Sleepless in Dubai - Chapter 1

Sleepless in Dubai - Chapter 1

It was my first international trip to Dubai. My flight landed at Sharjah airport early in the morning at 6:40 AM. The airport staff were very cooperative and friendly, and I was amazed to notice that some of them were even able to speak Hindi. Immigration was automated through face scanning, allowing the system to open the door for further processing. After collecting my luggage, I proceeded towards the exit gate. Just before reaching it, I noticed a mobile shop offering Dubai SIM cards at a reasonable cost. While speaking with the salesman, I learned that he was from South India, although he had never visited his native country. I suggested that he should consider visiting India to explore his roots. Quickly, I purchased a SIM card valid for three days and exited the airport. Near the bus stand, I found my office colleagues, with one of them arranging luggage for all the visitors. When he asked for my luggage, I realized I didn't have it with me. Frantically, I rushed back towards the exit gate. A police guard was stationed outside, to whom I explained that I had forgotten my luggage at a shop near the gate where I made a purchase. Understandably, he was skeptical given the security concerns, but after persistently explaining and even showing the shop from the other side of the gate where my luggage was visible, he finally relented. I hurriedly retrieved my luggage and left the airport. It was an adrenaline-pumping experience, reminding me why Dubai's tourism slogan is 'where anything is possible'. Marhaba Dubai مرحبا دبي !

 

 

Skyscrapers of Dubai

اليوم الأول : The longest day in Dubai – Day 1

 

I was visiting Dubai on a trip organized by my office, with my flight scheduled from Jaipur International Airport on May 13, 2022, in the early morning to Sharjah International Airport. Departing at 4:45 AM from Jaipur airport, my flight landed at Sharjah airport at 6:40 AM. After a smooth immigration process, I emerged from the airport to find several buses arranged to transport us to Dubai. While boarding my bus, I took the opportunity to call my friend and former colleague, Mr. Munib Bari, who has been living in Dubai for over a decade. Despite it being an early call, he was pleasantly surprised to hear from me and eagerly agreed to meet during my three-day stay. I informed him that I was leaving Sharjah Airport and would share my hotel details upon check-in. Subsequently, I reached out to another acquaintance, Mr. Pratik, a close friend of my wife, also residing in Dubai, to arrange a meeting during my visit. My accommodation was at Novotel World Trade Centre Dubai, situated in the heart of the city, close to notable landmarks such as the Metro station, Museum of the Future, Mall of Dubai, and Burj Khalifa. Upon arrival at the hotel around 9 AM, I found the lobby bustling with activity akin to a supermarket. At the reception, I was directed to a staff member coordinating with guests from India to learn my room details. Assigned to the 13th floor, my room was shared with a fellow traveler from the same bus we came from Sharjah. Both fatigued, we agreed I would take the first shower. After freshening up, I awaited my roommate's turn before heading down to breakfast. Arriving at the breakfast area around 10:30 AM, we found it nearly empty, with limited food options remaining due to the breakfast time having elapsed. Opting for a Tandoori Paratha paired with Baigan ka Bhurta and a hot coffee, I was pleasantly surprised by the delectable taste of the Bhurta, boasting the perfect blend of sweetness from the onion, tanginess from the Baigan, subtle smoky aroma, and vibrant pink color indicative of its expert preparation. It surpassed my expectations for culinary delights in Dubai. Later, I was saddened to learn of the passing of UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan earlier that morning due to a prolonged illness, prompting a 40-day national mourning period, during which flags would fly at half-mast, and a three-day suspension of work in both private and official sectors at the federal and local levels of institutions.

My day one Breakfast

After finishing my breakfast, I stepped outside the hotel with the intention of exploring Dubai city on my own, using public transportation such as buses or the metro. Just to the left of the hotel, I noticed an air-conditioned bus stop. Upon entering the cubical-shaped bus stand, I found it pleasantly cool inside. A man sitting on a waiting chair, whom I greeted and learned was from Pakistan. I inquired about purchasing a bus ticket, to which he explained that in Dubai, one needs to buy a travel card instead. As I observed a few people standing nearby waiting for the bus, one arrived within a minute. They were all Indian tourists staying at the same hotel. I overheard the bus driver informing them about the travel card requirement. I then asked the man where I could obtain one, and he directed me to a metro station situated behind the mall adjacent to the hotel. I was delighted to learn that a metro station was conveniently located near my hotel. Hastening through the mall gate, I entered a spacious passage where I could even catch sight of the exit gate from which I had entered. Across from me stood a beautiful fountain, surrounded by bright red Bougainvillea flowerpots. Capturing a few shots of the fountain, I proceeded forward. To my right, I beheld famous landmarks such as the Museum of the Future, Burj Khalifa, and several towering skyscrapers, offering a breathtaking view. After soaking in these magnificent sights, I made my way towards the metro station. I must confess, I'll be liberally using phrases like 'Stunning view', 'Stunning Building', and 'Amazing place' in this article, as this city is brimming with awe-inspiring sights that naturally evoke such reactions. Upon arriving at the World Trade Centre Metro Station, I was struck by its impressive architectural design. The interior was impeccably clean, reminiscent of a luxurious 5-star hotel lobby, complete with beautiful marble tile flooring—a sight that left me truly amazed. At the ticket counter, I purchased a Silver Travel Card before proceeding to the platform.

