The charm of luxury vacations...

Google defines luxury as a state of great comfort or elegance, especially when involving great expense. When money isn't an issue (even post demonetisation) and the need for relaxation in a huge spacious area with unlimited benefits is your thing, then luxury vacations are a must for you! 

Vacation is the best way to destress, create happy memories, innumerable photo opportunities, gastronomical journey and so on.. 
You can lounge in your casual wear and be at ease with your true self.
 Now, you may ask why the need for spending so much on a room wherein you can do the trip with a lesser budget! 

True that !! 

This is my feeble attempt to highlight the features!

The ROOM -- Imagine a huge sprawling living room welcoming you with its brightly coloured cushions, chandeliers/state of art lighting, gigantic television with a printed menu of programmed channels, a side bar area/dining table for digging in your room serviced food without messing the sleeping area, a humongous bed ( imagine king+queen bed makes it royal bed ) with excellent turndown service, a walk in closet along with a private safe and an adjoining bathroom which gives you an awesome feel of doing your ablutions in luxury! 

Whether it is the sunken bathtub or the private shower cubicle with best complimentary essentials ( ex: forest essentials), or the additional sit out in the balcony,overlooking a beautiful landscape or just the kick of getting free knick knacks like pastries, fresh fruit and sweets ! 

The housekeeping personnel are like magical elves who keep everything spick and span! some even make interesting swans and elephants out of towels and place them on your bed !! 
Be ready to inhale rose petals smells and see beautiful arrangements when the hotel discovers you are on a special occasion trip :) 

The extra space gives you tremendous breathing space, cozy corners and value for money!

The Property -- Manicured lawns, smiling and courteous personnel wishing you during your stroll, beautiful and artistic locations wherein you can click pics and get those tons of likes on FB! The ease of checking in and checking out.. the golf cart rides and beautiful pathways for your serene walk..

Private pools -- The best feature money can buy/rent ! :) ideal for couples looking for some wicked fun! this is the latest trend in the hottest properties around. 
advisory warning- avoid winter time while booking this since none of them are heated pools.. Splash around with your special someone or indulge in a water volleyball match with family! 
In India, Serai - chikmagalur, Orange County ( Hampi,Kabini and Coorg), Leela Goa are good places with private pools.

The Food -- Chefs go out of the way to accommodate all your requests.. The spread of buffet and taste is so good that you want to overstuff yourself! The room service delivers your food with aplomb! Proper cutlery meets brilliant packaging!

Privacy -- Luxury places offer you the perfect serene environment with good crowd. You can be assured of a good guest list owing to the high price tag ( am not being racist here)! Discretion is the middle name of the staff who wouldn't disturb you until you call for them!

However, as life isn't bed of roses, similarly luxury vacations have many cons as well..


Price Tag : Its definitely not for the faint hearted! imagine paying minimum Rs.25,000-30,000 (plus taxes) for a single night! It works out best for people who are likely to be more indoors and use the facilities than for adventurous sorts! basically, for sloth bears :) 

Pricey Food and Beverage : Most properties (like leela and orange county) have a american plan system wherein the buffet breakfast,lunch and dinner are included for a small fee or with the room. In case, this isn't available, best way is to get a takeaway for at least one meal from outside. If the resort is on extreme outskirts then no option but to opt for the food plan. 

Also, if you are a avid drinker and love your 3-4 pegs or just want to have some fun... smuggle a bottle and coke tins/soda inside your room ! it just isn't practical to spend Rs.350 on a can of soda/coke! 

2 peg in room (with ice bucket on request) and 2 peg in their lounge will balance your wallet's status :) 

Veg food jugaad : places abroad have lesser varieties for vegetarians and in Indian Cuisine. My Hack is to carry a packet of haldiram's bhujia and relish it with bread and ketchup available in the hotel! Problem solved, happy tummy!

Instant food packs like sambhar rice, pav bhaji,bhel puri etc from haldiram's, MTR and priya are your best friends when you travel and also, if you wish to save few bucks! 

