We’ve just landed in Dubai after a five-hour flight from Nepal, and before you even fully process that you’re in a new country, the skyline makes sure you know. Skyscrapers rise straight out of the desert like someone hit fast-forward on SimCity, and construction cranes fill every gap in between, as if the city refuses to ever be “finished.” It feels less like a place that was built and more like a place that’s actively still deciding what it wants to be when it grows up.
Dubai is made up of many different neighborhoods, and we chose to stay in a quieter, more residential area near the Dubai Marina. After a 40-minute taxi ride, we arrived at our apartment hotel and did what we’ve trained ourselves to do after weeks of travel—find the nearest supermarket so we don’t have to eat every meal out.
And that’s when reality hit.
Nepal had completely spoiled us. Most nights, the four of us could go out to dinner, order multiple dishes, drinks, and sometimes even dessert, and still spend under $20. Twenty dollars here barely buys you a confident walk down the snack aisle. Standing in the grocery store, staring at prices higher than back home, all I could think was: well, this is a short stay for a reason.
That evening, we walked along the marina, which is beautifully designed for pedestrians. Families filled the paths, kids zooming past on scooters with that endless energy kids seem to have no matter the time zone. What stood out most, though, was the incredible mix of people. You hear every language imaginable—English, Hindi, Russian, Tagalog—but surprisingly little Arabic. Our taxi driver, who was from Pakistan, explained that locals from the United Arab Emirates only make up a small percentage of the population. He joked that you’ll know an Emirati when you see one—not by their language, but by the Ferrari or Lamborghini they’re driving. At the time, it sounded like an exaggeration… and then we saw several. Apparently, he wasn’t kidding.
Nepal had completely spoiled us. Most nights, the four of us could go out to dinner, order multiple dishes, drinks, and sometimes even dessert, and still spend under $20. Twenty dollars here barely buys you a confident walk down the snack aisle. Standing in the grocery store, staring at prices higher than back home, all I could think was: well, this is a short stay for a reason.
That evening, we walked along the marina, which is beautifully designed for pedestrians. Families filled the paths, kids zooming past on scooters with that endless energy kids seem to have no matter the time zone. What stood out most, though, was the incredible mix of people. You hear every language imaginable—English, Hindi, Russian, Tagalog—but surprisingly little Arabic. Our taxi driver, who was from Pakistan, explained that locals from the United Arab Emirates only make up a small percentage of the population. He joked that you’ll know an Emirati when you see one—not by their language, but by the Ferrari or Lamborghini they’re driving. At the time, it sounded like an exaggeration… and then we saw several. Apparently, he wasn’t kidding.
We ended the night at a Lebanese restaurant along the marina. It was perfectly fine, but after weeks of unforgettable meals in Nepal, “perfectly fine” just doesn’t quite earn the same excitement. Still, we were happy to be out walking, adjusting to yet another new place, and soaking it all in.
Tomorrow, Taita and Ammo arrive. Baba and the girls haven’t seen them in over four years, which feels almost impossible to believe. There’s something really special about reunions like this—especially when they happen halfway around the world. And somehow, in a city built in the middle of the desert, it already feels like the perfect place for it.
Tomorrow, Taita and Ammo arrive. Baba and the girls haven’t seen them in over four years, which feels almost impossible to believe. There’s something really special about reunions like this—especially when they happen halfway around the world. And somehow, in a city built in the middle of the desert, it already feels like the perfect place for it.
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