Hello from Dubai

I am writing you today from the desert oasis city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). I am heading home from a week of business trips to Bangkok and New Delhi.  I was originally scheduled to return through Singapore but by a stroke of luck I was searching the Emirates app and, to my surprise, found last minute first class seats had opened up using my frequent flyer miles. Emirates’ first class is the best first class experience I have ever had. They are famous for serving caviar and Dom Perignon champagne on the flights plus you have an enclosed suite with twice the room of many business class seats. I’m lucky to have so many frequent flyer miles to redeem as I could never afford to pay the $18,000 RT first class ticket. 

Visiting the tallest building in the world – One of the great benefits of flying Emirates was my flight from New Delhi to Chicago had a connecting stopover in Dubai. I love skyscrapers and decided to visit Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, on my stopover. Wow! This amazing skyscraper will take your breath away inside and outside of the building. The Burj Khalifa rises over a half a mile into the sky and is one of the top tourist attractions in the world. CLICK HERE to see more. 

The next 90 days are the perfect time to visit Dubai -Temperatures in Dubai will be almost perfect for snow birds wanting a nice change of pace. While the weather is perfect now, you probably want to avoid this region in the summer as temps soar above 120 degrees.

Here are 10 observations about Dubai on my short trip this week. 

1.Dream big Dreams in Dubai – Just imagine that during my lifetime this city has grown from a sleepy little fishing town into a giant cosmopolitan city. People who come here can dream big dreams. Nothing is too big or too bold here.  In this city I can dream big dreams. Dubai allows me to not look at how things are but rather what they should be in the future. In Dubai there is a respect for its history but the passion of Dubai is the future. 

2.Museum of the Future is worth a visit –  While most museums focus on the past this one focuses on the future. A little over a year ago I had the chance to visit this museum. I want to go back soon. CLICK HERE to take a sneak peek.

3.It’s not oil that made Dubai explode – Most people think that oil made Dubai see explosive growth. Actually zero taxes made Dubai a magnet for money and capital to flow here.  People all around the world invest in Dubai as they get a higher return on investment when taxes are low or zero. CLICK HERE to see a short video on the history of Dubai.

4.The state bird of Dubai is the crane- Not the bird but the construction crane. While cranes still dot the horizon there are definitely not as many construction cranes here as when I visited 5 years ago. Five years ago I was told there were more construction cranes in Dubai that in all the U.S.  

5.There are many 5 star hotels here with amazingly low prices-  Imagine staying at a 5 star hotel and pay only $200 a night. I estimate there are over 70 5 star hotels here and you can snag them for the price of a  Hampton Inn back in the states. 

6.Off-road sand dune bashing is my favorite – It beats all the rides at Disneyworld. After a few hours of riding the dunes you will enjoy an amazing dinner in the desert. CLICK HERE to see the fun. 

7.The worlds biggest aquarium is in Dubai – You will be amazed at the sheer size and the amount of fish inside the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. CLICK HERE to see more.

8.Dubai is a very safe city to travel to-The UAE is one of our (USA) biggest friends in the Middle East. There is zero crime plus the people are as friendly as they come. Everyone speaks English and all signs, menus and maps include English so not only is it safe, it is easy to roam around. I feel completely safe walking the streets at night here ( probably not what you could say when traveling to parts of Chicago, Detroit and even Omaha right now). 

9.The largest billboards in the world are in Dubai. – Last night I saw a billboard that was a 1/4 mile long and 8 stories high. They are amazing. 

10.You can ski on snow even when it is 120 degrees outside – One building is so big you can ski on snow inside the building. They have a ski lift and everything.  Wow!

Dubai is a must see city you should add to your bucket list.

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P.S. This week the Glenn family will be getting together at our home to celebrate Thanksgiving. We will have over 20 family members around the table for turkey and all the fixins. God has greatly blessed me and our family. I would like to take this time to sincerely thank the team at Executive Travel as well as all our customers and friends for making this Thanksgiving the best ever. May God bless each of you and fill your lives with peace, hope, joy, happiness and good health in the years ahead. 

Most Thankfully, 
Steve Glenn