Its not wrong to be cost effective while being extravagant! :P (quite an oxymoron)

Some of the fabulous properties can be listed as : 

Atlantis - Dubai 

Orange County - Kabini, India

Kurumba - Maldives

Park Hyatt-- Hyderabad

Hyatt -- Hyderabad 

Westin Villa --Langkawi

Nusa Dua hotel and spa - Bali 

If you need any additional info about any of these hotels or generally, pls do comment :) will be happy to help !!

thanks for reading ! :) 

Love, 

Anu ! 

Short Story - Honeymoon!

"Rs.40,000/- per night!!! Don't u think its little expensive?" said jalebi.  She was shocked hearing the room rate as she was going on her honeymoon to an exotic location with the love of her life, laddu.

"but baby, look at the amenities, it is the top room available in the resort. we would have enough space, additional features and discounts in spa, private butler, pick and drop in luxury car etc. I think the money will be justified.". Laddu was trying to pacify the frayed nerves of jalebi with all the marketing tactics he could employ. He wanted to give the best in their HM to her and was looking forward for a super relaxing time.

"you think we can afford it?"

"yes dear, we can."

"alright. if u say so... now, let me finish packing!"

End of discussion, start of daydream. Jalebi saw a kaleidoscope of images of the location/hotel in her mind and the naughty way they would do justice to the room. here, was a girl who believed in the beauty of love and dreamt about all she read about love and art of lovemaking in mills and boon novels. laddu seemed the perfect guy to be hitched to, smart, tall, educated, set her pulse on treadmill speed. 

" Standing near the floor-to-ceiling glass window, soaking the visual delight of the vast blue sea with its golden grained shore, the heartbeat raced as Michael  Schumacher would race his F1 car in the winning lap. The adrenaline pumping made her uncomfortably wet in the moist centre of her being. He came up to her from behind and held her tenderly in her arms. She hesitantly kept her head back on his broad chest and lowered her back on his tummy. Most were mesmerised by the way their bodies fit in sync, the warmth radiated between them was comforting and exciting at the same time. He turned her around and looked deep in her eyes, she lowered her eyelids demurely. He coaxed her to look at him and stole a kiss from her unsuspecting lips. He laughed at her sudden widened eyes and then pinched her chin playfully. 

His arm around her waist made her feel secure and loved while her head on his chest made him feel happy and responsible. 

She went up on her toes and rubbed her face against his one day old stubble. Startled, laddu looked upon his bride with raw lust in his eyes. He never expected her to take a bold step so easily given her timid nature, this added fuel to the fire.. She wanted to DO so much, but shyness didn't let her take a step voluntarily. 

Removing the garb of being shy, jalebi raked her fingers in his hair, traced his eyebrows with her nails and pulled his mouth upon hers. Her tongue explored his lips and delved within the inviting warmth of his mouth.. he quickly responded by playing the same and biting her lower lip in a way which made her squeal in delight.. 

laddu started showering a trail of wet kisses from her lips till her tummy. A deep vampirish kiss on her throat ensured nail marks of ecstasy on his back. 

Laughing crazily, she falls back on the soft bed and is instantly bouncing on it like a kid.. Laddu feels the happiness exploding in his chest ! he walks to the bed menacingly, hoping to scare her..  But, jalebi is making all inappropriate gestures,enticing him to the point of madness. The Little Big Guy in his pants is doing a crazy tribal voodoo dance on its own.

The atmosphere in the room is crackling. She sits on the foot of the bed while laddu stands between her legs. Taking their own sweet time, she unbuttons him slowly and pushes shirt away. 

Throes of passion engulf him when he rubs her face on his belly button... Uncontrolled passion leads him to pull her hair up and kiss her senseless. "

"OOOOOOuuuuucccchhhh..........!! What are u doing laddu??"

"Wake up sleeping beauty.  Time to get ready and head to the airport. Our flight is in few hours.. Remember??" 

