It's no secret that I love to travel. There have certainly been many hiccups in this process when traveling with The Children. But the older they get, the easier it gets.Or maybe I have just grown increasingly numb.
We usually go on a big trip every summer but this year we will likely discover all that Colorado has to offer. It could be worse. We could be living in Saskatchewan and my explorations would be limited to frozen tundra and wheat fields.
Note: No offense to any of my Saskwatch readers. It's just your province kind of sucks. I know. I've driven through trying to get to my dad's hometown in Manitoba, which is almost as bad. Dad--not that I'm trying to rip on where you grew up, just to thank you moving to Alberta, The Land of Milk, Honey and Rockies, before I was born.
In The Denver Post, there was a feature on Dubai. If you're not familiar with it, it is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula. Last year Jamie and I watched a special about the over-the-top development going on in this city, the most populous of the United Arab Emirates.
It boasted about their indoor ski resort and the soon-to-be completed tallest building on the world. Oh, and don't forget Dubai Hydropolis, the world's first luxury underwater hotel, with 220 suites. They featured all this development that is moving forward at break-neck speed and then juxtaposed this against the squalor people were living in at the work camps.
A high price to pay.
But it was The Denver Post's article that struck me as over-the-top as they attempt to topple Las Vegas as the entertainment epicenter of the world. Of course, I should explain that I loath Vegas and my idea of fun is carrying 30 pounds on my back as I journey into the back-country without toilets and with wild animals and bugs.
Though I could do without the latter.
Also, Dubai is hot. And if you have ever been around me when it is hotter than 85 degrees, you will know I automatically combust.
That said, let me introduce you to Dubailand:
Dubailand, twice as big as Walt Disney World, with the final stage to be completed in 2020, featuring theme parks, planetariums, more than 50 hotels, golf courses (including the one by Tiger Woods) and retail outlets. Among highlights: The Great Dubai Wheel, bigger than the London Eye, a Ferris-wheel-type tourist attraction on the south bank of the River Thames, which carries passengers in enclosed observation capsules; a see-through Snowdome, with a rotating ski deck, mountain run, training area, snow play area, toboggan run, ice skating rink and a theater with a virtual flight over Antarctica; a DreamWorks animation park; a Six Flags theme park; Restless Planet, a Jurassic theme park with more than 100 animatronic dinosaurs; Motor City, with an "autodrome" for motor sports races and a Formula One theme park; Sports City, with four stadiums for soccer, cricket, rugby and hockey; and Mall of Arabia, at 10 million square feet the world's biggest mall.Just a wee bit excessive or totally appealing to you? What's your opinion on the matter and would you ever go? Also, do you have any travel plans this summer?
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Um, No I would not. Mostly because this girl doesn't fly. At least I haven't in like 7 years. So far our vacation this year was Disney World which you read about on my blog. And that vacation was enough to last me a year but we might be crazy enough to go back later this year with some friends that have never been before they move away.
It's just way too much for me. I have no desire to go there. And our summer plans have yet to unfold. Except for dance performance, EFY, school service commitments. Sound like fun?!
I'm with you--give me a tent and some mountains and I'm happy.
We're going to Montgomery, AL for 4 weeks this summer. Not because it has anything as exciting as Dubailand or even great mountains, but because my husband is doing a work training there. It will be like camping with none of the perks because we're staying in a studio apt.-- One large, unseperated space for two adults and two small children. Ummm... I hope I don't combust. :)
Holy Freakin' Heck!
Don't they know they could take ALL of that money and elimninate world hunger? Or at least Dubai hunger?
I guess with a place like that, though, they will need five gazillion people to run the place, so maybe it will boost the Middle Eastern Economy? Maybe? Still seems like a waste of all that is good and holy to me, though.
Huh.
We are having a baby this summer. And hubby is starting school next week...so...we're hoping for a couple of local camping trips in June/July, and then that's pretty much it (which makes me sad!). But, oh, well.
Just reading that makes me feel hot, sweaty and super frizzy. No thanks. I'll stick to my Alberta thanks, and you're right. Suckscatchewan sucks. :)
I have zero desire to go to the middle east, there is nothing in the world they can build or have that would posses me to go.
As far as our travel plans we are going to AZ (probably just as hot as the middle east) but I guess I will go where family is (note to family, please don't ever move to the middle east). We have a cabin in the mountains so that wont be too hot and the kids will love running around getting dirty, but then its down to the sun I mean Mesa to spend a week just hanging out and visiting:)
I would probably go. I have a 5 day cruise planned for September! I can't wait for that.
I do need a vaca much sooner though.
I will definitely pass on that one. Give me a secluded beach and a laid back atmosphere any day. Travel plans this summer include walking down the stairs and laying my very large pregnant body under the ceiling fan while my kids bring me lemonade... I know, it is just wishful thinking. :)
Hey Amber! I'm getting back into the commenting groove, so I must comment on this.
