Desert Safari Dubai Experience

ABBEY: After a tour at Al Fahidi fort we went back to the hotel to refresh and prepare for our Desert Safari tour. We booked it via the hotel for 230AED per person with the inclusion of hotel pickup and drop-off, ATV tour (separate charge if you will ride the ATV), desert cruise, dinner with dance entertainment, camel ride, and sand boarding.

Even though I got dizzy cruising in the sea of sand on a 4x4, I really enjoyed the view after our stop in the middle of the desert. We took snaps of the sunset. It’s just like I was in Aladdin scene. Haha. The sand seems to be alive as it being blown by the wind. This helps contour the sand hills. 

The dinner was superb and full of flavor. I got grilled mutton, fish, pasta, and veggie patties. While having dinner, belly and tanoura dancers show us their graceful moves.

WILL: I never expected to experience the desert..the camel..the sand in real life. This is really a grace from above; thanking NEM Family for this opportunity. 

So what’s with the desert? The feeling of I am in different world. It totally reminds me of Aladdin, one of my favourite Disney cartoon. OMG! Yeah, dreams really do come true. Ok! Enough of my gratefulness words haha. 

I think, this is really a must-do for every tourist of Dubai. Not everyday you will be having a buffet dinner at the middle of nowhere in the desert right? Alluring belly dancing, dizzying tanoura dance and dangerous fire dance - that’s the entertainment part. Camel ride, sand boarding and henna tattoo is up to you to experience. But nothing beats the dune bashing. Haha! 

Splendid happiness! 

Dubai Museum and Al Fahidi Fort

ABBEY: After Gitex, we got some time to roam around Dubai. Dubai Museum was our first destination. It was located in one of their major forts in earlier years; Al Fahidi Fort. 

The first occupations were pearl diving and fishing. The forts were built as protection to invaders as their location is susceptible to it. Replica of houses and boats were exhibited as well as souks (shops). Features like windtowers help to cool down the house and the inhabitants. There were also write-ups for dresses, accessories, religion, culture and lifestyle to help visitors understand Dubai more. 

Their leaders have vision to improve the emirate and the result can be seen nowadays.

Dubai Museum and Al Fahidi Fort
Al Sambuk

Dubai Museum and Al Fahidi Fort
Wall of Old Dubai

WILL: Before we want to explore each place, we would love to go first to it’s museum and gladly Dubai has one. It is for us to know of course the history and beginnings of each place before they reached the latest state of its land. 

As expected, we found wisdom. I learned that not long time ago, Dubai is a fishing and pearl divers village. Exceptionally and unexpectedly they are sitting on a huge amount of oil beneath them. And the rest, as they have said is history. 

The museum was built on the fort and that explains we need to spiral down to reach the displays. The musuem was dark but lit enough to see your way and to read on the diagrams. This is how dark it is living on those times at a desert. 

Dubai Museum costs only AED3 and for history buffs, this is a must see place.  

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Dubai Museum and Al Fahidi Fort 

(H) 830AM - 830PM | Friday 230PM - 830PM

(A) Al Fahidi Area - Bur Dubai

At The Top | Burj Khalifa - The World's Tallest Building

ABBEY: Like visiting Merlion Park in Singapore, you didn’t visit Dubai if you haven’t gone to Burj Khalifa. 

We booked a pair of tickets for AED280 to watch the sunrise at 124th storey of the skyscraper and we reached it in less than a minute. It was fast. No sea of clouds during our visit and we enjoyed the view from the top. The building was completed after 6 years and it houses Armani Hotel. 

Breakfast of croissant and coffee were also included in the ticket.

Burj Khalifa - The World's Tallest Building

WILL: Burj Khalifa, the tallest skyscraper in the world. Full stop! But well, for now. Hahaha!

We went to Chicago’s the ever first tallest building and we are amazed how tall it is! And oh my gosh! When we saw the Burj Khalifa, it seems we spend hours to see check it out from top to bottom. It is really standing tall and proud that on every other infrastructures that surround it. 

I am thinking that we might spend few minutes inside the elevetor but hey we don’t. We were shot from base to level 145 under 1 minute. A blink of an eye. Super! 

When we are at the top, all I want to do stare at magic of sunrise. For a short period of time, I contemplated how small the people were, the cars and houses from above. Murmured my gratefulness to the ALMIGHTY, when you are there, almost touching the clouds, you will remember HIS greatness. 

One tip. Take the breakfast package. It is cheaper and have a free coffee and croissant after your trip up! 

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At The Top | Burj Khalifa - The World's Tallest Building 

Book Your Ticket Here: https://bit.ly/2Dw85bR

(A)1 Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Blvd - Dubai - United Arab Emirates

NEM at GITEX Future Stars Dubai 2018

ABBEY: We were invited to help in introducing and promoting NEM blockchain technology in Gitex Tech Week in Dubai. A booth of NEM was setup under blockchain category and 10 of its projects were also there. It is a great experience to interact with people from various industries, government and education (students included). We also approached other exhibitors for collaboration.

Keynote speeches, futuristic technologies (humanoid robots, flying cars), and arcade games like basketball shootout and air hockey gave the attendees and exhibitors a break from normal routine. Popcorn, hot drinks and cookies flowed at the event. There are also stores for quick snack and lunch.

The highlight for NEM is the MOU signing with Ministry of Community Development (Government of Dubai). This gave the foundation recognition for being a great blockchain platform.

WILL: "Wilma, I need you in Dubai!" Huwaaat?! Well, a man from HQ gave me a heads-up two weeks before. (Still, nothing beats my Ma’am Weng. Haha. She will tell you on the afternoon, and your flight will be tomorrow morning. Haha). 

As a volunteer, it is a moment that you will feel appreciated. Even though we will be there to help the NEM Middle East Team in day time, Abbey and I can make sometime to catch up with our friends and relatives in Dubai. Thank you to NEM FAMILY! 

So what we have in GITEX? We are surrounded by startup from different countries. Wondering why there is no Singapore presence there. Big booths was occupied by startup hubs. There is a room for investors lounge and there too much fun in the area. There’s free basketball, air hockey, free coffee and popcorn! Yum! 

The other hall consists of big boys! Huge boots of Huawei, Oracle and many more! 

Next booth was all white and you know why! That’s the hall of government agencies for all of the emirates. New projects, robotics and NEM MoU with Ministry of Community Development (MOCD) Government of Dubai was signed here. 

NEM will power MOCD’s notarizarion, voting and registry. Wooohooo! Well done NEM Middle East Team! 

We met people from different projects and government who we are seeing to have future collaboration with NEM. 

Thanks GITEX and NEM team! We learned many things just from observing! 

Till next event guys! :) 

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NEM.io Foundation 

(W)https://nem.io

(F) https://www.facebook.com/ourNEM/

(T) https://t.me/nemhelpdesk