January 29

Well, I know I made a promise that I was going to get some sleep this weekend, but everybody in my class was going to Dubai, so...  Needless to say, I joined them.  I did wait, and I went on Saturday morning, because I needed to get some things in Abu Dhabi the night before.  So off I went on the 6 AM bus ride, darn, that's early!  The group was me, Alex from Turkministan, Gozie from Nigeria, Fatah from Algeria, and Khalil from Oman.  Got to the airport right around 8:30 AM, and took the Metro off to the city!  We went down into the downtown area - Baniyas Square, so the boys could look for their electronics.  I didn't really see anything I wanted.  Mostly just mass produced stuff that I wasn't interested in.  I'm trying so hard to find something cool, but I have yet to do so.  I really hope I find something authentic while I'm here at least.  We then headed out of the city center to Dubai Mall which also happens to be right next to the Burj Khalifa.  Unfortunately we did not plan ahead, so there were no tickets to be had today.  :(  This is going to be a priority for me next time I come.  I really want to be in the tallest building in the world, at least until the new one they're building in Saudi Arabia is complete!  Dubai Mall is pretty awesome, I'm not going to lie.  Not even that I like malls, but it does seem to have just about everything.  Dining, an aquarium, tallest building in the world, and about 500 shops.  It is actually worth going to just to see all the stuff in there.  We visited the aquarium which was okay; not the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago or anything like that.  We had lunch in the food court.  They boys went all out and had McDonalds.  Of course you're going to ask, why have McDonalds when practically every food imaginable is available?  Apparently they've missed it; our training facility leaves something to be desired at times...  They all went off shopping for friends and family, and I tried to make my way to the beach to meet the other students from my class.  After discovering the beach was going to be pretty difficult to get to :(, I headed over to another mall to meet some people.  City Center mall is more like what we have in the USA.  I visited H&M, Mango, and the juice bar.  :)  Now I realize that it sounds like all I did was going shopping, but I really only bought 1 jacket and 7 macaroons (my favorite type of cookie).  I just couldn't seem to find the shoes or souvenirs that I was looking for.  I guess that means I'll just have to go back and try again!  Headed home on the 6 PM bus that didn't leave till 6:45.  Sigh, gotta love this country.  Goodnight!