Frankie Travels - Skyscrapers

So we went for a walk along the Dubai Marina to admire all the boats - Some really big beautiful ones were parked there. Then we stopped off for supper on the way back. We landed up kinda sorta umm not making it to drinks with Brians friends - we sorta fell aslepp and slept until 2 hours after the event What can I say it's tiring looking at the properties of the rich and famous!! But to make something of the evening we decided to go on a kind of mini road trip. first we went to a building Brian used to stay in and took the lift to the 44th floor and then climbed the stairs to the 46th floor and took a door out to the window washers balcony rail-thingy. I got to admire Dubai from high up. Which is a stunning view especially since the area is so flat. So you can see the lights of the streets and buildings going out into the distance. A lot of the skyscrapers have lighting that changes so the building is pink then ed then yellow then blue then green Very Psycadelic :D you can also see the cars lined up at the robots and then a mexicana wave of the brake lights switching off - it sounds lame but from 46 floors up it's kinda amusing. Amusing like watching ants is amusing.

Then we finally left the roof to go on a little drive around. we got caught in very slow traffic past a shopping complex. I wasn't a problem because I got to stare out the window at the buildings and people (as well as the token 3 old men sitting on a bench having a chin wag) and so many sports cars I can't even list them all - Even Brian was impressed something like 3 Porches, an Aston Martin Vantage, two different Lambo's and many many Merc's and Beemers - What a difficult sight to behold ha ha ha!

We then drove out to some pretty apartment complex suburbs where the bulidings have big gardens. It must be a great place to stay. However in comparison. on the way home the day before we went thru an area where there are HUGE gates with security guards aand all you see is the driveway curving up away into the distance. (canyou say S-h-e-i-k-h-'-s P-a-l-a-c-e?) and THAT must be a very very very nice place to stay!!

Frankies Travels - The Beach

After sleeping obscenely late (fter effect of staying up all night on the flight) we ate some breakfast before the morning turned into an afternoon. We decided to go check out the beach. We went to the Jumeira Beach which is a paid entry. On the way there I remembered to take the camera. I decided to snap some pictures of traffic signs to prove I really was in a foreign country and nearly got caught snapping photos of the locals - See a big 4 x 4 style car with tinted windows - probably a local. Then I saw a man putting on his head dress and because it's like well interesting I sat secretly watching the complex twists and turns out of the corner of my eye.. fascinating I tell you! The one thing that really shows that I am not in SA anymore is the really beautiful middle eastern arabic architecture. Curved curly doorways and gates and pretty curls and turns in the wrought iron gates. as well as the square shape buildings with the occasional domes. there is also a mosque every couple of blocks - which is also really pretty - again you gotta be careful when taking pictures to not snap a local.

But on to the beach! First we went to the beach near to the Burj Al Arab which was swarming with tourists (how dare they! I want to take photos!!) then we went ot the Jumeira Beach wich has a nice grassed picnic area before you cross a wooden bridge to the beach. the sand is super fine and soft - like cintsa style soft. and the crashing of the waves is more like a humm... the waves wildly crash against your toes and ankles as you walk into the sea which looks more like a dam than the big blue ocean!! the benefit is that there are tons of beautiful seashells to pick up (which, of course, I did)

Now we making ready I think I am going out for a drink with some of Brian's friends tonight... Yaay!

oh ya! and for Jo again - we were in a Masarati sandwich in the traffic :P

Frankies Travels Part 3

Dubai is really beautiful. in a half complete and sparkly kind of way. I am staying in a part of the city that is a mass of high rise apartment blocks. It's kinda vaguely like Central Jozi but only very slightly. The buildings are much newer and cleaner. Out the window I can see the train line (building in progress) the place where all the yatchs are parked and a corner of the new Atlantis.

We visited malls today. Including The Mall of Emirates for dinner. The malls are all fancier than Sandton City with masses of designer shops. we went past the VIP car park and... (Jo is gonna be jealous) We saw no less tahn 2 lamborginis, a McLaren SLR, a dodge viper and umm.. one other I can''t remember the name... I almosted wished to be a boy for a momnet to fully appreciete the automotive artwork infront of me. Both Shopping Centres we visited had these really high domed roofs and a lot of the inside decoration is all mosaic tiling which is really attractive as well as kind of comfortingly middle east traditional. like how the story books show it!

We also went to the beach and stared at the Burj Al Arab in all its lit up glory and then we drove out on to The Palm to look at the super fancy (still Arabian nights block building style with a token palm outside) and along on the tunnel under the sea to Atlantis. Which is a work of art too! The building has this huge curved archway in the centre. We went inside to have a look and we walked through all the way to the giant fish tank in the centre. the fish tank has these big "wrecks" in an Atlantis city scene. like space ship looking submarines and water fountains (or is it a bubble fountain if it is under water?) and the token broken steps and pillars (like the Lost City but in a water theme)It is very glossy and new - like most of the rest of the city.

