What a day.
Emirates continues to come through after a hiccup at the airport as they put me up in a hotel for free. Plus I saw a lot of the city in just an afternoon.
As for the hiccup, Dubai was covered in fog upon arrival causing my plane and every other hopeful aircraft to hover around for three hours.
Leo kept me company in "Inception" but then the pilot came on the speaker in the nasally-pilot voice and said 'we have to land at the other airport and wait for the other planes to land.' That was another two hours.
Nevertheless, I got to the DUX and got the hell off the plane. 19 hours trip. Now I actually have some bragging rights on my brother who thinks flying 18 hours in business class to Thailand makes him a big shot. Try 21 in economy with screaming children.
Anyway, my day in Dubai was nothing short or awesome.
Upon arrival, I threw my stuff in the hotel room and made my way to the lobby to ask about transportation. A guy with traditional Arab garb was sitting on the lobby couch so I walked up to him. I opened my mouth and before I said a word the bearded man pointed to where I came from and said "the metro is the easiest way to get around. Its out the back entrence."
The metro was pretty easy to figure out, and as an aspiring architect I B-lined it to the Burj Khalifa, the highest building in the world. Exciting, I know.
In order to get to the Burj from the metro, you have to go through the mall. It's not just a mall, its an entire city. It has to be the biggest mall in the world. I couldn't even get out. After over an hour I finally stumbled out of a small exit near a bathroom. Then I was blasted with light, and as my vision adjusted, the blue-plated glow of the Burj came into view. Cool.
I wandered around the city square and found a place to eat where I could admire the Burj. I ate an entire bowl of hummus and pita bread, then decided to make my way back through the mall. I followed the highway-style signs the mall uses back to my metro stop, and passed out on my way back to the hotel.
I awoke by the sound of my stop being communicated through the speakers, first in Arabic, then English.
Upon my return, I threw on my board shorts and milked my layover some more in the insane swimming pool. I had it all to myself, so it must have been closed.
Showing posts with label Emirates. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Emirates. Show all posts
Thursday, January 19, 2017
Off to Dubai
We. Are. Off.
...to Dubai. And then Africa. Zambia's my main destination, but I'll be in Dubai for two days on a layover.
"Wow, Tim, great idea stopping in a cool city like Dubai. Extra explorations."
Not really. This was the cheapest option to Zambia. Flights this time of year are outrageous, and Africa in particular is even worse. It's because of the lack of airlines/flight options throughout the continent. Stupid Africa.
But actually I'm finding that layovers are a great way to see places you wouldn't normally visit, especially cities that you kind-of want to see but don't think you would ever spend more than a couple days in. Dubai is one of these places.
I'm flying out of Boston and could have connected through Amsterdam, London, or Johannesburg (and Dubai obviously). These are the usual suspects for Southern African connections, so if you're not in a rush it's actually a bonus to get to see these cities, although they are probably worthy of more than a layover.
The best airline option for me was Emirates. You've seen it on FIFA '16 soccer uniforms, and I buy every bit of the hype. It's a sick airline. The flight attendants wear cool red hats that look uncomfortable, and the meals are superb. As I type I'm eating one of three hot meals 6,000 feet in the air. I also just burned my tongue on Turkish coffee.
Anyway, one of the main motivations for this trip is to see my Aunt and Uncle who live in Zambia. My uncle is a neurologist, and my aunt works for the Clinton Foundation. They both do amazing work and research.
Once I get to Lusaka, we will hit the road the next morning, because my two little cousins are on winter break. Basically I am going on a trip to go on another trip. I'll get to experience some of the coolest parts of Zambia, and even venture into Zimbabwe and Botswana. Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park, and my uncle's friend's 200 acre tobacco farm, where we will supposedly hunt warthogs. More to come...
Over and out. There's Wifi for a dollar on Emirates so I'm gonna go ahead and publish this one.
See you in Dubai.
...to Dubai. And then Africa. Zambia's my main destination, but I'll be in Dubai for two days on a layover.
"Wow, Tim, great idea stopping in a cool city like Dubai. Extra explorations."
Not really. This was the cheapest option to Zambia. Flights this time of year are outrageous, and Africa in particular is even worse. It's because of the lack of airlines/flight options throughout the continent. Stupid Africa.
But actually I'm finding that layovers are a great way to see places you wouldn't normally visit, especially cities that you kind-of want to see but don't think you would ever spend more than a couple days in. Dubai is one of these places.
I'm flying out of Boston and could have connected through Amsterdam, London, or Johannesburg (and Dubai obviously). These are the usual suspects for Southern African connections, so if you're not in a rush it's actually a bonus to get to see these cities, although they are probably worthy of more than a layover.
The best airline option for me was Emirates. You've seen it on FIFA '16 soccer uniforms, and I buy every bit of the hype. It's a sick airline. The flight attendants wear cool red hats that look uncomfortable, and the meals are superb. As I type I'm eating one of three hot meals 6,000 feet in the air. I also just burned my tongue on Turkish coffee.
Anyway, one of the main motivations for this trip is to see my Aunt and Uncle who live in Zambia. My uncle is a neurologist, and my aunt works for the Clinton Foundation. They both do amazing work and research.
Once I get to Lusaka, we will hit the road the next morning, because my two little cousins are on winter break. Basically I am going on a trip to go on another trip. I'll get to experience some of the coolest parts of Zambia, and even venture into Zimbabwe and Botswana. Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park, and my uncle's friend's 200 acre tobacco farm, where we will supposedly hunt warthogs. More to come...
Over and out. There's Wifi for a dollar on Emirates so I'm gonna go ahead and publish this one.
See you in Dubai.
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