Monday 12th May 2025

Monday 12^th May

SHE SAID:

I had organised the Hop On-Hop Off tour bus for 48 hours, so we could see a snapshot of the city. We eventually found the pick-up point which I thought was fairly close to the hotel, though the staff here didn't know where it was!

We took the red route around the city, old areas, & along Dubai Creek. We got off at the Al Fahidi historical area, the Grand Souk, & the Spice Souk. We were heading back for the hotel for a couple hours respite from the 40C heat, when the bus took off then braked very hard before I had sat down, & I went flying into one of the chairs then along the aisle! Thankfully just bruised, nothing broken!

After an ice pack recovery for a couple of hours I braved the bus again for the night tour to the east of the city & out to the Palm Island. It was a good day, apart from the fall, & the heat was rather OTT!

Red Bus route around Dubai

Night tour along the Blue Bus Route

 

HE SAID:

The confusion about the pick up point bus stop was frustrating. The stop is named as The Sheraton, yet is actually about 100m away, and in front of a local bank’s headquarters, and poorly signed.

Dubai has air-conditioned bus stops, but this one was locked. So, as we had left our hotel early to make sure we found the right pick up point we then had to wait about half an hour in the stifling heat before boarding. Luckily the buses have chilled bottled water for the passengers.

The sights and wanderings were interesting, though being pestered at the entrance of every stall in the souks becomes tiresome very quickly. And I don’t recommend the camel milk ice cream; I felt a bit off after mine, and I didn’t even eat half of it.

Overall it was a good day, except for the emergency braking and Varena’s unwitting acrobatics. We hope that the ripper bruises are the worst of it, and that there is nothing more serious found over the next few days.