This morning, the ladies were still away at a premarital ceremony where they applied henna and wore abayas with the family of a COO at Ad Ports Group. Meanwhile, the boys and I headed to the desert to enjoy a more retro Dubai experience. Protected from the sand by our ghutras, we drove ATVs through the dunes in the far east of the UAE, where we met Sultan, the falcon. We then rode camels before getting into a tour guide’s off-road vehicle, which took us to the top of a dune overlooking the desert. After taking some pictures at the summit, we sandboarded down the dune—some of us more gracefully than others.
To end our exciting excursion, we got a taste of old Dubai at a bazaar on the edge of the desert. Here, some of the cadets showcased their negotiating skills to secure gifts for their families back home at more reasonable prices. Later, we relaxed by the hotel’s pool, enjoying the weather, before heading to the Dubai Mall for dinner. At the mall, we marveled at the fountain and the light shows projected on the Burj Khalifa. Finally, we returned to the hotel to get some rest before our final week.
– Owen Lapworth