24 Jun 2011: Dubai - Singapore

3:30am - the earliest morning I've ever waken up in my life. Tt's the time I woke up on my last day for the Emirates car will be arriving at 5am to pick me up at the hotel. I didn't arrange for this time - it was my Emirates guide who did everything for me.....to the extent that the night b4 they even sent me a reminder. How wonderful. Frankly, I didn't need 1.5hrs in the morning to dress myself....all i needed was just 30mins. The additional 1hr was becos I needed to check that all my packing were fully done cos i've been packing/unpacking (i.e. rearranging) all my stuffs fr my luggage the past 2 days and I've things lying in the fridge. I just wanted to be sure I gt everything. That's really the problem of travelling to too many places at 1 go with too many shopping bags that even 1 handcarry wasn't gd enof. With this 'heavy' mind loaded abt packing, I was jittery this morning - I didn't dare to go into deep slp the entire night cos I'm worried I might overslpt and knock out my alarms...which consequent into me missing my flight as well. I knew, the 5am pickup time was just rite as i will timely reach the airport for check-in.

At 4:30am, I was done with all the final checks - set on my bed sleepily, trying to swollow my breakfast. I was practically stuffing myself with food just for the sake of having some energy - just milk and fruits. The hotel breakfast wasn't even ready as it was way to early! Nearing 5am, my room phone rang as the lobby called to inform me that the car has arrived. A porter came to help me with carrying my stuffs downstairs and right b4 I left, I dropped that 2 postcards which I've written the day b4, with the lobby, asking for them to be sent via post to SG (ok, i know this sounds kinda stupid cos I cld 've handcarried it bk but I just wanna experient with snailpost in UAE). So off to the airport!

I've seen Dubai in the day, night, now at 5am- another chance to look at this country fr a diff manner - in the wee hrs of the morning. Practically, it's still hot but comparatively, it's like SG normal temp...not as hot as the beginning 7am morning, 12pm sun, late evening, kinda hotness. So one can now imagine the kind of temp in Dubai. As I gazed out of the car's window, this country now looks very much like a desert to me (which it is, and in the day/evening it hardly look like a desert for there are too many activities/vehicles gg ard fr the people's daily life). The streets were quiet with few vehicles at 5am, blue skies gradually being lighten up by the sun rising in the horizon. What I envision was that 'life was just starting up for the day'. I dunno why this sudden feeling - mayb it's becos of the hard truth that it's the end of my very long holiday...mayb it becos, the stark comparison of Europe vs the UAE - diff landscape, temp, food, pple.....For whatsover reason. But I muz say, Dubai is really beautiful at this wee hrs of the morning. I enjoyed this serenity.

Nearing 6am, I reached the airport. The driver helped me unload all my stuffs. Well, it's the airport so with the airport trolley, dragging all these items ard were easy. I headed for the check-in counter which given this hr, I still needa wait in queue! Boy....what came to my mind was "my flight is certainly full today". Anw, my greater concern was I hope the ground crew dun ask me to unpack my luggage again (just like in Paris). I know my luggage was overweight but I hoped they turn a blind eye to it. I'm just so accustomed to overweight luggages as aft all, 10kg overweight in SQ, they din even care!! When it was my turn, I was thkful I got away with the overweight luggage. Ok only 2kg overweight, same weight as Paris...But noe what - this means that my handcarry was infact very very heavy!!!!!!!! I've dates, cheese, macarons, chocs, waffles, all in my handcarry. These weight adding on to my bags brought fr Europe. It's freaking heavy! As I got my boarding pass..and starting making my way to the transit area, I now fully understand - it's easy to buy but never easy to carry, esp when alone and travelling to so many countries. Even having a huge luggage doesn't help.

