al ain

This past March while I was in the UAE, I took a trip from Dubai to Al Ain to see and feel the hot springs. It was my last full day in UAE and we had dinner plans back in Dubai, so we had to be quick! Who would have thought two girls from a UW Chem class would be road-tripping in the Middle East?

Once we arrived in Al Ain, the fourth largest city in the UAE, we didn't waste anytime taking our sandals off and soaking our feet in the natural hot water. It's said that the minerals in the water are good for the skin. Every 8-10 minutes, the pipes would burst with an out-pour of fresh, steaming hot water. Stik wanted to get out, but I made her stay. Pain is beauty!

Al Ain was also the closest I could get to Oman. We were separated by one big mountain, Jabel Hafeet. If we had time (and maybe extra reinforcements), we could have extended our trip to a third country. Bummer, I guess I'll just have to go back...

xo | din

dress | H&M


din's Travel Notes
Al Ain is very historical city. In fact, it's the birthplace of the UAE's first President (see my visit in the Wisdom Garden). There are many things to do in addition to The Spring such as Sheikh Zayed Palace Museum. We attempted to see this, but came on the day it was closed! Although The Springs were our main focus, I recommend planning ahead so that you can maximize your trip.

The Souk

Before I went for a party in the dunes, I made a trip to the souk in Dubai. It was one of the items on my "Must Do In The UAE" list. It quickly became one of the experiences I greatly disliked! Walking through, I literally was on the beginning stages of an anxiety attack due to the vendors' persistence. What I mean is that if I so much as glanced at an item, the vendor would say, "You want this one?" Or, if I took a step, they would mirror it, then show me something and say, "You like this one? What color you like?"

I literally had to tell my friend that we had to leave. At least this was after I snagged these fun shoes and a few gifts!

xo | din

shirt | Topshop
shorts | LOFT
sandals | Steve Madden
crossbody | Mossimo
East Indian shoes | purchased from Najmat Deba Garments Trading (near Gold Souq)


din's Travel Notes
Shopping at the souk (or souq) is must-have experience when you're in the Middle East. Throughout these markets you will come across a lot of items unique to the area, several of which are handmade. Of course these are great keepsakes and gift options. As you walk through the market, keep in mind that vendors will promote their items to you. After all, they're there to make a living! You don't need to speak to all of them, but can at least show them a kindness by acknowledging them with a nod. And don't worry, not all souks are anxiety inducing! In fact, the experience I shared was unique to the souk in Dubai.

I didn't have the opportunity to shop at the souk in Abu Dhabi, but it wouldn't have been the experience I envisioned as it had recently been covered. (Think mall over open market.) My favorite souk experience––which completely redeemed Dubai's!––was the souk in Doha, Qatar. I'll share more about that in a coming post, as well as how to negotiate prices. Stay tuned!

Dune Bash

We sent our location to Stik's sister for good measure!

Ladies and gentlemen, camel riding at its finest. Okay. So I had to share all of these photos because I find them to be HIGHlarious! Cannot stop cracking up every time I look at them. (You're laughing, too; I just know it.) Have you ever rode a camel before? Tell me about your experience in the comments below!

Want another good laugh? Push play on the video below.

(This dune bashing video works best on a non-mobile desktop version of the blog.)

As I mentioned in my last post, one of the items that came with the desert safari package was FREE henna! I got the "mobile" (mo-bi-el). It's named this because it shows when you're on the phone. Hello, hello!

The lady was so talented. She completed each person's design in under 30 seconds. She even gave a little boy a scorpion tattoo! 7elwa?

Once we were all dolled up, we sat down for dinner in traditional Arab style seating and waited for the the entertainment to begin!

Belly dancing

Traditional Tanura dance

Tanura dancer's costume change mid spin

This beautiful Arab man was on fiyah!

Did it get hot or was there a fire thrower performing near our table? 

All of the entertainment in this desert safari package kept me energized. I laughed, ran barefoot in the sand, got painted, was well fed and entertained. Definitely worth the half-day experience, especially at the cost (99 AED)!

