Dubai - the end *tear*

A quick run down of my last very busy week:

Thursday starting with Australia Day being celebrated (with mainly Kiwi's) at Barasti. The place was packed, but I had the greatest time with Jes. Friday was nothing too exciting as recovery mode kicked in. A nice quiet night in with Zoe. 

On Monday I ventured to Sharjah with Naomi and Casey and 2 of their friends to the Blue Souk, which is a huge market that spans across 2 buildings. It has everything from oil perfumes, persian rugs, gold and silver to amazing little nick-nacks we strolled around there for a couple of hours. Sharjah was an experience in itself, as soon as you cross in to the Emirate, the driving just gets crazy (a reputation I had heard much about). 

Burj Khalifa walking back from Pavilion

Tuesday was off to the Pavilion to meet Jes and Hils, which was a gorgeous little cafe that has an art gallery as well as screening art films throughout the week. You can sit outside looking out over the Burj Khalifa while enjoying their free wifi (something not very common in Dubai) and the tasteful lemon mint juices that the middle east offers. We then strolled down to Nezesussi Grill at the perfect time to get the sunset reflecting off the Burj Khlaifa. Nezesussi is a great little restaurant that Jes introduced me to that offers free meals under 99dhms off the menu to ladies on Tuesday nights. You can literally have a massive night out in this town from dinner to unlimited drinks with all you needing to pay for is cab's! 

After dinner I ventured off to Dubai mall to meet Naomi, Casey and their friends for our 10pm date with the Burj Khalifa. To go up the Burj you can book on the day and it will cost 400dhms, but if you book online at least 3 days in advance you will only need to pay 100dhms. These book out fast though (hence why we were going up at 10pm at night), so you need to be organised for this. I had originally wanted to go up to the Burj during the day, but someone had pointed out, if it's a hazy day you might not be able to be much. Since we had a bit of time to fill in, I finally got a chance to check out the "dancing fountains" at the mall. They are compared to the fountains in Vegas, some people saying that these are more spectacular. Once we battle the masses to get to the Burj, we were in the elevator to the 124th floor - the observation deck. This disappoints me a little as the building is 160 levels (828metres), so you could have actually gone so much higher. Some little facts about the Burj (apart from it being featured in the new Mission Impossible film)

•  Tallest building in the world

•  Tallest free-standing structure in the world

•  Highest number of stories in the world

•  Highest occupied floor in the world

•  Highest outdoor observation deck in the world

We arrived at the observation deck, and I was surprised to see that it was outdoors for part of it. Naomi kept freaking out when I would hang my camera out of the window to take photos.You couldn't see as much as I had hoped (the palm seemed very far away still), but maybe it would have been completely different during the day.

Wednesday it was date night with an Aussie guy (L)  I had met at Barasti on Australia Day. He picked me up and asked if I had been to the Westin. I excitedly explained that I hadn't, but that's where we were heading the following night for Carmen's birthday. Turns out he had booked a table at the same restaurant. He then suggested the Grand Grill at the Habtoor. This was getting awkward - that is where we were going on Friday for Autumn's birthday brunch! L then decided to head down Sheikh Zayed Road to Dubai Marine Resort, where we went to Loca - a Mexican restaurant that I had heard much about as they make your guacamole fresh at your table. They happened to have their ladies night on, so I made the most of the free margarita's and delicious food. Was a fabulous restaurant with good atmosphere and food.
Thursday night arrived - the much anticipated "old girls night out" (titled by Carmen, not myself). After Andrea getting fed up with waiting for a taxi (they can take hours and hours on a Thursday night), she ended up picking up the troops and taking us to the Westin. There was a Ladies night at one of the bar's in the Westin, so we all collected our 3 free margarita's, and threw those back before heading to Bussola for our dinner. Had a yummy dinner of pizza's and salads and all good things Italian, and a couple of bottles of wine as we sat in the freezing cold, because they had put their heater's away the previous night. Carmen decided that we were to go to Barasti to continue the night, as it was far too early for their husbands to see them at home. The crowd at Barasti was a lot different than the previous week with Australia Day, as there were a steady stream of (creepy) guys hitting on everyone, but we made it to Carmen's goal of the night of staying there until it closed. It was a great night out - thanks ladies!

Waking up on Friday morning after getting home at 3am was not an easy task, but it had to be done so that I could get to Grand Grill for Autumn's birthday. The Grand Grill brunch was  a lot different to the previous brunch I had been to. We were sitting outside (where it was cold and windy until the sun eventually got out from around the building) and had a big group of a dozen people, with other big groups around us. There was meat galore as the steaks, ribs, chicken wings and kebab's kept flowing, along with the beers, wines and ciders. When looking at the brunch originally they had said that it was only those drinks that were included, but luckily our server decided we could have spirit's as well. It was a pretty good bargain for 299dhs. The brunch turned out to have a real party atmosphere with all of the tables getting up and dancing together. I don't know how I did it, but we went back to Autumn's for drinks after brunch had finished, and then I headed to the other side of Dubai for Jes and Troy's party. After some delicious sangria that Jes had made and great company I decided to call it a night around 4am. Don't ask me how I made it that long.

Went to a BBQ with more ribs and BBQ food with L the following day, where there was more sangria and punch, but by 8pm the previous few days had caught up on me and it was recovery mode for me. Monday night it was a farewell dinner with the American crew at a Mexican restaurant in the Green's community and then Tuesday was upon me. My final night in Dubai. It was a busy day with lots of playing with Zoe, meeting Jes for lunch at Jones the Grocer, getting some bangs cut in to my hair, final drinks at Double Deckers with Ritchie, Mitch and Blake and then dinner with L to dinner at Karma Cafe. Wednesday was spent playing with Zoe and packing before heading to the airport for an emotional farewell. What a great time in Dubai I had. Am so lucky to have had to opportunity to spend so much time there, and all of the wonderful people I met there. Thanks Aunty Sue and Zoe.