This is the first year in recent memory that I’ve haven’t taken part in some sort of St. Patrick’s Day themed shenanigans. This is a far cry from last year when I hosted a St. Paddy’s Day brunch for 15 people where I (the girl who doesn’t really eat red meat and has absolutely no clue how to cook it) braised 18 pounds of corned beef. It was a welcomed change to have a more relaxed, adult holiday. 
If you partook in the festivities (and green beer) today, I hope you had a blast!
Weekly Miscellaneous:
This week was another one that was all about getting ready for my vacation to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. I mentioned how I found a great TravelZoo deal that made this trip possible, and I look forward to some great bonding time with one of my good friends (this is a girls’ trip as I hadn’t been dating my BF way back when it was booked last spring).
In terms of the budget for this trip, I think we fared quite well with the package we purchased. For $1,808 each, we receive:
- Round-trip airfare
- 5 nights accommodation in a 4-star hotel
- Airport transfers
- Half-day desert safari
- Half-day Sharjah tour
- Full-day Dubai tour (includes Burj Khalifa)
- Dhow dinner cruise
- Abu Dhabi city tour
- 6 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 3 dinners
- All transportation on days when activities have been pre-booked
- Full travel/trip insurance
Purchasing all of these pieces alone would have cost at least $2,800 (airfare alone is about $1,100)!
Typically, I wouldn’t be terribly enthused about a trip that has a lot of tours and pre-planned activities but since we’re two females traveling alone, we opted for a safer, more structured trip. I suppose the backpack and wrinkled maps will have to stay at home until another one of my adventures makes its way into future plans.
Also, another friend of mine had heard about the deal and booked the same trip. Unfortunately, by the time he booked, he was too late to get in for the week we’re traveling, but he did go on the same exact trip last week. Today we had drinks and apps as he gave us the highlights and tons of great tips about what to see, what to skip, where to eat, etc. It was like having our own personal travel agent!
I’m confident that this trip is going to be amazing, and I can’t wait to share the gorgeous photos that I plan to take with all of you (I’m borrowing my BF’s camera so I can have even better pics!). I’ll also be testing my theory that WFB (work from beach) isn’t half bad, so I won’t completely disappear around here for the week.
Meal Plan:
N/A–going to test the waters with some street vendor foods at the very least!
Posts from My Blog:
- Carnival of MoneyPros
- Weekend Miscellaneous: Daylight Savings Edition
- Save Money with a Minimalist Garden (and a $500 Giveaway)
- How Happiness Saves You Money
- March 2013 Goals
- Friday Link Love: Bone Heads, Leaner Times and Impulse Grocery Buys
Favorite Pins of the Week:
Have a great week, everyone!
Wow that's definitely an awesome deal! I can't wait until you post pictures
I was quite excited to find it–gotta love the weekly Top 20 deals!
That's a great deal! And it's awesome that you could to a friend who has just been there!
My recent post
It was great–like all the insider tips we could ever need right at our fingertips…haha
No green beer for me either. St Patties day is just becoming another day …
The trip sounds great. Don't get to liberal with eating the local cuisine. I tried that once and it left me committed to the bathroom for the rest of the trip!
My recent post Who is the Best IRA Provider When You Don’t Have Much Money to Open an Account?
Ahhh…that's my biggest fear! Slow & steady for sure. My friend isn't as adventurous so she'll most likely be the one who's laughing at me as I inevitably end up with a stomach ache from hell (or worse).
How exciting! Was this trip a TravelZoo special? I knew some people who got sent to Dubai (stayed on the Palm-shaped island) for a company training. I'm hoping that in the next couple of years I'll go somewhere cool for work or training, and then I can tack on a few days to explore on my own.
My recent post Egg-freezing to extend fertility
Yep, one of their Top 20 deals–I'm addicted to them…haha.
That would be a heck of a business trip! I'd definitely take a few days extra to explore, too!
Awesome deal! Sounds amazing. I too think the best idea is a structured trip based on location and that it's just the two of you.
My recent post Long Short Weekend
I'm really excited! Should be interesting at the very least..
I was in Dubai in October (alone). I didn't have any real problems – there's even women only carriages, and it's policed!! Though I didn't eat any street food – I can't think if I even saw much. I found that Dubai is geared with two economies – the migrants who do all the work, and the wealthier traditional land owners. I did hot air ballooning whilst i was there, and I learnt a lot from the driver (who was German, but had lived there for a while). It was also great to learn a little more about day to day life of Muslims. Have fun – I've only been to Abu Dhabi overnight, so I can't tell you much other than the inside of the Hilton!
My recent post Goals Updates – Mid March
That's good to know–thanks for sharing! We're interested to see how all of it shakes out. I don't expect too many surprises–I just want to make sure we're adhering to the local customs as much as possible though. Hot air ballooning sounds amazing!