dubai Archives - SAHARASPLASH

saharasplash25 July, 2018

Destinations with hidden gems

Did you know that in the heart of Vienna there is an 11-floor Aqua/Terra zoo featuring creatures from the great deep to birds and small mammals? Or that in Oslo there is a park dedicated to naked statues?! Not all hidden gems are that easy to find when you start searching on the immensely wide, wide web. So let me tell you all about some of these destinations with hidden gems I’ve discovered over the years…

Madrid

Madrid is filled with wonder and excitement, trust me I lived there! The centre is buzzing with a mixture of traditional vs modern shops and buildings and there really is something for everyone. Here are my hidden gems:

Palacio de Cristal del Retiro

The Palacio de Cristal del Retiro (Crystal Palace) is located in Madrid’s Retiro Park . This once royal park opened its gates to the public in the 18th century, and since then has become an iconic spot for boaters, runners and tourists. What you might not realise is that if you venture far enough through the gorgeous scenery, there is a lovely Crystal Palace by a small lake, which is home to ever changing art instalments. It’s a great way to discover new talent without having to go to a museum.

Teleférico Madrid

I probably used the Madrid Teleférico over ten times during my stay back in 2013. This is Madrid’s version of a cable car tour, which I absolutely loved. You can pick it up near Moncloa tube station and take a fabulous ride all the way over to Casa de Campo. This is sort of like a national park and is also home to the Madrid Zoo. The walk back to the nearest tube (if you don’t get a return) is quite lengthy and hilly so make sure you have the right footwear and suncream!

Dubai

Dubai is a favourite destination of mine which I have covered many times before on the blog. If you want to discover what Dubai has to offer, I really recommend you stay longer than a week as it just can’t all be done otherwise! Many people are put off from the UAE based on what they’ve heard about strict rules, but it’s honestly not like that at all. I wouldn’t recommend going to a shopping mall in your bikini and shorts, but as long as you are respectful then there is nothing to worry about. Here are my hidden gems:

Dubai Autodrome

The Dubai Autodrome is a great way to let off some steam and have a bit of family competition. They have both an indoor and outdoor track and the fun can start for ages 7 and up. I had fun as both a driver and a spectator when I went. I’m really not into this sort of thing normally, but I had a lot of fun at the Autodrome!

Ski Dubai

You may already know about Ski Dubai, but if not let me paint you a picture. It’s 42 degrees outside, you are baking and sweaty and not thinking straight. You enter the Mall of the Emirates, only to come across a huge winter wonderland behind a glass wall. Mountains of snow awaits you, you can’t help but to get into a snow suit and dance around in the sub-degree temperatures. You take your first skiing lesson, and proudly manage one time down the hill without falling over. When you can’t feel your fingers anymore, it’s time to get back to the heat after a gloriously cool afternoon. Sounds amazing, but also a bit crazy to go skiing when in Dubai? This is such a great experience, however skilled (or unskilled) you are!

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Saharasplash x

Let me transport you back a few weeks to when I went to the Henley Regatta with Debenhams!

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saharasplash7 June, 2017

Quick dash to Dubai

I know what you’re thinking, why do a quick dash to a place like Dubai? If you’ve seen my previous posts on Dubai (here) from last year, you will know that we have friends out there who we visit each year. The reason for our three day quick dash to Dubai is mainly down to Paul and the fact that he simply won’t take the time off work. I’m cool with having a mini break, and seeing as this was the first time travelling while pregnant (18 weeks at this point) I was glad to get home pretty quickly.

I think that also because we have done Dubai before, we have seen the sights and got the t shirt so to speak. So this visit was all about seeing our friends, having a great few days with some nice weather and putting our feet up.

The jetlag didn’t really bother us too much, we decided to go business class, primarily because I knew that being uncomfy while pregnant was not a good idea. We could relax and enjoy the flight a lot more this way. I did have a little travel sickness just before we landed, but I’m blaming the baby for that one as it’s never happened before!

I was super excited to take my new travel wallet * with me from Fabriano’s Boutique:

It stores all your important documents and I fell in love with this item as soon as I saw it in the Marylebone store.

Day One

The kids were so happy to see us when they finished school, of course Paul took the majority of the leaps and hugs!

I took my ritual trip to get a mani pedi on day one of our quick dash to Dubai and went for blue nails. We spent the rest of the day relaxing and soaking up the beautiful sunshine.

Dress: Christian Audigier

Bikini: Asos

A trip to the local pool was a must too. This bikini was the only one that would fit me from my previous collection, so I bought a blue one just before we left from the TU dept at Sainsburys (shown in day two).

Day Two

Day two we headed to the beach at JBR. This was really nostalgic as pretty much 12 months before we were here and getting engaged! It was great to be back now married.

