Hi Dubai, Bye Dubai

A quick two-day stopover in Dubai followed Vietnam, and talk about worlds apart…

Dubai is an amazing place, really just one gigantic man-made wonder.  It’s hard to imagine that the city was once nothing but barren desert sand when you look out at the vibrant cityscape, punctuated with roaring skyscrapers and dazzling architecture, and complemented by palm-lined streets. 

The secret to Dubai’s vibrancy lies in two liquids:  The oil boom beginning in the sixties has brought in the money that really does seem to grow on trees here.  Meanwhile, unbelievable amounts of water are pumped through desalination plants from the sea, giving Dubai the world’s highest per capital water consumption.  Conservation of water doesn’t seem an issue here – in fact, the same goes for conservation of anything.  Opulence is the operating word, and rich is the only state to be.

I took a hop on/hop off bus tour run by the global “Big Bus” company.  I suggest checking them out, whatever city you’re in.  I’ve done a few of their tours before, and the set-up is perfect for people like me who (a) hate organized tours, (b) wants the freedom to roam the streets as you please, with a ride whenever you want it, but (c) wants to get as much information about the city and sites as possible.

Coming with the ticket is a supplementary tour on a traditional boat down the Dubai creek, and for an additional fee you can get a two-hour night bus tour as well, which has a human tour guide.  This I definitely recommend, as Dubai is one of the few cities that looks spectacular at night.  If you are lucky, you will get the effervescent Kirsty as your overly enthusiastic tour guide – she was very informative, sprouting useful budget-saving advice, and BBC-style funny.

The highlight is of course the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. I’ve been blessed on my travels to be able to see two of the world’s tallest structures (technically three), the Petronas Towers in KL and now this monster, standing at a whopping 828 metres.  It looks a little like a massive inverted lightning strike, or as if man is trying to give God Himself the finger.  (Although when asked, my tour guide sternly assured me that this was not in fact the architect’s intention…)

Many more Emirati facts and tales to report, but our FIDE-chartered flight to Khanty-Mansiysk is boarding.  I’ve also just run into Stephen Solomon and Zong-Yuan Zhao, the first chess players I’ve met in two weeks (besides the Cambodian tuk-tuk drivers). 

This is a little taste of the ‘worlds apart’ experience I’m heading towards:  a town full to the brim with chess players from around the world, a hotel and venue that may not be finished, and a climate shift of 45 degrees.  Stay tuned for the next installment.