Communication Strategies

I used to think that desert countries are not good place to live in, and boring and dry for that matter. But, I have discovered that natures beauty and amazing wonders are not limited to tropical or cold places.

Ladies and gentlemen, a very wonderful day to all I would like to tell you about my wonderful experiences in a once desert and barren land, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). UAE is a small, dry and barren land which is located in the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman.

Do you know that UAE is composed of seven (7) emirates There is Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Sharjah, Dubai and Umm Al Qwain. These emirates are known as the Trucial States.
The largest city is Dubai and the capital state is Abu Dhabi.

The main entry to the UAE is of course, one of the worlds largest airports, Dubai International Airport.  Almost all intercontinental flights to and from Dubai use the airport as the entry or exit point. There is also the recently-expanded Abu Dhabi International Airport which services the Etihad Airways, the UAEs national carrier.

When I entered UAE, the cold season was about to end, it was in the mid of March, the breeze in the afternoon, evening and early morning was still cold, with temperatures ranging from 17 degree Celsius to 25 degrees in the noontime. The weather was extremely nice for walking around.  So, I was able to get around the city as much as I wanted when I came. This weather, however, would change in the next few months to reveal the sweltering heat that deserted and barren lands experience.
Of the emirates, Dubai is the most cosmopolitan. It has modern malls, hotels, sports facilities, big universities, big city buses, city train and modern apartment blocks. On the side, it has beautiful beaches and pools, which are affordable to most working classes in the city.

There are about 15 big and small shopping malls in the city. The biggest that I have been to is the Mall of the Emirates (MOE), which is located in the Al Barsha area of Dubai. It is a famous mall and shaped like the broken tail-end of an airline because of the Ski Dubai Dome. The mall is strategically located along the equally-famous Sheik Zayed Highway, a four to six-lane highway which stretches from the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah to the emirate of Abu Dhabi. MOE can be accessed through different routes, either through the Sheik Zayed Road via Interchange 4 or through the back roads which run parallel to the main highway.

Inside the MOE, there are various so many types of amenities and facilities which include the grocery, boutiques, sports facilities, gymnasiums, antique shops, bookstores, restaurants food court, cinemas and sitting lounges. The most amazing thing about this mall is the Ski Dubai Dome which enthralls ski goers of a winter skiing adventure. Kids and old people alike enjoy the ski. I satisfied myself by just watching the lively ski goers and the kids sliding in the ice landings because I was afraid of the very cold temperature inside.

There are also many food and drink shops inside. My favorite is Seattles Best Coffee, where I would always order the large cream-whipped cinnamon and the American coffee every time I am visiting the mall.

The best thing that I like about Dubai, though are the beautiful beaches and swimming pools. It is best to hit these beaches and pools in the months between March to May. After that, the temperatures soar to as much as 40 degrees plus so it is quite sweltering to swim in very hot sun. But night swimming during the hottest months of June to September is also nice. I can swim up to the wee hours of morning because it is still humid and warm. From October to February, it becomes very cold so swimming can be impossible especially since I am not used to chilling temperatures at all.
I love going outdoors such as visiting wildlife, parks and mountains, these are also abundant in the UAE.  One of my favorite outdoor hangouts is Al Ain, a part of Abu Dhabi. Al Ain is about 2 hours away from Dubai and 2 about 2 hours away from Abu Dhabi as well. That is, considering a driving speed of about 120 to 140 kph. I just love going to Al Ains popular mountain visited by many tourists. It is called Jebel Hafeet. Vehicles can travel up to the top of the mountain because the terrain is concrete, smooth and wide. The winding terrain up to the mountain top has very sharp turns so caution needs to be undertaken. On the way to the top, there are various breathtaking resting and viewing places where you can eat as well. On top of the mountain, there are restaurants. The view on top is just magnificent and totally amazing, especially at night, when you can see the brilliant lights of Al Ain City.  It is best to go up the mountain when the sun is about to set and stay there until dark so you can see the brilliance of the entire city.

Al Ain has a wonderful wildlife park, visited by both the locals and foreigners, as well. There are various types of wildlife here ranging from crocodiles to giraffes. They are very well taken care of and are relatively healthy. Most of the animals seem to love the cold season because I often visit the zoo during this time and I can see all the animals roaming around, visible to the people. During the hot season, the animals are usually cooling and hiding under shades such as the big rocks and their dwelling places.

There so many places to visit in this city and these places are of various interests. I believe that this is the reason why Dubai or the UAE for that matter, receives so many visitors everyday. I think UAE has emerged to be one of the worlds most visited countries.