I had slightly over 1hr b4 boarding time, so quickly went to get the younger twin his present. Basically, I've gotten everyone in my family a present except for the younger twin as I wanted to get him an Herme cufflinks here at Dubai airport. I've seen the cufflinks when I was transiting fr Dubai-Amsterdam on Day 1 and noted that it's price was cheaper than Europe (i.e Luxembourg & Paris). But right now, when I shopped for it, I realised, I muz 've got all my prices confused. Darn, infact it was more expensive in Dubai. I was really in 'trouble'......it's sooooo last min now to decide what to get for the younger twin and I felt very bad for not getting him any stuffs as he had gotten me a Prada wallet earlier this yr in Europe. I was pacing around Mont Blanc for its belts, Herme's ties...which to get...I'm also spoilt for choices. Hence, just called him right there and ask him what he wanted. He told me not to waste the $$ for (1) it wasn't any cheaper than SG (2) no pt buyin in Dubai where I cld let him choose in SG (3) he has alr been to Europe and had his fair share of enjoyment so it was not need to get him anything but more for the older twin. End up, I din get anything for him. Felt kinda bad. It was close to boarding time but I had to make another last rush to the souvenir shop - this time to get all the food items for office. Yes, I kept this buying to the last as I wanted to buy at the airport due to luggage weight problem. Aft all, in transit area - who checks handcarry weight and items bought fr there? And anw, I had kinda reckon that the office may prob like the food stuffs that I see here where I can choose fr a huge selection under 1 roof. Grabbed the stuffs and it accurately wiped out all my dirhams then. I was penniless when I left the shop.

Ok, done with the final shopping, time to rush myself to the boarding gate. Dubai's boarding gate (or rather mayb for my plane), there was no aerobridge so I needed to quickly rush myself to the gate check-pt to make it in time for the shuttle to the plane steps. This is the most annoying part. With alr so many and heavy stuffs to carry, I had to climb up the steps to the plane. And, who wld've guess that at 6+am, the airport was so crowded and busy? By the time I reached my plane, I noted that most of the passengers were alr onboard. As I settled down, I was relieved I made it b4 the plane door closes...My neighbours were pretty gd...exchanged students who were Singaporeans so I had quite many friendly conversations with them thr out the flight. They were telling me abt their travels in Europe, all the must-knows abt Dubai airport - what fringe benefits I can reap. Interesting! So the next time I travel to Dubai again, I'll explore.

Flight departed at close to 8am and I reached Singapore 9:15pm that evening, with brothers & mum at the airport to pick me up.

23 Jun 2011: Hatta/Oman/Dubai

This morning, had to wake up early cos the car will arrive at 8am to pick me up from my hotel. Today's itinerary is the Hatta Mountain Tour where I'll venture off to Hatta. Enroute to Hatta, I'll first have another round of dune bashing in the Wadi. Thk goodness this time the dune bashing was shorter than the previous day...Or most probably I'm more well-equipped now. Decided to heed my doc's advice and drink the dehyration tablet drink and took some anti-vomiting pills b4 I left the hotel in the am. So this dune bashing didnt feel as bad as yesterday. For a change of hrs, I finally feel the desert in the day (instd of night compared to yest). Indeed, the desert in the day feels freaking hot though night time it's hot too but the day's is worst. A momentary stopover-out-of-the-car to shoot some pics and back into the aircon I went.

Before we could get to Hatta, we had to pass by Oman from Dubai. As explained by our driver, this is a shorter route as it's some GCC agreement among the Gulf countries, which will shorten the journey from Dubai-Hatta by a few hrs! Crossing the border was quite scary...no proper border checks facilities per se...but the border guards were armed with guns. Pretty scary. At this moment, I muz frankly admit I felt scared cos it seems that if you are detained for whatsoever reason, it's good luck to you trying to find your way to freedom. We had a brief stop at Oman which to me, seems very much like the outskirts of Dubai. Alot of desert land, few habitants (or mayb it's becos we were at the border).

22 Jun 2011: Dubai

At abt 6+am, I reached Dubai Airport aft some 6hrs sleep on the plane. Yes, Dubai was my pt of transit enroute bk to SG but I decided to do a tour here in the Middle East. How exotic it was to me and thrilling. A girl all alone in Middle East, touring free and easy entirely. Frankly, it didn't scares me. It's the New Middle East isn't it?

