DROP THE BAGGAGE, KEEP AN OPEN MIND by Siddha3th
You might be a little apprehensive of Dubai. "It's in the Middle East", "the place reeks of money", "umm... isn't it a part of Iraq?" Put your mind at rest, and dive heart and soul into a modern, buzzing city with a surprisingly human (albeit hidden) soul. Don't worry about politically correct issues like what to do, what to say, what to wear.. in Dubai, anything and everything goes, with just a sprinkling of common sense. Being part of the United Arab Emirates, a politically neutral country, the city is far removed from images which CNN usually likes to associate this part of the world with. So really the only baggage you need to be coming here with is that camera pouch :)When I first got here, I simply hated it! Where's the night life, where's that happenin' street spirit, where's that buzz which was my life-blood back in India?! The overt glitz and gaudiness suffocated me. That was before I stopped complaining... and started exploring. Started walking through its crowded streets. Started heading off into the desert on full-moon safaris. Started pub-crawling through the heady mix of bars & clubs that dot the horizon. Just to be able to tell you now, that it's not all filthy dirhams and flashy buildings (well, maybe it is). But I guess it's up to you to explore beneath the surface... to catch the million smiles, with dreams to match. Dubai can be a jewel of Arabia, resting peacefully beside a soft shore. It can be what you want it to be.
