We arrived in Dubai in the afternoon so we had a chance to explore a bit. As we bussed to our hotel, I noticed that the grassy areas were really well maintained and the city itself was very clean. We learned about the many benefits that citizens received such as free tuition, but that the requirements for citizenship were very restricted.

After dropping stuff off at our hotel, a few of us headed to an outdoor shopping area named Madinat Jumeirah, which had a mix of local shops and restaurants as well as some chains like Starbucks. It was a touristy place but also very nice and relaxing with some water running through the place.

My first meal in Dubai - lamb kebob:

Most people turned in early since the time difference wasn't easy to adjust to. I had a drink at the upstairs bar before turning in.