No rest for the weary in Dubai!

After a 13.5 hour flight, we arrived safely in Dubai, UAE for two days of rest and an opportunity to adjust to 8 hour time difference… CUT, CUT, CUT!… that whole part about “rest” is a total lie!

In actuality, we arrived around 9 am, and after making our way to the hotel to check-in and drop off our bags, we were off to explore Abu Dubai during the day, followed by 7pm tickets to go to the top of the highest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, and finally ending up back at the hotel around 11:30 pm.

By my count, we were essentially awake for 30 hours with a few opportunities for short naps to re-energize throughout the day.

After a well-needed good night of sleep, we set out to see some of the major sights in Dubai. We began the day at the souk, the main shopping area where merchants from all around the Persian Gulf, sell their wares. We got very good at fending off aggressive merchants who strongly felt we needed a fake Rolex or Omega watch, or Lacoste and Polo shirts!

Then it was off to a desert adventure that included riding ATV quads in the desert, an exciting ride over the sand dunes in a Toyota Land Cruiser with a self-proclaimed “expert driver,” and finishing the night enjoying a desert safari show that included camel rides, traditional dancers, and a desert barbecue.

Tomorrow it’s off to Kathmandu to start the Nepal leg of the trip… tallest building in the world, checked off the list; highest mountain in the world awaiting in the weeks ahead!