Short Vacation - Dubai

SoonerAviator

SoonerAviator

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SoonerAviator
I have to make a trip to Dubai around the 1st of December for business, and the wife is coming along. Anyone been there to offer up some suggestions for entertainment? I'll be there for a 6 days, but working for 3 of them. Wife will be free to move about the cabin while I'm working.

Aviation related: we're flying in an airplane (777) to get there.
(Also, any tips for surviving a 16hr flight in coach-class are welcome. I've never been on a flight of more than about 3.5hrs)
 
Best way to survive 16 hours in coach is with copious amounts of alcohol in my experience.
 
I did a mileage run to Kuala Lumpur. Got caught up on Games of Thrones, used the WiFi as much as possible, and followed Ted's advice :)
 
SoonerAviator said:
I have to make a trip to Dubai around the 1st of December for business, and the wife is coming along. Anyone been there to offer up some suggestions for entertainment? I'll be there for a 6 days, but working for 3 of them. Wife will be free to move about the cabin while I'm working.

Aviation related: we're flying in an airplane (777) to get there.
(Also, any tips for surviving a 16hr flight in coach-class are welcome. I've never been on a flight of more than about 3.5hrs)
Click to expand...
Ski at the mall (check out the penguins too)
Check out the aquarium
Go to the top of the Burj Khalifa
Sand dune tour/dinner in the dunes
 
Stay hydrated, move around when ya can. Be sleep deprived when ya board.

It also helps to be young and used to horrible travel circumstances...I don’t even want to think about such a trip these days.
 
16hr flight
At the airport before getting on the plane, eat a big meal with 2 beers.
Board the plane and tell the stewardess to do not wake you during the flight.
Take an Anben.
Sleep
 
I do it all the time. Not to Dubai, but to Hong Kong. Get hammered in the business class lounge first, sleep it off in the foldout bed. Wake up happy.
 
SoonerAviator said:
Aviation related: we're flying in an airplane (777) to get there.
(Also, any tips for surviving a 16hr flight in coach-class are welcome. I've never been on a flight of more than about 3.5hrs)
Click to expand...

Pay for the upgrade. Then tell the boss you’re never going there for business again because you lost money on the trip to maintain levels of personal space still ten times smaller than prison inmates get. LOL.
 
16 hours in coach. Ooh your wife gonna be po'd! As mentioned, hydrate, drink water. Get up and move around every hour or two if you can. Never been to Dubai but I'm sure your wife will enjoy all the shopping and watching wealthy people roaming around.
 
The mall has a 737 sim. Not that expensive if I remember.

Platinum Heritage desert tour in a vintage Land Rover Defender

The souks are cool in Old Dubai
 
Sluggo63 said:
Ski at the mall (check out the penguins too)
Check out the aquarium
Go to the top of the Burj Khalifa
Sand dune tour/dinner in the dunes
Click to expand...

Hotel is right next to the mall with the ski slope so that’s a must. The wife loves otters, and apparently they have a “close encounter” package we can do. Wife would love the dune buggies, too. Thanks!
 
mscard88 said:
16 hours in coach. Ooh your wife gonna be po'd! As mentioned, hydrate, drink water. Get up and move around every hour or two if you can. Never been to Dubai but I'm sure your wife will enjoy all the shopping and watching wealthy people roaming around.
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Wife barely wanted to stomach the $1,500 ticket for coach, the $7K business class ticket wasn’t an option, lol.
 
Jumeriah Beach is a good place to be....safe, western friendly, and where most of the beach resorts are. I'll recommend Meat Co. for dinner......wide selection of S American and S African beef, all delicious. The one in Bahrain is better, but not by much. Dubai is like a really enormous Vegas, and equally if not more of a fake city, but there is some fun to be had. Just don't run in the parking lot of Barasti......you will be detained by middle eastern rent a cops, and they will photocopy your driver's license for "potential future criminal charges" (for running in public I guess?).

Second the recommendation for the Souk.....dont be a blatant westerner there.......you won't get decapitated or anything, but you could probably make things ugly for yourself fast if you are Kenny Powers :)
 
Airline...

If you're not the type that can sleep, get an aisle seat and move around a lot. Otherwise, what everyone else said. I'm guessing you'll be going on Emirates. They're a great airline. Service, even in coach is good. So is the food. They'll leave some sandwiches out that you can grab as you want between meals. Large selection of movies to watch.

Dubai itself...

As AOA touched on, be careful of your western ways. Don't be drunk in public. No cussing in public. Ensure your wife is covered up. No bare legs, except at the beach possibly. No public acts of affection. Not even a hug. Holding hands is tolerated. Kissing is not.