" Oh.. i was seeing a beautiful and erotic dream... wait till it comes true soon...."

As scheduled, they reached their destination, checked in and loved the place. The tranquility and beauty of the place was worth the flight time, the money invested and time taken off. 

Jalebi's anxiety, shyness and wildness of her heartbeat reached its zenith, anticipating her dream to come true. 

Laddu was lounging on the chair in the patio in a relaxed stance,unknown to the raging fires within jalebi's mind and body. 

She tried to initiate the love making session, but couldn't fathom the lack of interest from laddu's part.

"whats wrong? did i do something which turned u off?"

" nahi, aisa kuch nahi hai.... just need to destress the mind. The wedding and its preparations have taken a toll on me"

"But, Aint u happy we are finally together?"

" Yes, Iam very happy. however, can't explain you my mindset as of now."
"SO, what do we do now?"

"lets just enjoy the vacation and let things be spontaneous"

"my dreams, my longing of being with u , my fantasies????"

"i Promise to fulfil it all in due course of time....."

She Said YES ABHI..... and he says ABHI NAHIN!

newbie daughter-in-law's veggie shopping experience!

mother-in-law hassled with the vegetable lady in a shrill voice, " how much for the karelas? 100/kg? aiyyo... its too much.. 80 should be fine!!"...

the newly wed bahu stood dutifully behind her to learn the tactics of the most important shopping a lady endures on a daily basis.. she was trying to control the peals of laughter bubbling within her while she glanced the interesting scene around her. lots of people were walking with bulging bags of colourful veggies and trying to sort good products from not to so ones, with their free hand!

its an art to learn how to run a household and its vegetable requirements.. it sounds floozy at the moment but too many permutations and combinations are needed in order to stock your fridge with healthy stuff and not rotten goods. In a big family, the choices/tastes are different and hence, one may consume abc veggie and the other may not.. !

the daughter in law was like a management trainee in a new corporation. she had to unlearn her learning and imbibe new organisation culture and learning.. the manual instructions include mother in laws instructions! The chef's requirements! the household staff helping and aiding u on how to select a better looking vegetable and so on... Its always advisable to ask your driver to hold the bags while u shop in a sabji mandi..

as she contemplated the pricing of a big supermarket v/s sabji mandi v/s weekly neighbourhood bazaars, She was thrown the most potent weapon to tackle.. " the rates are higher on a amavasya"..LOL!!

Am sure, this trip is the HIGHLIGHT of any self-respecting household stree's daily routine.. :P

Caution : please buy your stuff with a calm mind.. or else u will have to return back to stock up your dhania.. tamatar and nimbu !! ;) 

My views on what maketh a lady!

God is very mischievous.. he provides few things in abundance but pulls out one major thing.. for example: middle class people might have too many family values,love and so on..but need to struggle for their existence! (am not being racist of anything like that).. For me, it was classy stuff like, having too much money to buy clothes but can’t fit into anything!!

this dilemma has been dogging me since doggy years.. the precise reason i DETEST apparel shopping.. however , my “weight” issues never posed a hindrance for my personality growth.. who says a woman with generous curves cannot be confident enough to face the world? should she be veiled under anonymity?

surely, the world judges you on your physical attributes first.. and as they say,naughtily, SIZE matters.. lol!!

at the start, its cute when random aunties pull your cheeks and say “aww baby, so cute”. after passage of time, the same ladies,with their panties in bunch, make comments about the impending marriage, how clothes should be worn, how to behave etc while imparting any nonsense they know about shedding the skin, just like a snake would do!

no one would want to look ugly, wear ill fitting clothes, tolerate the unsolicited advices and still smile despite all this. It isn’t a lifestyle, but merely a hurdle of your physical attribute. Some can be due to genes.. some due to irregular hormones or lifestyle..! this can be corrected or at least kept in check if the person does something for it.

