Wild Wadi - Here we CoooOMmmmmeeee!!

Arrived at Wild Wadi before the doors were even open!

We took the advice we had read on line about arriving early to Wild Wadi.  It's a popular place especially on Hot and Sunny days and as you can imagine, Dubai has a lot of those!  We only waited for a few minutes before the doors were open and we were free to GET SOAKED!

Let the Wild and Wet fun begin!

Yet AGAIN we bumped into our friends, the Uttings at Wild Wadi!  The kids, of course, LOVED running into their friends.  We had big plans to link up after lunch but Wild Wadi is a pretty big place and although we bumped into them in the morning - Our paths didn't cross again in the afternoon.

We started the morning off with a blast!  Without knowing it we went down the "scariest" ride in the whole park FIRST!  WHAT WERE WE THINKING!?!?!  Our group of six was too big to ride in one tube together so Rachel and Erica rode with a nice couple that were in line before us.  (By the end of the ride - I think Rachel and Erica were referring to them as "the nice people that saved our lives!") 

Matt, Michael, David and I rode together and I spend 50% of the ride headed BACKWARDS!  "STOP THE INSANITY!  I HAVE A HEART CONDITION!!"  (No, I don't, but do you think they'd take me seriously if I just yelled out, "Let me OFF!!!  I want my Moooommmmmyyyy!")  Shockingly, (wink-wink) nobody responded to my shrill health threats and the tube just kept spinning and twirling and sucking us down level after level of plunging watery fun!  I'm pretty sure the Uttings said they heard me screaming,  "Save me Sweet Jesus!" from across the waterpark!   ;0) 

I'm too old for this level of FUN in my life!  Hahaha!  Once we finished the ride and realized none of us ACTUALLY died....We were right back in line to do it again!  Funny how that works, isn't it!?

Time to Boogie board...Matt went first!

The sheer force of the water on this ride was INSANE!  Of course, Matt was all about it and got in line right away.  Can you guess which kids were willing to try it as well.....Yep!  You guessed it, Rachel & Michael! 

The kids and Matt actually made it look pretty easy.  I knew otherwise and didn't even TRY it! ;0)

Mikey's Turn

Michael is so light he just kept getting pushed back up to the starting point by the water.  Eventually, the lifeguard hopped onto the boogie board with Michael so that he could "ride" for a little longer and he did GREAT!  I actually stopped video taping b/c he wasn't wiping out and just kept riding and riding and riding and riding!!  (It was getting boring!  Heheh!)  The wipeouts are the exciting part. ;o)

WoooOOOoo-HooOOooOOO!!

 Go Mikey Go!!

Brief instructions on how to wake board on your knees...

and then he was doing it like a champ!!!

Our Little Surfer Girl Getting the 411 on how to do this!

Rachel has always had really good balance so she did GREAT!  However, she is at the age where she is much more
self-conscience and she was really embarrassed having all of those people in line "watching her."

Aw Shucks!  Is EVERYBODY watching this!?!?!

Creative architecture, huh?!

Our Little Peanut Having a BLAST!

Michael (and LOTS of other people) waiting for the big bucket of water to dump out on top of them!

YEP!  The Bucket got him good!!

Bathing Suit Burkas in a rainbow of colors! 
Which is your favorite?!

No need to fret about those extra 10lbs you've been trying to lose - This Puppy would so be my friend!  (That's it.  I'm wearing one at the beach this summer!)

Burj Al Arab

Thank You Wild-Wadi for a Wicked-Fun time!

What a crazy-fun day!  The kids (and the adults) give Wild-Wadi two thumbs WAY up!!!

Another Dubai Day!

The morning of day three we decided to head down to Marina Bay and check things out.  It definitely started out on the wrong foot - We had some hiccups finding an ATM machine to pay our taxicab driver.  Once we found a machine and withdrew the necessary cash (dirham) - In our haste to get on with the day - We left the backpack we tote around with us in the TRUNK as well as Matt's cell phone!  So we popped into one of the restaurants to use their phone.  Luckily, Matt was able to get ahold of the cab driver and he returned to The Bay with our things!

