So today I took the tour bus to the to Jumeirah Area of Dubai - or in other words the most expensive and impressive part! I got off at Jumeirah public beach where I laid for a good hour or so (was about 25c today!), right next to what is known all over the world as the only 7 star hotel; the Burj Al Raf. The hotel is actually a small way into the sea making it unreachable to any looming tourists. The bus tour actually said the only way to get to the hotel is via an official hotel car, helicopter or submarine. You get a free helicopter ride from the airport to the hotel when you stay there!
After lying on the beach and going into the sea (clearest seawater I've ever seen!) I got back onto the bus where we drove past 'The World'. This is basically a number of hand made personal islands available to buy. Sounds good right?! $10,000,000 to $100,000,000 each. Ahh :( Many celebrities have bought an island though according to the tour bus guide...
After that we reached what is being called the 8th wonder of the world. The palm Jumeirah. A man made island with 17 off shoots off a long road leading to the Atlantis Hotel. It is simply incredible. It is one of the only few things you can see from space...This is what it looks like from above. I didn't take this picture..Although I wish I hadn't told you that so you all asked how I got so high up!
At the end of the palm is the Atlantis Hotel which is where I got off the Bus and took pictures. I then somehow managed to waggle my way inside and see the view back to the main city. After leaving, I took a wrong turn into a construction site and ended up on an empty beach. I walked a little further up and I had somehow snuck into the Atlantis guest only beach bar! I still had to pay for my drink but I was rather proud of myself haha! Here are some pictures of the Atlantis and the view from the Bar I had a drink at... (p.s My Mum and Nan are staying at this hotel for a couple of nights in 2 weeks time... Lucky!)
The scary thing about Dubai is that they are still building, and building and building. Despite it's skyscrapers and built up areas, there are areas which are deserted. After all, this was a desert and small fishing village a long time ago. There is so much money around now. Everything has to be the biggest or the best. They have the tallest building, the tallest hotel, the biggest shopping mall in the world ( Dubai Mall is crazy, I get lost all the time. 1,200 shops. No joke.), they even have the most vertical waterslide!
The big thing I will look for in 2020 when it is finished is DubaiLand. The theme park will be double the size of Disney Land Florida...Looks like I will be coming back!
