Good morning from sunny Dubai - well, to be honest, it’s not actaully that sunny - sort of vaguely sunny. We are off for a first consultation with the surgeon at lunchtime, and then, inshallah, my knees will be as right as rain tomorrow.
Yesterday we went for an eye-opening walk along Jumeriah Beach Road?/Walk ? Suffice it to say, that we looked like gawping villagers.
The last time we were in that part of Dubai must have been 18 years ago – 19 perhaps – when there were a couple of hotels and absolutely nothing else. We were supposed to spend the weekend there, I remember, at Jebel Ali, but it was so dull and soul-less, that we checked out, went back to Dubai and shopped in the souk.
So yesterday afternoon’s vision of row after row after row of huge tower blocks, and pavement cafes, and people strolling around in the warm sunshine, was quite something. You can’t move for construction sites, there is a marina bursting with stonking great yachts – so where’s the recession ?
It is always great to see Kumud and Gautam, who are welcoming, generous hosts of whom take shameless advantage, I have to admit.
OK, off to explore what is left of old Dubai and take the metro, before we meet Deepak at lunchtime.
More anon.
Good luck, Christine. Hope all goes well with the knee surgery.