Remember NYE? When you thought 2020 was going to be magic? Well, it has been – a dark magic that has slowly sucked away all the positive! It’s been a tough time. We can tell ourselves otherwise, but any therapist will tell you that acknowledgement is the first step to recovery. And if we want to recover from this reality TV show episode of a year, we have to call a spade a spade and say “things kinda really suck right now”. People are terrified to go outside, some people are terrified of human contact, people are loosing jobs (or living with the fear of it) and being mindful of every Dirham spent. All this while most of the population is feeling an immense sense of COVID fatigue and just don’t give a dang anymore.
All of this is very confusing, leaving stress to be your new best friend.
At work, there is a task-force set up to focus on employee well-being and resilience. Working at a global business school where we have students flying in from all over the world, a campus is COVID’s #1 party place. And the stress of going to work is second to none for many. Teams are lean and everyone feels like they have been working without a break (sometimes on weekends too) for what feels like forever. We were told in the task force introduction email that it is extremely important to ensure everyone is taking their time off and not leaving it for when they “feel safe to travel”.
A part of me was so happy to see this. I get it – we are living in expat-ville and people want to see their families who live far away. Or, for a lot of people, the UAE’s central location has been the number one reason to move here – travel is so much easier when you live here, isn’t it? However, if there ever was a time that we can fall in love with where we live, now is it. Some people still aren’t comfortable with the idea of sitting in a flying box full of recycled air but that shouldn’t stop them from taking a day or two off and making it worth it!
We at She Said love the idea of road trips and day trips and got talking about all the ways I could use this encouragement to take a day off here and there to mentally reset. Thinking back to some of the times I have had so much fun, plans have been fairly last minute. Also, we feel like these day trips might help fill some of the wanderlust you might be feeling at the moment, all while planning your first big travel overseas trip for when it is safe to do so again. (Re: Namrata and Nancy’s next big BFF-vacay #SheSaidgoestoKorea #Inshallah).
Here are some delightful day trips to take in the UAE for that next much-needed day off.
The Louvre – Abu Dhabi
If you are an art and museum person and haven’t been here yet – what are you waiting for? This is one of my favourite places in the world. And I mean that. The space is gorgeous and you feel like you are floating on the water.
Given it is a museum, it is fairly quiet and spaced out. And you can sit and stare at some pretty gorgeous pieces of art. Even if you don’t know what it all means – you will be transported. Tickets are priced at AED 60 for adults.
Keep in mind the COVID-19 regulations. AUH last announced: A negative PCR test or DPI test will be accepted, valid for 48 hours. However, as these requirements keep changing, ensure you check before you go.
Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa – Dubai
Sometime last year, Nancy and I made an impromptu decision to take the day off from work and drive out to Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa for a much-needed R&R bestie-bonding day. It was one of the best things we did, and promised we should do more. Then life happened and we never did. This whole “we need to take a break” talk though, reminded us of this most awesome spot in the middle of the desert.
We grabbed lunch, got massages, spent time in the whirlpool and just took in the sights. Again, it’s wild that this hidden oasis is just 40 minutes or so outside the city and you do feel like you are transported. There are desert dunes, gorgeous wildlife just wandering about doing their thing and it serves as the perfect spot to stop and catch your breath.
Hatta
I am a mountains person. Leaving the mountains was one of the hardest parts of leaving the Pacific North-West of the US. While the mountains here don’t have snow or evergreens, they provide a completely different type of beauty. This beauty is just a little over an hour and a half away from the centre of the city.
There are quite a few things you can get up to in Hatta. If you are looking to spend the day, there is kayaking, mountain biking, horse riding, hiking and other adventure stuff like axe throwing and archery (you know, for your inner Spartan). If you are looking to spend the night, the gorgeous Sedr Trailers and Damani Lodge present amazing options. All these activities and stay do tend to book out as the weather gets nicer so be warned and plan in advance.
If you aren’t a planner and aren’t looking to spend the money, do what I did. Get a friend, make a “road trip playlist”, pack a cooler box with supplies for making sandwiches and other snacks (crisps, candy bars, fruit and pop), and drive out there. Once you have parked, wander, find a spot to settle down, eat your sandwich and have a heart to heart with a dear friend while taking in the views. It’s healing and pretty economical!
Jebel Jais – Ras Al Khaimah
A lot of people know Jebel Jais for the zip line (which looks awesome) but I headed up the mountains to celebrate a friend’s birthday. We were 5 of us in 2 cars (be mindful of COVID regulations). We drove, took in the views and blasted our awesome playlist with the windows rolled down.
There are a few stops you can make on the way. One is a food truck park with seating and angel lights (that I can imagine would look gorgeous at night) – you need to pay AED 5 per person in your car to park there and enjoy the food these trucks offer. You aren’t permitted “outside food” here but they do sell soft serve ice-cream! What more could a girl want in the mountains?! You can also keep driving and head to another lookout point where there are more food trucks. We parked, set up our tables and chairs and enjoyed a home-cooked picnic instead – which was perfect!
Given this new found love for re-discovering where we live, we are going to try and experience more and keep ya’ll updated. So watch this space!
Where do you like to head out to when you have a short break – tell us everything!
Lovely post!! Been wanting to visit the Lourve!!
As soon as you can and it’s safe to, I would recommend it. It’s a glorious space!