Dubai

Jan 1st - Jan 5th 2010

Friday 1st January 2010

Home to Dubai

(Nikki) And so begins another adventure - this time with a top secret agenda! 

I awoke at 05.50 (read the clock wrong - thought it was 06.50!) so got up and showered - unfortunately woke Huw in the process. He was NOT happy - but better after a coffee. Took a cup of tea in to Mum - fortunately she was awake.

(Huw) Was downstairs by the time Nikki came down. First thing my wife said to me in 2010 was "Do you want a coffee". Long may that continue throughout this decade.

Headed off for the airport just before 09.00. Roads quite icy to begin with but cleared when we got onto the motorway. Very quiet journey down to Gatwick as it's New Year's Day!

Had booked Meteor Parking for 11.15 but we were arriving at Gatwick by 10.15. Stopped at the Wild Bean Cafe nearby and had a quick coffee and a comfort break before heading to Departures. Meteor man was there waiting so handed over the car - wish I'd brought a coat! Once in the North Terminal, all was good. Easy check-in with Emirates - no queue at all and security were very helpful. Had some food in Garfunkels which was immediately forgotten. Wandered round and bought some things from Boots and W.H. Smith and then got told which gate to go to. One of the wheelchair guys met us down there - very chatty and nice. Was telling us he once picked up one of the board of directors of Emirates, who then arranged an upgrade to Business Class for him on his next flight.

We were sat in 25A, B & C so not too far from the aircraft door. Brand new plane with laptop power and a USB connection at each seat with over 2,600 entertainment channels. Took off about 30 minutes late and settled down to watch a movie. Watched one with Sandra Bullock in it "All About Steve" which I found funny (Nikki didn't) - then watched 500 Days of Summer with Zooey Deschanel which was pretty rubbish. Caught a few episodes of 30 Rock and listened to some Genesis and it was time to land.

Seemed to circle for a while - we were told we were landing at 00.10 but it was more like 00.30 by the time we touched down. Had an air-bridge and there was a chap waiting for us with the wheelchair. Heck of a long walk to baggage reclaim and then we went to the wrong belt. As we were waiting two fellas came round with Arabic coffee and chocolates - bit late though, even for me! One of the baggage chaps got our bags and then shot off to get our wheelchair and we were off. Straight to the cab and down to Internet City. About half an hour from the airport.

Check in took an age - about half an hour. The chap at reception was trying to find us two rooms close together - but no luck. We got 152 and Ann got 125 - at separate ends of the first floor. Collapsed in to bed around 02.30 Dubai time - and sods law - I couldn't get to sleep. Did though eventually. Comfy beds and quiet room. Not bad for about £30 a night - including breakfast.

Saturday 2nd January 2010

Dubai

The usual waking up experience in a different time-zone after too little sleep - felt like I'd been shot in the head. After some coffee and general morning moaning I felt OK after a bit.

Met Ann for breakfast. Not a bad spread. Toast, cereal, a bit of fruit and coffee & juice. Made it my business to train the locals on how to make properly cooked toast - and managed it without setting off the smoke alarm.

After breakfast me and Nikki showered etc and then decided we'd check out the Burj Dubai area where our meal for the evening was planned. Got a cab there and the first order of business was more liquids. Found a place overlooking the Burj Dubai and had freshly squeezed orange juice, a huge latte and some cold water. Lovely!

Found The Rivington Grill where we were eating for the Golden Wedding and checked they had our reservation. They did. Wandered around the shopping centre for a bit and bought some gifts from a fab shop on the lower level. Found a supermarket and got milk, nibbles, coffee etc. By this point it was nearly 13.00 so headed back to the hotel for a kip!

Woke up around 15.30 and had lunch consisting of coffee and digestives in bed. Not a bad lunch at all. Then it was a cab up to the Intercontinental for the big surprise.

At the hotel it was real Secret Squirrel stuff making sure we weren't seen by Mum & Dad. The Bar Manager was on-board so we explained what we wanted. He reserved a table at the front of the bar so Mum & Dad wouldn't look round and see us. We hid in the Anise restaurant and waited for 17.00. Amazingly they decided to go the "other" route to the bar so the Bar Manager came down and grabbed us. We dashed up the corridor and could see Mum & Dad watching the video. We got close enough so when they turned around at the end, they'd see us. And they did. What a reaction from Mum. She shrieked and leapt up and came running over - Dad was laughing his head off by this stage. A lovely reaction and a great surprise!!!