We went for breakfast at the Cheesecake Factory, another ritual of ours, before heading out into the late morning for some photos. My pantsuit is again from TU by Sainsburys and the beach bag* (Positano) is from Fabriano Boutique. I just loved the bright colours and sizeable straps- the perfect beach bag!

Announcing my pregnancy with a beach shoot was a dream come true. At this point I had waited long enough to announce it on social media and it came as a nice surprise to my Twitter and Instagram followers.

Bikini by TU from Sainsbury’s (which I must note now at 23 weeks no longer fits!)

Paul is wearing a gorgeous palm print swimming short* from Jacamo. I have to say when I was approached to style Paul up for the Dubai trip in Jacamo I was so excited. All of Paul’s outfits were chosen by me and he was reluctant to rock the palm print at first…

We match so well! Couples do still do this right?! I think he truly loved them.

Day Three

Day three we decided to take it easy and go shopping- total relaxation for me! We picked up quite a few things for the baby which I’ll share with you in my Dubai vlog coming soon.

I have no idea where this dress is from I must tell you, it’s my cousins and she bought it years ago in Miami. It’s one of my favs, plus it still fits!

Paul and I were reluctant to leave Dubai, it’s fast becoming our home away from home.

Shirt*: Jacamo

Chinos*: Jacamo

I hope you all are having a great summer 2017 so far. Let me know where you’ve been or where you are planning to go next. As for me, I’m fully grounded as we patiently await for the new arrival!

Saharasplash x

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Enjoyed our quick dash to Dubai story? Why not see our wedding story! Part One and Part Two.

saharasplash12 May, 2016

The Dubai Series: Day Two

So we’ve now reached The Dubai Series: Day Two and I hope you are loving it as much as I enjoyed blogging about my three-day whirlwind adventure to the Middle East to surprise our friends. I’ve got so much more to show you from our second day, which includes a trip to the beach and some flying food! Let’s start with the beach as I continue with The Dubai Series: Day Two.

As you may have guessed, it was the perfect day for a trip to the beach. I had spent the morning doing some retail therapy and had picked up the hottest new pair of Roberto Cavalli sunglasses you ever did see, so these of course had to make it into the shoot down at Nasimi Beach!

On Day Two I wore this stunning Tara tunic dress from Boutique of Molly. Their summer collection range is so on point, I just had to take this dress with me to the beach.

I paired the dress with a blue clutch from Today I’m Me, one of my favourite accessory brands.

The bag also matched the blue in my Karen Millen sandals too, so a perfect ten for my co-ordination skills on day two of the trip!

Now I want to share with you what was under the outfit, and I have to give credit to my amazing partner Paul for these shots! I wore a bikini from To Dive For, which is a company I have recently discovered and they are literally to die for! Pardon the pun..

I fell in love with this palm print cross back two piece on their website, and it’s one of the best bikinis I own for originality and quality.

After the fabulous day at the beach, it was back home to change into the outfit for the evening. We were off to a restaurant at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel for Teppanyaki! Teppanyaki is a Japanese experience/style of cooking where everything is made right in front of you at the table.

We had our own chef who came and cooked everything and entertained us with his skills of juggling the food, and then he tossed it across the table right into our mouths! (I didn’t do it but Paul did!)

Here is what I wore, a lovely dress from Motel Rocks with my brand new Burgundy bra from Victoria’s Secret! Plus my ever trusty pineapple bag 🙂

Phew, that was a lot of outfits, that’s a wrap for The Dubai Series: Day Two… until tomorrow’s post for The Dubai Series: Day Three, and you won’t want to miss it!

Saharasplash x

Get up to date with The Dubai Series: Day One right here!

PR Samples included

saharasplash11 May, 2016

The Dubai Series: Day One

So you’ve read all about my travel preparations and essentials over the last few days, now I’m here with part three of The Dubai Series: Day One with the best beauty and fashion in the Middle East!

We landed at 7.30 in the morning so we had the whole day to enjoy as soon as we got there. We headed straight for the spa at the Dubai Polo Club!

Paul and I enjoyed Balinese massages which were so relaxing, all the stress of flying just disappeared along with the scents and sounds of the experience.

We spent the rest of the day chilling by the poolside, and had a light bite to eat with virgin pina coladas.

I had my Alpha-H factor 50 which kept me safe in the sun all afternoon.

For the evening, we were off to Maison Mathis to surprise our friend for their 40th birthday. They still didn’t know we were in the country! Here are the details of what I wore:

House of Holland by Eylure lashes were a must for this special occasion. I love the full lash effect that the ‘luffly’ lash gives, they made my eyes so mesmerising with the long, dark lashes.

Here’s the full outfit, I wore a gorgeous maxi skirt from House of Celeb Boutique and a neoprene crop from Boohoo.com.

I matched my cool blue theme with these stylish nail wraps from ThumbsUp Nails in style ‘Cleo’. They are so quick and easy to apply and will have your nails looking salon perfect in just ten mins! No dry time needed!

