Read the blog from the A Level business studies trip of a lifetime to experience Dubai’s vibrant business culture
Follow all of the news from the Dubai business studies trip that took place over the Lent Term 2017 half-term:
Day One
We arrived in Dubai early on Saturday morning, taking a minibus to our home for the next six days; the Hilton Garden Inn. After breakfast we alighted an open roof bus for a tour of Dubai, providing an excellent viewpoint from which to admire the mind-boggling skyline! We had lunch in the Mall of the Emirates, followed by a visit to the Nakheel business group, one of the world’s leading real estate developers and a contributor to the vision of Dubai as a world class destination. More retail therapy followed with handbags and sunglasses galore at the Karama Shopping District, a great place to practice negotiation (ok, haggling) skills! We finished the day dining at the beautiful Mughlai themed Lal Qila restaurant, trying authentic Middle Eastern cuisine. What an amazing start to the trip!
Day Two
Following a delicious buffet breakfast, we were fully immersed into local culture for the day. We began with an eye-opening visit to the Jumeirah Mosque, followed by a guided tour of the Heritage Village, which models the time-honoured lifestyle in the emirate of Dubai. We walked through historical markets that were selling pottery, dried milk and items made from palm and enjoyed performances of folklore singing and traditional dancing. We ate a typical UAE meal, sitting on the floor and eating only with our right hand. We then furthered our historical and cultural knowledge with a trip to the Dubai museum; the oldest building in Dubai. The museum depicts life before the discovery of the region’s oil and we had great fun dressing up in traditional costumes!
It was back to business in the 21st century for the afternoon’s visit to the Mackenzie Jones headquarters, one of the largest recruitment agencies in the Middle East. We had a really informative and in-depth lecture about the opportunities and challenges faced by doing business in Dubai and neighbouring countries.
We had a magical dinner onboard a Dhow marina cruise, taking in the spectacular views of the skyscrapers and glittering lights on the shoreline.
Day Three
After breakfast, we transferred to Abu Dhabi by mini-bus for a fun filled day. We kick-started the day with a rush of adrenaline at Yas Waterworld, then went to Ferrari World, the first ever Ferrari themed amusement park with a record for the largest space frame structure ever built.
A quieter afternoon followed, we visited the architecturally dazzling Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. The $450 million structure is the largest in Abu Dhabi, and houses the largest carpet in the world (5627m2!) and what is considered to be the largest marble mosaic in the world. We finished with dinner in the Abu Dhabi Mall and returned back for an early night after a ‘roller-coaster’ of a day!
Day Four
On day four of the trip we drove to the city of Al Ain, often known as the ‘garden city,’ and visited the Camelicious farm and factory. Camelicious produces camel milk for consumer markets. Scientific research has shown camel milk to have outstanding health benefits and the company continues to lead research and is looking into future options for development and market expansion. Following this rather different approach to dairy farming, we attended a lecture on Water and Sustainability in the UAE at the Sheikh Zayed Desert Leaning centre.
After lunch we went on an incredible desert safari experience, complete with dune bashing, camel riding, sand boarding and an extraordinary dinner under a blanket of desert stars.
Day Five
In the morning we visited the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management. We had an exclusive guided tour of the iconic 7 star Burj Al Arab hotel, a long standing landmark of the Dubai skyline and were blown away by the luxurious interiors, underwater bedrooms and four poster baths! After a few hours of relaxation, we enjoyed a cultural evening at the renowned Global Village, a cultural extravaganza that hosts over 70 participating countries who exhibit their architecture, shops, restaurants and culture.
Day Six
We soon lost any feelings of sleepiness as we scaled the dizzying heights of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. A final shopping trip allowed us to pick up last minute gifts and souvenirs and then the evening was quickly up on and it was time to sadly pack just about making room in the suitcases for all of our new belongings.
We had an incredible trip and the memories will definitely last a lifetime. Thank you so much to Mr. Hussain for organising such a wonderful experience!
The Flickr album is available here.