Tradition Meets Modernity

One of the (very few) attractions in Abu Dhabi is the UAE Heritage Village. A small slice of what life used to be like. It's interesting to wander around, ducking in and out of the various areas to see 'traditional' Bedouin houses/tents. It's a little contrived, and also empty. The small museum is fairly interesting, housing various ancient tools, instruments and personal effects. However it's disappointingly shabby - water dripping into the showcases from the air conditioning unit, poor lighting and little care shown to the ancient artefacts. At the edge of the village, you can look across the water to the huge metal sky scrapers, another reminder of how far the city has come and how much has changed here.

I enjoyed wandering around, bought a few souvenirs from the ladies at the marketplace, and I suppose I would recommend visiting, but mostly because there is not much else to see and do in AD. Not really because of the quality of the place!

Also getting a cab back to the city centre afterwards proved to be difficult, most people come here on organised bus tours. I suggest asking the men at the entrance to help you out. I did this, after waiting around for over a quarter of an hour and within about 2 minutes I was enjoying the cool interior of a taxi heading back to meet Samantha for lunch!

Texting away while leaning on his camel!

Afternoon Tea in the Burj Kalifa

On the first backpacking trip I took, around Europe after graduating, my friends and I were back to basics travellers. We stayed in 20-bed dorm rooms, and scouted out free places to visit. We'd walk around and around for ages trying to find the cheapest place to eat dinner. Stuck to tap water where ever possible, and sometimes risked the public transport systems without a ticket. Over the years, however, I've learnt that it's not always necessary to be such a spend thrift. Trekking from restaurant to restaurant and ending up at the first one anyway. Sometimes it's worth saving money on something but other times it will be worth the splurge. For me, this is generally when I think that I will regret not having done or seen something. An experience that will stay with me long after the trip is worth handing over a little bit of dosh. This was why, when visiting Dubai, Samantha and I decided to spend a little more on afternoon tea in the Burj Kalifa, rather than just heading to the viewing deck. The restaurant is a couple of floors below the observation deck, but having visited my fair share of tall buildings: Taipei 101, Seoul Tower, Tokyo Tower, Radio City tower (in Liverpool)... I know that there is only so long you can stay at the top, having taken pictures of each direction and attempting to recognise buildings. To spend a little bit more, and have a longer time to enjoy the view, whilst drinking tea and eating cakes was definitely worth the extra cost.

Now, although I am extremely happy that we did this. Things did not on the whole go smoothly. I am always ready to admit when things go wrong through my own mistake or carelessness... ok not always. But anyway on this occation, Samantha and I were in no way responsible for the drama that surrounded our Afternoon Tea.

To get to the restaurant (Atmosphere), you must enter the Burj Kalifa through the Armani Hotel entrance. We did this, quickly popping to the loo to change into our finery. We approached the staff to ask the way to the restaurant. Each staff member sent us the same way; along corridors, down in lifts, each smiling and pointing the same way when we double checked 

"This way for the restaurant? For afternoon tea?" 

"Yes, Yes this way, this way". 

We eventually reached the end of the line when we emerged into the Dubai Mall. NOT where we wanted to be. Finally a staff member actually listened to where we want to be and shook his head;

"No, no through the Armani hotel entrance" 
"THAT'S WHERE WE JUST WERE! THEY SEND US HERE!!" 

He refused to let us retrace our steps, and informed us that we will need to walk around the entire circumference of the building to return to where we have just been. 

"Take a taxi, it's easier" (!)

Clearly it's absurd to suggest getting a taxi, so out we go (in our nice clothes) to walk half way back around the building, up and down steps and around large fenced off areas. It's really bloody hot and we are flustered because we are now going to be late. We walk up the slope, to the vehicle barriers (UAE is not pedestrian friendly).

After much frustration, we make it to the Armani hotel (again) I'm extremely annoyed by now and make it very clear to the reception staff that we need to be personally escorted to the correct place to avoid another catastrophe. They do this (reluctantly), and then the second lot of reception staff make us feel about 2 cm tall by explaining that we needed to be at the Armani hotel entrance to reach the restaurant. Of course that's exactly where we were, before the hotel staff sent us on a wild goose chase, but the self righteous lady on the desk doesn't want to believe us.  Heaven forbid two single western women actually know what they're doing.

Anyway we finally get into the lift and head up to the 122 floor. By now our table is gone. Or at least the restaurant decide to seat us away from the window. We have expressly asked for a window table, otherwise what's the point? So we start to talk about leaving. It is only when we are practically standing up with our coats on that they magically find us a table. Thank goodness! We are now seated with a great view and are ready to enjoy our cakes. Unfortunately the staff seem to forget about us, and we twice have to request they take our tea order and bring us the cake stand of goodies. 

On the plus side; the food was delicious, the tea lovely and the free Pink Flamingo mocktail very refreshing. And not only did we get a fantastic experience out of it, but I guess the drama is entertaining... in hindsight!

