We spent two and a half years living in the UAE and had time to explore some of its lesser known parts. Most tourists, I can imagine, spend most of their time in the materialistic splendour that is the city of Dubai, but there are much more traditional Emirate sights to be experienced if you drive out into the desert and mountains.

UAE has some great beaches, unbelievably warm waters, oppulent hotels with excellent standards of cleanliness and service, kind Emirati people, excessive shopping malls and even an indoor ski slope in the desert!

We had hoped to buy a 4x4 and do some serious travel and adventures into the deserts and mountains, but at the time finances didn't permit and we couldn't capture that side of life in the UAE which is a shame.

Dubai these days is incredibly busy and excessive and some would argue it's lost some of its charm. Well worth a visit nonetheless.