Everything is bigger and better in Dubai. And we are reminded of this, quite literally, as our car approaches a 150-metre-high gold frame that towers in the sky — majestic and glistening — capturing views of both Old and New Dubai. One of those iconic landmarks that you think is going to be just a quick stop, selfies and dash, but once there and inside (yes inside the frame — ride 48 floors in 75 seconds) — childlike wonder and awe — quickly take over. Right now, not only are we ‘on top of the world’ but as we soon discover at the Sky Deck, the spectacular views are not only around us, but also... below. This is not for the faint of heart, but if you are game for the ‘height’ of thrill — step onto a pathway of frosted glass — the tiles go transparent with every step to reveal the steep drop beneath your feet.
A man-made mountain top in the middle of a concrete jungle that looks like a photo frame — welcome to Dubai folks!
Between our luxurious stay at the Taj Jumeirah Lakes Towers with gourmet breakfast spreads and buzzing rooftop nightlife, a visit to the iconic Burj Khalifa and a camel ride in the middle of the desert — the days go by fast and in a blur. The landscape shifts dramatically from day to night. In this city, you might want to sing Twinkle Twinkle to your little one on a family vacation and then point at a skyscraper, sparkling in the distance. Brunch has us hopping cafés which whip up an Eggs Benedict and a Saffron Milk Cake with equal pizazz. We even spot a Zaatar Croissant on the menu at Forever Rose Café — with interiors that draw you into an enchanting fairytale of 2D illustrations, white floors and white tables. Only the guests are in colour. Well, you and the magnificent red rose that is the centrepiece of every table. We look around for our prince in waiting... perhaps we’ll find him shopping at the mall?
Race to the boat
Romancing a sheikh who will drive us off into the sunset in a Bugatti is quickly placed in the backseat of our mind, as we rush against time to make the Yellow Boat ride planned for us the next morning. We make it in the nick of time. Life jacket on. Phone out and ready. And the water sparkling against the sun. Is there anything better than a tour of a city on the water, no walking, no stopping, no sweating. Just a gentle ebb and flow, point and go. The leisurely pace does pick up midway through as our ‘captain’ gives us a heads-up before he speeds up. Adrenaline and gleeful squeals follow as we surge forward, our boat companion who has so far been indulging us by getting our best angles on camera is not pleased and is deftly provided a ‘sea sickness’ bag, thoughtfully blue much like the inviting water around us. Fortunately, he feels better soon. And is able to accommodate our request of more photos as we stop in front of the breathtaking Atlantis The Palm. We head over for cocktails and lunch soon after but are definitely coming back for more exploration at this resort. Apart from the option of booking an underwater suite and playing with dolphins, you can also try a shark safari which we hear doesn’t require you to be an experienced diver as a prerequisite and is open to first-timers.
Into the wild
We quickly shift gears from fantasies of underwater explorations of marine life to an Amazon adventure as we are whisked off to The Green Planet. At this man-made tropical rainforest that is home to over 3,000 plants and animals with birds flying freely and perching on the rail beside you, we make an unexpected new friend. Christina Aguilera — the rainbow boa. She is a stunner. And slithers herself around the arm of the human guide who introduces us with an elegant grace of a true diva. We move on, looking for Justin Bieber. But sadly, he isn’t in the building. A rain shower which is part of the daily schedule catches us by surprise, with intermittent bursts of thunder for dramatic effect. The animals, it appears, are as thrilled as we are, enjoying a quick cool down on a hot summer day.
Later that day, post a session of dune bashing (we advise you skip lunch before this wild ride), we enjoy the cool night air of the dessert with dancers spinning to traditional tunes, costumes covered in bright lights and a fire show, choreographed in perfect sync to the beat. You could take a date or better yet, have your better half feed you a date post all the festivities, when it is time for dessert. We find ourselves, hopping stores through the market keeping our eyes peeled for exciting edible finds to bring back home. And eventually, settle on dates coated in dark chocolate, which of course, were a hit at the office.
Time travel
Saving the best for last, our visit to the Museum of the Future which transports you to the year 2071 was perhaps our most treasured time on this trip. Ameca, a humanoid robot, chatted with us about everything from her style choices to whether robots will take over the world one day. Innovation laboratories showcased presentations on future transport, smart cities and health solutions; we explored a space station that you can interact with right down to finding a career path for yourself on board (space suit et al); and a Healing Institute unlike any other revealed a digital DNA library of thousands of species... all quite immersive, mind-blowing and surreal. The queue for a visit here is so long, we hear, that it is often booked out weeks in advance, so much so, that some folks book their tickets to the Museum of the Future even before their flight tickets! Now that’s a next level tourist attraction.
Who is AYA?
One spot on our itinerary that is hard to describe in words was the AYA Universe. Meditative sound playlists timed in sync to rivers of light that seem to ebb and flow in perfect harmony have you wandering with awe across 12 rooms. Our personal favourite was a breathtaking garden of ‘blooming light’ that gave us Avatar vibes. A playground of darkness, light and sound — suddenly no one is talking very much as we simply let our senses soak in as much wonder as they possibly can.