On the way to Ibn Batuta Mall

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the metro platform signage was displayed in three languages: Arabic, English, and to my delight, Hindi as well. As the metro train arrived, I boarded the first compartment, only to discover that it was a driverless train. Peering through the glass at the front, I marveled at the stunning views unfolding before me as the train glided along its route. I sat in the first row, and my neighbor was a young woman wearing a sleek black one-piece outfit, which accentuated her appearance. I started a conversation with her and learned was from Pakistan with an American accent. I talked about the city and asked her which places I could visit during my three-day trip. She suggested a few places and mentioned that after a few metro stations, there is the Mall of Emirates, which is a nice place to hang out. She left after a few minutes and later I also deboarded at the Mall of Emirates metro station. While exiting metro train I was a policy man standing on the platform observing the passengers, it was slightly weird for me but later I understood that first compartment is dedicated only for Gold Card holders and rest are for Silver Card holders and if any person found in wrong car then there is fine of 100 Dirham (AED). After exiting, I walked across a footbridge to reach the mall entrance gate. From the bridge, I admired a large water pool and a lush green garden outside the mall, which looked incredibly beautiful. It was so big that it took me a few minutes to digest that Gurgaon, India which is known and famous for its malls it no where standing in compare of Dubai Malls. I noticed several English people inside the mall wearing revealing outfits, which gave the impression of being in a place quite unlike a typical Islamic country. All kind of stores was there in the mall, there was a hyper market bigger then any hyper marked I ever visited in India. I purchased few T-Shirts with “Dubai” printed on it and after hour or so I left back to my hotel where I took my lunch and went to my room to take some rest.

Around 4 PM, my wife’s friend, Mr. Pratik arrived at the hotel in his black GMC Terrain Denali, a luxury SUV. We exchanged greetings as it was our first meeting. He then took me to his house, where he lived with his wife, their adorable 7 year old daughter, and his father-in-law. We enjoyed cold drinks and snacks together. I expressed my interest in visiting old Dubai, but he informed me that it was quite far from his place. Instead, he suggested we visit Ibn Battuta Mall, which was conveniently close by. After that, we planned to visit the Mall of Dubai and Burj Khalifa, and he offered to drop me back at my hotel afterward. This plan sounded good to me. After spending an hour together, we headed to Ibn Battuta Mall.

Entrance of Ibn Batuta Mall

From the outside, it didn't resemble a typical mall building; rather, it looked more like a fortress. Inside, it was one of the most beautiful buildings I had seen, with six theme-based courts, each stunning in itself. We both roamed inside the mall, and I made some purchases while Pratik bought me a 1kg pack of famous Arabic Dates. After exploring this mall, we went to the Mall of Dubai, the biggest mall in Dubai. It was almost dark in the evening, and I was studded to see night view of Dubai, as I brief earlier my day experience of Dubai and trust me, Dubai looks more beautiful at night. All the buildings with amazing lightings. Pratik opened his roof of the car and I was able to take a peek outside view which was breathtaking. We arrived around 6 pm and headed towards the underground parking of Mall of Dubai. I was stunned to see so many car models which I had never seen before in my life, so my suggestion to all car lovers is to rather going to any car showroom in Dubai, go to Mall of Dubai car parking and admire all kinds of cars. This mall has seven floors, including two underground shopping areas. There are several spots in the mall that would amaze any visitor, like an Aquarium and underwater zoo, a Waterfall, Ice Skating, Kid's fun zone, VR video games, and a History zone. Such entertainment facilities are very common in Dubai malls, catering to every age group. It’s a huge from inside and it's impossible to see complete mall by walking in a single day. We went to few of the famous spots of the mall like Aquarium which was having several big and small fishes including Shark, also saw an artificial huge waterfall, it was wonderful. Every kind of shop are available in the mall, you name it, they have it. I purchased a small Camera backpack for myself. After roaming inside the mall, we went to the back side of the mall, an open area with a big musical fountain. From here, one  can see a clear view of the tallest building in the world – Burj Khalifa.

Traveller in front of Burj Khilafa Mall 

"Marhaba Dubai," the words came out of my mouth. This area was very crowded, and we hardly found any place to sit. We took several photographs of each other and of the building and other things. After admiring the ambiance, we left the mall and returned to my hotel. I invited him for some snacks, as we were both feeling a bit hungry by then. We went to the pool area of the hotel and ordered two plates of sandwiches, enjoying the Dubai Moon from this beautiful, quiet poolside spot. He left the hotel around 10 PM. I went to my room and took a cold shower which relaxed my body and tiredness. At 11 PM my friend Munib called me that he was coming to pick me up from my hotel in 15 minutes. I immediately got ready and went downstairs. After a few minutes, he arrived in the same car that Mr. Pratik also brought, although this was quite old. We were meeting each other after a very long time, more than 10 years. We were happy to see each other after a long time. He took me to a hotel ‘City Max Hotel’ a hotel chain spread across UAE by Landmark Group where he is working as a Head of the Training department. We went into the backyard of the hotel where a beautiful restaurant was present. He directly called the head chef and ordered a customized special Pizza for me along with the drinks. We spent an hour or so, we talked about old times when we were working together in Jaipur and about our old colleagues. We shared our current working experiences with each other, especially about his working experience in Dubai and about the possibilities of working in Dubai. Since I had Sandwiches a few hours back, I was not able to finish the whole pizza and he get it remaining slices of pizza packed for himself. After this, we left the hotel and he dropped me at my hotel around 1 AM. I went to my room and changed my cloths, then I checked Sunrise time on my mobile and accordingly I set wakeup alarm on my mobile and slept. That was end of my first day in Dubai. Which was stared from Jaipur early morning.

To be Continued...(in Chapter 2)