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As we have school Sunday through Thursday, Saturdays have become our Sundays. At school in the US, I’d normally spend my Sundays working in the library with friends, a blanket, and a lot of Nutella. This Sunday, my friends and I went on a boat cruise in the Dubai Creek, touring Old Dubai.

Our group picture, taken by a cruise photographer.

After we set sail, we attacked the buffet of mostly Indian-style food, which was delicious despite how cheap the experience had been. They had custard, to my delight, though they didn’t do it the correct way us Kiwis do. I also had my first experience with awwameh, doughy desert balls in a sweet syrup.

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Our boat passed many other tours in the Dubai Creek. Though it was too hot, I loved standing at the railing and staring off at all of the lights. Water grounds me and despite a little bit of my perpetual melancholy, I felt calm thinking of all the worlds around the water.

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I saw my first stars since coming to Dubai. I haven’t really been out of the city yet, and after a summer in Zion where there are a hundred zillion stars every night, it’s weird not to have twinkling nights as constant companions. But it’s still the same sky, and the same moon that my friends and people all over the world gaze at.

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This was my first shot at using the camera on the smartphone I bought to host my UAE number. I think I’ll be sticking to the old and trusty Windows Phone still!

The architecture of Old Dubai especially was magical and I loved getting to go through Dubai on a boat–it was definitely a unique and enchanting experience.

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