Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 8-9 March 2025

As soon as I walk inside the Aloft Dubai Airport hotel on Saturday 8 March 2025 the a/c hits me, a nice change from the 39 degrees outside.

Check-in is a bit painful as they want my original passport which is locked in my suitcase so I tell them that I will provide it later. It doesn’t go down well – the lady asks me to WhatsApp her my passport (as I show her my photo), ummm that’s a strong N O! In the end she’s ok with me providing it later on.

They want to upgrade me, but the room isn’t ready so I sit and wait five minutes.

Anna meets me in the lobby and then a few minutes later I’m handed the keys.  I drop my bag up in the room get my passport and then drop it off at reception. Then go to Anna‘s apartment.

Anna and I sit chatting for a good hour before I head back to my room to unpack and repack.

4.30pm I head back to Anna’s room where we enjoy wine and cheese while chit chatting. Great views of the Burj Khalifa from Anna’s balcony, I know my photos won’t do it justice.

 

We wander across the road to the Le Meridien Hotel for dinner.  We had earlier done research and decided on the Lebanese restaurant. Anna had looked into it when I was packing and discovered it’s a dry restaurant. Hey ho! We can survive that and after drinking lots of wine it's probably good for us to have a break! 

Sitting outside is lovely and not too hot. Well not as hot as earlier!!  Dinner doesn’t disappoint.

 

 

Sunday 9 March I wake just after 7.15am. Ye ha a wee sleep in!!

Anna and I meet at 8.30am for a walk around the area. It’s cloudy which is great! At some stage the clouds start to break away and the sun makes an appearance. Please go away, far too hot!!!

I have a quick breakfast of fruit and water before going up to the room finishing packing and have better coffee.

Anna and I meet at 10.15am in the lobby of my hotel and walk to the Metro. We have to swap at one point super, the metro is super clean and super convenient.  As we stop at some stations I’m very pleased with the decision Anna made to be in the gold area, yes you pay more but there is less people and you get a seat.

When we exit the metro one of the first things I notice is the amazing pink flowers.

We wander through to the water. It reminds me weirdly of Venice with the canal with the boats.

 

We then walk through the Grand Souq-Bur Dubai to the Arabian tea House. Basically, at every stall we are spoken too. Gets old very quickly.

We have a short wait before getting a table at the Arabian tea House.

 

 

Breakfast is amazing!

We wander back through the Grand Souq-Bur Dubai to where you catch the Arba (traditional boat) across to the other side. One stall catches Anna’s eye for a bowl, I then start looking around and spot a nice foot stool / cushion seat.  Yes thanks.  It’s a bit of back and forth on the cost as he’s trying to sell us a bowl too (which Anna has decided not to get).

 

 

It's a short wait for the Arba.

 

We wander around the Gold Souq, Spice Souq and Utensils Souq.

 

 

 

 

Feeling souqed out we head back to the wharf to take the Arba back to the other side.

 

Where possible we walk in the shade back to the Metro.  Aah its nice to sit down again and be in a/c.

Back to the hotel I have a good hour in the room relaxing and packing up before checking out then heading back to Anna’s place.  It’s so convenient that her hotel is attached to my hotel.

We head back to the metro at the airport, this time heading to DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre) where Anna has previously lived. DIFC not only has office buildings but also dining, retail and apartment living.

We wander around before deciding on somewhere for dinner.

When we walk outside it’s a tad chilly. I have absolutely adjusted to the weather here and I’m leaving in a few hours.

 

 

We go straight back to Anna‘s room get my bags and then go and pick up my suitcase and walk over to the airport.

On arrival at the airport it says we’ve got 25 minutes before check-in opens, frustrating is the Internet says check-in opens four hours before the flight.  We could have had more time relaxing at the hotel.

Still got 20 minutes to go.  There is a flight to Shanghai that is leaving in one hour and 15 minutes and there has been six people who just casually come on up to check in, talk about giving us anxiety.

Finally the check-in counters open.

I say goodbye to Anna and follow the signs to the departure gates. Strangely it’s Smart Gates for immigration. Not what I expected given when I arrived Smart Gates were for the Residents only.

I watch a few people get turned away. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen to me.

Phew! I do as I’m told and stare at the light. Within a few seconds my full name appears on the screen then an announcement telling me to walk ahead. Right, immigration done and no passport needed. Interesting.

Security thankfully is fairly painless - although my iPad needs to come out of my bag and my watch has to come off. Why ooh why can’t all airport securities be the same???!!

It’s a bit of a mission to find the lounge, but I get there in the end after asking someone. First stop is a shower.

Feeling clean I find a seat and just relax. No need to eat given Anna and I went out for dinner.

Before going to the gate I wander back to Duty Free to buy a bottle of Aperol.

A few minutes after being onboard there is an announcement telling us to be careful of our personal belongings. Hmmm. This happened 2 or 3 times on the flight to Dubai. Not what I would expect.

The first officer advisers it’s a 6.22 hour flight to Hong Kong. I must definitely go to sleep as soon as I can. We pull back from the gate 10 minutes early at 11.30pm.

Goodbye UAE – it’s been absolutely amazing! Made even more special by having time with Amber, Jon, Lily and Oscar, Anna, Prue, Ash and Navy. I will return.