On my connecting flight from Turkey to my final destination, I was handed a tub of water. It was a simple gesture, but it instantly transported me back to one of my memorable trips to Dubai with one of my best friends. This was during August, and if you’ve ever visited Dubai during that time of year, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about the heat!
It was a scorching 53 degrees that day, the kind of heat that hits you in waves and leaves you drenched in sweat within minutes.
Now, this particular day, my friend and I decided to take a little walk to Deira market from our hotel, thinking, “Oh, it’s close by. We can handle it.” Let’s just say that was a bad idea because we were both drenched by the time we arrived, feeling like we had just come out of a sauna. As we made our way from shop to shop, hunting for good deals and treasure finds, the one constant was that every store owner offered us water. It’s a common gesture in Dubai, especially when the heat is relentless, and we were so grateful for every drop!
But one encounter will always stand out for me the abaya guy.
We strolled into his shop, welcomed by the icy chill of his air conditioning. From all the water we had been offered that day, his was by far the coldest. You know that type of water that hits just right, cold enough to feel like heaven on your parched throat? Yep, that was it.
Feeling refreshed, we immediately dove into bargaining for some beautiful abayas. You know how it goes in these markets, right? Bargaining is an art form, and we were determined to master it.
So, my friend and I began our negotiations, haggling over prices, trying to get the best deal. The shop owner was clearly getting frustrated with us. Every time we dropped the price, he would raise his eyebrow and sigh in exasperation. But we weren’t ready to back down; we were in the zone! Long story short, after what felt like ages of back-and-forth, we realised that his price was just way too high for us, and we decided to walk away.
Now, this is where it gets funny. As we turned to leave, the man clearly annoyed by our failed transaction demanded we return the water he had so graciously offered us. Can you imagine?
He wasn’t playing games! “Return my water!” he said, dead serious. My friend and I were in stitches. Here we were, hot, sweaty, and now, after all that, being told to return water we had already drunk!
Even now, thinking about it makes me laugh. That day was a mix of heat, sweat, and bargaining drama, but it’s one of those memories that I cherish. We didn’t get the abayas, but we definitely got a story we’ll never forget.
Cheers
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