As you’ve probably gathered by now I go away ALOT! However, it’s always been with my husband or with friends, never by myself….until Now. The self-confessed ‘mid-life crisis’ that I’ve experienced this year has just added fuel to the fire of my constant need to see the world and have new experiences. So it’s any little excuse at the moment for me to jump on a plane!
There were a number of reasons for this visit;
- Dubai has always been on my ‘to do list’
- I wanted to try solo travelling
- My favourite ‘Man Band’ was playing a gig there…..Logical right?!
Did I need any other reasons? Of Couse not! So I braved it and booked my flights using some Virgin Atlantic air miles I had accumulated, which knocked £90 off my ticket price, and booked the DusitD2 Kenz hotel on Booking.com, as this was coming up reasonable at £150 for 2 nights. I wanted a hotel that was central to the metro station and to all the sights, being a woman on my own and all that…..
As I work for a School, it’s difficult for me to take School terms off, but I was able to negotiate a couple of days off with my boss, so I was going to have to plan what I wanted to see and do as much as possible for the short time I was there. There was also a teeny tiny matter of not having a lot of money for this trip, so I was also on a tight budget!
The initial ‘Wow! I am actually doing this’ stage
So I made my announcement to my husband and friends ‘‘I’m going to Dubai to see Take That!!!’’. I don’t think anyone thought I would actually go and to be honest I even surprised myself when I found myself putting a ticket for 1 in my shopping basket for their gig. The wheels had then been put in motion and before I knew it the flights and hotel were booked!
For some, this might seem a daunting experience going to the Middle East for a few days by themself, for me this was exciting and I literally couldn’t wait, I just wished I was going for longer!!
What to pack?!
A woman’s constant Dilemma! But now this is Dubai, it’s hot, (even in November), and also remembering to be respectful of the Muslim Culture, what on earth would I pack in my carry on case? Having done some research it was clear to me that the 2 main factors was to not have bare shoulders or to wear anything above the knee. Tops with a slight sleeve, long maxi skirt and a midi dress seemed the best options. Being respectful but able to keep cool too!
Once in Dubai it actually wasn’t as ‘strict’ as I thought in terms of dress. In shopping Malls and hotels everyone had their shoulders covered; however there were plenty of women wearing skirts and shorts above the knee, so I won’t panic so much next time. On the beaches it was fine to wear what you would usually wear, bikinis and beach wear were fine.
The Adventure Begins!
I touched down in Dubai at 9.00am the following morning after a 7 hour flight. Getting into the City from the airport was quick, clean and simple using the Metro, which takes you straight from the airport into the heart of Dubai, I bought a daily pass which was 22 dirhams (around £4.50). Visiting Dubai on a budget? This is by far your cheapest transport option; however I also found that taxis were plentiful and cheap as the metro doesn’t always get you right to the main attractions, so sometimes it’s better to jump in a taxi. There are also plenty of buses and trams too, so you have plenty of cheap options to get around.
The hotel – DusitD2 Kenz
The hotel I stayed in was not as grand as some of the beachfront properties that offer beach and pool access but of course they can also cost you a pretty penny, therefore if you want somewhere cheap to stay that is brand new, clean and modern then the DusitD2 Kenz is for you! It is within a 5 minute walk to the Dubai Internet City metro station, so perfect in terms of getting around.
What really makes this hotel special though is the staff that work there. They are the friendliest people I have ever encountered on my travels. They were extremely helpful and will go out of their way to make your stay special. On arrival you get a damp face cloth and a glass of fruit juice which is a lovely touch after a long journey.
The rooms are clean and modern and the bed was so comfortable. You also get added extras like a dressing gown, slippers and complimentary bottles of water to take out with you for the day. There is a small roof top pool; however I did not use on this occasion as I was out and about on a busy schedule!
Out and about
I started out on my Dubai adventure at the Dubai Marina, a fantastic ‘you need to see to believe’ array of skyscrapers overlooking the most extravagant looking yachts. The most impressive of all the skyscrapers was the ‘twisted tower’ called the Cayan Tower at 75 storeys high it’s pretty impressive and the unique design is pretty cool.
The beaches in this area are stunning, especially the private ones that obviously don’t get packed with the general public. You are able to buy a day pass into these resorts and they do vary in costs, one that I looked at in particular was 300 dirhams for the day which is around £61, so if this isn’t in your budget I would suggest you just head down to the many public beaches and hire a Sunbed for around £20 a day or just stick your beach towel on the sand for free!
A tip whilst in this area, if you would like to see the famous palm island from above, head up to the observation deck on the 52nd floor of the Marriott Harbour Hotel, you can just order a coke up there if you wish, or like me an Aperol Spritz and a Beer! You get to appreciate how unique Dubai is from this angle and is so worth it! You won’t be able to appreciate ‘the palm’ from ground level so this is the way to do it. It really is quite breath-taking!
My first evening in Dubai was spent watching ‘Take That’ in concert at the Dubai Media City Amphitheatre, which was an amazing experience, watching my favourite band being surrounded by the city lights of Dubai. I met some lovely ex-pats who loved living in Dubai and who can blame them, with wonderful warm weather at the end of November!
One of the most impressive parts of my trip (and to be honest there was a lot to be impressed by) was my trip to the Burj Khalifa building. The tallest building in the world standing at 2,722 ft and 163 floors, it is a sight to behold, it actually hurts your neck looking at the top!!
You can take a trip to either the 124th floor or the 148th floor, I did the 124th floor which cost 122 dirhams (around £25), you can spend as long as you like up there with the 360 degree views of Dubai, and there is also a café and gift shop on site. For me however the best and most magical time to see the Burj Khalifa is in the evenings watching the Dubai Fountains, when it is lit up in twinkling lights, (I may have shed a little tear!!!)
The shopping malls are on a scale that I have never experienced before with the largest being the Dubai Mall which is the largest shopping mall in the world. Please do take good walking shoes as I learnt the hard way and nursed quite a lot of blisters! Where else can you find giant aquariums and a ski slope whilst you are doing your shopping?!
Lover of the Cheesecake Factory…..? If you travel to the USA regularly you will know what I am referring to. Let me tell you, they have 4 here…. YES 4! This excited me greatly! Any shop or restaurant you can imagine they have it. They even have Boots and Marks and Spencers!
So what are the costs?
Dubai is expensive; I’m not going to lie. However I found my trip to Iceland to be more costly. You can do it cheap by eating in cheaper establishments and keep a look out for the happy hours and Ladies nights in bars, there are even some nights where women can drink for free!
Getting about is easy and very cost effective, so you can spend as little or as much as you like!
Going it alone
I have found the whole travelling alone experience rewarding and exciting. I have discovered that I am independent, it’s taught me to be happy in my own company and not to rely on others. You can explore the places YOU want to see and not rely on what other people want to do. It gives you pure freedom.
Just be careful and have your wits about you and you will be fine. I never encountered any situation in Dubai where I felt unsafe or nervous about anything or anyone. Everyone was super friendly and helpful. I do feel that Dubai gets a bad press that is underserved. It’s a beautiful place with beautiful people.
I love travelling with my husband and of course that’s my preferred choice, but now if I want to see somewhere and my husband can’t make it, I know that I can do it alone.
So go on….. Do it! If you are thinking about travelling alone don’t hesitate. Once you step out and start exploring the world, you will want to see it all……..!
9 to 5 Girl Escapes 
What a fascinating blog! I would definitely consider going it alone after reading this.
Thanks for all the tips!
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