Bonus Week 55 – The final days… Delhi and Dubai

‘I choose to be free’

[How this works is, each week, I will write to someone on my list, picked randomly and I will post it online on this blog – just in case the letter doesn’t reach its destination.  The letter includes a card with a random quote, which I hope you will enjoy (at the top of this blog page).]

The last page of our travels.

This has been the last week of our year of travel adventures.  It is odd to be back and in our house, but I’ll write more about that in the future.  It’s just hard to imagine what we’ve managed to see and do in one year!

This week has definitely ended us on a high.  We headed back to Delhi and we got to see a few sites we had missed on our first time through.  Our first stop was the Bahai ‘Lotus’ Temple.  Bahai is a religion which embraces all religions.  It was a beautiful, peaceful and quiet place.

Lotus Temple, Delhi

We, then, headed off to see the India Gate which is a huge memorial to those who gave their lives in WW II.  John had tried to see this memorial two other times, so third time lucky!

India Gate

We did a last stop shop of arts and crafts at the Dilli Haat.  A lovely market like area where I had a gentleman even paint some art on my thumb nail!

Art on my thumb!

One thing I did that I could carry with me for a few days was to get my hands henna-ed.  He put two peacocksand – without my knowing it – theTaj Mahal – how cool is that?!

Henna on hands

Just before we arrived home we had a few days in Dubai and, like Singapore, this city grows on me every time I go there.  I had arranged a desert safari which included a falcon show, jeep ride in the dunes, a beautiful sunset, dinner in the desert, a camel ride and a belly dancer. (see photos at bottom of blog from this tour!)

To top the end of my trip off, I met with an old highschool friend living in the UAE.

Norm and I

We went around Dubai to see some ‘culture’ which started with an awesome visit to a local mosque.

We had an incredible talk from our guide – highly recommend going there and learning more about the muslim faith.

Jumeirah Mosque

We saw the famous Burj Khalifa tower,

Like my new hat?

the fish tank in the mall,

Dubai Mall

the diving sculptures,

Divers fountain

ice rink

Ice Rink – Dubai

and, of course, tea!

Laduree Cafe, Dubai Mall

What a great way to end a year of travel, now what to next…?!  Well, watch this space, there are plans a foot…I may not know them all, but I know that there is change in the air!

Happy travels,

Debx

Photos from our safari in the desert:

Falcon display

Jeep Ride in Dunes

Jeep Ride in Dunes

John in desert

The desert and me!

Sunset

Camp in desert

seating area if you wanted to try the arabian smoking pipes

pots

seating area

camp

kitchen

lamps

camel ride

camels

belly dancer

belly dancer

belly dancer