Crash diets.. weight loss pills.. lipo..gymming..baba ramdev..green tea.. etc are the most commonly heard “crash courses” by over enthu gyaan gurus. The reality being that every body’s metabolism reacts differently. what may work for a person,might not work for the other. In indian society, if you do not follow “the norm” , you are instantly labelled as a lazy person who doesn’t listen to the good advices.!! gosh!! give it a break guys!

Grey is a beautiful colour. not entirely black nor white. just the right mix.! similarly a personality should have a shade of grey. having the extreme attitudes in a perfect balance. I consider myself to be a great example of this! drink like a bear but pray like a saint. Smoke like a chimney but cook like a pro.. dance till you drop but greet your guests properly… getting my drift?? thats when the perfect balance is achieved. you enjoy your freedom yet are restricted by your values.

Managing human resources is the most tiresome job of being a smart manager. This can be achieved easily by having a beautiful smile always which is juxtaposed with kinds words for everyone around you. This will gain you immense respect and popularity in a short while. I practise what i preach strongly.

being extrovert has its own benefits.! you can walk into any party/event/anywhere and light it up with your exuberance and instantly connect with lots of personnel and build your network. you are never shy to approach anyone and start a conversation. it also makes you independent in your ways of life and gives u the ” LETS DO IT” attitude!

religiously being religious is also an important attribute. Praying and thanking god for the good life you lead is a way of staying grounded and humble. Have faith in any particular god u like, maybe ganeshji, balaji, allah,jesus etc.. and stay calm!:)

3 am friends..phone friends…hang out friends..buddies etc.. har friend zaroori hota hai! truly immortalised by the epic airtel ad.! its essential to be a good friend to someone and having good friends for yourself!  They are your extended family, who love you unconditionally, put up with your tantrums, share your secrets, act as sounding board, your drinking companions, partners in crimes and so on… there are many stuff which cannot be said to parents or relatives but can be ranted out verbally in a colourful language with them.. cheers to a beautiful thing known as friendship ! :) 

wedging your way between irresponsible pedestrians, crazy motorbikers, zooming cars and suddenly some jackass tries to overtake you from a scary position.. what would u do? Abuse in every language every cuss word possible !! :P :P i personally feel, its a therapeutic experience in exhaling the cuss words to highlight the stress points in a conversation or just to show your irritation ! its kinda orgasmic in saying “bahenchod, chutiya etc” with full passion..! lol..

Somras is an awesome invention by our ancestors..! the blissful sleep you get after getting sloshed/high is just right! at times, i feel like gulping down alcohol just to sleep well! the rule of drinking with friends is first peg is voluntary.. second is complementary, third is persuasion and 4th is BC,leke aa!! :P Rum-coke, vodka-coke and watermelon based cocktails are YUM !!!!!!

guess, my buck stops here.. 

A Quickie on Retail Therapy :)

Shopping...!! 

This word can raise the blood pressure in men and induce adrenaline rush in women! :)

Variegation in the purpose of shopping can be attempted to be listed as follows :
Window, blowing parents' money, retail therapy, aivehi, spur of the moment, too much money,budget etc..

Online shopping definitely has advantages but the charm of scouting stores physically and "checking out" stuff is a sport in itself..
you can hog to your heart's content, bitch about the heat with others, feel accomplished (as if u have won the olympic medal), crib about the traffic and parking slots etc.. Makes life worthwhile!

The usual dialogues that u need to learn and practice in order to be a shopping pro are:

Shopper:

1. bhaiyya, yeh/woh wala dikhana!  ( wasting time and energy of the salesman , poor guy)
2. kitne ka hai?  (curiosity's answer will kill the cat :P )
3. sahi dam bataye... (just check the price tag attached!! )
4. DISCOUNT??  (she forgot to see the "fixed rate board")
5. maal to thik hai na?  (he is selling u china maal...beware)
6. pichle dukanwala was giving at xyz rate!!  (why don't u go back and buy it?)