A night-time view from our restaurant opposite; clouds and light pollution clearly visible!

There's a fountain show with music in the marina next to the tower

And the view of the marina the following day from the 122 floor

Pink Flamingo mocktail

A crappy picture of the Burj Al-Arab (The sailboat hotel)

An odd mushroom vol au vent thingy (tasted ok though)

Our cakes, sandwiches and scones! Yay!

tea with a view

Snapshots from the Middle East

One of the beautiful chandeliers in the Abu Dhabi grand mosque

Bought a book I'd been longing to read for a while - and had my hands henna-ed while in Dubai

The aerial view on the way in

Love for life jackets

River cruise on Dubai Creek

An odd sculpture made of chairs in AD art gallery

at Ferrari world

visiting the NYUAD portal campus

The view from the 42nd floor of Sama Tower

Catching the view with a sunset and plane coming in to land. Picture perfect!

Lotus tea

It's crazy to think that this metropolis is built on the desert.

A year in review

Last year I never got around to making a year round up post, which was a massive shame as I'd had so many awesome experiences that year; travelling almost every month in fact! Recently I've been reflecting on this past year. As with each December, the past 12 months seem to have absolutely flown by. My initial thoughts are that I haven't been as adventurous, that returning to the UK  has to somehow mean that I'm not going to have explored as much. But really - I've made sure I've done exactly that. The only difference is that I'm doing that in a place that's completely familiar to me - and yet I've found so many places that I had previously never known about. Nicola and I have made sure to get out and about as much as possible, taking walking tours of Clerkenwell, Canary Wharf and a Jack the Ripper tour, enjoying fish and chips and 2p machines in Southend, geeking out at the Florence Nightingale museum - and we have a Christmas trip to Kew gardens coming up as I write this!

I've made two amazing friends in Daliah and Samantha, girls I hadn't even met this time last year. Since meeting them in January I've been to Italy with them both, had the best time visiting Samantha in Abu Dhabi and am looking forward to showing her a little bit of Essex this Christmas!

This year I completed the (Muddy) Race for Life. Vicky, Hannah and I got through the 5k through sheer determination and by encouraging each other not to give up. It was an achievement that I'm very proud of, and hope to repeat in the new year as well. We optimistically vowed to make it a 10k in 2014 but I think it's more realistic to stick with 5k, especially as I haven't really been out running since the race back in October!

I've been working for 12 months in a job that allows me to go on free trips around London and England, meet students all with very different and interesting stories, and live in the centre of London free (don't be too jealous - I have to share the laundry with said students too...)

Why then, since I've not really changed how much I like to explore or experience the place I live in, do I feel like in 2013 I've been more boring than 2012? Am I just projecting an assumption that home isn't as exciting as away? I do so many of the same things here - bog standard visits to the supermarket and gym - but doing even normal stuff abroad feels daring I suppose...

Looking over the last 12 months, and thinking about the decisions I've make for the future; studying for my MA in TESOL and returning to teaching, looking for more permanency in London, I'm fairly happy with where I am right now. Sometimes that feels like a hard thing to admit, should I be striving for something more? Shouldn't I be worrying more about my future? I don't know about that, all I do know is that, despite how it might initially feel, looking back at 2013, I think I made the most of the year.

So here is my year in photos:

Beginning, as we always do in January,

with snowy days in London, making two new friends; Samantha and Daliah.

and taking a Boris bike for a spin for the first time!

My favourite month, February was special because,

I had an amazing birthday surprise at the OXO tower, saw the ill-fated Viva Forever musical (it's been cancelled now),

and took my first ever trip to Scotland with my mum. Edinburgh Castle and Arthur's seat.

During March,

I enjoyed the benefits of being in the land of ovens again.

April was all about

a reunion in Florence.

In May,

gorgeous weather really helped on trips with the students to Arundel and Brighton.

June,

In July,

I enjoyed the benefits of having a brother who lives in Barcelona!

One beautiful day in August,

Nicola and I spent the day in Southend.

and walked along the world's longest pier.

Whilst on another horrible day, 

Manchester made our BBQ a wash out whilst, I bid a fond farewell to Chelsea. Knowing it wouldn't be long before I saw her again (see November!)

In September, 

I welcomed a new class of students to London, and we headed off on walking tours along the Thames, 

 showed them a bunch of rocks in the middle of nowhere,

and a beautiful cathedral in Salisbury!

October brought

A discovery in London. Tucked down a side street, this forgotten cemetary to London's outcast dead - initially for 'single women' or the prostitutes of the 16th century.

and not looking nearly as muddy, post race, as the other two at the Race for Life!


November saw me,

visiting Chelsea in Den Haag

the Grand mosque in Abu Dhabi,

 and with Samantha in the desert of the UAE.

And finally in December:

I tried to get all festive at Lincoln Christmas Market