A Blissful Reunion

Why is it that when you are waiting for something exciting to happen, time seems to slow to a halt... yet while you are having fun it passes far quicker than you'd like it to? I waited patiently for my boyfriend Ryan to arrive in Dubai to visit me. Finally, the day arrived and I headed to the airport to pick him up. 6 days zoomed by, and tonight we said goodbye once again. I forced myself to be strong, attempting to avoid the impending emotional breakdown that will likely strike once I find myself alone in my quiet apartment.

All sad thoughts aside, we had an incredible 6 days together... without a doubt the best week I've experienced in Dubai in my 6 months of living here. It began on Tuesday evening... I set off for the airport to reunite for the first time in over 4 months. I caught the crew bus to headquarters, planning to take the metro to save some of my precious dirhams. I was 10 minutes too late and the staff informed me that I'd missed the last train. Nothing could ruin my great mood, so I headed for the exit to hail a taxi. Normally catching a taxi is simple... a 3 minute wait at most. That night was an exception. I grew impatient as I checked my watch to find the time drawing increasingly nearer to Ryan's arrival. After 15 minutes in the extreme heat, I finally was able to stop a taxi and I made sure to express the urgency in which I needed to get to the airport. I soon discovered that all of my rushing had been for nothing. The flight was delayed, and I waited for nearly an hour and a half before I finally spotted my Canadian boy dragging his suitcases towards the exit. We rushed to hug eachother, as he struggled to comprehend how it was even possible for a place to be so hot so late at night. We caught a taxi back to my apartment and headed to bed, happy to finally be back together.

