United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates… welcome to heaven on earth… a playground for the rich and luxurious lifestyles.  I spent nearly 3.5 weeks here, specifically in Dubai… why just Dubai?  Well it is the hype that everyone hears about, plus the Expo 2020 was taking place, which united over 170 countries in one exhibition.  My initial impressions are; I have never felt like I was in a movie walking along side some of the most extravagant lifestyles.  It’s hard to explain, but it’s a world where the rich really love to flash their wealth.  To start, exotic cars are everywhere, social media personalities come from all over the world to build a life in Dubai, and most interesting, everything is conveniently done for you, from shopping to car washes, there are people that do it for you at your convenience.  It almost felt fake, but at the same time mesmerizing.  I felt like I was walking among the most elite of people.  The only other country where I felt this way was Singapore.  

 One highlight of Dubai was its engineering milestones that are present all over Dubai. They have some of the most exclusive hotels in the world.  But at the same time there is Old Dubai which feels like a whole different city.  We set off to explore what someone on a budget can see in this wonderland.  Old Dubai was a unique exclusive.  Lots of stores and brands everywhere and felt like you are going back in time.  Meals and products were significantly cheaper in old Dubai compared to new Dubai.  The museum is a must see and taking a ferry ride for 1 Durham is a must in old Dubai.  I loved meeting the locals and exploring the busy streets.  It was a completely different experience.  

I was staying in New Dubai in an exclusive man-made island called the Palm and shaped like a palm tree.  Literally, every vehicle was a high-end brand with meals starting at 20 USD in this part of the island.  I was fortunate enough to be staying with a good friend who saved me thousands in hotel fees.  The palm is pretty unique to explore around and ride the train throughout the big man-made island. Another highlight of visiting Dubai was the Dubai 2020 Expo where over 192 countries were represented in a place built specifically for this event.  It recently ended in March of this year, but some of the coolest technological advancements, sustainable development strategies, and global solutions to climate change were presented at this year’s Expo.  We got to explore this place and check it out for out for ourselves. It was a multiday event that was awesome to check out. 

When you think of this place, charity isn’t the first thing that comes to mind, especially in Dubai.  Some call it the playground for the rich and famous, exotic cars everywhere you go and beautiful weather brings people from all backgrounds to live the lavish life here.   
But hidden in the outskirts of Dubai is the largest international non-profit hub in the world.  The International Humanitarian City serves as a middle ground for connecting charities, non-government organizations, and commercial companies.  They are able to reach 2/3 of the world’s population in less than 8 hours due to their strategic location.   So, when disaster strikes, the IHC is right there to respond along with it’s over 80 members.  They are truly a force for good to the utmost vulnerable and when unexpected disasters occur.  It was a pleasure spending time there and hope to join them on international missions in the near future. 

Lastly from my time in Dubai, I got to spend New Year’s in Dubai.  I don’t really recommend it if you are just using public transport and doing the count down at the Burg Khalifa.  Why?  Well it took me nearly 4 hours to get home after the 10 min event Lol.  It isn’t the ideal way of celebrating in my opinion.  Also, a Tim Hortons (Canadian franchise coffee shop) table during NYE costs about 1500 USD for the countdown.  However, it is a unique experience so if you are patient you can view it.

Final Conclusion:  I loved Dubai, year-round nice weather, beautiful scenery, good people, and exclusive unique architecture gives this wonderful place an remarkable vibe.  I will be back and do recommend people to visit.  If you have more cash though, the experience will be a bit more pleasant hahaha.  

• People: 7.2, really awesome people and super nice, but you get treated according to your social wealth status.
• Culture: 8.5, great culture of middle east, but also very westernized.
• History: 6.9, not much history to see in Dubai, but I didn’t get a chance to visit the capital either.
• Landscape: 8.9, they have transferred a desert into a metropolitan.
• Food: 8.5, great food just pricey depending on where you go, forget fine dining unless you have some serious cash.
• Affordability: 5.5, you need money period… not a place to backpack unless you stay in Old Dubai mostly.
• Safety: 9.5, super safe and can walk around at any time of the day.
• Shopping: 8.9, the Dubai Mall and Old Dubai streets are a must see.
• Accommodations: 7.0, depends on your wealth status, you can stay at the fanciest hotels if you can and it easily becomes a 9.8 rating, but I am judging for the average person.
• Transport: 8.5, easy to get places using cab and Metro, however a bit pricey even for the metro system.

Overall: 7.94 out of 10, a definitely beautiful place to see and explore.