Dubai, Day Six: Endings And Goodbyes

My friends had to cut short their holiday in Dubai due to some wedding function they needed to attend in London the next day. The poor buggas had to catch a coach to Abu Dhabi at 9am, and so checked out at six! After seeing them off I got a few hours more sleep before getting ready for breakfast in Sharjah.

Once again I was lucky enough to have had another wicked time with these lot. Cambridge High Crew also came for the pancakes and eggs, and we ended up playing six player Chinese Slaps, boys vs girls in Taboo (in which we totally kicked ass, but still somehow lost) and a new game in which the winner is they who questions Cookie's sexuality the most (I think I won that one at least).

Jummah was prayed across the road and breakfast turned into lunch. And my time with the Vohra's still didn't come to an end. Somehow I scored an invite to the valima that night too, which I wasn't too shy to accept - after all, that really would be the last time I would see them all in one place. My newlywed friend popped over shortly before I left and it was nice to see her all married up and stuff.

The afternoon was spent with my cousin. He took me to Ibn Batutta, a wonderful (yes, I'm describing a mall as wonderful) shopping centre built from six smaller ones each depicting a different part of the world. It's worth a mention since it was there that I found the Dubai I was expecting - big, clean, spacious and pretty.

I didn't really have that much time with my cousin - the valima had crept up pretty suddenly and so I made my way there. The only real thing I was concerned about was how everything was coming to an end; this was my final night in Dubai and with these guys. And then suddenly it was over, and I was sad. I sometimes have a tough time letting things go and saying goodbye and so it was then. Quite frankly (and possibly over-dramatically) I don't expect to be in the same situation ever again.

Still, I managed finally to make my way back to the empty triple hotel room. Man, that was lonely (and that loneliness was underlined and accentuated by the completely opposite company I had for most of the day) and I now realise just how little I can handle "alone" and silence. I couldn't believe I considered going to Dubai on my jones! Even a stranger would have done as company. But I digress. Having packed up I tucked myself into bed, getting some rest for the flight back home the next day.