Folks, wanted to write my experiences on taking a 3 day stopover in Dubai while flying to Delhi with kids. I traveled with two – age 1 & 7. Dubai is a great city and it was lot of fun. Visa -  If you flying Emirates, visa can be applied online. You have to scan and upload the documents which is a little bit of pain as the site requires the documents not more than a certain size and rejects them if they are not w/o giving any errors. The process is still better as everything can be done online. US citizens get a 30 day visa on arrival and do not need a visa in advance. Hotels - are expensive in Dubai. I booked mine through Hotels.com after reading reviews on Tripadvisor.  I was traveling with kids and wanted something with kitchen. I found one in “Bur Dubai” area which couple of my friends told me is centrally located and clean & safe. I booked the Xclusive Hotels Apartments. Turned out to be neat, clean place with a sufficient kitchen. The staff was also nice. They do have a shuttle for the airport so ask in advance otherwise Taxis are readily available at airport.

What to do: 1.    Dubai is a city of many malls. Bur Dubai and this hotel is close to Burjuman Mall. It is walking distance from Hotel, it’s an ok mall but  has the metro station so u can catch it from here if u r staying in this area. 2.    Burj Khalifa & Dubai Mall – the tallest building in the world, Its spectacular and worth seeing. Its right next to Dubai mall which is also a good one. I did not get a chance to go up as the tickets were all sold out. Buy tickets in advance online, it’s about 100 Dirhams. They have a walk-in category also but  that costs 400 Dirhams which is kinda costly. At the base of Burj Khalifa is Dubai musical fountains. They are spectacular, they start at about 7 PM and have  a show every 15-30 mins. Kids will just love it. The entire ambience is great at night and has great Arabic touch to it. There are restaurants facing the fountain, they are nice but costly. Also there is lot of smoking outdoors so with kids that might be a hassle. Dubai Mall also has a Gold Souk(bazaar) built in great Arabic design.

3.    Mall of Emirates  - This mall is quite new and looks great. Has the indoor ski area. I did not go in it but looked great for ski and some snow play. They rent out the ski gear except caps & gloves which can be purchased if you are not carrying it. But nothing is cheap in these malls so watch it. 4.    Jumeirah Beach Residency (JBR) walk – A great place south of Dubai with outdoor restaurants, 5-7 star hotels, by the sea – A great place to stroll in the evening, catch a bite and stuff. A must see. 5.    Madinat Jumeirah – A great shopping place built in Bazaar ambience and a hotel – It has a great architecture / design. Its right next to Burj-al-Arab. The famous Hotel that has been in so many movies. This is also a must see. Has some great restaurants (expensive though). The hotel has a creek running through it and there is a boat ride that takes u around. Go during evening and it looks beautiful. 6.    Desert Resorts – We went to one which is about 100 Kms from Dubai called Hatta Fort. A good quiet scenic place and the drive was through the countryside / desert, so was good to see that part of it. There are few others which are closer to Dubai. 7.    Jumeirah beach Park – This is a park with a beach in it. Good place with kids to play and have fun on the beach. Water is nice and cool. No photography allowed on the beach but.  There is a Jumeirah public beach next to it but this is better as has a good park and eating places also. 8.    Gold Souk – It’s in Diera – old city– and is worth going and having a look at all the gold shops.

Other Stuff
1.    Taxis system is great and cheap – so cab around a lot, saves time. Metro is also great but Taxi will save time. 2.    There are places in the “PALMS” like Atlantis but we did not get a chance to go there
3.    Desert Safari, I heard is great where they take u on Landrovers in desert and do dune bashing going up & down the dunes but we were advised that it’s not suitable with 1 year old. 4.    Dubai night life is famous with many clubs but we did not get a chance to explore with kids.
5.    Check things on Google and other sites, there is enough information Hope this is useful and enjoy your Trip…:)

Traveling is an important aspect, which can definitely be a fun, adventurous, and exciting experience.  However, I feel that the main appeal of traveling comes from the fact that traveling can open one's eye's to an entire  different level and makes them explore something they never imagined.  I would say that  traveling to other countries and third wheel countries is critical and every person whether they have family responsibiliities or they are straight out of college should still travel to a country which is completely different from their current country.  The reason is because this makes people more open minded to other cultures, religions, and allows them to think out of their box.   Thus,  my main objective of this blog is that anybody who is debating whether or not to travel somewhere they never immagined, then jump on the plane and do so because it an experience which you will never forget!  

A fear of flying is a level of anxiety so great that it prevents a person from travelling by air, or causes great distress to a person when he or she is compelled to travel by air. The most extreme manifestations can include panic attacks or vomiting at the mere sight or mention of an aircraft or air travel.  However, there are preventions.  Sources say the most simplest way to treat flight anxiety and phobias is by mastering some relaxation techniques. For example, classes such as yoga or medication classes.  Creative visualization is especially well-suited to travel fears.  One example of a visualization technique for fearful travels is by imagining yourself instead at your destination having the time of your life and enjoying your stay.Education also plays a critical aspect in the prevention of flight anxiety.  One way to educate yourself to prevent you from the fear of flying is by teaching yourself about the realities of air travel. By learning more about air travels, this can diminish the concern about physical safety and lessen your worries.    Understand what a certain sound is or what the encounter with turbulence will not destroy the aircraft is some good facts to know for anxious flyers.    Thus, hope these tips help the anxious flyers and use these for their future encounters!

As we all know, packing up and getting ready for the flight can be a pretty stressful and time consuming.   We tend to over stress ourselves that we won't forget anything that is important and remember all the things we have to do before going on the flight.  However, through my past experiences, I have jotted down a couple of pointers on things that have a crucial impact on your trip and flight.   One important thing to do is never leave town without some cash – domestic or foreign currency! If you’re traveling within the country, make sure to hit the bank before you leave. Having pocket cash will be beneficial in case any sort of emergency comes up or for any other cash requirements when you arrive at your city/country.  Another tip is wherever destination you are going to, it is essential to do a little research.  Maps, guide books, transportation information, and any written articles or websites would be essential when you arrive at your destination so you have a heads up of the geographic aspect of your destination .   The last tip I am giving you is to check your local weather in your destination and the weather conditions throughout your time of travel.  Remember that the weather can also be inconsistent, and it is good to bring extra clothes or ammenities just in case the weather changes drastically.  Well, hope these tips are useful and stay tuned for any upcomming blogs for more tips about "Don't forget to...before your flight"!