When I flew from Jeddah to Dubai, I took a local airline called FlyDubai. The airplane wasn’t great—the tray tables were slippery, and some passengers behaved badly. One person talked loudly on the phone the whole time, and another couple argued about seats. But the flight attendants stayed calm and helpful.

At the airport, I got a visa and a free SIM card, even though I didn’t need it. Then I took a taxi to my hostel in Murjan, Jumeirah Beach Residence. I was so tired from travelling that I went straight to bed without even washing up.

The next morning, I woke up early and enjoyed the sunrise from my balcony. I felt hungry, so I went downstairs to the grocery store and had a big breakfast.

Later, a driver picked me up for a desert safari. He was a bit flirty, which I didn’t like, but I stood my ground. We picked up another French family and drove out to the desert.

First, we stopped at a place for quad biking, but it was too hot for me. Instead, I bought a scarf and ice cream. Then we went dune bashing, which was fun and the best part of the safari. We drove up and down the sandy dunes, and it was so exciting!

After that, I decided to try sandboarding on a steep slope. It was fun, but I accidentally got sand in my mouth, which made it hard to breathe for the rest of the day. Next, we went to a Bedouin camp. On the way there, I saw one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen. At the camp, most of the other travelers were from Europe. We were welcomed with appetizers and Arabic coffee, followed by belly dancing and fire spinning accompanied by music, which was really entertaining to watch. Then we had a big dinner that filled us up nicely. Some people went for camel rides, but we decided to head back. When we returned to Dubai city, I went to a rooftop bar to relax for a bit. After having a drink, I ordered a Careem and went back to my hostel around 10:00, calling it a day.

The next day, I went to Al Seef in old Dubai. Al Seef is a pretty place by the water in Dubai. It mixes old-style Emirati buildings with new stuff like shops and cafes. You can walk around narrow streets with shops selling local things. The water there is nice, and you can take boat rides on old boats called abra. Al Seef also has events and shows about Emirati culture. It’s a cool spot where old Dubai meets new.

After lunch at a heritage restaurant in Al Seef- Al Khayma, I wanted to see the Wings of Mexico sculpture. It was hard to find, but my GPS helped. It was a long walk from the Dubai Mall metro station. Finally, I found it and took some pictures. Then I went back to Dubai Mall, which is huge! My feet were tired, so I rested in a coffee shop for a while.

Later, I went to the top of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, to watch the sunset. It was amazing, but chilly up there. Afterward, I watched the water fountain show and the light show. It was nice, but there were so many people.

The next morning, I had an exciting adventure planned: I wanted to watch the sunrise from the Aura Skypool, which is the world’s tallest rooftop swimming pool, overlooking Palm Jumeirah Island in Dubai. Watching the sunrise from there was amazing. The gentle morning sun made the city’s skyline look beautiful, with shades of orange and pink painting the sky. It was so peaceful and calm, and it made me feel amazed and happy.

After that, I went back to my hostel to check out, but I left my luggage there and took a taxi to Abu Dhabi. The taxi driver was a young man from Pakistan who dreamed of moving to Canada. He told me about his friend who spent a lot of money for a contract marriage to go to Canada. I encouraged him to try to move there in an honest way. When I reached the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, I was blown away by its beauty. The mosque’s courtyard was huge and decorated with shiny white marble and pretty floral designs. Inside, the architecture was breathtaking, with fancy chandeliers, detailed mosaics, and colorful carpets. It felt very peaceful inside, and people from all over were there to admire it. It was a special feeling to be there, and it left a big impression on me.

I planned to go to Ferrari World after that, but the main roller coaster was closed, so I decided to visit the Louvre Museum instead. The museum was amazing! The building itself was impressive, with a dome that looked like it was floating on the water. Inside, there were artworks from all over the world, from a long time ago to now. It was cool to see how creative people have been throughout history. The museum made me feel connected to people from different cultures and times.

Afterward, I took a shuttle bus back to Dubai and had dinner at a fancy restaurant. Then I picked up my luggage and went to the airport. I was so tired that I fell asleep in the taxi. When I got to the airport, I had to walk for a long time to reach my boarding gate because it was at the very end of the terminal. It was a tiring journey, but it was worth it. When I got to Montreal, the immigration officer asked me if I had gone to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage alone, which surprised me. I just smiled and nodded.