Abu Dhabi and Dubai are unlike any place I had ever been. I visited in 2015, lucky enough to catch a $300 fare deal on Etihad Airways during Christmas 2014. I research the heck out of things, and had seen a lot of complaints about Etihad… but I had a great experience, except for sitting in the middle seat for 13 hours each way. The attendants were pleasant and the food was… uh, edible. They served some fusion of Indian food. I normally really like Indian food, but I wasn’t particularly excited about this airline food; quite honestly, I’ve had better: Indian AND airline food. I landed in Abu Dhabi, breezed through customs and then boarded the (free) Etihad shuttle bus to Dubai. The ride was about 1 hour and pretty uneventful; not much exciting scenery along the way. I should’ve used this time for a quick nap, but since I don’t believe in naps because I have FOMO. I don’t take naps so I can tell YOU what you’ve missed! In Dubai, I stayed at the Bonnington Jumeirah Lakes Towers. It’s a great hotel that features hotel rooms AND apartments, as well an infinity pool on the 11th floor. […]