It’s been almost three years now since I left home to come
and work in the Middle East region, and I’ve mentioned many times here how I
miss my sons, who are now 11 & 9. We had a great trip last summer to London
and it was there that we hatched a plan to do a trip to Dubai in 2014.
So on April 11th last, I took a flight from
Riyadh to Dubai and arrived there just before my two sons boarded an Emirates
flight from Dublin for the first time on their own, to meet me in Dubai.
It’s a strange feeling knowing your children are in the air
on their own for over seven hours, an odd feeling where they’re not in either
parents care, rather un-nerving…
Late that evening, in fact after midnight, I waited
anxiously at Terminal 3 at Dubai Airport and along they both came to arrivals,
cool as you like, as only boys of that age can be, “Hi Dad”, an incredible
feeling, here they were, in “my world” after 3 years, a great feeling of pride,
my two sons, older, bigger, confident, discovering the world, a very emotional
moment that will stay long in the memory.
What followed was an amazing week, a road trip around the
United Arab Emirates in which they discovered and ran free in the sand dunes of
Al Ain, rode the fastest roller-coaster in the world in Abu Dhabi, walked
through the beautiful Sheikh Zayed Mosque, went to the 124th floor
of the world’s tallest building in Dubai, visited the Souks and bought a
traditional Kandoura, Gutra and Agal (Traditional Emerati Clothing), and took a
boat trip across the Dubai Creek.
It meant so much to me to share this time with my lads, as
it wasn’t that long ago when I doubted whether I could ever take them on
holiday at all, given the difficult times back home. Daithi & Oisin went back
to Dubai Airport after their week, at least 2 inches taller in their sense of
confidence and sense of discovery and adventure, yes, a poignant moment, but also a
great moment. Simply an
Amazing week…..