Cabs are relatively inexpensive and are heavily regulated. If you hop in a cab, you can be ensure of a safe and honest ride. At the airport, you may be ushered to a non-descript black car that is actually a cab. Despite what they tell you, they are more expensive than the Dubai cabs. If it makes a difference to you (about $10), insist on the Dubai cab. Once you're in town, you can pretty much pick up a cab within minutes (if not seconds). They're everywhere. However, the big malls and major hotels (including the Hilton at The Mall of the Emirates) have rules that the cabbies are supposed to follow as to where you can be picked up. The cabbies can get into serious trouble (big fines) if they break those rules. So, just be aware of that.

Mall of the Emirates has the indoor ski slope. If you're interested, go for it. You'll have to provide your own hat and gloves, but everything else is provided.

The Dubai Mall has a rather large aquarium. If you're interested you can scuba dive in there. But they won't let you take pictures unless you take there photography class.

Something no one has mentioned yet is the hot air balloon ride. Since you'll be there in December, they'll probably be doing them. Just like the US, they tend to launch at dawn.

Check with the concierge at your hotel to see what events are happening. Lot's of concerts and sporting events going on all the time.

EDIT: Forgot to mention. LOTS of great restaurants in Dubai. You'll recognize a lot of the chains you're familiar with, but don't be afraid to experiment with the local restaurants.
 
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mscard88 said:
Never been to Dubai but I'm sure your wife will enjoy all the shopping and watching wealthy people roaming around.
Click to expand...

Just sitting here wondering what’s interesting about watching wealthy people. About all I can think of is “nice car” and even that’s not that interesting.

Might be that most really wealthy people I know wear jeans and could buy your house with cash, but you’d never know it from looking at them. That’s a western U.S. thing, I suppose. We aren’t much for hanging out in the Hamptons. LOL
 
denverpilot said:
Just sitting here wondering what’s interesting about watching wealthy people. About all I can think of is “nice car” and even that’s not that interesting.

Might be that most really wealthy people I know wear jeans and could buy your house with cash, but you’d never know it from looking at them. That’s a western U.S. thing, I suppose. We aren’t much for hanging out in the Hamptons. LOL
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You go to the indoor ski hill. Not to ski. But to watch them try to ski. That's what is interesting. Well maybe not interesting, but certainly entertaining. ;)
 
The Mall of the Emirates has a Cold Stone Ice Cream shop. I'm sure they don't do it all the time, but once when I was there, one of the workers would show up to your table with an empty bowl after you ordered your ice cream. The guy doing the scooping would throw the scoop across the shop and the guy would catch it in the bowl and hand it to you. Rather entertaining to watch. I'd just hate to stand up at the wrong time.
 
+1 on the desert safari with the Land-rovers. It's an outing across the dunes with an semi-authentic Arabic dinner after. I lived in Dubai for 3 years and never did it, then I went back twice to do it - and I realized what a blast it is. Don't skip this. It's like the Dubai equivalent of a Luau - something you have to do once in your life. We went with Desert Rangers, but I think they're all the same.

The private beach at the Jumeira Beach hotel is awesome. But it's crazy expensive for a day pass - I think $150 per person per day. What you do instead if you can - stay one night at the Jumeira Beach hotel. Maybe $400/night per room. This will give you beach privileges for everybody in your room for both your checkin day and checkout day.

Drive to the Atlantis on Palm Island and make a lunch reservation. This will allow you to get into the hotel without actually staying there.

At the Dubai mall - go outside to the Souk Al Bahar. Just opposite from the Burj Khalifa. You can go op the Burj Khalifa if you want, but you'd be in the one place in Dubai where you CAN'T see the Burj Khalifa. The Souk Al Bahar gives a better view. I like Zahr-El-Laymon over there - Lebanese food. No alcohol service though.

While at the Souk Al Bahar - go the the Buhayra Pool Lounge for a night-cap at the Palace Hotel Dubai, have some snacks and smoke a Sisha while watching over the fountains and Burj Khalifa. I believe this used to be called the Ewaan Pool lounge. It's a private pool to the Palace Hotel, but if you use the lounge they generally will let you in. (Look like you want to spend money. i.e. Look 'American'). Awesome atmosphere - and they do serve alcohol there.

If the Light and Sound show at Wafi Mall is showing, go see it. It's free and pretty cool.

If you're flying couch, I recommend doing the Jumeira Beach hotel on your first night. That way you're just sitting on a beach having a drink and relaxing after you just arrived - and not feeling pressure to go all over the place. You're going to need the recovery time.
 
Anymouse said:
Airline...

If you're not the type that can sleep, get an aisle seat and move around a lot. Otherwise, what everyone else said. I'm guessing you'll be going on Emirates. They're a great airline. Service, even in coach is good. So is the food. They'll leave some sandwiches out that you can grab as you want between meals. Large selection of movies to watch.

