Anywho....
This month was full of great fun and friends. I went back home to Iowa over our winter break, and I'm so happy I did (despite the frigid and miserable temperature while I was home). Also, the 3???? blizzards over my 11 days. Honestly, the highest temperature was probably 11 degrees. Gross.
Anyways... I had a drink or two with friends, ate an astronomical amount of food with family, and had very long lunch dates. I also got to drive a car!!!!!!!! First time in months.
The look on my little munchkin's face when she first saw me was priceless! I think she was momentarily in shock. It was really adorable.
Return to Dubai...
Getting back here was a royal pain. My flights got cancelled 2 or 3 times, mostly without notice. My dad and Gavin (my nephew) dropped me off at the airport. Gavin was so excited to see the airplanes at the airport. I'm pretty sure I didn't cry when I left this time.... pretty sure....
10 K
I did a 10K. If anyone knows me, I freaking hate running. It was to support a friend, and we had to leave the apartment at 4:30 am. *whines like a 3 year old* This picture was taken at 6 am, still non-functioning. I walked the whole 10 K and made reasonable time for walking it. I got a medal and a purple dri fit work t-shirt. They say "Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon." Actual real life marathon? No thank you.
Could I please get an IV of coffee?
Shenanigans
Shenanigans include house parties, going out to 360 at midnight, my first 2 brunches ever, and a desert safari.
The house part was at a friend's house. It was her birthday. We sang happy birthday, ate food, rapped some songs (oh wait, that was just me), drank, and all had a lovely time.
360 is a nightclub in Dubai on the water. Beautiful views of the Burj al Arab, and very expensive drinks. However, the drinks are only expensive if you pay for them, and in Dubai there are a lot of dudes willing to pay for your drinks.
Brunch in Dubai is a very interesting thing. The closest thing I can compare it to at home is tailgating. Booze and food.... like so so so so sooooo much of it. You pay a set price, and get lots of booze and food for 3+ hours. It is magical. The magic gets questionable after the brunch around 4 pm, when everyone thinks it is a great idea to then go bar hopping until 1 am. That is when there is magic no mo.'
Desert safaris are overrated, but a "must do" thing (one time thing) when you are in the middle of the desert. These safaris include a short bout of off roading through a few dunes to the location, a 2 minute camel ride from a temperamental camel, Middle Eastern food buffet, henna tattoos, a place to try on traditional dress, a show of bellydancing, and the opportunity to go sandboarding. Sandboarding is absolutely not worth the effort it takes to climb up the dune! It is kind of like trying to go sledding after a snow flurry, not a whole lot happens.
What you see above is a photo of a professional sandboarder (me).
Desert Camping
A whole entire novel could be made about our desert camping extravaganza. It is really difficult trying to leave out any details because it is the culmination of events that made camping so magical. Was it the complete absurdity of trying to get to our destination? Was it when we had to basically set up tent in the dark? Was it the amount of drinks we consumed? Was it the nice strangers who surrounded me? Was it when the tame friend puked? Was it when my friend's boyfriend (who is a giant person... I'm talking 7 feet tall and not scrawny) decided to roll down a dune and completely plow over some tents? Was it when he did this for the 3rd time? Was it when .... wait.... Was it when I woke up in the morning to a sandstorm and inhaled enough sand to make a sandcastle? Shall I go on?
The charming bonfire that was the center of it all...
The Rav 4
My newest baby baby baby baby baby is my new car. It is a 2014 Toyota Rav 4 and I love it and the new car smell with all my heart. I love it because it is mine and I can drive it. And I also love it because I love it I love it I love it and I love it so much I can't even make any real sense. Now I feel like a real grown up again.
Love love love and more love <3
Yacht
Some lovely friends and myself rented a yacht for 4 hours. There were about 10 of us and it cost us roughly $35 USD each. Insanity. Also, it was great fun.
Livin' the good life :-)
