Right when I think I have got my UAE bucket list under control, up crop another 10 things. Next thing I know, I am rearranging plans, messaging friends and wondering how on Earth I am going to fit it all in.
It’s been three and a half years since I first stepped foot on UAE soil and my list keeps growing.
It started off how most do — a visit to the desert, a dhow ride across Dubai creek, a lift to the top of Burj Khalifa, a visit to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. I made steady progress, confident — cocky, even — that I was making the most of everything the UAE has to offer.
But that’s the thing about the UAE: its offerings only ever grow.
In the past week alone, my bucket list has gained three things.
In Ras Al Khaimah, the region’s longest toboggan ride — the Jais Sledder — has opened, winding through the Hajar Mountains, offering riders scenic views as they go.
Then there’s Sharjah Safari Park, which has been seven years in the making. Home to more than 1,000 animals, including the rare black rhino, the park has 12 different environments and covers a space of eight square kilometres.
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Sharjah Safari covers an area of eight square kilometres. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National -
The official opening of the Sharjah Safari Park took place on Thursday, February 17. -
Sharjah Safari Park is said to be the largest safari in the world outside Africa. -
It is located in Al Bridi Nature Reserve in the city of Al Dhaid in Sharjah. -
Sharjah Safari is home to more than 120 species, including rare animals native to Africa, the rarest of which is the black rhinoceros. -
Visitors can meet Bridi, the first African female giraffe born in Sharjah Safari. Bridi's parents arrived in Sharjah from South Africa in May 2017. -
Visitors experience the safari through 12 themed 'environments', each representing a region in Africa. -
More than 1,000 native and African trees, including the umbrella-shaped Acacia tortilis, have been planted across the site. -
Another highlight is Wuhaida, the first female southern white rhino born in Sharjah Safari in August 2021. -
Tickets start from Dh15 for children aged 3 to 12, and Dh40 for over 12s. -
Sharjah Safari will be open daily from 8.30am until 6.30pm. -
Sharjah Safari is located within Al Bridi Nature Reserve, created by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah. -
Al Bridi reserve is located in the oasis town of Al Dhaid, about 49 kilometres from the city of Sharjah. -
Visitors show up on opening day. -
Sharjah Safari is a new major tourist attraction in the emirate. -
Last entry is 2pm for Gold and Silver ticket holders and 4pm for those with Bronze tickets. -
Indigenous creatures make their home in Sharjah Safari. -
Giraffes also reside here. -
On opening day, visitors to Sharjah Safari were able to see more than 1,000 animals and birds, including 70 species that are native to Africa. -
Initially scheduled to open in late 2021, the launch of the UAE's latest attraction was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. -
Animals settle into their new habitats. -
Sharjah Safari's logo is a celebration of the animal kingdom. Photo: Sharjah Safari
And of course, there’s Dubai’s Museum of the Future. Officially named as one of the world’s most beautiful buildings, it promises to take visitors on a journey like no other, with seven floors dedicated to exploring endless future possibilities.
And let’s not even get started on making my way through Expo 2020 Dubai or all the restaurants I want to visit — another part of my bucket list that was given a healthy boost recently thanks the Mena 50 Best list, which named 19 restaurants across the UAE as some of the best in the Middle East and North Africa.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a nice problem to have — a great one, actually. Especially considering that in the rural English town where I grew up, there is one decent restaurant, one cinema screen and one dusty museum of which the highlight is a life-size plastic model of an elephant. The nearest city is more than an hour away by train and so the luxury of choice is somewhat limited.
And now I find myself in a country in which choices feel infinite, where every day, I am lucky enough to read or write about something that piques my sense of adventure or sparks a new level of excitement, a place where I can have a new experience every weekend or try a new restaurant or cuisine every time I eat out.
I am aware of what a privilege that is.
Sure, it brings with it the admin of trying to keep my UAE bucket list up to date, but perhaps I need to accept that I may never fully complete it — or better still, make sure I stay here until I do.