Dubai itself...

As AOA touched on, be careful of your western ways. Don't be drunk in public. No cussing in public. Ensure your wife is covered up. No bare legs, except at the beach possibly. No public acts of affection. Not even a hug. Holding hands is tolerated. Kissing is not.

Cabs are relatively inexpensive and are heavily regulated. If you hop in a cab, you can be ensure of a safe and honest ride. At the airport, you may be ushered to a non-descript black car that is actually a cab. Despite what they tell you, they are more expensive than the Dubai cabs. If it makes a difference to you (about $10), insist on the Dubai cab. Once you're in town, you can pretty much pick up a cab within minutes (if not seconds). They're everywhere. However, the big malls and major hotels (including the Hilton at The Mall of the Emirates) have rules that the cabbies are supposed to follow as to where you can be picked up. The cabbies can get into serious trouble (big fines) if they break those rules. So, just be aware of that.

Mall of the Emirates has the indoor ski slope. If you're interested, go for it. You'll have to provide your own hat and gloves, but everything else is provided.

The Dubai Mall has a rather large aquarium. If you're interested you can scuba dive in there. But they won't let you take pictures unless you take there photography class.

Something no one has mentioned yet is the hot air balloon ride. Since you'll be there in December, they'll probably be doing them. Just like the US, they tend to launch at dawn.

Check with the concierge at your hotel to see what events are happening. Lot's of concerts and sporting events going on all the time.

EDIT: Forgot to mention. LOTS of great restaurants in Dubai. You'll recognize a lot of the chains you're familiar with, but don't be afraid to experiment with the local restaurants.
Click to expand...

I had heard of the modesty/PDA rules from colleagues who had been. Luckily, the wife dresses fairly modestly as it is, so she shouldn’t have too much problem with it. She was initially concerned about having to cover her head, but read up on it and saw it wasn’t necessary in Dubai. We’ll probably avoid holding hands anyway, just out of respect for their customs, even if they tolerate it.

We will definitely try to avoid the known restaurants in favor of trying more traditional cuisine. At least until we find out that we don’t like it and have to avoid starvation, lol.

The air balloon ride sounds awesome, especially since neither of us have been in one. It seems like a great place to do it.
 
I definitely recommend the desert safari with the traditional dinner. Also consider a visit to the Jumeira Mosque. It's one the few mosques that allow non Muslims. They do a tour and explain some of the customs and rituals, it was very interesting.

Also, don't plan on buying lots of beer, alcohol is really expensive there.
 
35 AoA said:
I'll recommend Meat Co. for dinner......wide selection of S American and S African beef, all delicious. The one in Bahrain is better, but not by much.
Click to expand...

Man I loved that place! The rooftop patio was pretty great too
 
One other thing - the nightclubs in Dubai are awesome. They import flair bartenders and cover bands from over the world. You'll have clubs playing anything from contemporary to 70's, 80's, disco - whatever you're into. (How old are you?)

But keep in mind weekend in Dubai is Friday/Saturday. So Thursday + Friday nights are crazy busy. Some of those places you'll have to stand in line for an hour to get a beer, which spoils it. So if you go to a club, go mid-week.

Unfortunately I can't give you a recommendation. What's hot this year isn't hot the next year. Speak to the people you work with there to get a recommendation.
 
ColoPilot said:
Also, don't plan on buying lots of beer, alcohol is really expensive there.
Click to expand...

Oh - one other thing. Last time I was there you needed a license to buy alcohol at a grocery store (basically certifies you’re non-muslim). This is a bit of a pain to get.

Instead buy all your alcohol you want to have for your room (as opposed to what you want to drink at a restaurant or hotel), at the arrivals duty free store when you get there. It’s pretty cheap there - hotels are expensive.
 
Back in 1997 my wife's company flew most of its professionals to Hong Kong (and return) in Business Class or First. We lived in Connecticut at the time, so we flew from JFK in first class to SFO on a 767, then across the Pacific to Hong Kong on a 747 Business class. Then we changed to a Cathay Pacific for a flight to Bangkok for a long weekend. All together it was close to 24 hours in the air! Her company was initiating an Asia business plan and insisted we all visit another Asian capital (on them) while we were there. Sweet! The trailing spouse gig is pretty neat!

The flight to Hong Kong was 18 hours. Woof! Upon our departure from SFO we were served a meal, and then we watched three movies. I checked the time - we had not reached the half-way point of the Pacific transit!

The advice here is spot on - stay hydrated!

-Skip
 
Flying Emirates. Wife and I are in our early 30’s, so we’ll be staying away from disco, and most of the 80’s stuff, lol.

