How to Introduce Friends to the UAE

This spring break made for one of the busiest, most memorable vacations we've ever had...and we didn't even have to leave the country!  We were ecstatic when we heard two of our very best friends, Jeremy and Ginny Croft, planned on hopping a plane from Idaho to come out and visit us!

My Jeremy started on the itinerary as soon as their flights were booked with the intent of filling every last minute of the Crofts' visit with something different and exciting, and he certainly didn't disappoint.  Here are the highlights of our spring break with our best friends:

1. Ras Al Khaimah
One of our favorite destinations when we want some time away is a short 90 minute drive into the Northern Emirates to a smaller city called Ras Al Khaimah.  We love to stay in a high rise right on the beach where a walk down to the water takes about 10 minutes and boasts some of the best seashell hunting you can find in the UAE.  An extra bonus is the sparse number of people occupying prime spots along the grainy yet natural sand.  When compared to a stop at Jumeriah beach in Dubai, where thousands of people flock to a small strip of sand that's been shipped in from elsewhere to form a man-made beach, the location in Ras Al Khaimah is far more enjoyable for our little family.  Our friends were in complete agreement and seemed to love our quiet hours spent at the beach.  Possibly the biggest highlight of this little trip was an unexpected storm the first night in RAK.  We all stayed up late to enjoy the howling wind, flashes of lightning, and booming thunder - a huge treat for Jeremy and I who hadn't seen a thunderstorm since we'd moved out to the UAE (they are extremely rare in this desert locale).  Top these highlights off with a short hike through some amazing ruins and an unforgettable dinner at a Leabanese restaurant where our little spotlight thief, Dalila, honed her dancing skills for an appreciative crowd, and our trip to RAK was everything we hoped for and more.

Loving her time with her Auntie Ginny on Ginny's birthday!

Dancing with her Uncle Jeremy

A lovely impromptu ballet routine on stage

 And here is where Dalila got REALLY confident with her dancing:

2. Numerous trips to Dubai

A visit to the UAE could never be complete without lots of time spent enjoying all the glitz and glam Dubai has to offer.  Our first stop was at the Atlantis on the Palm Jumeirah.  While we weren't committed enough to spend a whole day there at the water park, we knew the Crofts would love the beautiful drive to the hotel and a stroll through the property there.  So the problem became...how do we sneak into the hotel with all of the security stationed around the perimeter.  Leave it to my Jeremy to arrive prepared with a fool-proof plan.  He ripped a coupon for a restaurant at Atalantis from our Dubai coupon book (BEST investment when showing friends around the country!) and flashed it to the security guard standing at the garden entrance to the hotel with a very confident, "We have reservations."  The guard immediately let us through and we were free to explore the magnificence that is the Atlantis hotel!

Enjoying the beautiful fish in the aquarium

Sitting by herself like a big girl!

The next stop in Dubai was the Dubai Mall complete with a trip to the top of the Burj Khalifa and a visit to the Dubai Aquarium.

Taking the elevator up 125 floors to the top of the Burj Khalifa is an absolute must when visiting Dubai.  

A view of the famous fountains from the top of the Burj

Hard to believe the Dubai Aquarium is all located inside of the Dubai Mall!

Dalila found the penguins at the aquarium!

 Poor Dalila and I had to skip the boat ride since I was pregnant and she was only three.  This left Mommy with a very grumpy girl who just wanted a boat ride!  She cried about the injustice of it all for the entire time Ginny and the Jeremys were on their 10 minute boat ride around the aquarium.

 ...So, how did Uncle Jeremy and Auntie Ginny make it up to her?  By booking a Dhow cruise around the lake in front of Dubai Mall to watch the famous dancing fountains from a VIP perspective!  Dalila - you are so loved!  And this was a fantastic experience that I highly recommend!

Enjoying the view from the dhow boat.

Dalila finally got her boat ride!

4. A Desert Safari!!

By far the most tourist-y event on our itinerary, this was the only part of our planning that Jeremy and I had never experienced personally, so we weren't sure what to expect.  Staying true to his label as the expert planner, Jeremy researched different safari companies for weeks before finally selecting what he thought was the perfect group.  They offered off-roading in safe and well-maintained vehicles, camel rides, sand boarding, henna, shisha, a delicious Arabic meal and a show with belly dancing.  I was skeptical about the off-roading portion and had decided I would just skip it and head to the camp to meet up with the rest of our party later until we met up with our driver.  He rolled up in a big black Hummer and stated that his wife was also 8 months pregnant and I would be fine.  I trusted him and I'm SO glad that I did.  We were the only ones in our group of 50 vehicles with the Hummer and the envious stares we received from the rest of the safari goers certainly proved that we were the lucky ones on this trip!  The off-road trip itself was a blast!  Our driver was clearly well-trained and explained that he drove this route 7 days a week and loved his job.

The convoy of white Land Rovers dune bashing

Here's a little video I shot of our off-road adventure.

When we arrived at the camp, the only disappointment we faced was the sand boarding...which was slightly less than exciting.  Due to the rain soaked sand, the boards hardly moved, but they made for some great pictures.  Dinner was fantastic and the show was better than I ever could have hoped for.  Diving into a tourist trip that we never thought we would do ended up being my favorite part of the vacation with our friends.

A clever solution to the disappointing lack of speed.

Slow sand meant I could try it out - pregnant and all!

A view of the camp

The Jeremys and their manly henna

Jeremy and I have lived in the UAE for nearly 2 years now and may have started taking for granted all of the amazing opportunities for unforgettable experiences we have within hours of us now.  We're so grateful to our good friends the Crofts for letting us show them our new home and being so open to all of the incredible adventures the UAE has to offer.   We have the Crofts to thank for helping us remember how to live and love life in our new home!