Now Im pooped! It is tiring staring at everything all day long!! I am really understanding the term eyes on stalks!!

Frankies Travels Day One Part 2

after the most awesome take off I sat for like 5 hours straight that is 5 hours on the same two butt cheeks. As you can imagine my pain of sitting still was only matched by my fear of having to climb over the nice Muslim lad next to me and the big foreign lady next to him. Nothing like bashing in two sets of knees and then having to sit next to them for another 3 hours! at around 4am I lifted my window cover and beheld the most flippen amazing sight!!! Sunrise at 35000 feet. Imagine a dead straight flat sky line starting at crimson red and fading through orange and yellow to blue and a dark night sky. I was so amazed i diturbed my neighbour from his thrid gratuitously violent movie of the evening to look He in turn phoned all his buddies (on the nifty in flight sest to seat phones and proceeded to gradually wake up the rest of the people around us. The brilliant sunrise was followed with a very bright red sun which was beautiful until I realised the number of people who were being blinded by my window directing the sun into their eyes.... whoopsie....

Landing was almost as exciting as take off (except well like the rollor coaster reference in reverse) and Dubai was cloudy so we flew through tons of pretty cotton wool clouds before landing! Stunning!!

After leaving the huge crowd that was transfered to different flights, the airport was deserted. But first (being a girl and all) I had to pop off to the loo's (see earlier fear of climbing out my seat refernce). I walk in and I go "woooh foreign country!"" There is an asian lady cleaning the loo! weird... And then the two ladies also in the loo start speaking afrikaans to each other and I go "woooh! where am I? Am I still at home?" double weird.

Wandering around the airport is interesting because the place is pretty new and freshly built. mmmm Fresh Paint smell! And then the airport is populated with people all in white dresses and the white head dress with the black bands. All of them! So to get my electronic Visa I had to go to a particular little office. I get there and there are a ton of white dressed men all having their morning skinner. And they didnt have the decency to talk in Afrikaans or and african language so I could vaguely follow. Rapid Arab is not the same! anyway I got my visa (also in arab) and was finally allowed to exit. Yaay!!

Now I am off to a resturant for supper. Im hungry again! Must Feed!

Frankies Travels Day One

Finally my long expected travels began! I was so excited my stomach was going nuts! I wasn't sure if was more nervous of something going wrong or just silly-childish excited! so after standing in lengthy queues I finally climbed into my seat (a window seat of course!)

Take off... quite simply... WAY WAY AWESOME! like a really really expensive high security roller coaster! I watched the lights of Jozi fade away and then the lights of pretoria (perhaaps...?) fade past and thenn the lights of... well umm.. nothing... no more lights and since it was pertty close on midnight there wasn't any sunlight to show off the rural roads. So having stuck my nose to the window for an hour in first-timer I gave up on any mor awesome sights other than the moon reflecting off th clouds (from above:) ) I explored the extensive menu of entertainment from Emirates....

There is more to follow in my exciting first flight ver including a run in with a whole office full of men in white dresses. (no not a cross dressers bridal expo - those things are frowned on upon here) but in the end I made it safely and I had my long awaited reunion with my delicious boyfriend - who is better looking than before (don't say that every time hee hee hee :P) But we're both starving now so off to wander the Mall and hunt some FOOD!!

Frankies Travels - the countdown

Flying tomorrow at 10:30 at night thats like one more sleep!or 30 more hours! Whoop Whoop Whoop! Right now my room is just giant stacks of stuff I want to take with. ow Its just about shoving it all into the nifty suitcase I borrowed and I can be off! I wonder what I'm gonna do tomorrow if I am completely packed by tonight?

I am way way WAY excited! first time overseas and all! and double excited to see Brian for the first time since March this year. That's like almost 9 months ago! wonder if he would faint if I walked off the plane with a baby cot in my hand... hmmm... would be funny tho... and would totally give the wrong message.... Scratch that! Back to the Packing!!

Birthday Birthday!

So finally i catch up with most of my friends and i turn 23 I would feel old but then Im always a child about my birthday. Im even having a party tomorrow - a dress up party Woo Hoo I stopped short of the cake with candles tho - Ill settle for ice cream instead...

And the random favourite present of the day.... Socks with sheep on - totally cute i tell you totally cute - I figure my mum sees stuff with sheep on it and buys it and she is sitting on a treasure trove of sheep goodies that she gives to me regular every birthday and christmas - Its so much fun being an easy prson to please as far as gfts go Except for coconut ice..... and soaps.... and turkish delight.... and puppies.... and writing paper.... but other than that im totally easy to buy for! Tragically after you turn 21 no one believes in birthday presents anymore... Im heart broken My friends have had to break it to me gentle these past two birthdays slowly easing me off of the birthday presents....

But still I get a whole day of well wishes and messages Yaay for me!