Finally on our last day in Duubai, and in fact the last day of the trip, we were going to the Gold Souk. Everyone says you must go, its amazing. So off we went. Caught the Metro, arrived at the Mall and headed outside to walk along the creek to the boat ramp where we would catch a water taxi to the old part of Duabi. Great. All goes well. Crossed the bridge, temperature soaring, sweat starting. Nice view from the bridge. Get to the other side and need to cross the road - 4 lanes both directions, heavy traffic, no crossing. Oh well, just run. (Now that's funny when you consider my running style!) Get across the road and head for the water taxi. No sign of any life there. Wait for 15 minutes. Still no sign. Getting hotter. Ok lets walk to the next water taxi station as this one looks like it is not in operation. Head off but the path is blocked by roadworks. Well lets just walk to the Metro and go by train. Need to cross the road again. Get out the map. Car stops. A man in an Audi asks us where we are going. We say the train station so he says "get in I will take you there." and we do!!! (Because it is so f###ing hot). Zaid seems like a nice man. He works in finance on the ForEx. He has a Russian wife and daughter. We tell him we are actually heading to the Gold Souk. Zaid says he will drive us there but it is too hot at the old town (still only midday and the shops are outdoors.) He does a U-turn into oncoming traffic accidentally. Screech of breaks. Very nearly a very nasty accident. Zaid is clearly shaken up and manages to get onto the correct side of the road. We realise we are not wearing seatbelts. Could have been very bad. Finally after what seems like ages he drops us at a gold souk (an air conditioned one where he bought his wedding ring he tells us.) We thank him profusely, offer him money but he won't take any.
The souk is bare, plenty of shops, plenty of shopkeepers trying to make us buy. We feel very uncomfortable. Let's get out of here I say to Pete. He agrees. Not before we bought a cap (I had left mine in the 4WD the day before on the desert tour). Whilst we pay for the cap, the shopkeeper tries to sell us place mats, mouse pad, perfume, cards before he would eventually let us get away. We walk out of the souk and start along the road to catch the bus to the train station. Surprise, Zaid just happens to be driving past, sees us and offers to take us to the train again. Surprise, we accept and find ourselves again in his car. He gives me a cold bottle of water. I am thirsty so I take it and drink. We chat about Lebanon, Australia and emigration, how the Lebanese people are accepted in Australia. Zaid gives us his card and then he takes us to the station and waits until he sees us enter. We get on the train!. I am past going to the souk and so is Pete. We catch the train back to the Mall of Emirates near our hotel. I do a bit of shopping there, Pete heads back to the hotel for a nap. Gold!