Shopkeeper:

1. ekdum naya maal hai.. ( just transfered from the stock room to the main showroom)
2. Absolutely single piece made! (salesman knows he has already sold 4 of them)
3. nahi nahi, fixed rate hai ( will bargain if desperate)
4. search entire shops, u won't find this rate and quality (buckchodi)
5. naa aapka naa mera, this rate is final! (premature/final ejaculation of the price :P)
6. paying by cash or card? card charges extra!! (this is the asterisk of terms and conditions)
7. here, take this eclair instead of change! (sweetening the tough deal)

hope u liked reading this quick take on shopping.... feel free to write your additional views in comments or on my fb post !

Japan!!

Land of the rising Sun - Nippon/Japan! 

This blog post is dedicated to the beautiful country of technological advancement, hardworking people,great culture and amazing countryside. 

Notable Cities worth visiting are Tokyo,Kyoto, Hiroshima-Nagasaki.

Bullet trains connect them with ease of time and comfort.

Facts/Tips : 

"Early to bed, Early to rise, makes a man healthy,wealthy and wise" -- this English proverb truly describes Japanese culture. 
They are very time conscious and punctual in their lifestyle. The restaurants/banquets will ask you to leave at the specified time (we experienced it) since they have to close for the day. This is not considered rude in their culture.

Bowing down,smile and greeting with a "konnichiwa"marks the beginning of the day.
 U will also hear a lot of "arigatou gozaimous" which means "thank u very much" throughout the day..
Japanese people are very helpful and smiling.. their accented english is easy to comprehend as well..

Sake is the locally brewed alcohol. Its a must try if you like to experiment with your drinks. The alcohol content in stuff like vodka, whiskey etc is very strong in japan as compared to india. So, be careful.

Japanese people are very private in nature. They usually do not invite people home for socialising, cover up their windows, stay upto themselves, work really hard and earning a plot of bury their dead parents with a tombstone is what their mission is !!

Visiting Japan during the cherry blossom time is considered to be the best. Natural beauty at its prime!

Places of interest :

The Golden Pavilion 

A zen buddhist place of worship which is fringed by beautifully laid out gardens. 
The temple is a tall structure made of gold and reflects beautifully in the lake,in which it is situated. This makes a awesome picture background.

Nijo Castle 


Nijo Castle is located in the city of Kyoto and was the home for the samurai shotgun.
There are many rooms and anterooms with intricately painted sliding doors. 
The samurai head(shotgun) used to receive his sub-lords in the rooms.
The shotgun used to squat/sit on a little raised platform and to his left, at a distance used to be his pageboy/manservant. the lords were supposed to sit farther down the room in a bowed down position. The most interesting piece of architecture are the "Nightingale floors". 
The flooring of the castle in the corridors make a particular noise, like squeaking of birds, so that the occupants are protected from sneak attacks or assassins.

Interesting trivia - the shotgun was never allowed to be with a particular wife in private since the wife could use her influence to ask for favours and stuff. There was always a servant present in the room with them.



Mt.Fuji 

Mt.Fuji

The weather gods need to be in a good mood when you plan a visit to see the famous volcano! 
Viewing the Mt.Fuji in its full glory, where u can see the summit, is the highlight of Japan trip..



Ashi Lake cruise- Hakone hot springs - ropeway ride 

A loooooong lazy cruise on a freshwater lake, surrounded by unbounded natural beauty can pep your mood up! the cruise is a part of a day trip to see the natural hot springs at hakone.. you will reach the summit in a ropeway and then proceed on foot to see the springs. 
Be prepared to walk a lot.. naturally boiled eggs on the springs are available for purchase and are black in colour!


Shinto Shrine 


The predominant religion of Japan is shinto.
They worship the spirit present in everything in the world. It can be in a form of a tree, rock, animal, place etc. The shrine entrances are marked by a particular sign as shown.

Roppongi and Ginza areas

These are the partying and hi-fashion shopping areas in Tokyo. 
Although tokyo is considered to be the most expensive city to live in etc. a walk down the street is a MUST! Roppongi has an interesting night life. Hard Rock Cafe is a great watering hole.

