There are cities that impress you. And then there’s Dubai, a place that makes you question what “normal” even means.
Spend enough time here and the surreal becomes routine. You stop blinking when a Lamborghini pulls up to Carrefour, you casually describe 40°C as “not that bad,” and you meet more nationalities in one afternoon than some people do in a lifetime. Rain feels negotiable, petrol stations feel optional, and 15-minute deliveries feel… slow.
Here, a few things that can only happen in the tiny emirate. Some of it is impressive, some of it is chaotic, and all of it is very, very Dubai.
Only in Dubai:
…Can you meet 36 nationalities in one day
…Can you ski indoors, then get sunburned 20 minutes later
…Does someone pull up to Carrefour in a Ferrari
…Can a woman take a taxi alone at 3am and it’s just… normal
…Does brunch last longer than some relationships
…Is 40°C described as “not that bad today”
…Can you order a Labubu with a burger on Deliveroo
…Does your Noon delivery driver arrive before you’ve even decided if you actually needed the thing
…Can you run out of petrol and have fuel delivered to your doorstep
…Can you leave your car open and running, go into a shop, come back, and it’s still there
…Can you get IV drips, blood tests, and plumbers all on the same app
…Can the rain be scheduled
…Can you reserve your seat in the food court by leaving your phone/ laptop on the table
…Does the delivery guy catch the elevator with you carrying only one can of Coke
…Can you miss one turn and add an extra 30 minutes to your journey
…Get an iPhone delivered in 11 minutes at 4:30 in the morning
…Can you have a 24 karat gold cappuccino
…Can you look to your left in traffic and there’s a literal cheetah in the passenger seat of the car beside you
…Are police cars Lamborghini Aventadors