It started out as trivial as ever. At the end of November, I was looking around to see where the cruisers were going. So many of them were going on a Gulf cruise. I had already been on one 2 times, but the cruise company had added the ports of Saudi Arabia. It’s an interesting country for me, I wanted to take a peek.
At the beginning of the cruise sales you can buy single occupancy with an extra 15 to 50% of the cost for a second passenger. It’s inexpensive, and travelling alone on a cruise is great. I already went on such a cruise for a fortnight, I was never bored.
But then my travelling companion Sveta decided to join me, why not take a good person as a travelling companion again.
The flight to Dubai was only 1 hour 15 minutes. We were fed breakfast, I didn’t eat it, I wanted to sleep. At the airport there were a lot of people at passport control, but the queue moved quickly, no questions were asked, a stamp in my passport and an envelope with a SIM card and good luck.
I flew into Terminal 1, very convenient, right next to the metro. I had a silver metro card left at home, but it was already out of date, so here I bought a new card for 25 dirhams, 19 in my account. I find this type of fare payment the most convenient – throw money and roll away, you don’t need to buy a day card every morning, travelling on it is cheaper than on a single-use ticket. Very convenient. It is close to the hotel, the only thing is that I got off at the wrong exit, I should have gone back to the metro and come out on the right side, but I decided to walk down the street.
In my last visit to Dubai, we only stayed overnight in the hotel, and we didn’t see the neighbourhood. And the neighbourhood is specific, workers from other countries live here. On the way to the hotel I even saw scattered business cards of girls in swimming costumes with phones, it is clear for what.
But it did not upset me, everything happens. I love Dubai, I fell in love with this city long before my first trip there, back in 1990, when I lived in South Yemen and watched a film about the Emirati miracle. I love the East, I love the eternal summer, but I would rather live in Dubai than in Aden. When people say it’s hot there. So the locals don’t walk the streets during the day in summer, and then, there are air-conditioners everywhere. For me, better summer in Dubai than winter in Siberia.
I got to the hotel by 12:00, I wanted to sleep terribly. And they wouldn’t let me in, saying that the room wasn’t ready. I decided to wait on a soft sofa in the lobby, took out a book, read, and then decided to sleep here, sitting on the sofa.
I’ve already gone to the new Sky Views observation deck. It was recommended by cruisers. It costs 85 dirhams, I bought the ticket at home and paid with a Kyrgyz card. In addition to the observation deck there is a glass slide, passing next to the glass wall at a great height. I decided that I will not ride on the slide, I am afraid.
I came a little before my time, they let me through without questions. People were buying tickets right there, there was no queue.
From the first steps, it’s beautiful. The views from the Burj Khalifa are magnificent, but it’s absolutely just as good here. And that the observation deck is semi-circular and views in all directions.
