Arrival & First Impressions

1. Wow, It's the Future!

• You: Whoa, look at all these skyscrapers! It feels like I've landed in a sci-fi movie. Is everything this new?

• Friend/Parent: Pretty much! It's wild to think that 50 years ago, this was almost all just desert.

• You: For real? That's insane.

• Friend/Parent: Yep, the city grew super fast. Get ready to have your mind blown every single day.

• You: I'm so ready! This is awesome.

2. The Tallest of Them All: Burj Khalifa

• You: Is that... is that the Burj Khalifa? It's even taller than I imagined!

• Friend/Parent: That's the one! The tallest building in the world. We're going to the top later.

• You: No way! To the very top?

• Friend/Parent: Almost! To the observation deck on the 148th floor. The view is absolutely epic.

• You: I need to get the perfect photo for my Instagram story. This is going to be legendary!

3. The Dubai Mall is HUGE!

• You: You said we were going to a mall, not a small city! This place is gigantic.

• Friend/Parent: Haha, welcome to The Dubai Mall. It has over 1,200 shops.

• You: And an aquarium? I just saw a shark! In a mall!

• Friend/Parent: And an ice rink, a cinema, and a virtual reality park. You can literally spend a whole day here and not see everything.

• You: Okay, my feet already hurt just thinking about it.

4. The Dancing Fountains

• You: What's everyone waiting for outside the mall?

• Friend/Parent: The fountain show is about to start! They are perfectly timed to music and lights.

• You: Oh, I've seen videos of this!

• (The music starts and the fountains shoot up.)

• You: Whoa! That is so cool! The water is literally dancing.

• Friend/Parent: They do this every 30 minutes in the evening. It never gets old.

History & Culture

5. Old Dubai: A Different Vibe

• You: This part of the city feels so different. The buildings are smaller and look really old.

• Friend/Parent: This is the Dubai Creek area, the original heart of the city. This is where it all started with pearl diving and trade.

• You: So this is what Dubai looked like before all the skyscrapers?

• Friend/Parent: Exactly. We can take one of those small wooden boats, called an 'abra', to cross the creek for just one dirham.

• You: Awesome, let's do it! It feels way more authentic.

6. The Gold Souk: So Much Bling!

• You: My eyes! Everything is so shiny! Is all of this real gold?

• Friend/Parent: Every last bit of it. This is the famous Gold Souk.

• You: Look at that necklace! It's huge! Who even wears that?

• Friend/Parent: It's more for show, but people buy amazing jewellery here. And you're supposed to bargain for the price.

• You: Bargain? Like, argue the price down? I'm so bad at that!

7. Smells of the Spice Souk

• You: Ooh, what's that amazing smell? It's like cinnamon and... something else.

• Friend/Parent: Welcome to the Spice Souk! You can find every spice you can imagine here.

• You: Look at those piles of colourful powders! It's so pretty. Can we buy some saffron for mom?

• Friend/Parent: Of course. The sellers will let you smell everything. It’s a total treat for your nose.

• You: This is way cooler than a supermarket.

8. What Should I Wear?

• You: So, I see some women are fully covered and others are in dresses. I'm a bit confused about the dress code.

• Friend/Parent: It's a good question. As a tourist, you can pretty much wear what you want, like shorts and t-shirts.

• You: Oh, cool.

• Friend/Parent: But when you go into a mall or a religious site like a mosque, it's respectful to cover your shoulders and knees. Just keep a light scarf in your bag, and you'll be fine.

• You: Got it. Be respectful. Easy enough.

9. Must-Try Local Food

• You: I'm getting hungry. What's the go-to food here? Besides the usual fast food, haha.

• Friend/Parent: You absolutely have to try a shawarma! It's like the king of street food here.

• You: Oh, I love those!

• Friend/Parent: And get some hummus with fresh, warm bread. For dessert, you have to try kunafa. It's a sweet, cheesy pastry.

• You: A cheesy dessert? Sounds weird, but I'm willing to try!

10. A Few Words in Arabic

• You: How do you say 'thank you' in Arabic? I want to try and use it.

• Friend/Parent: It's "Shukran" (pronounced 'shook-ran'). People really appreciate it when you try.

• You: Shukran! And hello?