Indeed it was. Right out of the aerobridge, I saw people fr Emirates who were holding placecards with my name on it. There, I knew, I'll be safe. Just follow them was my immed instinct. They guided me 1st thr the counter on the collection of my Dubai reservations and pickup, told me how to disembark fr Dubai airport and what was the next counter I'll shld be at for my car pickup to the hotel. There, upon Denis' suggestion that I can perhaps try at a last min bking for the city tour, I attempted, but can't as my timing cldn't make it for the start of the morning (i.e. 8am) tour. Anw, everything went soooo smoothly at the airport on what to do and expect...ok just minus the stares I got while clearing from customs at Dubai airport cos of the 2 prada paper bags I handcarried. Right aft picking up my luggage, I went to the Arabian Adventures counter (courtesy of Emirates) and waited for my car to pick up. There, I was briefed that at 10am this morning, a Emirates officer will come to my hotel lobby and brief me abt Dubai and I had an opportunity of a Q&A with her. She'll orient me everything abt Dubai and what I'll need to noe...she'll also be my pt of liaise in Dubai shld I need anything. I was truly amazed with this arrangement.

Nearing 9am, I reached my hotel. It was a hotel svc apartment I arranged for. Now, finally I had a porter. No more carrying up flight of steps by myself...and this, had no steps. All lifts. Imagine how pleased I was. First thing I opened my room door, I was gladly pleased that my room had alr been cooled down....cos what 1st greeted me when I touched down Dubai this morning was the heat. Alr at 7am, it was 31degrees. N the driver warned us that by 10am, it'll be 37degress, by 12pm, weather was over 41degress. I was alr starting to feel the heat! Since I had 1hr more b4 the Emirates officer drop by my hotel, I decided to unpack - shove wadever stuffs (i.e. cheese, macaroons etc) into the fridge, repack all my shopping items and 'dress' my prada bags with thick clothes to avoid potential scratches despite having a dust bag..this is becos I knew the flight bk fr Dubai will be over 9hrs and if so unfortunate the overhead cabin had no space for me and I had to squeeze my bags overhead. All the repack, took me over 1hr and it was 1015am before i finally rushed down to the lobby, only to find out that the Emirates Officer had left. I was 15mins to the meeting. Gosh, they are really punctual. Anw she left me a number to call shld I need help in anyway...I called...Doesn't matter to me that I missed the briefing, but I called just to ask abt the stringent Middle East dresscode for females. The weather here totally freaked me out...and it's the Middle East, I had read that women shldn't be dressed in shorts/tubes/spaghetti straps etc. But what if i'm gg to the desert and could I dress down? I didn't know hence called to clarify b4 I run into trouble with the law. So the rule is, if I'm in the dessert, dressing down is fine (definition of dressing down means shorts above knee length are ok but the top 've to be shirts, no spags/tubes, slippers are fine). To me, tt means only 50% of dressing down in this scorching weather. Done with my clarification at the lobby, I went up to my room for the blasting air con. Packed the final load of rearranging in my luggage and i totally lie on my bed, flipping tv channels. I was then procrastinating - shld I continue to laze in the cold aircon in my room OR begin my Dubai tour myself where I'll roam abt nearby for another 3hrs then return bk to my hotel to get ready for the late afternoon trip to Dubai dessert. I starred out at the window then decided, I might as well take a nap for 2hrs, then go out for lunch and be bk for the pickup. Before I knew it, being so comfortable in the cold room, I soon fell aslp. Set the alarm to wake up at 1pm and the 2nd alarm at 2pm. I ended up waking up only at the 2nd alarm. This time, really had to drag myself out of bed..while doing so, the 1st sensation I felt upon standing was my whoppily legs. For the very 1st time since 15days, my legs have never hurt sooooo badly and it feels like jelly. It's the worst 'muscle-ache' and jelly legs I've ever ever felt in my whole life! Immed I can only conclude that this sensation was becos we've walked and climbed too much in Europe!

