Happy Monday traveler!

This week, we’re taking you to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. It’s a very modern city known for a lot of big things.

Get ready for the world’s tallest building and lots of sand!

🌍️ What’s Going on In the Travel World?

• Do you have a Real ID yet? If not, you won’t be allowed to fly in the U.S. starting on May 7th. Find out if you do or do not. 

• UK airport makes crucial change to parking with new rules coming into force in days - Anything to help traffic at the airport will get our support

• Trump tariffs slam US airlines as travel demand falters - flight prices are bound to rise if this keeps up

• A major new airport to serve Cambodia's capital and boost tourism is due to open in July - We have a new airport to visit (and country) 🛬 

• New Zealand parliament shows its spooky side in after-hours tour - we want to go back to New Zealand, but not for this…

A message from Passport Inspiration

Looking to plan an inspiring adventure right now?

Planning an international trip can be overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be.

How?

You just need a plan for your plan.

It’s important to prepare with enough time for things like:

• Visas

• Dining

• Lodging

• Passports

• Excursions

• Travel Arrangements

  If you want a head start planning, we can help you prepare for an amazing trip.

🙌This Week’s Inspiration

Dubai is extravagant and extremely modern. It’s a major global business hub and home to world’s tallest building: the Burj Khalifa. Let’s get to it:

The longest flight we have taken was from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) which was 16 hours.

Some people hate layovers, but we love them. The longer the layover, the better. Our trip to Dubai was a whirlwind of 20 hours while we were headed to the Greek Isles. Click here if you missed the Passport Inspiration on Santorini.

We landed in Dubai in the early evening and it was time to hit the ground running. The hot, dry desert air hit us smack in the face as soon we stepped outside the airport - much different from our regular humidity in Florida. The Red Line metro took us from the airport to downtown in about 25 minutes.

Better at Night or During the Day?

We knew we had to go up the Burj Khalifa and experience the world’s tallest building. Built in 2010, the Burj is 828 meters (more than half a mile) tall. In 60 seconds, you can ride an elevator up to the 124th floor for a 360-degree view of the city. Then, continue on up to the SKY level on the 148th floor for complimentary drinks, access to the luxe lounge and the most spectacular views.

Trisha did some research on the Burj prior to the trip because we weren’t sure if we wanted to visit it during the day or at night. Most of the information she’d found recommended going up into it at night for several reasons. For one, you can see the city all lit up in a dazzling display. The second reason was the prices are a little less after sunset.

We went straight to the Burj from the airport and checked our bags for free there when we arrived. Our friends and family thought our pictures from the 148th floor were taken from the airplane. What do you think?

The Dubai Fountain Show

We weren’t kidding when we said Dubai is extravagant. One of the reasons why is because of the Dubai Fountain Show. Every 30 minutes, between 6:00-11:00pm every night, spectators can watch the world’s largest fountain show. The Dubai Fountain has more than 6,000 lights, 25 color projectors, and can spray over 20,000 gallons of water at any given moment. 👀 

Heads up though, the Dubai Fountain will be closed between May 2025 for about 5 months to undergo an upgrade (we told you this city is extravagant) and routine maintenance.

We Just Had a Head-On Collision with Sand

When in Dubai you must go dune bashing in the desert.

80% of the UAE is desert and you can easily get there from downtown Dubai.

We booked a tour through OceanAir Travels and did a half-day desert safari with sandboarding and a camel ride. They picked us up from our hotel and drove us out to the Red Dunes. The adrenaline was flowing freely while being driven up and down the slopes of the sand dunes.

Have you ever heard of sandboarding? It’s just like snowboarding, except you’re doing it on sand…clever name, we know.

The tour ended with a brief camel ride. It was brief because it was a bit windy, and wind and sand don’t get along well!

After returning back to our hotel to grab our bags and empty all the sand out of our pockets, shoes, etc. (sooo much sand), it was time to head back to the airport. Talk about making the most from an overnight layover.

You Must Go to a…Mall?!

The Dubai Mall is a great place to stroll through and enjoy some air conditioning. With more than 1,200 retail outlets, 200 dining experiences, an aquarium and underwater zoo, an Arabic marketplace, and Chinatown, you’ll have no problem keeping cool and occupied.

*How to Get to Dubai:

There are so many flight international flight options here. DXB is the airport code for Dubai International Airport. As mentioned above, it’s super easy to take the Red Line metro from the airport into the city. This is the most cost-efficient way.

Where to Stay:

Manzil Downtown - a boutique hotel in the heart of Dubai

Jumeirah Burj Al Arab Dubai - known as Dubai’s most iconic hotel

Shangri-La Dubai - luxury hotel with spa and near the Dubai Mall

What to Pack:

Standard dress attire in the UAE means covering your shoulders and legs, especially for the women. Common places such as hotel pools have a bit more of a relaxed dress code, but you definitely won’t want to stand out here.

We’ll suggest some light athletic type clothing and a hat below that are good to keep covered, shielded from the sun, yet still comfortable.

Shoes for walking the city and a pair you wouldn’t mind getting full of sand are good as well if you head out to the desert.

👋 Have an Inspiring Week

Here are a few things to help you when in Dubai.

• This hat to protect your face from the sun

• These joggers for keeping your legs covered in the Middle East

• Dry fit tops perfect for the heat

• Taking friends or family into the Dubai Mall? Put an AirTag on them to keep track of where everyone is 😆 

• This phone tripod for pictures of you and the Burj Khalifa

See you next week,

Trisha & Bob