We spent an hour in the bar handing over presents - the book we'd made went down a treat. All Mum could ask was "where did you get this photo?". We admitted the help we'd had from family & friends!

Went up to their room for a look - they're in 1019 overlooking the creek so it seems the hotel has really looked after them. They had loads and loads of cards out on the table along with flowers from the hotel. Nice one IHG.

I rang reception to see if they could get a cab for 5 people and they sorted it. Dad in the front, Ann and Nikki in the middle and me and Mum in the boot! Car took us to Burj Dubai - the Souk al Bahar for dinner.

We were about half an hour early but they showed us straight to our table. Stunning view with the Burj Dubai looming over us - we were on the terrace overlooking the fountains. Mum & Dad had no idea about the fountains - they thought it was just a lake in front of the Burj. By the time we'd ordered drinks, the fountain sprang into life with Say Goodbye by Andrea Bocelli. 

Lovely meal - very attentive staff. They were testing the fountains ahead of the official opening of the Burj Dubai on Monday so we had every possible display. There was one huge plume near the restaurant which was shooting up to about 100 feet and then the spray was coming down over the restaurant. After that blew up everyone was putting napkins on their heads to stay dry - great fun though!

Finished our meal around 22.00 and went back out into the Mall for a quick look around before getting taxis back to our respective hotels. Fantastic and very successful evening!

Sunday 3rd January 2010

Dubai

Woke up around 07.00ish again feeling like my eyes had been sand-papered in the night. The four hour time difference between the UK and Dubai means that by getting up at 07.00, you are in fact getting up at 03.00 so not a pleasant experience.

Had breakfast downstairs in the hotel and then headed out for another day of exploring.

First up was Atlantis The Palm to see the aquarium. Got a hotel car to run us up there - very quick journey and not too much traffic around on the roads.

Aquarium was excellent apart from the fact they don't put notices up to say what the fish are. The main tank has a huge Tiger Shark which was very impressive. Wouldn't have minded a snorkel in there.

After a bit more exploring of Atlantis we decided to get the mono-rail back down the Palm. It's a great way to see it and you can make out each of the palm fronds.

Down at the bottom of the Palm we got a car to Mall of the Emirates for a bit of retail therapy. Had a quick lunch in Starbucks and then a look round Debenhams for some shirts - with no success. The exchange rate isn't great at the moment meaning things are more expensive than in the UK.

Around 14.30 we were flagging so back to the hotel for a kip before meeting Mum & Dad for dinner.

Woke up around 16.30 and met in the lobby for coffee. Went to the Vista restaurant which is next door on the fifth floor after all the reviews I'd read of it. Fabulous bar with an open terrace and stunning views over the Burj al Arab and The Palm.

We were meeting Mum & Dad at Mall of the Emirates for an Italian meal at 19.00. Got there in plenty of time and waited and waited and waited. I'd told them to come to the main taxi stop, but no - their driver had decided to drop them off at another entrance. And the MOE is HUGE. Of course I'd forgotten my phone so we had no way of contacting them. I went back to the hotel to get my phone while Nikki and Ann staked out the entrance. When I got back I wandered round for ages trying to find them. In the end we gave up and came back to the hotel to ring their hotel. To cut a long story short we got them when they got back to the Intercontinental and it turns out we must have walked passed each other. It was like a farce in the theatre with one person going in through one door while someone else comes out from another. More tea vicar?

We were starving by this time so thought we'd try the Vista Restaurant next door. And what a decision. Totally amazing meal - we were about the only people in there so the service was excellent. We lingered on the terrace afterwards taking pictures of the Burj etc. Fab end to a slightly stressful evening!

Monday 4th January 2010

Dubai

 

The plans had been agreed. We'd meet Mum & Dad at Atlantis The Palm at 10.30. They were to go by taxi which would drop them off at the taxi drop-off point. We got there for 10.20 and waited. Nikki and Ann sat in the sunshine and just after 10.30 I heard Mum behind me. The taxi had dropped them off at the main hotel instead. But at least we'd managed to find each other

We went to Cold Stone for a coffee and a gawp at the ice-cream. Sat chatting in there for ages before getting the mono-rail back down the Palm.