I think the development is all very excessive. The way you describe the grandure of the buildings and the squalor of the places where the workers live makes me think of the building of the pyramids (not that I have ever been near there).
But I heard a recent story on NPR that Dubai is seeing some effects of the economic downturn and (if I'm even quoting the right story, which I totally could be getting wrong) they have begun to ask all foreigners to leave so that native Dubaians can keep their jobs. I wonder how that's effecting the building of Dubailand.
This summer we are going to fly from MD to San Diego to go camping at the beach for a week with family. Sometime, we really need to try beaches out here :)
That's all very crazy excessive and I won't be going there ever.
I'm not sure where we'll go this summer. Probably SK if we're lucky :)
Wow that is just...huge and extravagant! But since you mentioned it, Tim's firm has offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and Tim thinks it would be awesome to go over there for a year or 2 while they kids are small and work there for the firm....So if we do, well we'll just have to go to Dubailand!
i don't have any desire to travel to that area of the world.
but even if it was in my own backyard, i wouldn't go near the place. i guess i'm more of a "less is more" kind of girl. i'm happy to sit in a tent in the mountains.
i agree with some of the other comments. this is soooo excessive - money that could go to better purposes. i can't help but wonder what kind of people would want to go to this kind of place.
That is out of control. Very excessive.
I think the only vacation we are planning this summer is to visit family on the other side of the country, and go to my sister's wedding. We would love to go up to NY (Palmyra), though
Just reading about what all it's going to have to offer made my brain hurt so I'm thinking no I would not go there.
That kind of opulance makes me a little sick to my stomach. I am not a fan of Vegas either. Good to know that I'm not the only one in the world.
Seems intriguing, but overwhelming. If you didn't have 2 months to spend there then it's almost worth asking, "what's the point in going?"
We have our usual 2 Utah trips, Cali trip & Ryker and I are going to NY for our annual visit-a-baseball-stadium-every-year trip. :) Can't wait for 3 weeks in AUS, but that isn't until October.
You can always come to Arizona - I'm sure I can get you to like the heat. :)
We're road tripping to take boards in California in a month. We'll camp in Zion and hit some other neat spots along the way (have to get to LA and back). We are huge travelers, or were in a former life, and I can't imagine Dubai having been at the top of our list then or now...BUT, I would TOTALLY go if the opportunity presented itself. What a scene!! It'd probably be how I feel about NY - way too overwhelming to stay long, but totally interesting for a short trip. Course, then there wouldn't be time to see even a fraction of it!
I have to admit I'm usually not a jeolous person but it seems every one I know is taking a fabulous vacation lately... Due to finances we don't have any vacations planned but we do love our state and there is a lot to do here in Colo. We may try to spend a couple of days in Estes Park or at Grand Lake this summer.
It is way over the top. Considering all the things that money should be going to. However, I would be intrigued to go and see but not necessarily partake. I am going to Seattle for the first time this summer and going to Montana!
Two short trips to the Florida beach and a week in Colorado.
Dubai? It just ain't natural.
I grew up in Dubai. I can't think a better vacation. Ravi's in Satwa for curry and the Lebanese bakery for a cheese sandwich.
We were there in summer 2001. Way too hot very any sane person. And the divide between the haves and havenots is huge. Fun expat community, but I didn't kiss Mr. Adventure in the airport, despite having not seen him in 3 months.
But ALL the labor is imported. On the long weekends, the place was empty because the workers all go back to Egypt or Pakistan (at least that's what happened 8 years ago).
As for this summer, we're going to Indiana and Illinois for a friend's wedding plus a trip to see the Great-grandmas. Can't pass thru IL without stopping!
Uh...I say a wee bit excessive.
I am going to be so pregnant this summer that my travel plans only include getting off of the couch to go pee...and back again.
You make me laugh, "Or mabye I have just grown increasingly numb." I think I have concerning travel with children.
wowzers! I think i'd take a pass on that trip --looks a little stressful to me! No travel plans this summer although we are thinking about a quick trip to San Diego when school gets out.
I'll go anywhere and would be willing to try it, but it definitely wouldn't be my 1st choice (or 2nd or 3rd). After all, if I wanted to ski, I would go to the Alps (or Utah, or at least New Hampshire). The rest sounds like a glorified Disney World to me!
Would I go - sure, I mean why not? However, the chances of it ever happening are slim to none, or if I were to win the lottery to finance such a trip. I have friends that work and live there and the perspective they have presented me is interesting and different.
As for summer plans, when you are married to a course golf pro, summer travelling does not exist. I am thinking of driving to Vancouver to see my sister, however that would entail 12 hours of driving on my own, with the kids. Not too sure if I am up to punishing myself or not.
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