Skiing in the Dessert — Trampling Through Terra

Now I could talk about the massive amounts of things to do in Dubai and the UAE. I could talk about the beaches and beach front property. I could even talk about the insane amount of food and the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa. Orrrrr I could talk about skiing.

Dubai is an awesome playground for adults who like retail therapy and gastric thrills and although it's a little hidden within the city, there is a still a rich history to be told. Furthermore, Dubai continues to make history through its various achievements in architecture and terraforming. It's really easy to forget you're in the middle of the Arabian desert unless you happen to go outside.

Because of its location and the sometimes blistering heat, it's easy to overlook the fact that you can go skiing.

The Mall of the Emirates is the home of Ski Dubai, a winter wonderland in the desert. There you can ski, snowboard, zipline, see penguins and do loads of other winter-themed activites.

When I went, I paid for the lift ticket and got the skis and winterwear, minus the hat and gloves all included. Much like any ski location, they sized everything for me and I was open to hit the slopes. While suiting up, I saw the various ski schools with the various levels of skill practicing drills. Also, there were sled rides and a penguin show.

The location is nowhere near as big as a natural mountain, and the runs were short. The runs were also really easy compared to what you would find on more natural ski resorts, but I didn't find it any less fun. In fact, skiing in the middle of an Arabian desert was so novel that it made up for any lack of challenge and scale.

There is a definite feeling of artificiality. There is no wind and the temperature hangs steady at slightly below freezing. Also, there is a smell that is too clean. The snow is consistent on the whole slope and it never felt exactly like you were in nature. It's hard to describe the snow but it never felt exactly like you would feel in the natural elements. It's probably because of the constant nature of being frozen.

Over all, it was an extremely positive experience that I would suggest for any skier who is looking for a little novel fun.