Sleepless in Dubai: The Beach, The City, The Sand and the Arabian Nights — Day 2
الشاطئ والمدينة والرمال وألف ليلة وليلة
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, Chatni 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 Ibn Battuta Mall, 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!
