It was just a few weeks after we emerged ourselves into “2023” and here I am decked up for my first session of holidays. I usually never take my leave at the start of the year but this time I thought why not make a change?

Normally, it’s a jolly time when we hear the word “holidays” but I am excited that this time it’s going to be a sort of staycation with vistas to explore in Dubai itself the local regions I could not explore and enjoy myself.

So, for the time being, I leave business aside, not stirring up early morning after getting disturbed by my alarm, and no need to iron my clothes for work, pack my tiffin box, and speed off to work driving my V6 in the daily horrendous traffic.

One of the best times for me to frame, focus and manage my daily household chores with fun activities that I can do at home in my comfort zone with no one to stop me. The world is moving towards a new normal when things are all getting back to the pre-pandemic stage. When there is still much dubiety regarding international travel the volume for staycation upholds an appetite for going on a topple.

Since I have been raised in the UAE all my life, I don’t have to spend time surfing the net to find out the best hotels as I have my own apartment available.

Time for some partying, catching up with my long-time friends, hopping into a spa giving myself a nice body pampering. The weather out here is such that I will not bestow to miss taking part in sports and other physical activities to keep me fit.

One of the joyful ways of availing my staycation freezing my stress of packing and heading back for holidays filling multiple suitcases with clothes that are not even used.

How can I skip the various kinds of tantalising dishes I am going to have since I am a food lover? I rather make use of the present than wait for another episode that I might not experience. So, let’s see how my staycation goes alone. My delirium has slowly commenced.

Mathew Litty,
Dubai