Some of the Dubai Skyline

Some of the most interesting architecture in the world can be found in Dubai.  Looks like somebody held onto the roof and gave it a little twist?!

Skyline Reflection in The Bay

While we were waiting for the cab driver to reappear, the kids and I were able to find several jellyfish floating in the water.

Strollin' Along

For Lunch we found ourselves at a fast food chain of sorts called, "YO! Sushi!"

We decided to eat "appetisers" here and then we went upstairs and ate AGAIN at TGIFridays.  (We needed a good 'ole fat and juicy burger!)  At Yo! Sushi, the food goes around and around on a conveyor belt and when you see something that catches your eye....You simply reach out and snatch it up!  It's dangerous b/c we just kept grabbing stuff!  YUM!  Of course, the kids once again enjoyed the edamame, as well as sushi, soup and tea.

The "Kid" Table

David Devouring his Tea!

After we made complete HOGS of ourselves at lunch time we basically went back to the hotel in a "Food Coma."  Our evening plans brought us to the Dubai Mall where we got to see the "Dubai Fountains."

Waiting to see the fountains start "dancing" :0)

The Dubai Fountains

These fountains are similar to the famous fountains at the Bellagio Hotel in Vegas.  The water is synchronized to music and with 6,600 lights and 25 colored projectors it is quite a site to behold!  It didn't last nearly long enough :0)

Fountain Footage

Tallest Building in the World!

While walking through the mall we bumped into some of our friends from Bangalore!  "It's a small world after all!"  After chatting with the Utting Family,  we decided to take the kids ice skating before it closed for the evening. 

Dubai Ice Rink

Strappin' on their skates!

The last time we went skating we were freezin' our butts off on the Frog Pond in Boston...Who would have thought we'd ever go SKATING in the desert of Dubai!?

So much to do in the mall!

David & his little penguin ice skating buddy!  (Helped him keep his balance so he could skate all by himself!)

Mikey was LOVIN' it!!

The Girls Gliding Along Together

Potbelly Sandwiches after ice skating

Thumbs Up From Rachel!!

So completes another full day in Dubai.  Tomorrow we're going back into the sunshine for some fun at Wild Wadi Waterpark!  Stay Tuned :0)

Dubai - Day Deux

Even on vacation - These kids are up at the crack of dawn!

Trying to keep cozy!

I anticipated we'd be ROASTING in the desert...turns out a lot of the time we were FREEZING b/c the air conditioning indoors is like the frozen tundra!

Excited to start the day at Atlantis-Aquaventure

Atlantis - Dubai

Follow the Yellow Brick Road?!

We didn't waste any time getting to the "Big Ride" that Michael & Rachel wanted to try!  We parked our gear and then we were on a mission to get in line for the "Leap Of Faith"

Seriously, not for the faint of heart!!

Look Out Below!  Here comes Rachel!

Mikey's Turn!

The Three Thrill Seekers of the Family

Erica, David and I agreed that IF we did decided to go down this slide it would be at the end of our day and lucky for me (us) at the end of the day the line was soOoooOOo long and none of us wanted to go down it badly enough to wait!  (Thank You, Jesus!)

Another fun ride at Atlantis.  After twisting and turning through all kinds of dark and menacing corners you end up bopping along in this tube checking out all the fish around you.  (The sharks & stingrays were our favorites!)

Hi Daddy!

David checking out his favorite animal...

DOLPHIN!!!

 Lotsa good family fun we had at Atlantis!

Meanwhile, back at the pool...

David telling me he "Loves" me as he slips below the water surface again. ;0)

Happy Girl

Decided to embrace her European-side

View from the restaurant

Mommy & The Babies

My #1 Babe!

The Chopstick Band!

Hibachi Time

David was mesmerised!

The food was amazing.  The kids LOVE edamame and could have JUST eaten that as their meal but they also helped Matt and me polish off some scrumptious sushi & the rest of the grilled hibachi food.  Great night but some TIRED kids on the way back to the hotel.  They ALL fell asleep!  Daddy and Mommy might have been dozing too!  What a great day deux turned out to be!! ;0)