For someone who lived in Dubai for four years as an undergraduate, visiting again- this time as a tourist -felt both surreal and refreshing.
Following up from my last post, I guess we are not completely over the nostalgia phase – because what’s more nostalgic than revisiting a city you once called home for four years, almost a decade later?
It’s no secret that I love to travel. But how different is it to live in a place and then visit as a tourist? And how does experiencing a place for the first time differ from experiencing it again? These were the questions I sought to answer on this short trip.
Living in Dubai back then meant navigating exams, friendships, managing budgets, and catching the last metro home. I was young, eager to explore, and fortunate to have friends who loved to explore with me. My family also visited yearly, and we explored not just the city but the country together. By the time I left, I prided myself on having seen everything that needed to be seen. I had explored four out of the seven emirates in the UAE and visited every major tourist attraction in the city. If I hadn’t seen it, then it probably wasn’t worth it.
I was even so sure that this trip would just be about reminiscing. I would be the tour guide, pointing out the places I once lived and visited—something I repeatedly said before the trip.
But boy, was I wrong!
Everything was different—even the airport didn’t feel the same. The nostalgia I thought I would feel didn’t hit me until our first official day in the city when we drove down the popular Sheikh Zayed Road. It was only then that I could identify places I remembered from my time living there.
How hilarious of me to think that I would change and a city that prides itself on being one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world would stay the same. I did not expect to feel like a tourist in a city I thought I knew, but that’s exactly how I felt.
I got to re-experience some of the places I had visited in the past, but it didn’t feel the same. Not that it wasn’t enjoyable, but it didn’t feel as thrilling. For instance, the Desert Safari didn’t quite match the excitement I felt the first time. I also revisited Global Village, the Dubai Mall Fountain, took a boat cruise at the Dubai Marina, and even made a day trip to Abu Dhabi.
I not only revisited familiar spots but also explored new attractions like the Dubai Frame. Having visited the Burj Khalifa as a teenager, the Dubai Frame felt almost similar—seeing the city from the top, but with a new perspective.
Returning to Dubai after almost a decade felt like stepping into a familiar yet entirely different world. I thought I’d be reliving the past, but instead, I found myself humbled by how much had changed.
So here’s my takeaway: Sometimes, going back isn’t about recreating old memories but creating new ones. Whether you’re visiting a place for the first time or seeing it again, there’s always something worth seeing. And if you think a place won’t change, just remember—time and change will always have the last laugh!
I curated a short vlog highlighting a few places I visted during this trip- check it out if you can 🙂
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