Hooters is a great place for a drink in ginza area.. be prepared to find all the places on the street to be full everynight.. 
jostling for a table is a herculean task!

Tokyo Tower

It looks exactly like the Eiffel Tower from a distance. 
Visit to the observation deck gives u a eagle eye view of the entire city. 
Would suggest to buy mint candy from their souvenir shop. They resemble homeopathic  medicine in a tokyo tower styled bottle.

Shopping malls/departmental stores are humongous and deserve total devotion in terms of time and money to shop crazily..!! 
one can get great deals on electronic items.. I would personally recommend akhibara mall for their massive collection..

Japan is a highly developed nation. This point is driven home with a superior force when u visit the city of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 
The memorial dedicated to the nuclear bombing in world war 2 is awe-inspiring. 
You cannot believe your eyes after seeing the city, that it was practically razed to the ground! Its just like a phoenix risen from the ashes!! you can view the wristwatch which stopped precisely at the time of bombing the city.. 8:15 am!

 


Bullet Train

Engineering marvel..! this should sum it up in totality!

The security personnel actually make sure u stand behind a drawn line on the platform, if the train isnt stopping at that station. The speed of the train will make u NUMB! whooooosssshhh........!!!!

The trains are always always always ON TIME and stop exactly where it is supposed to be.! unlike in india, where S7 is supposed to be, but u find S9!


Geisha

Private performances by a professional geisha has to be sought by your company through their agents. 
A geisha performs the traditional japanese dance and will play their rock-paper-scissor game for their audience. Their make up makes them shine even in a dark room.
 A apprentice geisha can be identified by the less number of ornaments worn in the hair and their kimonos.
 Its very hard to train to be a geisha. They have to live with their masters, perform the daily chores and attend the classes. A proffessional geisha gets her hair done in a salon once a week and they really have ELABORATE hair dos... For more info, you can google about them or read "memoirs of geisha"..!!


Tokyo Disneyland 

I absolutely love visiting disneyland.. it makes me feel lost in a make believe world of cartoons and happiness !
 Kindly do not plan your trip on a sunday!
 It will be swamped with mothers and their kids in prams.

 Do plan a trip to japan to experience a absolutely disciplined lifestyle! Although japan is not a predominantly tourist country, it still has a LOT to offer :-)

Rome and Dubai .. Time Travel between the 2 cities :)

Travelling gives you a wider perspective of things. 

It makes u culture sensitive,seasoned back packer, human calculator regarding the currency exchange rates and so on...

My sojourn was in two diametrically opposite cities which enabled me to experience different cultures, time zones and fun!

Let me begin with the first stop at the historically enriched city of Rome, known locally as Roma :)

Exploring rome requires stamina to walk, comfortable shoes/footwear since  the streets are cobbled , an umbrella in the season of may-june and a great camera with enough memory space :) 

You are spell bound by the huge monolithic structures and sculptures which inspire a sense of awe and how-is-it-possible-without-technology feeling. Even the creases on the clothing of the structures were carved immaculately. It projected a very realistic feeling!

The food street of rome lets you to restaurant hop, make international friends, watch random perfomances  happening in the centre of the piazza, get sloshed, eat tiramisu and yum margherita pizzas :) 

Must try  are the gelatos (they are impossible to finish), pizzas and tiramisu.. walk down any street, park yourself on the outside seating of the small bistros/restaurants and sit aimlessly chatting and hogging! The world seems to have slowed down in the alleys of rome... An experience in itself!

Noteworthy monuments/places of visit include the Colosseum, Vatican city, Trevi fountain and pantheon.



Colosseum :  This monument has  seen 
a lot of blood bath ! this amphitheatre styled building was an arena for the gladiator fights, wherein either the beast finishes the swordsman or vice versa..! it can supposedly seat 50,000 people  at once.

