What's Up?

If you were to visit us this year, here are some of the things that we might make you do. First of all, we would drag you off to Business Bay where we would go to the top of the world's tallest building.

The Burj Khalifa

Once at the top, we would enjoy spectacular views over the city.

Looking north and over the Persian Gulf

We would then hang around until the evening when, along with thousands of other people, we would watch the nightly fountain show.

Join the crowd in front of the Dubai Mall

We would then most likely go north to Ras Al Khaimah, where we used to live, and visit the camel racetrack again (view our post on the races here).

Pacing the camels

If you were interested and inclined, we would give you some camel riding lessons.

Not as easy as it looks!

We would even visit the track to meet some of the local jockeys.

Robot jockey

Our next stop would be one of the awesome beaches...

The beach at the Jumeirah Beach Residences

... where we would eat dates, that of course were grown locally.

Dates growing at the Al Ain Oasis

We would then head for the mountains where I like to go hiking. On the way, we would see lots of flora and fauna including this plant...

Sodom's Apple - somehow, I am thinking of pillars of salt, but that is perhaps another story.

... these birds ...

Bee-eaters - we watch them eat dragon flies in season.

... and goats ...

Just a nice goat

... which would follow us up and up into the mountains.

Climbing up though a wadi and deserted village

Finally, we would take you to the world's third largest mosque, on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi.

Sheikh Zayed Mosque

They offer wonderful tours in English where you can see the world's largest carpet, the world's largest chandelier and a prayer room for 40,000 people.