Our first impression of Dubai: it was a city unlike any other! Over the next few days, we confirmed this theory. Opulent, extravagant, and somehow still traditional, Dubai is a breeding ground for opportunity and innovation. It is home to the only 7-star hotel in the world, and the streets are lined with awe-inspiring buildings and structures. Change is constant, and construction and building cranes provide a suitable backdrop to the buzz of activity and traffic. Luxury cars (Masserati, Lamborghini, etc.) are a common sight, and it is not at all unusual to see stretch Hummers or a customised Bentley parked on the side of the street!
Dubai is populated by a diverse range of ethnicities and cultures, and our contacts at GM estimated that only 10% are 'locals,' with the vast majority being ex-pats from around the world. In stark contrast to Australia, Dubai feels like a very male-dominated environment. Retail staff at local and high-end stores are mostly young males, and women do not typically go out on the public streets. Female members of our tour group were sometimes subject to obvious glances of admiration by the local males, who weren't at all shy to stare!
Our visit coincided with two public holidays, so the Mall of the Emirates (a shopping centre housing hundreds of international brands such as Zara, H&M, Harvey Nichols and French hypermarket Carrefour) was busy and crowded with families and tourists. Women dressed in traditional hijabs accessorized with diamante armbands and Louis Vuitton handbags, presenting a perfect visual metaphor for Dubai - a blend of tradition and modern commercialism.
Inside the Mall of the Emirates, several students explored the massive Dubai Ski complex, which features full-blown snow slopes of varying degrees of difficulty. For a bargain price, visitors can ski, snowboard or toboggan to their heart's delight! At night, we had dinner in the fairy-lit, gorgeous setting of the Madinat dining and entertainment area, which featured waterways with gondolas, modern souks selling local souvenirs and nightclubs.
On our final day, we started with a morning Pedestrian Rally. Divided into four groups, we navigated around the streets and sights of Dubai by foot and water taxis. Many students took the opportunity to also bargain with local shopkeepers for pashminas, souvenirs and gold jewellery. In the late afternoon, 4WDs picked us up from the hotel and drove us to the sand dunes for some 'dune-bashing' (vigorous off-road driving!). Dinner was at the 'Arabian Nights' camp area featuring a tasty buffet of meats, kebabs, salads, falafel, curries and tabouli. Entertainment consisted of a belly dancer, henna body painting, camel riding, shesha pipes, quad bike riding and photos in traditional wears.
All in all, Dubai proved to be a truly unique city, with a plethora of sights, sounds and buildings to impress even the well-travelled!
