Time to move on ...

In a few days I'll be leaving Dubai. A country that has been such a lovely place to spend the last 2 years. It is, because of the memories I have here and the experiences it has given me, one of my favourite places to be. That isn't to say that there aren't parts to life out here that drive me absolutely insane or things that I desperately long for. Back in the UK everyday we used to walk our Cocker Spaniel across the common near our house for an hour and a half, twice a day. I hated it at the time. During the summer, a farmer used to keep his cattle in there. They were huge, horned and would sporadically run after dogs or tearaway puppies (as was ours) or charge, in stampede formation, for a drink at the community trough as though they were on a pub crawl. Every step you took had to be carefully calculated to make sure that you made it round the field before the cows blocked off the exit gate. That's not to mention the joy of walking through the dry, knee high grass in sandals on a blazing hot day and coming home with cow pat splattered up your leg and staining your feet.
In the winter, the field was always a test of character. The common was a series of hills, on top of which you could see all the way to town. Walking at the peak with the infamous British rain blowing through a raucous wind, dog walking became an activity of little enjoyment. It wasn't uncommon to not be able to feel our faces when we arrived home, dripping but thankful that it would be someone else's turn to take the dog later on in the day.
Now, having omitted the colour green from my eyesight since finding my home in the desert, I would give anything to go back to those temperamental bulls in that luscious field. That's something I can't wait to get back to.

If there's anything I'm guilty of, it's thinking too far forward and forgetting to live for the now. As I'm sure I've probably mentioned before I have always thought about having a job and family without thinking about how I would get there. So whilst I am excited to move back to England for a few years, there are so many thing I'll miss about not being in Dubai. I thought I'd write a few below.

Here are some of the many things I'll miss about Dubai!

• My favourite places.

One of my favourite places in Dubai is down by the creek. I absolutely love the feel down there and the different way of life. It's not really a place that gets a lot of credit from tourists so it's a secret retreat for a different perspective of Dubai. We've spent many nights, entertaining guests there, pointing out the lines of fridge freezers, tyres and bags of rice lining the dock that would, in another city, have already been stolen and sold on. It's always an excellent venue to take photos. There's so much activity and lights but one of the bet things to do there is to visit the spice souk. We always cross over and see with our noses, smelling each bright bag of cardamom, chili or dried herbs. 

Another one of my favourite places is Le Royal Meridien hotel. This was the first place we stayed in when we moved out to Dubai and it's the experience that epitomises Dubai for me. The reception hall was so grand and the pools so clean, that it was a world away from any other hotel I had ever stayed in. We only stayed a week though we were desperate to spend more time there. Thankfully, however, we are members of the pools there and occasionally pop down for the day to bask in the sun, swim in a chilled pool and walk the beautiful beach. Its a true day of luxury! 

• My favourite restaurants. 

One of the things I've come to learn is that one cannot simply live in Dubai and not be a fan of food. Every street you turn is lined with every eating establishment from, near on, every main worldly cuisine. Lebanese to Chinese, Indian to Middle Eastern, steaks to fish and cakes to dates. Everything! Absolutely everything! And I suppose that explains why most of the things that I do in my spare time involve booking a table, slipping into a loose skirt and loading my bag with restaurant vouchers. 

Ask me what my favourite restaurant is and, without a second's thought, I'll tell you that it's Kalidescope on The Palm. For me, that's a no-brainer. I think it's main selling point is the variety. It is expensive but with 2 vouchers, for the 5 of us it's well worth the money. A food-loving family, Kalidescope is right up our street. The buffet is HUGE with multiple stations including; sushi, salad, seafood, Indian, Indian vegetarian, Chinese, Italian and British as well as the dessert stand with hot Middle Eastern puddings and cold continental dishes, miniature potted treats (like pannacotta and cheesecake) and a GIANT chocolate fountain with steps leading to the milk chocolate waterfall, a selection of fruits an sweets rounding the base. And then, if you're still hungry, you can help yourself to ice-creams. 

• My favourite time of year.

I love being in Dubai during Eid; the end of the Ramadan fast. The city is so alive and it's such an important time of year for the whole country with events and celebrations that Muslims and non-Muslims alike can enjoy. 

• My favourite time of day.

During the summer, I love waking up early before the sun gets too warm and going out around the city. Even in the early hours the roads are still quite busy but you could walk the back streets and not see a person for at least an hour. In the winter the middle of the day is the best time. Having the ability to tan in the coolest time of year is quite a novelty.