2011 March 17 - March 20, Dubai, UAE 👍

Dateline: March 20th, 2011, Dubai, UAE.

Smitho's current (and soon to be past) travels - Dubai

We grabbed a quick 2 weeks in New Zealand last year,, now we're heading back for a couple of months, of dedicated exploring. I've booked via Dubai, one, because I've never been here, and two, we are flying in Airbus 380's. These, even in economy are fantastic

Looks like I'm now cutting edge on the knowledge workers, or digital nomads, or even (relentlessly) ageing hippy. 

Last year, my major client decided they did not want to totally fill my vacant hours, which had been going on since 1997. Being a well practiced traveller, it made a lot of sense, bearing in mind the current state of internet functionality, to bugger off.

This is my second digital nomadding gig. 

Now read on........

From Jim

Here, arrived in Dubai late PM and went and explored the night skyline

I'm still working, so I've already had one
fairly urgent request. At least there is wifi here
I just need to be in the lobby to use it

I've booked a "recommended" hotel at the
same time as the tickets. Isis Al Barsha hotel
It's pretty shit. Here just outside

Well, it's a lot warmer than Toronto.
I'm used to this kind of culture, it's not threatening,
unlike Saudi

The Burj Khalifa
It's far more impressive
than this sad shot

A local mall, yes, complete with a skating rink

And what mall is complete without 
"the world biggest aquarium"

There's an indoor skihill here
somewhere apparently

Finally have a first pass (and last as it happens)

 What every good obedient wife
secretly longs to have

It's quite nice just out for a walk

This is just one of my day treks. Not much. Just one day, and it took nearly a day to get this loaded. Sod this for a game of conkers!

But that was a few weeks ago, and now we are winding down,  looking for our passports and generally in denial about next week

However, it really is just desert and buildings

There's a newly opened subway here which 
makes transport pretty easy

 I've tried several more times to do this gig with other travel streams and pix, and I've tried to get the other pix into this format, but all my efforts have been for nought so far, and, after many hours of toil, I end up screaming at the lap top. Yes, as we are leaving in a few days (The Horror!), anyone who is really interested, can just check out these, and as some folks have limited space (see The Horror, above), I will send in batches by locations

We take it in each direction, to the airport
and back to the building sites
There's a permanent team at each end cleaning
the cars before they turn around

But really, there's very little here except excess
This place is set up for rich folks, no exceptions

So, over the next boring couple of days, I'll start sending my selected bits (to anyone interested) starting with Dubai. AND!! Bonus, I've loaded a compress program, so you do not get all the gory details, just a pix that you can look at. What more do you need in life?

Well, as the old saying goes, there's always another trip to look forward to.

And busses are reliable and cheap
There's also a females and children only area
Good idea

 

But, really, Dubai is just another Miami
without the culture (gettit? Joke!)
But true if you find Miami oppressive
(I do, in many senses)

The Burj, at night, from
maybe half a kilometre away 

Somewhere in the Burj
Yes, we did the tour. But, it only takes you
up the first third, the rest is off limits
(see note about rich people)

At least the breakfast is pretty good
It's also outside so it's quite a treat

Looks like this other mode is at least more reliable,  so fear not, I have not finished in my efforts to bore you just yet.
To be continued.
Oh yes, Vote, vote vote! Even if we cannot do so ourselves, have a kick at the can for us!

And that was it, off to Sydney/ Auckland which suits me

Dubai really is quite the kind of place I'm quite happy never to need to visit again

Gotta run! There's an  A380 waiting for me

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