IRFAN RAJA
DUBAI: Years on, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains one of my favorite destinations. As I dive deep down into time and space, I can collect wonderful memories of friends and family pastimes.
To simplify my UAE travel passion, I borrowed Blake Shelton’s song lyrics, “I lived it, I loved it.”
After spending quality time wandering in Italy’s Catania, I finally took a Wizz Air flight to Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital. Though December break is brief for a family visit, it’s enough to recharge your battery.
Wizz Air flight landed at Abu Dhabi Airport around midnight. Nothing to worry about, the UAE is safe, although as a tourist, one must plan the journey carefully to avoid any mishaps.
I knew the express shuttle service runs frequently between Abu Dhabi International Airport and Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai. The bus journey takes 1 hour 30 minutes and charges $16.89. Now, both Etihad and Emirates Airlines passengers holding a flight ticket can take Emirates coaches for free from Abu Dhabi to Dubai and from Al Ain to Dubai.
To save time and money, I suggest buying a Hafilat bus card at the airport transport counter; it remains valid for five years and can be recharged easily. Adjacent to the waiting launch, a cozy prayer room offers ablution (a ritual washing compulsory for Muslims before prayer) services and a comfortable place to perform salah (prayers). So, I offered Isha salah (night prayers) and felt extremely relaxed.
I had to spend the next day in Dubai for gold shopping. I booked a room in Dubai near the airport via Airbnb for just $31.70 a night to utilize time. As I stepped into Abu Dhabi in December, its warm weather made me feel fresh.
Certainly, it was a blessing, and perhaps that’s why the airport was filled with Western tourists. Next, I joined the passenger cluster at the Terminal 1 exit. It’s a challenge to pass the waiting time smoothly. Luckily, I met an Indian engineer and soon found we had similar interests.
Throughout the journey, we exchange our travel and work experiences. I briefed him about my short trip to Malta and how thousands of Indians in the Kerala region have made Malta their home. Strange though, Indians and Pakistanis get along well outside South Asia, especially in the Middle East and Europe.
Our conversation encircled traveling and work opportunities in Europe. Usually, many working professionals based in the UAE decide to settle down in Europe. Also, it is pretty easy for them to get a European visa without any hassle.
Sitting by the window, I noticed Abu Dhabi’s peculiar, tidy roads and pavements with lush green grass and palm and date trees dividing the highways. True, even at night, one can view Abu Dhabi’s neatness and that’s one of its distinctions.
Imagine that flying taxis will be fully operational by 2026. And several developments, including the “Zayed Smart City Project,” are intended to turn UAE cities into sustainable places.
Today, the UAE is an emblem of luxury and a comfortable life. For many around the globe, the UAE is a status symbol, while many others come here to earn their living. It offers something to everyone. That’s what makes it an ideal tourist place.
Although I am a frequent traveler, I notice novel modern developments happening every time I come back to the UAE. Its rulers never stop dreaming and hence modern expansion never pauses.
Mall and icon
After reaching the Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai, I learned that the bus services and metro were closed. Around 1:45 a.m., I had no option left other than to hire a taxi, which had cost me $114.84 more than a Wizz Air flight to Abu Dhabi from Europe. But what can you do at odd times?
Abu Dhabi is a residential place, but Dubai is a business class. Its sky-high buildings, stylish and luxurious shopping malls, world-famous brands of restaurants, top hospitality groups, affordable hotel chains, calm, clean and safe beaches, festivals, international sports competitions and sparkling nightlife attractions make it a dreamland.
The taxi driver, a young Pakistani Pathan who was tempted to be a guide, had promptly guessed my unique glancing of places. He asked me whether it was my first time touring Dubai.
Perhaps he didn’t observe my emotions. If I hadn’t had to buy gold, I would have avoided coming to Dubai. Ever since I lost Dr. Nasser Alotaibi, a best friend and kind-hearted and generous soul, I have avoided visiting places including Dubai, Morocco and London, especially the Kensington, where we spent days and nights together talking and sharing life experiences while Nasser was battling cancer.
As we passed Burj Al-Khalifa and adjacent Damac properties, my memories raced, and I felt myself go back to 2020. One day, Nasser rang and said, “Let’s meet up, Irfan.” At that moment, my sister Amber was living in Sharjah. On the weekend, we met in Sharjah and stayed in the ultra-luxury Damac apartments near Burj Al-Khalifa, an icon of Dubai that is regularly decorated at night to commemorate the national days of different nations.
Nasser was a morning person who loved his coffee. The following day, we went for a traditional breakfast at Shakespeare and tried the restaurant’s specialty Patisserie as usual.
I collected myself and began talking to the taxi driver. We stopped at a petrol station in al-Rashidiya and I bought fried chicken and chips for my quick dinner. Dubai offers the best range of fast food in petrol stations, including fried chicken brands Al-Baik, Texas Chicken, McDonald’s and Burger King.
My Airbnb host in Bur Dubai was a friendly Indian professional whose Filipino wife was awake and guided us to her flat. Bur Dubai is a mostly affordable part of the city with various Asian cuisines and offers plenty of transport links. I was drained and went straight to bed for a fresh start the following day.
The Dubai Gold Souq
A good traveler must be a morning person because that’s how to utilize one’s time. So, I woke up early. After breakfast at a local Asian restaurant, I rushed to Gold Souk (market) located in Deira.
The cheapest way to get to Gold Souq is by bus, depending on your location. Dubai transport runs frequent services, and one can also ride the metro, which takes you to Gold Souq metro station, a few minutes walk from the Gold Souq.
Normally, I don’t enjoy shopping, but buying gold for a loved one is a special occasion. I reached the souq and saw a little yellowish empire where you could buy pearls, diamonds and super-quality gold products.
At first glance, I figured out why people prefer Dubai’s gold; it’s a supreme quality with unique designs, although they charge customers a little extra for designing. The gold souq stretches around 350 retailers with a few brands like Malabar and Damas.
During Christmas, almost all gold retailers offered dazzling deals on diamonds ranging from 30% to 50% off. Most South Asians buy gold from Dubai even though they live in Europe. I utilized a WhatsApp service for consultation on design.
If you want to buy gold and diamonds, the December holidays or Dubai summer shopping festivals are the best times to acquire bargains and offers. Luckily, I got a gold and diamonds deal that saved me a ticket price if I had bought the same from the U.K. Indeed, it is still incomparable with Dubai gold. After spending half a day at Gold Souq, my task was over. I had a coffee break and rushed to the airport to catch my next flight to Pakistan. I was excited for several reasons. I began to sing Motley Crue’s “Home Sweet Home” and Ozzy Osbourne’s “Mama, I’m Coming Home.”
