UAE: Skyscrapers, Sand Dunes, and a Glimpse of the Future

The UAE is a study in extremes — ancient trade routes and some of the tallest, most futuristic buildings on the planet, all within a short drive of each other.

No trip to Dubai is complete without the Burj Khalifa. Standing at the top, watching the city stretch out into the haze in every direction, gives you a real sense of how fast — and how big — this place has grown. Right at its base is the Dubai Mall, less a mall and more a small city in itself, with the fountain show outside running late into the night.

One evening was reserved for a desert safari — dune bashing in a 4x4 as the sun dropped low, turning the sand a deep orange-red, followed by a quiet stop to watch the stars come out over the dunes. It's a completely different rhythm from the city.

The Museum of the Future was easily one of the most striking buildings I've seen — that calligraphy-covered, torus-shaped exterior is even more impressive in person, and the exhibits inside lean fully into Dubai's love of "what's next."

To balance it all out, a walk along the Dubai Creek was a welcome change of pace — old wooden abras crossing the water, spice souks, and a reminder of the city's roots as a trading port long before the skyscrapers arrived. Some favorites from this trip are now up in the Wanderlust gallery.