At the bottom station we got 2 cabs to take us to Madinat Jumeirah for some lunch. This time it worked. Two cabs following each other and going to the same place. That's obviously the key!

Had a look around the Madinat and bought a few things before going down to the front to check out the restaurants. Nikki and Ann took a trip on the Abra boats around the complex for about 20 mins while I sat and chatted with Mum & Dad in the warm sunshine. Lovely!

When they got back from their sea voyage we had lunch outside overlooking the canals. Good food and great service - though in Dubai you can almost take that as read.

More chatting and enjoying the sun before heading back to our respective hotels for a rest ahead of the evening's plan which was to watch the official opening of the Burj Dubai - the tallest building in the world.

Got a car from the hotel to take us up to the Intercontinental. I swear the driver had only just passed his test that morning - he was a bit all over the road and had to ring his brother on his mobile so I could explain where we wanted to go! Traffic was hell with people going to the opening of the Burj so we sat in it for about half an hour. When we got close to the Intercontinental it was obvious our driver had no idea of how to get there - in fact we ended up in an underground car-park at Festival City. I'd had enough by this stage so we got out. A nice man in the lift pointed us in the right direction and we found the hotel quite quickly.

Met up with Mum & Dad and went back into Festival City for some dinner. Ended up in an Italian restaurant called Biella which did some great food. We sat and watched all the varieties of Emirates national dress along with the burkhas and other veils on display!

After dinner it was back to Mum & Dad's room for the official opening of the Burj Dubai. It was on every single Dubai TV station. We watched in the room before heading down to the swimming pool deck to watch the fireworks. They were spectacular. Loads of people around watching as the view from Festival City is excellent. After the main fireworks display we went back up to the room expecting a bit more but it was then time for the speeches and unveiling of stuff. Sheikh Mohammed looks very severe on TV and it was interesting to see all his security people pushing through the crowd to let him walk from place to place.

Was all over by about 22.00 so we braved the traffic in the other direction. They were stopping traffic on the main motorway near the Burj to let the spectators out so we were stuck there for a while but not too bad at all really.

Back to the hotel and collapsed into bed - knackered!

Tuesday 5th January 2010

Dubai to Home

A quiet start to the day - with no indication of what was to come when we got back to the UK.

Had breakfast and then slowly packed. Sat outside in the sun for a bit - Ann and Nikki went for a wander around the block to soak up the last of the rays.

Checked out at about 11.45 and got a car to take us to the airport. As usual the security man at the hotel was unfailingly helpful with the bags and the chair.

Check it at the airport was a bit slow - checked me and Ann in at the machine but we then had to queue to use the bag drop. As we were walking up the terminal the guy who'd checked us in came running after us and said we couldn't push our own chair for "insurance reasons". They got a chap who escorted us through and we went to a nice bar for a drink and a sit down.

Boarding was at 14.00 which was fine and we got settled in for the flight. 7 hours 40 mins is a long old flight. Watched a few movies, some TV, had 2 very nice meals and then landed at Gatwick.

No sign of any snow at this point. We were met off the plane and taken down to baggage reclaim - got the bags and rang the meet and greet to bring the car round. Stopped at a Wild Bean Cafe to get some coffee for the journey and set off just before 20.00.

Road was fine until we got round to Heathrow. This is where the snow started - and by God did it start. By the time we got onto the M40 the fast lane had disappeared and it got steadily worse. By High Wycombe we were down to one decent lane - just after there we couldn't see the road. It was horrendous. Driving snow, speed down to below 30 mph. Just before the cutting it was down to 15 mph. It got worse so we decided to come off at Oxford and give the A40 and A34 a go. Forget it. The snow was deep on the roads meaning we were sliding all over the place.

Decided to give up if we got to the Holiday Inn at Peartree. Rang them and they had two rooms so booked them. Slid into the car park and managed to stop - just!

Hotel were very friendly and welcoming. We checked in and watched the TV for a bit and then went downstairs for some soup and coffee - very welcome. By this time it was about 02.00 in the morning Dubai time so called it a night.

What a contrast between Dubai and Oxford!