Friday 15th May 2015
As expected it was a long and tiring flight. We arrived about an hour later than scheduled at 08:30 and already the ambient temperature a mere 30 degrees. It's a massive airport and we had to catch a train to get to the baggage reclaim. Once we had collected our bags we cleared immigration and customs and met with our transfer coach driver. It was a about a half hour drive to our hotel at the Jumeirah resort. Due to our early arrival we were able to check in but couldn't access our room. However as we are leaving at some ungodly hour on the day of departure before the restaurant opens it was agreed we could have that breakfast today so we located the restaurant and had a decent meal, far from the plastic stuff served on the plane. Our first impression was what a wonderful place with all the staff eager to help, to the point of, when approaching a lift a member of staff leaps forward and presses the call button. After breakfast we sat in the reception until we our room was ready. Our room was on the fifteenth floor of a forty three story hotel. We had a magnificent view of a marina in the close area but Dubai being Dubai the distant view was obscured by high rise buildings. We accessed our room we freshened up having been up and in the same clothes for over twenty four hours. Having exchanged the warm clothes needed for Melbourne for shorts, tee shirts and sandals we set out to explore the resort, we walked along the beach and the boulevard and appreciated how clean the place was. We were quite tired so we returned to the hotel and relaxed by the pool until it was time for dinner. We had a lovely meal in the hotel's Italian restaurant then walked it off around the resort for a short time. Although it was still quite early it was time to retire to bed.
Saturday 16th May 2015
After a good nights sleep we had breakfast and set off the the tour bus. The first part took us past the sail building to the Palm Island where the Atlantis hotel is located, both buildings synonymous with Dubai. The city is full of high rise buildings but there's something magical about the place, it is not an ugly concrete jungle. We drove past beautiful marinas and beaches. Also trams and the monorail. When we arrived at the Atlantis hotel we changed route and went to the Dubai mall. It was enormous and contained every designer name you could think of. It also contained an underwater zoo, aquarium by any other name. Our bus ticket gave us free admission so we spent time looking round and managed to see the Australian croc we missed out on in Queensland. We also discovered the entrance to the entrance to the Burj Khalfa, the tallest building. It is timed ticket access and today was full so we purchased tickets for Sunday. We walked back through the Mall where we headed back home on the tour buses. We arrived at 17:00 got changed into our swim wear and went for a dip. After which we had dinner then accessed t'internet before turning in.
Sunday 17th May 2015
Here we are the last full day of this amazing holiday. We went to the restaurant and once again had a good breakfast, during which a member of staff asked if she could be photographed with us. We agreed to this request then as we left she presented us with a thank you card with the photo printed on it. Today we were visiting the Burj Khalfa so we caught the Orange route tour bus and changed at the Palm hotel to the Blue route which took us the the Dubai Mall where the Burj Khalfa tower is located. We made our way to the entrance and were shown into a reception room where we were offered a drink and canapés. Then as a sign of the times we had to go through security to get to the lifts. You have to go up in two stages for the tower is the highest in the world at 555.7 metres or if you prefer 1,823 feet. The first lift takes you up to the 124 floor at two floors per second, we then changed lifts and ascended to the 148th floor. We left the lift and again greeted by staff with refreshments. We then walked out onto the observation platform for a stunning panoramic view of Dubai. I managed to get some decent pictures despite the haze. We then descended to the 124th floor where there is another observation platform so more pictures needed to be taken, also a souvenir ship that needed exploring. Once done we went back to the ground floor for some lunch. After we'd eaten we walked through the mall, it is so large there are taxis within, similar to the vehicles that transfer the infirm at airports. We found the exit to the car park where the tour buses operate from. This time we caught the Red route which took us around the older part of Dubai where the souks are, and where the dhow boats operate. Unfortunately we didn't have time to get off and walk round. We stayed on the bus back to the mall changed to the Blue route then onto the Orange back to our resort. Walking back to the hotel we came across a steak house so it was here we had, what we call in the Butcher household, our end of course dinner. Then back to the hotel to get our luggage ready for an early start for our flight home.
This stop over has been remarkable, people had said things about Dubai that caused us to approach it with trepidation, how unfounded. The place is absolutely spotless and the people are so polite and friendly. All in all it was a perfect end to a perfect holiday.
View from Burj Khalifa
Val waiting to step outside
World Record Certificate
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