Vatican City : The seat of Christianity ! need i say more? 
It is a walled enclave in the city of rome which is recognised as an independent country and the smallest in the world... 
The city houses the Museum Vaticano, Sistine chapel, St.Peters Basilica etc. 
Photography is prohibited only in the Sistine Chapel. There are long gallerias lined with amazingly carved  sculptures, beautiful mosaics on the floor, tapestries, frescoes etc!

Trevi Fountain :
Iconic fountain! 
throw a coin and make a wish.. u really need to jostle with people to get a single picture with the fountain.It is lit beautifully at night. 
Just sit on the sides and admire the sheer brilliance of the fountain!

Overall, I would just say, visit rome to forget yourself in the realms of time.. admire art and its artists, walk hand in hand with your loved one on the streets, eat to your hearts content and make merry :) 


My next destination was the jaw dropping city of DUBAI !

After a 6 and half hour flight, i reached the global melting pot of Dubai.. 
my eyes popped out at the glimpse of the massive and cute elevators, duty free shopping and the trains connecting terminals of the dubai airport. 
We were staying at the royal ascot hotel in the heart of bur dubai, which is predominantly an asian area. You will feel instantly at home in india. 
Pakistanis and Indians co-exist harmoniously along with the arabs in the beautifully technologically advanced city of dubai.

Every cuisine is available in this city, although i was craving for some masala dosas which was happily hogged at saravana bhavana.

 The tour operators are meticulous and courteous while showing you around and patiently waiting in the lobby in case you are running late.

I have traveled a lot internationally, but never fallen in love with any place as i did with dubai. The sheer incredulity of finding of the best fruits, the best waterpark, the best flower garden, the best building structures, the best malls, the best shopping, the best aquariums, the best people floored me over completely. 

if rome seeped u in time, then dubai propelled u in the future.. 

Burj Khalifa is an fantastic structure which enabled mankind to mark his space till sky! 
The tallest building in the world took almost 12 years to build and numbs your mind when u step on the observation desk @ 124th floor.
You can view the entire city..then the neighboring city, then the desert, then the sea from the deck.

The tickets are sold months in advance and have specific timings to visit as mentioned in the ticket. Plan your trip accordingly!

Desert Safari is an absolute MUST! 

The drivers deflate the tyres and then drive u around on sand dunes. The speciality being, u cant see where the dune will end, will it soar more upwards or plunge downwards. It advisable not to eat much before the safari begins..You are driven around in a land cruiser, hummer etc..  You are then taken to the desert camp, wherein you can click pics in abaya (burqa), smoke shisha (hookah), watch belly dancing and indulge in local cuisine.

Marina Walk gives u a huge option of restaurants and cafes which are open late till wee hours.. watch the yachts anchored, smoke a shisha, have coffee, admire the fountains etc...

Gold souk will dazzle your senses with the wide array of splendid gold sets,diamonds etc.. The purity and price difference with indian rates will tempt u to buy buy buy.. only hitch being transporting the same to india. I would suggest buy something which u can wear during the flight and evade customs.. :P :P

Dubai Miracle Gardens provide the perfect backdrop for your photographs. Finding interesting arrangements of flowers in a desert, is enough to go photo crazy... must visit! kindly check the timings of open season before planning the trip.

There is much more to dubai like finding peacocks near sheikh's residence.. the awesome bump-free highways, the mind blowing flyovers, the vastness of the city and the most amazing cars to be found on mother earth!!

Atlantis Palm Dubai will make your stay and money worthwhile.. i stayed there for a night and was feeling like alice in wonderland.. the waterpark situated in the hotel has a conveyor belt to transport people sitting on tubes for the next rides... its a perfect family destination resort which gives romantic atmosphere, kids entertainment, Huge aquariums with all size,colour and shape of fishes, innumerable restaurnts and bars to party/dine, see well dressed people, white pristine beaches and the landscape of dubai at your eye-sight!

Let me end this blog here, let you explore more of the cities i mentioned, whenever you plan a visit.