Bling in the desert

Very much enjoying and appreciating the luxuries of our Dubai Hotel and a big thanks to Mum and Dad for treating us.   No set schedule is very relaxing for a few days before we set off again to rural Cambodia and start work at the school in temperatures of 38 and 39c.  But I’m excited to go to a country I’ve never been to before even if I melt when there.  And it will be great to meet our fellow volunteers.

As I imagined,  Dubai is very glittery and shiny and on the surface oozes wealth.  I’ve never seen so many flash low-to-the-ground sports cars.  It is a place where every face is different and I mean that in the way every nationality is represented.  Our taxi from the airport told us that only 10% of residents are actually from Dubai.   I was told by another that approx 70% are from abroad to work on the building sites.  There is lot of building going on here. Everywhere you look.  No view without a crane and half a structure.   Our friend James who lives out here says that it is not sustainable and already money is leaving rather than coming in.  So many apartments are being built but many are empty.  In years to come you can imagine it could be a ghost town with crumbling evidence of the past grandeur and luxury and the occasional discarded plastic bottle being blown around in the sandy wind.

But more on the ‘glass half full side’ there is a uniqueness to the place and it is creating a lot of work for a lot of people – at the moment.  Most are here to make money and the rest are here to enjoy the sea and sun like us.   But it is expensive to do this.  We ordered a bottle of water yesterday and were shocked to be charged £6.  A beer is £18 and mini bottle of wine is £20.  So it’s turning out to be dry Dubai for us!  But we are loving it and it is great to see Mum and Dad before we disappear into the paddy fields...