On a recent trip from Washington, DC to Nairobi, I had a quick layover in Dubai. There are so many articles and lists out there highlighting what one should do with one’s time on such a layover, but what goes through the mind of someone who is actually doing the things on those layover lists?

Below is are some thoughts that went through my mind as I fought jet lag, regretted wearing black jeans in the desert, and tried to take in as much of Dubai as I could:

1. Dubai’s Metro was Easy to Use

Photo Credit: Dubai Roads & Transport Authority

Washington, DC’s Metro is notoriously delayed, dark, dingy, confusing, and on fire. Conversely, Dubai’s Metro was fast, clean, easy to use, affordable, and not on fire! The Red Card is a great tourist-friendly card that can be purchased for 2 AED (about $0.50 USD) and can be recharged up to ten trips or five daily passes. Trip pricing depends on how many of the seven zones are crossed, but even if you traveled to the end of the line and back, the Dubai Metro is still significantly more affordable than other public transit systems in major cities worldwide. With just two lines running throughout the city, mostly above ground, it’s a great way to get out of the airport quickly and see some sights on the cheap!

2. The Dubai Mall was Kind of Overwhelming and Boring (to Me)

Don’t get me wrong, I love the thrill of finding that one item you have been searching for in the shops or online (mostly soccer kits). Even though I can appreciate the act of shopping or browsing window displays, I found the Dubai Mall to be an overwhelming showcase of ultra luxury stores that certainly feels right at home in Dubai (given its expensive reputation) but offers little in the way of unique entertainment. The mall basically feels like a holding pen for tourists on layovers like me. Of course, luxury shops can be exciting, but the sheer number of them sort of dulled the mystique so much that the most exciting store ended up being a Boots (my wife’s favorite)!

While the mall itself felt like a bit of a letdown, The Dubai Aquarium (in the mall!) was pretty amazing. It’s a massive 167 feet long, 65 feet wide, 36 feet tall tank containing over 26 million gallons of water! Over 140 species (tens of thousands of sea creatures) call the enormous aquarium home.

While the underwater adventure was welcome entertainment, I eventually started to feel like so many of the sharks and mantas on display–moving in a giant circle, staring straight ahead, wondering why time was passing so slowly. Mall walking got boring very quickly, and we found ourselves yearning to experience something with a little more personality. Admittedly, we were operating on little sleep after a 16-hour flight.

Under the Desert Sea

3. Going Up Into Tall Buildings Just Doesn’t Appeal to Me Like it Did When I was A Kid

Growing up in the absolutely flat part of Minnesota, tall buildings were really exciting. The tallest building in Minnesota is the IDS Tower which barely touches the sky–let alone scrapes it–at 792 feet. Highlights of my childhood include looking out from the Observation Decks of Chicago’s Willis (then Sears) Tower (1,353 feet), and Toronto’s CN Tower (1,122 ft) to gaze at the sprawling cities below.



I work at an architecture firm. I am absolutely fascinated by the engineering that went into such a building, and followed its construction progress, but for whatever reason I just wasn’t that interested in going 1,823 feet up to the observatory of the Burj Khalifa!



It may have honestly been the price. With tickets ranging from 141-550 AED ($39-$150 USD), I didn’t really want to see Dubai laid out at my feet, and opted to save as much as I could for my final destination. It was also very hot, we weren’t dressed for the climate, and were starting to feel sluggish as the jet lag set in.

Representing Minnesota United FC – Black Jeans Were a Bad Choice

4. I Loved Dubai’s Silent Airport

While public announcements have the simple objective of alerting passengers of flight status and other relevant information, the sheer number of them can quickly lead to inattentive passengers in the hubbub of a bustling airport. Seriously–next time your in an airport, count the number of announcements that are made while you’re sitting at your gate. It’s a lot.



Dubai International Airport (DXB) has adopted a policy of significantly reduced public announcements inside and outside the airport. According to airport officials, they were making, on average 2000 announcements a day before the policy change. Working with airlines and other airport partners, they’ve reduced that number to 600! That might still sound like a lot, but when compared it other airports around the world, it is positively mute!

I came to love the silent approach to DXB. It was a bit eerie and jarring at first when coming out of the plane, but it quickly became a welcomed policy. I commend DXB for their dedication to passenger comfort, and I hope other airports adopt the policy! Just make sure to read the information boards so don’t miss your flight!

There is Lots of Marble and Glass at DXB

5. It Felt Crossroads of the World

Dubai is an exciting city, in that it feels like such a unique crossroads to the world. Liz and I had so much fun looking at the Arrivals and Departures boards at the airport and adding destination after destination to our Potential Future Visit List. After all, 260 destinations on six continents are serviced by Dubai International Airport! This was the first time I’ve ever been on the Arabian Peninsula, and while it wasn’t a culture shock, there certainly were cultural elements that I found challenging at times, but nonetheless exciting. That’s the whole point of travel, right? To experience new places and cultures?

6. It Felt Hard to Find Emirati Culture in Dubai

Though Dubai felt like an amazing crossroads of the world–it felt as though there was a key element missing: Emirati Culture! Now, of course a deep dive into the heart and soul of what defines The Emirates and its people is not possible in a jet-lagged 6-hour layover, but it would have been nice to experience something that felt a bit more “authentic”. Maybe that’s just it! I’m sure, just like the United States, each emirate has it’s own culture of some note. Did Dubai simply choose to lean hard on luxury and extravagance as their contribution? Or is that really what most tourists visit for?

There are so many guides telling you what to do in Dubai if you have a certain amount of hours, and I hope I am there for a bit longer the next time I visit. There’s certainly much more to experience than the mall.

Furthermore, I didn’t get nearly enough soccer during this trip, and I’d love to attend an Al-Nasr Dubai SC match. One of my favorite players, Álvaro Negredo, plays for them! This is, after all, a blog about football and far away places and my layover seriously lacked footy.

Have you had Dubai layover? Perhaps a layover somewhere else? What stood out in your mind while you explored before heading off to your final destination?