Sing the night away for biking: UAE expats get ready to soak up the New Year – off the beaten track

Dubai: where will you be this New Years Eve?

There are 1001 and ways to usher in a whole new year. These could include kayaking, hiking, walking the beach, watching fireworks, partying, or just spending a quiet night indoors. And then of course there is this romantic fiancé who is planning to surprise her beau with a marriage proposal!

Either way, we all want to make the old sound like and the new sound the best possible way. In view of the pandemic, we all hope and pray for a healthy, happy and beautiful sunrise on January 1, 2022. Gulf News spoke to residents of the United Arab Emirates to learn about their New Years Eve plans.

In the past 12 years this Sri Lankan expat has lived here, she has never watched the Burj Al Arab fireworks. “So this year, we – my husband Sanjaya Jirasinha and my daughter Idalia and I – are planning to reach Kite Beach a little early in the evening to witness all the action there. Some of our friends are planning to join us and all of us, a group of ten or so, will be having a modest beach party watching the fireworks. We hope to arrive before sunset so that we can enjoy a walk on the beach, catch up on food and games before watching the fireworks. I have seen the Burj Khalifa fireworks several times, but this will be my first visit to the west of the city. I’m also hoping to get some action from other places on the Palm.

“I have been in the UAE since 1983. I have seen the UAE’s progress from a rural hamlet to the state-of-the-art country it is today. I have probably seen it all, spent many Christmas Eve parties outside. This time, however, I intend to spend some quiet time at home with my family.

“We Greeks love the festivities around Christmas and New Years. Therefore, New Years Eve is the time for course correction. I plan to take some of my clients to the desert near Dubai. We’ll have a run there, burn some calories and then enjoy a barbecue. The message this year to all is that it’s important to profit – keeping all COVID-19 protocols in mind, of course. Nothing is more important than our health. We have achieved this more than ever in the past few years and welcoming 2022 with an energetic race and healthy eating is the best way to establish that. “

“There is a secret hideaway, near Nad Al Sheba – a beautiful expanse under the stars. We bikers love the place and on New Years Eve we plan to cycle together to this place, to enjoy a barbecue in this sparkling setting and watch the fireworks and city lights from a distance. I have a wonderful Triumph Classic [motorbike] and I always celebrate special occasions by taking him to an exotic location. This one is going to be truly memorable.

“I’m in between jobs and couldn’t think of ushering in the New Year in a better way than singing the night away. I managed to get a good assignment at a top five star hotel in Ras Al Khaimah for New Years Eve. I plan to hang out with my musical instruments and sing all my favorite party songs in front of a grateful audience. . I couldn’t have asked for more.

“I will be 40 years old this December 31st. It’s a big day for me. I have never been on a sightseeing cruise around Dubai. This New Years Eve I plan to book a cruise for my sister, her family and other family members here. We will be celebrating my birthday on the cruise while watching the fireworks and ushering in my 41st year! 2022 is going to be a new start in many ways!