Aquaventure at Atlantis

View of the Atlantis Aquaventure water park from the top of the Ziggeraut. (Check out the Burj Al Arab on the left!)

Today a group of us went to the water park at Atlantis, located at the end of the Palm Island. Andy and Nina were hiking and Dylan was climbing but the remaining 8 of us went. It was Friday (Muslim prayer day) which means the metro didn't open until 2:00pm so we just took a cab the whole way. We used our Entertainer coupons to get three free tickets. It was a great day outside. We got some lockers, put some towels on chairs, and headed out to see the park. Jimmy and I searched for tubes and hit the rapids first. There was this big building called the Ziggeraut that had a bunch of different slides going out of it. One of them was a tube slide that floated you through a shark tank. You could see the whole aquarium surrounding you. It was awesome just being in that little square tube inside of a huge fish tank staring at sharks. 

 

Mike Walsh chilling with the stingrays and fish in the tube of the shark tank ride.

One of the rides is where you have no tube, you just lay down and cross your legs and arms and the incline is close to a free fall. Then at the bottom you get shot through the same aquarium shark tank. We decided we had to go on this ride, just out of principle. Allie wasn’t so sure. I convinced her. I basically kept talking her into it as we walked up the stairs. I needed her to do it because if she backed out I would get real nervous because I wasn’t trying to convince someone that they shouldn’t be nervous. Kristin went first and almost slipped down the slide. I got up to the place where you sit down and hold onto the bar and then push yourself through. Right before I was about to go, Allie yells, “Maddie I love you I’ll come to your funeral!!” I whipped my head around and yelled, “Are you kidding me Allie?!?! SHUT UP!!” The guy working the ride laughed. Apparently Jimmy heard me yell that from the bottom. It was really steep and fast. I didn’t even open my eyes for the shark tank part because it went too fast. The slide kind of hurt my back but I'm glad I can say I went on it.

Aquaventure view. The Ziggeraut is that big tower and you can see the crazy slide coming out of the front of it. It was super steep and somewhat scary.

It started to get windy as we went in search of lunch. We looked to the mainland and saw a ton of sand blowing everywhere. Turns out Thistle and Nina were experiencing that sand storm full force while hiking in Hatta. We just had a little bit of wind to deal with. 

View of the windstorm from the end of the Palm Island.

Got a burger for lunch. Found some sun and laid out for a while. Sun moved, then I moved. Once the sun decided to become completely blocked by buildings at the end of the day, I had to find a new activity. Mike Walsh and I grabbed some tubes and headed back to the shark tank ride at the Ziggeraut. He went through first and I got some great pictures of him floating with the fish and sharks. It was cold but it still didn’t take much convincing for me to go on the ride again. Mike took some quality pictures of me in the aquarium tunnel ride. One where I had just gotten hit by a huge wave from the Indian guys riding down the slide behind me.

Me in the shark tank tunnel, getting hit by a huge wave caused by the two indian guys that just entered the left end of the tunnel at record speeds. Don't worry, I didn't fall off or anything.

After the water park, we decided to go to Madinat Jumeriah for dinner. Me Stan Jimmy and Mike took the Palm tram to the end of the palm just to say that we did. It's basically a mini metro just for the Palm Island. It had a great view of the entire island and the sun was just starting to set. 

Mike and Jimmy hanging out waiting for the tram on the Palm Island.

We met the other guys at Madinat Jumeirah. There were a bunch of shops inside modeled kind of like an old Arabian souk. There were little abra boats that go all around the river ways of Madinat. It was a cool atmosphere. 

Outside at Madinat Jumeirah. There's a restaurant deck on the left and the waterways going by on the right.

Map of Madinat Jumeirah. Quite the extensive place.

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE and the absolute monarch of Dubai (pictured in rhinestones in the middle) His son is on the left in the red and black head scarf. Here's the deal, you know you've made it big when they've made a rhinestone phone cover of your face. Just sayin.

We went to a place called Toscana’s and had dinner. It was kind of expensive but very delicious. Jimmy ordered wine and the guy came to pour it for him. It was a series of hilariously awkward events where the guy stepped back to pour it, Jimmy tried to help by moving the glass closer then the guy poured a little bit (like how you’re supposed to taste the wine and approve first) Jimmy tasted it, the guy showed him the label, Jimmy kind of nodded, and then the guy stepped back again to pour it. So awkwardly funny. Overall we had a great day.