changed at this time. As we were about to reach the hotel,
I decided to take a ride on the Dubai Metro to experience the modern Dubai
cityscape at night. Once we arrived at the hotel, all the other tourists went
inside, and I quickly headed toward the Metro station. I caught the train at
10:15 PM. Though slightly tired, I was excited, knowing it was my last night in
the Dubai city, so I decided to have some adventure. Dubai is also famous for
its nightlife, and there’s never a dull moment with so many options to explore
— night pubs, cafes with great food, drinks, and an amazing atmosphere. My plan
was to visit the Mall of the Emirates which was not much far from my hotel, but
I missed my stop for the mall because I fell asleep from tiredness. Later, I
thought about visiting which I had
visited the evening before.
After a while, I
reached the nearest station where I needed to stop. When I got off the metro, I
ran into Mr. Neeraj, a salesman at an electronics store in the mall. I had met
him the previous evening. He is from Jaipur, India, and we greeted each other.
I shared my reason for visiting the mall at that time, and he immediately told
me it was a good idea but that the timing was off. The last train would leave
in 10 minutes, and after that, there would be no more trains. This meant that
if I could afford a taxi back to the hotel, I could go inside the mall and
browse. However, if I couldn’t, I had to turn around and catch the last train.
Since I know I couldn’t afford a taxi back to my hotel at midnight, I quickly
made the decision to turn back with him to catch the last train, which would
depart at 10:50 PM. We reached the platform, and at this point, he told me
another important detail: this train would only go to a certain station, and we
would have to catch another train to reach the station near my hotel. So, this
became my real adventure of the night. We boarded the train and began chatting
about his life in Dubai, his future plans, and his family in Jaipur. After a
while, we reached the end of the line, where all the passengers deboarded. We
moved to another platform to catch the connecting train. After a few more
stations, Mr. Neeraj took his leave, and we said goodbye to each other.
I arrived at my
station around 11:50 PM. Only a few people deboarded, and the station was
quiet. I went outside, crossed the road, and was unsure if the mall I needed to
pass through to reach the other end (closer to my hotel) was open. Fortunately,
it was, and I quickly passed through it and finally reached my hotel. I was
utterly exhausted, entered the lift, and made my way to the 13th floor to my
room. Feeling the strain of the day, I took a pill for the body aches, changed
my clothes, and lay down on the bed. By this time, it was already past
midnight, meaning I had entered day three of my trip. I decided to sleep in a
bit later the next morning to allow my body to rest. But, as always, destiny
had other plans for me on day three.
Let’s sleep now,
and I’ll share my day three story soon. Good night!