So as you can see, there was a huge bash out in the dunes of Dubai. Wanna go check it out yourself? Be sure to consider my travel tips below!

xo | din

top | Topshop
fleur d'lis necklace | H&M
ring | B.Side Jewelry
cuff | T. Omari Leatherworks (also seen here)
pleated skirt | Forever 21
sandals | Steve Madden
backpack | Perlina


din's Travel Notes
Your safari package will most likely include a camel ride. Be prepared that it will most likely be a short 3-5 minute ride max. If you inquire about riding a second time, the camel keeper (the man guiding them) will most likely tell you that you have to pay additional fee. Do not pay it. Most likely he's going to pocket it and, unless you're able to be generous, it's not worth it. The pictures above are from our second ride (we asked fellow tourists to take our pictures versus paying for the not-so-great pictures the company folks were taking). Although we were told we could ride twice, the camel keeper wanted us to pay. After we got down from the camels, we collected our phone and walked to our seats for dinner. He didn't come looking for us. One final thought, animal rights are but a dream. Be forewarned as you'll see these camels working hard for long periods of time.

*The videos in this post play best on a computer desktop version of our blog.

A Desert Mirage

I couldn't imagine living life in a desert such as this. Still, the soft sand under my bare feet and warm sun kissing my face was a beautiful experience. Desert mirage? No. So blessed this is my real life.

Welcome to Dubai.

xo | din

din's Travel Notes
Be a knowledgeable tourist! If you research an activity online, don't settle for the first listed price. For example, my friend and I wanted to do a "desert safari" complete with dune bashing and camel rides. The first "deal" we saw was 199 AED. Another discounted to 150 AED. Fortunately my savvy friend is an excellent researcher and found us a deal that included all of its competitors' features for 99 AED! That's $26.95 USD for dune bashing, camel rides, snacks, dinner, entertainment, and henna.

The Palace

We've arrived! The Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi is a five star hotel and built for luxury. We spent some time out front taking photos, making Instagram vids, and laughing––why not?!

The weather was slightly overcast, but still sunny enough to enjoy being outside. That called for a selfie. This is how we do!

Below are a few shots as seen from the front lawn. More beautiful images of Etihad Towers can be seen here.

Let's take a tour of the palace interior, shall we? Press play on the videos below for a taste of luxury!

 

A gold dispenser? Well, of course!

Aside from seeing the grandeur of the hotel, one of our main goals was to get to the beach for a drink. We prepared ourselves to carry "We know what we're doing and where we're going" attitudes and made our way downstairs from the lobby. We were stopped in our tracks!

One we reached the doors to the beach, the hotel security guard informed us that it was private. (It's accessible only by hotels gusts, hence the aforementioned attitudes). And while I'll save you from the back and forth dialogue, I will share the money phrase that we pounced on: "You're going to the BBQ restaurant?" Immediately Stik said, "Yes!" I had no idea what he was talking about, nor did I want BBQ, but I knew that this was our ticket! And that's how we ended up on the private, white sandy beach of the Emirates Palace overlooking an incredible view.

View from our seats at BBQ Al Qasar

This structure may be reserved for the Sheikh, or President.

After watching the video above, you'll agree that it was completely serene. Since we were there early, only one other party (two girl-friends like us!) were on the dining/bar platform. Meaning to say it was quiet! Stik and I were able to enjoy our drinks while we reflected on how crafty we were to get on the beach, the stargazing opportunities around us and, most importantly, how blessed we are!

As the sun set, the dinner rush started to make their way on to the platform filling our area of the beach with multiple voices and scents of sweet-flavored shisha.

xo | din

din's Travel Notes
Stik and I could have given both our arms, legs, and first borns to stay at the Emirates Palace. Instead, we accessed it like the locals would and took advantage of the free aspects of the beautiful estate. The main interior (lobby and bar/restaurant) are open to visitors, as well as the front entrance area (lawn, steps, fountain). Although the beach is private, go with confidence to the security and tell them you're headed to (give name of your preferred beach restaurant). You're allowed to go only for restaurant purposes, so it would also help if you already have a reservation!