My bracelets are from the fabulous Corbico Jewellery. This is the 3-piece ‘Audrey Bracelet’ set which I absolutely adore, they look so glam without the high price tag and I wore them throughout the holiday. They are available right here from Corbico online, and the best part is that they are elasticated!

That’s it for The Dubai Series: Day One, stay tuned as tomorrow it’s Day Two with lots more fashion and accessories!

Saharasplash X

PR Samples included

saharasplash10 May, 2016

The Dubai Series: Travel Essentials

Today’s Tuesday, and on Tuesdays we do travel essentials! Take a look at what I took with me to the airport in part two of The Dubai Series: Travel Essentials

Just Bee drinks were my drink of choice for the journey to the airport. I couldn’t take it through security with me, but the green tea and lemon gave me just what I needed for the tube journey to Heathrow Terminal 5. The honey infused water is so refreshing, Just Bee are the perfect travel essential for a thirst quenching pick me up.

As a coeliac, I’m always looking for new snacks that are easy to carry around in my handbag. I was looking to take something easy along with me for the plane, and something tasty…

Snact are a wonderful company which I have blogged about before this year. They are 100% fruit and so naturally gluten free and vegan too. I took their brand new flavour with me- apple, blueberry and banana which was amazing.

Next up for those sweet cravings are the wonderful Cocoalibre. These are a new brand I have just discovered, and just in time for my travel essentials! Also gluten free and vegan, this chocolate is super luxurious and was such a sweet treat high up in the sky! Cocoalibre comes in beautiful packaging and they really do go the extra mile for allergy sufferers with their chocolates.

Of course we all know that your skin can suffer on longer fllights due to the change in pressue and the oxygen quality. So in my bag I had the perfect thing…

The Timeless Truth Travel Pack! This cute little travel pack is the real deal if you’re after a bit of pampering as you travel. The pack comes with three compartments, a makeup remover wipe, a cleanser and then a fibre mask. Timeless Truth think of it all with this star item!

Next up is another brand new discovery from Alpha-H. I took their marvelous Absolute eye cream with me on board as this realy helps to reduce dark circles and puffiness around the eyes. I find that my eyes can get very puffy during a flight, so Alpha-H came to my resue!

The last item on my list is something which I never knew you could take on a plane. This is Batiste dry shampoo. Of course, it has to be a travel size can, but this made my day when I found out I could take this little gem with me! I took the tropical spray with coconut scent.

So there you have it, Part 2 of The Dubai Series: Travel Essentials!

Saharasplash x

If you missed part one, catch up right here with my travel preparations!

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saharasplash9 May, 2016

The Dubai Series: Prepping for an Exotic Getaway

I’ve been working really hard recently on a very secret project. This project involves a plane, an exotic destination and some pretty awesome products. I have had to keep this a secret over the past couple of weeks as our holiday has been an undercover mission to surprise some family who are living in Dubai! Paul and I booked the flights ten days before flying out and have been working with just one of our Dubai residents to organise and surprise the rest of them. So here is the first instalment in what I’m calling The Dubai Series: Prepping for an Exotic Getaway.

With just ten days to plan for our getaway, my first stop was travel money. There is only one place I go to for any travel money, it beats all the other competitors out there and you are guaranteed a fantastic rate. They are Ace Fx and they are located on my journey home in Canary Wharf. I reserved my Dirhams and got a great rate as usual.

Also in preparation, I reached out to my favourite hair salon to help get my hair travel ready-

Rush Hair and Beauty.

The day before the flight, I went to visit the Aldwych salon to get a cut and blowdry. My hairdresser Craig gave me the top treatments from the Kerastase range, and one hour later my hair was fabulous and ready to go!

Next, onto the nails.

Barry M of course were the top choice when prepping for my exotic getaway. I used 2 colours from the new coconut infusion range- Bikini for my toes and Starfish for my hands. These are both lovely colours for a weekend getaway as they last so well and the colours would match what I had packed in my suitcase. The new range is infused with coconut oil to help hydrate and strengthen your nails.

Finally, on the morning of the flight, Nair was to the rescue!

I was lucky enough to try out the new Argan oil nourish range, and I was so happy with the results. I used the facial cream for my upper lip, the glide on for my underarms and for my bikini area and the shower power cream for my legs. The cream is super easy to apply, and you can wash it off in the shower after just ten mins. It really was the final touch to my preparations for Dubai, and I couldn’t wait to get on the plane!

Here is a snap from the airport. I chose to fly in my favourite shirt from Her Boutique, it’s so comfy and had me feeling holiday ready with the bright colours.

Stay tuned for Part 2 in the Dubai Series as up next it’s my travel essentials!

Saharasplash x

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Madrid

Palacio de Cristal del Retiro

Teleférico Madrid

Dubai

Dubai Autodrome

Ski Dubai

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Day One

Day Two

Day Three

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