First Camel ride in Dubai!!

Planning your next vacation in Dubai? Here are some tips that will help you out as a first comer. For everybody, depending where you come from, stepping into the Arab world can be an overwhelming experience. And yes, Dubai is located in the Middle East but it is the most westernize city of all. Considered by many the capital of this area, it will blow your mind away to see both worlds meet in this exotic location.

Here is my MUST do list as a first time visitor:

 

Camel Desert Safari  

This activity varies from $35 to $130 depending if you do it during the day or at night. Also, the price varies depending of the extreme sports you will perform. If you want to pet the camels and falcons then pay the extra bucks and take the first option.

www.platinum-heritage.com  This one is the luxury one

www.arabiannightsafari.com

www.raynatours.com This one is medium range and it has many more tours available

The dinner option is the best one, as you will have the opportunity to view an amazing sunset. It's really a mesmerizing experience. Take advantage of the peace you will feel in the desert to do some meditation or yoga.

 

Burj Khalifa -Tallest Building in the World

www.burjkhalifa.ae

This is like going to the top of the Empire State Building in NYC. The line is SUPER busy so I would recommend you to do this early in the morning. It will take you around 3 hours. Ticket prices vary from $40 - $150 depending on the time of the day and the height. To go to the top floor (148) is more expensive than the 125 observatory lounge.

In addition, you can also book one of the bars and restaurants inside the hotel. These options are SUPER expensive and you should plan to spend at least $100 PP to snack or eat/drink in these venues. If you are planning to have a full dinner here it's going to be around $300PP (Armani Hotel).

 

Burj Al Arab - The Most Expensive Hotel in the World

www.jumeirah.com

The Sky Lounge offers incredible views to have a drink. It's VERY touristy but not a bad option to come check out the most expensive hotel in the world. Drinks have South Beach prices with half the serving lol so not the ideal spot to get drunk.

Al Muntaha Restaurant is the floating part of the hotel. The views are incredible but it's also incredibly pricy!! You should budget at least $200 PP to eat dinner there. In my humble opinion, the views are better for lunch or Friday Brunch so if you are looking to splurge and save a little money don't go for dinner. 

 

Day trip to Abu Dhabi

This will take you between 6 and 8 hrs and you will be in a car most of the time. I know you are dying to take a picture in front of Sheikh Zayed Mosque like Selena Gomez but note there are many things to do in Dubai and this will take one full day of your vacation. Needless to say, it's a must do if you have the time to explore. You should take a private car so you can use your time more efficiently. There is not that much to see but you want to spend quality time in the main attractions. A driver should charge around $200 for the private ride.

 

Dubai from the Water

You can do this in about 3 hours. The Dubai skyline looks beautiful from the water and you could grab some food and drinks in one of the hotels in the Palm so you can also check this out. The Palm is a fake man made island where The Atlantis (yes, like in the Bahamas) seats. There you will be able to use the public beach and the water park if you are feeling Disney. This is not a fancy boat (think of the ones that do the tour of Star Island in Miami) - around $35 PP. If you want to tour on a yacht, it will cost around $2500 for the day.

The Dubai Mall - Biggest Mall in the World

www.thedubaimall.com

I don't recommend to do any shopping here as it's VERY busy and very expensive. It doesn't make sense to shop here if you are coming from the USA. It's a good idea to pass by and check it out probably the same day you do the Burj Khalifa bc it's in the same location. Here you will find the ice skating ring, the movies, the aquarium and the famous water fountain show (yes, like the one in Vegas but bigger).

Sky Diving in Dubai

www.skydivedubai.ae

It's from 9am to 2pm and it cost $550 with video and pictures included. This sells out around one month in advance AT LEAST. Plan around 4 hours for this activity.

 

 

Another tip, alcohol is expensive in Dubai so I would recommend you to pick up a couple bottles in the duty free airport.

Overall, Dubai should be a great experience! This exotic location has the flash, style and beaches to make your vacation an unforgettable one. Each resort and area offers a variety of entertainment so it will be up to you to customize each day very efficiently. Also, the weather plays a big part on the activities you can explore. One of my favorite things to do when it's not too hot is to explore the Souk (in the old part of town). Walking around here is like getting lost in translation. Great place for gift shopping and local people watching.

Shukran xo

 

 

Machu Picchu - Inka Flow!!

Inevitably, my first post has to be about PERU. For those of you who don't know , this is the place where I was born and raised most of my life. I go back every year but this last time I made it to the magical Inka city of Machu Picchu. Cuzco is not my home town but through out the years I've seen Machu Picchu  become a major tourist attraction (being named one of the 7 wonders of the world has helped). And let me tell you, very rightfully so! Things are more organized since I last visited (5 years ago). The city is very safe and you can have an incredible experience doing it  backpacker style or the luxurious way. In my last visit I stayed in a hostel for $10/night but there are many elegant resorts were you can have a superior holistic experience, yoga classes, detox cleanses and much more. Have you heard about Ayahuasca?

