❤️ What I’ve Always Loved — And Still Do
When I was a kid, I remember saying everything I loved was my favourite. It became a running joke with my mom, who’d always say, “Not everything can be your favourite. If it’s your favourite, it can only be one thing!”
Lol.
But you know what? I’ve carried that with me into adulthood. I can’t just pick one thing.. some things just hold equal amounts of love, you know?
So here are my faves.. outside of my husband and kids. Obvs! Ha!
(In no particular order):
- Travel
- Music
- Good food
- Walking (especially when it’s somewhere picturesque)
and; - A bloody good glass of vino.
And when it comes to travelling, each of those things has to feature in some way. Every time.
✈️ Why This Trip Was Just For Us
So when we travelled to Dubai, a special trip to mark my husband’s 40th and our 10th wedding anniversary, I just knew all of those things had to show up on this holiday.
Now let me just say.. my kids did not come on this trip. Lol!!
But hear me out. This wasn’t just a celebration of important milestones. This was also a trip that me and my husband desperately needed. A chance to restore our energy, and for that, we had to be a little selfish.
I’ve always believed that to give the best to your children, you’ve got to keep your relationship strong. Your marriage is the foundation of your family. If that starts to show cracks, that energy seeps into the whole family unit.
Life gets overwhelming. Work, family, commitments, life itself.. it piles up. And after 20 years together, 10 of those married, if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s how easy it is to slip into the mundane.
Little by little, that spark can fade if you don’t actively protect it. Like anything else.. your business, your car.. if you don’t maintain it, it won’t function the way you want it to.
Giving time and energy to your marriage is non-negotiable.
So yes, while my kids are everything to me, equally is my marriage. This trip was necessary. A time to pour energy into just us.. no distractions, no compromises. Just us, in our own little bubble of love.
🏙️ Dubai: The Playground We Didn’t Know We Needed.
And what better place to do that than in one of the most epic cities in the world?
Dubai.
Dubai had been on our list for a while.
Dubai sits out in the Middle East, part of the UAE.. and honestly, it’s like nowhere else I’ve ever been.
It’s a place of top-tier experiences, rich culture, and luxury at its absolute finest.
And honestly? After going, the best way I can describe it is.. an adult’s playground.
I’ve never been to Disney World, but I imagine its magic is similar.. just with a grown-up flex.
The food, the wine 😉, the service, the skyscrapers, the entertainment.. honestly, nothing falls short of perfection. It’s very difficult to be disappointed.
I expected to be wowed, but not that much. And now I completely get why people go back again and again.. you’re guaranteed an unreal time.
And yeah, it’s not cheap. But honestly? We felt every penny was worth it. Not once did we look at each other like, “what the hell did we just spend money on?”
Over our 10-night trip, we rode quad bikes across the desert, sandboarded down the dunes, had BBQs under the Arabian stars, soared in a hot air balloon, shopped in one of the world’s biggest malls, stood at the top of the Burj Khalifa, swam in sky-high infinity pools.. and so much more.
I’ll break down all of these experiences in this Dubai series — full reviews, costs, and of course, the stories behind them.
💡 More Than a Holiday — A Reminder
But beyond all of that?
This trip gave us something even greater.
A reminder.
Our marriage might not be perfect, but the friendship we built first has always been our foundation.
Life pulls us into routines, responsibilities, distractions.. and sometimes we drift a little. But stepping away from the noise and just being with you reminded me how precious it is to reconnect.
Being wrapped up in just us reminded me so vividly of why I fell madly in love with you almost 20 years ago.
I promise to always cherish the magic you bring into my life. The magic we create together. And all the beautiful moments still waiting for us.
🔜 What’s Next?
So yeah, this trip wasn’t just about ticking off bucket list experiences (even though we did plenty of that).
It was about us. Our love. Our friendship. Our foundation.
And honestly? I’d do it all again in a heartbeat.
Stick around though, because next up in this Dubai series I’ll be taking you straight into the wild.. quad bikes, sand dunes, a BBQ under the stars.. and a moment that had me questioning all my life choices.
You don’t want to miss it.
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