Was tossing ard in bed, deciding where to for lunch - room svc or get out to eat. Decided to get a breather aft all. I've got only 45mins to settle lunch cos i overslpt. Got changed and decided to explore the nearby malls fr my hotel apartment. It's only a short 15mins walk but i took my hat and sunglass with me. Boy, upon stepping out, the sun was sooooo freaking hot! Frankly, i dunno my way too....everywhere's apartment...getting to the mall was easy but returning was difficult cos all the apartment looks the same and i dunno which one was my hotel apartment. Anw, grabbed KFC for lunch..didn't wanna try and no mood too, to have other food. A quick one and I returned to my hotel. Halfway bk, i got lost...and the car has arrived at my hotel apt. They are really prompt! They were calling my hp and I had to tell them to wait cos i was alr on my way bk but dunno where. Anw, I quickly dashed up to my room upon reaching, changed into sth lighter, gulpped down the mixture of hydration powder my doc gave me (to fend off dehydration and being sick from extreme heat) and off we went to pick up 1other passenger b4 heading to the dessert. I was kinda lucky, its a small family who was in the same car as me and they were staying at The Palm! So it's a free-view for me to the luxury hotel. The coastline approaching The Palm was unique. A tunnel that leads towards the hotel, past the tunnel was the coastal areas where palm trees were planted along the coastline, separating the sea fr the road. Upon reaching the hotel lobby, it was luxurious! A quick pick up and off we went to the desert. Enroute, the car had to stop over for a short toilet break for us..not tt we wanted but becos the weather was too hot, before we continued on to the desert. At the desert, it was another pitstop, for the jeep to pump up their tyres and get ready for the sand bash......In the desert, it was clear that all the jeeps were trailing each other...None of them overtook one another. Tt felt safe...cos knowing if anything happened, there's soo many other jeeps ard and we won't be alone in the desert seeking help. The sand bashing soon start. Was fine at 1st...but as the sand dune rose, it became more challenging for both the driver and the passengers. Clearly I cld see the driver had to 'brave' and 'paddle' up the gears b4 rising up the sand dune while for the passengers, it was much of a going thr a bump and trough. Because the sand bash was part of the highlight, i tink we've went for 30mins worth of it in the jeep that it became too much for me soon aft. Start to feel nausea. This feeling fortunately stopped when we were dropped off for some sand boarding activities. It was part of the itinerary, not compulsory but i decided to give it a try, despite knowing that there's chances i may fall flat on my face and 'eating' sand....I saw the others who did 1st and tt was wad happen. Hence, when I tried, I came up with my own theory to only stand partially upright so that my centre of gravity will be lowered and i won't fall flat. Eating sand and having sand all over my face was the last thing I want. We had to take off our slippers and go onboard this sand board and slid down the steep sand dune. It was kinda fun...But the hot sand from the weather proves too much for me to handle. Barefoot in the sand - it was way tooooo hot!

Done with the sand dune, we headed further into the arabian desert which was almost dinner time then. B4 dinner, we were given the options if we wanna scooter in the desert. Aft some deliberation and observation on the safety, I went for it. I knew if my parents know abt it, I'll be killed..but anw, with the guides watching us, i deemed it shld be safe. Just dun go too fast i noted to myself but soon on the scooter, the feeling of speed made me forget tt. It was fun to have the feel of cool air in the desert when speeding and also seeing the sun setting into the desert. A very nice sight. Soon aft scooting, I headed into the tent area for dinner.

There were activities in the tent area....while waiting for the buffet to be ready, we were entertained with henna painting, arabian dress-up etc. Drinks were free flow....having a cold soft drinks was really nice aft the burning up the desert thus far. I had my 1st henna...skeptical at 1st cos i knew the paint wldn't come off while i'm bk to office days later....nonetheless i went for it but on my leg - less obvious. When dinner started, I was careful with my selection..in fact, the family whom i traveled with in the jeep had warned me not to be too adventurous with my food selection for fear of diarrhea...Not tt the food was unclean but more on the fact tt my stomach will not be accustom to the spices/cooking. Hence, despite having taken some dishes which I deemed as 'want to try", i didn't clear my plates. Took nipples of food only, partly becos i didn't ;ve much appetite as well.

Aft dinner, we were entertained with belly dancing then it was back to the jeep for our trip bk to the hotel. Time to leave the desert which by then was alr almost 9:30pm. My 1st time seeing the desert at night. It was pitch black...if not for the trailing jeeps, the lights from 1 jeep wasn't sufficient. N I bravo the drivers here...somehow even aft separation from the other jeeps whilst still in the desert, they still know the directions out of the desert into the roads. Wonderful. Upon hitting the rd, I saw Dubai at night. By the time I reached my hotel, was nearing 11pm. I was filled with sand, whole body, even my handbag. Took a long bathe to make sure I had every grain of sand off me and I had to pack my sand filled clothes into a separate bag. As for my hand bag, I cldn't care alr. Aft all, tmr it's another 'dirty' sandfilled day rite? It's Dubai anw!