 

 

I'm a big hiking fanatic so I will absolutely recommend that you do the Inka trail. Go all out and do the 7 day trail - camp in the open - get in touch with your inner Inka! This will be the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises you'll ever see. The air is pure and crisp. The sound of nature will wispers in your ear as a you try to fall sleep. Simply BREATHTAKING. The mix of smells from all kinds of different flowers will accelerate your heart (oh yea, and also the alttitude). Drink/chew an excessive amount of coca leaves ( they do help). Prepare in advance if possible but most importantly meditate, breath and enjoy this magical experience. Take it all in.

Besides the absolute must do - Macchu Picchu - here are some other places I enjoyed and other tips you may find useful while visiting Cuzco:

Please note that I have friends who are locals so many times you will be introduced to new spots not catered just to tourists...

 

If you are an adventure seeker - besides the Inka Trail, you should make an appointment in advance , to climb up the Huayna Picchu. It's a shorter hike up the hill on top of the ruins but it gets pretty busy so I suggest you book this a few days in advance (depending on the season even over a week). And bring your passport so you can get a pretty cool stamp of the Inka city entrance on it. Also, if you have over a week in Cuzco (which you should) there is time to try zip lining ( this will take a full day), water rafting and exploring parts of the jungle. This two last activities can also be built into another 5 days camping in the wild (with a guide of course). In this area you will enjoy the freshest, most delicious fruits and you will have the opportunity to try  exotic foods (like monkeys and frogs). Prepare your palate!

 

Speaking of food - you absolutely have to try this place called "Limo cocina Peruana & Pisco Bar". It's located in "La Plaza de Armas" or main square. Go there for lunch, the view is fantastic and their selection of authentic dishes is generous. If you are feeling eager to learn something new then try the alpaca (I don't recommend it if you expect it to taste like steak). The seafood rice, quinoa risotto, causa and their unique sushi rolls were my favorite. The perfect supplement to this delicious meal would be a refreshing Cuzquena (the local beer) and/or their incomparable Pisco Sours.

If you are looking for the ultimate local spot - try el Mercado central de "San Pedro" . This flea/fresh market is located just 10 minutes away from the center (walking). Here you will find an infinite variety of local food, street snacks and incredibly cheap souvenirs. My absolute favorite is "choclo con queso"; for under $1 this magnificent corn is like something you never had before. Extremely healthy yet delicious the corn in this area is huge! Not sweet, not salty it's served with fresh local cheese which is the perfect complement for an unbelievable taste. You have to try it! Best value meal ever. It's the equivalent of a Mac Donald's run of the Inkas lol
If you are a fruit lover and you are looking for your smoothie fix; the San Pedro Market will offer you the lowest prices for the freshest local fruits like "tuna" - or prickly pear. It's healthy from the area and the best way to start your day.

 

 I'm not big into night life in Cuzco as you will need all of your energy to complete the physical activities that this trip entails. Many tours start super early in the morning and they last ALL day. But if you absolutely must get your groove on then I would recommend Mama Africa (the club to be). It's been around for ever, they play a good mix of music and it's pretty spacious. In my opinion, Cuzco offers a better variety of bars than clubs. Most of them start earlier and they have live bands (playing rock en espanol) or classics from all over the world. You can seat and play cards with someone from England  or start Karaoke with someone from Argentina. The mix of locals and foreigners give the bars in Cuzco a very interesting spice. Is hard to describe the vibe here but it's vey enjoyable. My favorite bar in the historic center was "The Cross Keys Pub" - it was like walking into a joint in London except you were in Cuzco. They have their regulars who seem to know every single one of their friendly staff. We spend our time playing drinking games, dancing to music and chatting with complete strangers. Cool experience for sure.

What can I tell you? This will be on of the best trips of your life. Give yourselves enough time to get accustomed to the altitude, explore the magnificent hiking/biking trails and wonder around the historic center. People that stay for under a week always claim they needed more time there. I have to agree with this statement. I'm already planning to come back to do all the extreme sports I didn't have time for. Your body will need a couple extra days to recover so you can fully enjoy this extraordinary destination. 

 

Greetings from Gabriela!!

Hello Friends,

So finally I got to it!! I have created my own blog. Something that I've been talking about for years now. What's the big deal? you may ask. Well, for this tech challenged individual (ME) even working Instagram was a mystery just a few months ago.

 

The purpose of this blog is to share my experiences with other fellow travelers and fitness enthusiast. There is nothing more rewarding than to be able to discuss all the different cultures, locations, foods and wonders that this beautiful world has to offer.

I've been lucky enough to have done extensive traveling in the past couple years and this has sparked an even bigger appetite to see the globe. You feel me? Every time I visit somewhere new I find myself leaving behind new friends (that I wish to stay in touch with), new experiences and some

amazing stories. This blog will give me the opportunity to recollect my memories and forever keep them with me (and you of course).

Now, I'm not an aspiring writer per say but I have always had the habit of writing. Mainly crazy thoughts in my head (nothing scientific or logic) ) so hopefully with this tool (my blog) I can come across clearly and translate everything I lived from my eyes to yours.

Would love to get your feedback and comments. I believe in the power of healthy criticism.

 

Love you all,

 

Gabriela