Good point on the duty-free stores for alcohol, although we’re not huge drinkers (mostly beer). I will have a few local workmates for regional knowledge, but certainly wanted to have a good game plan going in. We should arrive on a Friday morning and I’ll work Sunday-Tuesday, then have a few days to play. Wife gets the run of the place while I work.

The 16hr flight doesn’t worry me too much, but it was a faster option than the American carriers that had to stop in Frankfurt or Heathrow with layovers. Total travel time was going to be minimum 22hrs with layovers best case.

Wife has blood clotting factors, so she’ll have to get up once an hour or so to stretch and keep circulation going. She might even do some Lovenox injections as an extra safety measure. She’s done some long flights before, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to her.
 
SoonerAviator said:
Wife has blood clotting factors, so she’ll have to get up once an hour or so to stretch and keep circulation going. She might even do some Lovenox injections as an extra safety measure. She’s done some long flights before, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to her.
Click to expand...

Definitely get the aisle seat!
 
Drink a lot. Get up every hour and touch every seat on the way to the bathroom so that you wake up everyone in the aisle seats trying to sleep. If you have to stand in line, make sure your butt is close proximity to someone's face at all times. Hang out in the small open areas of the plane and talk loudly to everyone else. Get something out of the overhead bin at least once every hour and make sure your bag is at the back so you'll have to move everyone else's stuff around to get to it. ;)
 
SoonerAviator said:
Flying Emirates. Wife and I are in our early 30’s, so we’ll be staying away from disco, and most of the 80’s stuff, lol.

Good point on the duty-free stores for alcohol, although we’re not huge drinkers (mostly beer). I will have a few local workmates for regional knowledge, but certainly wanted to have a good game plan going in. We should arrive on a Friday morning and I’ll work Sunday-Tuesday, then have a few days to play. Wife gets the run of the place while I work.

The 16hr flight doesn’t worry me too much, but it was a faster option than the American carriers that had to stop in Frankfurt or Heathrow with layovers. Total travel time was going to be minimum 22hrs with layovers best case.

Wife has blood clotting factors, so she’ll have to get up once an hour or so to stretch and keep circulation going. She might even do some Lovenox injections as an extra safety measure. She’s done some long flights before, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to her.
Click to expand...
Ask her to check with her doctor about wearing compression hose on the airplane
 
Timbeck2 said:
Drink a lot. Get up every hour and touch every seat on the way to the bathroom so that you wake up everyone in the aisle seats trying to sleep. If you have to stand in line, make sure your butt is close proximity to someone's face at all times. Hang out in the small open areas of the plane and talk loudly to everyone else. Get something out of the overhead bin at least once every hour and make sure your bag is at the back so you'll have to move everyone else's stuff around to get to it. ;)
Click to expand...

Sounds like a great way to make friends! I’ll also try to sit in the center of the middle row so I can walk over at least 2 people to get to the aisle.
 
SoonerAviator said:
Sounds like a great way to make friends! I’ll also try to sit in the center of the middle row so I can walk over at least 2 people to get to the aisle.
Click to expand...

For extra effect you can sit in the middle row in an aisle seat - and then you climb over three people to get to the OTHER aisle.
 
Timbeck2 said:
Drink a lot. Get up every hour and touch every seat on the way to the bathroom so that you wake up everyone in the aisle seats trying to sleep. If you have to stand in line, make sure your butt is close proximity to someone's face at all times. Hang out in the small open areas of the plane and talk loudly to everyone else. Get something out of the overhead bin at least once every hour and make sure your bag is at the back so you'll have to move everyone else's stuff around to get to it. ;)
Click to expand...

Don't forget to hit on the flight attendants. Be sure to tell them you're a pilot too.
 
SoonerAviator said:
Sounds like a great way to make friends! I’ll also try to sit in the center of the middle row so I can walk over at least 2 people to get to the aisle.
Click to expand...

Make sure they're good and asleep before you get up. What I described happens on every long flight I've ever been on. I hate flying commercial because of other people.
 
Don't forget Thumper, the guy behind you who goes jimmy leg all flight.
 
SoonerAviator said:
Wife barely wanted to stomach the $1,500 ticket for coach, the $7K business class ticket wasn’t an option, lol.
Click to expand...
$5500 is going to look mighty cheap after hour 10.

How big are you folks?
 
Timbeck2 said:
Drink a lot. Get up every hour and touch every seat on the way to the bathroom so that you wake up everyone in the aisle seats trying to sleep. If you have to stand in line, make sure your butt is close proximity to someone's face at all times. Hang out in the small open areas of the plane and talk loudly to everyone else. Get something out of the overhead bin at least once every hour and make sure your bag is at the back so you'll have to move everyone else's stuff around to get to it. ;)
Click to expand...
Don't forget to bodyslam the overhead door closed.
 
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