• Friend/Parent: The formal way is "As-salamu alaykum," but a simple "Marhaba" works perfectly.

• You: Marhaba! Shukran! Okay, I think I've got this.

Safety & Etiquette

11. Is It Safe Here?

• You: It feels really safe walking around, even now that it's dark.

• Friend/Parent: It is! Dubai is one of the safest cities in the world. The crime rate is super low.

• You: That's so reassuring. So I don't have to worry about my phone being snatched?

• Friend/Parent: Not really, but you should always be aware of your surroundings, just like anywhere else. But generally, you can relax here.

• You: That's a huge relief.

12. Taking Photos of People

• You: That lady's traditional dress is beautiful. Can I take a picture of her?

• Friend/Parent: Hold on. It's better to ask for permission before taking a photo of someone, especially local women.

• You: Oh, okay, I didn't know that. Why?

• Friend/Parent: It's a matter of privacy and cultural respect. Most people are friendly, but it's just polite to ask first with a smile.

• You: Okay, good to know. I'll remember that.

Unique Adventures

13. Desert Safari Time!

• You: This is so exciting! What exactly is "dune bashing"?

• Friend/Parent: You're about to find out! The driver will take the 4x4 car up and down the sand dunes really fast.

• You: So it's like a roller coaster on sand?

• Friend/Parent: Exactly! Hold on tight!

• (After the ride)

• You: That was the craziest, most fun thing ever! I was screaming the whole time!

14. Meeting a Camel

• You: A real camel! It's so tall. Can I actually ride it?

• Friend/Parent: Of course! They'll help you get on. It's a bit wobbly when it stands up, so hold on.

• You: It has such long eyelashes! And it looks like it's smiling.

• Friend/Parent: They are amazing animals. Just relax and enjoy the slow, swaying ride across the desert.

• You: This is a bucket list moment for sure.

15. Skiing... in the Desert?

• You: Wait, are you telling me that inside that building... there's real snow and you can ski?

• Friend/Parent: Yep! That's Ski Dubai. It's a giant indoor ski resort inside the Mall of the Emirates.

• You: That is the most random and amazing thing I've ever heard.

• Friend/Parent: You can go from 40-degree heat outside to below zero in minutes. They even have penguins!

• You: Penguins?! We HAVE to go!

16. The Palm Jumeirah Island

• You: I'm looking at the map... is this island really shaped like a palm tree?

• Friend/Parent: Yes, it is! It's a completely man-made island. It's so big you can see it from space.

• You: How did they even build that in the middle of the sea?

• Friend/Parent: With tons and tons of sand and rock. It's an incredible engineering project. The big hotel at the end is the Atlantis.

• You: My mind is officially blown.

17. Aquaventure Waterpark Fun

• You: This waterpark is epic! That slide goes through a shark tank!

• Friend/Parent: That's the Leap of Faith. It's a must-do if you're brave enough.

• You: I am SO doing that. And what about that long river?

• Friend/Parent: That's the lazy river, but it has rapids and waves, so it's not that lazy! We can float around the whole park in it.

• You: Best. Day. Ever.

18. The Museum of the Future

• You: What is that building? It looks like a giant silver ring with writing on it.

• Friend/Parent: That's the Museum of the Future. It's considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.

• You: What's inside? Old stuff?

• Friend/Parent: Nope, just the opposite. It's all about future technology, space travel, and what the world might be like in 2071.

• You: So it's a museum... about the future? That is so cool!

19. The Driverless Metro

• You: This train doesn't have a driver! I'm sitting right at the front window.

• Friend/Parent: Cool, right? The Dubai Metro is fully automated.

• You: And it's so clean! There's not a single piece of trash anywhere.

• Friend/Parent: They have strict rules. You can't even chew gum or drink water on it.

• You: Wow. They really keep things nice here.

20. A World in One Place: Global Village

• You: So what is this Global Village place exactly?

• Friend/Parent: Imagine a huge park where dozens of countries have their own pavilion. You can "visit" India, Egypt, China, and more in one night.

• You: And do what there?

• Friend/Parent: You can buy unique things from each country, try their food, and watch cultural shows. It’s like a world tour, but you just have to walk.

• You: That sounds amazing! I can get souvenirs from everywhere