The next day was a very special day... our anniversary of dating! Unfortunately, I found myself on standby later that evening, so a romantic evening was out of the question. I'd convinced myself that I wouldn't get called for any flights, so I was quite upset when we were woken from a nap to a phone call informing me that I'd be heading to Delhi a few hours later. I cursed crew scheduling and thought all sorts of mean, miserable thoughts as I reluctantly got ready for one of my least favorite flights. The good news was that since I'd return at 7 in the morning, I was guaranteed the rest of the day off. I flew to India and back, keeping myself motivated by the thought of heading home to cuddle with my boyfriend. Early in the morning I dragged myself into my room, and we slept until later that afternoon. That evening, it was finally time for a long overdue date. A friend had recommended a great restaurant called "Jimmy's Killer Prawns". Both of us were extremely excited as we ate plate after plate of unlimited prawns and sushi. It was delicious, and while it was far less romantic than a typical date spot, it suited us perfectly. We were barely able to walk after eating far too many prawns. Perhaps crew scheduling had felt bad for the India turnaround that had interrupted our first night together, or maybe luck was on my side. Either way, I was thrilled to find that I had the next day off. I immediately began making plans for what we'd do with an entire day of freedom. We woke up early, changed into our swimsuits, and headed for the beach. I know that I complain quite often about my dusty desert home, but I must give Dubai credit for its beautiful beaches. We found a spot on the white sand beach just beneath a palm tree, and then ran into the warm blue water. After we'd both acquired mild sunburns, we headed back to my apartment to shower and get ready for the rest of the day. Next stop, Irish Village. In the midst of this large Islamic city lies a restaurant serving pork, beer, and cocktails. I sipped a pina colada (my first alcoholic beverage in Dubai) as Ryan opted for a delicious long island iced tea. We shared an appetizer before catching the metro to Dubai Mall, where we spent hours wandering the huge shopping center. After weeks of healthy eating, we treated ourselves to Starbucks and McDonald's. Eating junk food tastes soooo good! For dinner we chose to return to a restaurant where we'd dined at back in January. We sat on an outdoor patio with an amazing view of the Burj Khalifa and the awesome dancing fountain show. I'd highly recommend this place to anyone who visits Dubai... you get the great view at a decent price. The food was incredible. We ordered the seafood platter, complete with squid, fish, and giant prawns that tasted like lobster. We finished off with tirimisu, and headed home satisfied with a great day. I thanked my lucky stars when I checked my schedule to find that I had yet another day off. I was giddy, once again making plans to have a great day out with the boy that I love. I felt as if I'd won the lottery when I found that I had the next day off as well..... 3 in a row!! We may not have the opportunity to go on many dates, but when we do, we go all out. In celebration, we decided to spend our evening sipping fancy drinks at the world's one and only 7 star hotel... the Burj Al Arab. After making a reservation, it dawned on us that we were not dressed nearly classy enough for the highest class place in this city. We headed to the mall where he picked up some new shoes as I searched for a brand new dress. Wearing our new purchases we set off for the Mall of the Emirates, where we chowed down on Big Mac's to fill up a bit before heading to the expensive bar. Dressed to the nines, we shoved burgers into our mouths in the mall food court. We hailed a taxi and felt quite high class as we asked the driver to take us to the Burj Al Arab. Upon reaching the beautiful sail shaped hotel, a security guard confirmed our reservation before our taxi was allowed in. Another security lowered a roadblock allowing us access. We stepped out of the taxi and entered the famous lobby. We stood in awe as we gazed up at the towering ceiling. Every single detail was extravagant. Gold pillars, beautiful fountains, and beauty beyond any other building that I've stepped foot in. We took the elevator to the 27th floor and were taken to a seat by the window. The bar was filled with pretty lights and exquisite decor. Fancy dressed couples sipped champagne like royalty. We were extremely excited when we were brought a tray shaped like the hotel, filled with nuts. We browsed through the pricey menu before deciding upon two cocktails. The "Burj Royal" for Ryan, and the "My Mela" for myself. Both were amazing, but mine tasted like chocolate covered strawberries and was perhaps the most delicious cocktail that I've ever sipped. Never ceasing to impress us, the waiter delivered a small plate of tapas... a tiny plate full of tiny (yet delicious) bites of food. Realizing that this was perhaps a once in a lifetime opportunity, we decided to order 2 glasses of champagne. The waiter poured a small amount into Ryan's glass, as Ryan cluelessly stared back at him. "Taste it!", I whispered, nudging his arm. He gave his approval and the waiter topped up our glasses. We clinked them together and said "cheers!" to an amazing night. Making the most of our evening, we stayed for several hours. We were moved to another table with a view of the city skyline and the Burj Khalifa. The menu was by no means cheap, but we agreed to treat ourselves, as we ordered a cold seafood platter. It was small, as we'd expected, but the mussels, crab, prawns and oysters were little bites of perfection. We sat hand in hand taking in the atmosphere, getting a taste of what life might be like for the rich and famous. After several hours we finally agreed to call it a night, as we headed back down the lobby. We stayed for awhile taking photos of the beautiful hotel. We met an employee who told us about all of the celebrities that he'd met in his 6 years working at the hotel. Ryan inquired about what he planned to do with the roses on each table, to which he quickly caught on and asked if I'd like to take them. "We import them each morning from Holland", he informed us, "I'm just going to throw these away tonight." Ryan handed me a few of the fresh roses as we continued walking around snapping photos. A few minutes later the friendly employee walked over and handed me another huge bunch of roses to take home. We'd had a great night, and it was time to head home.

The next morning we woke up and headed straight for the pool. Summer is only a few weeks away and spending more than 20 minutes outside is getting more and more impossible. After a quick dip we headed back to get ready to head for lunch. As it was Ryan's last day in Dubai, we opted to head for all you can eat prawns yet again. We ate plate after plate of juicy prawn goodness and headed back home. I was scheduled for airport standby at 12:30 am, so I needed to get some sleep to manage to stay awake until 4 am at the earliest. We had our last nap together, waking up to pack our suitcases. At 10:30 pm, it was time to say goodbye. I held back tears as I clung to Ryan, reluctantly bidding him farewell. I took comfort in the fact that unlike last time, we will only be apart for a month before I come home for 2 weeks in July. I walked him downstairs and gave him a quick hug before he walked out the doors and headed for the airport. Oh how I hate goodbyes. Not wanting to ruin my makeup, I didn't let myself cry, as I changed into my uniform. This part will never get easier, but the amazing time we had together overshadows the sadness that I'm left with when he's gone back home. Only 30 more sleeps and we'll be together again!!