Ten years married. Twenty years together.
One trip we thought would be fun..and it was .. but, it turned out to be something else, too.
Healing. Reconnecting. Romantic in a way that went beyond candles and cocktails.
We came to Dubai for a celebration, his 40th, our anniversary, a break from the noise.. but.. what I didn’t expect was how this one morning, floating above the desert in silence, would bring me all the way back to us.
This post?
It’s not about the five-star dinners (though there was one).
It’s not about the bag chair (even though I’m still not over that).
It’s about what this morning reminded me of.
The friendship. The foundation. The feeling of falling in love again… not just with him, but with this life we’ve built.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
So here we are. 01.11.24. In Dubai. One of the most beautiful cities in the world 🌆. Reeling from a wave of incredible experiences. Side by side. With not just the love of my life, but my best friend. My person. The one I chose exactly 10 years ago to the date to spend forever with ❤️.
We’ve been doing life together for almost 20 years now. From kids at 19 and 20, to parents, to partners juggling work, bills, responsibilities. We’ve been through fun, laughter, stress, arguments, the mundane and the magical.
But this day… this day was far from mundane ✨.
🌌 Before Sunrise
Our alarm went off at 3am. By 4am, we were in the desert. Pitch black all around, just the Jeep headlights and a sky full of stars. It already felt unreal.
Carpets were laid out, we were handed Arabic coffee and dates, and our guide talked us through what was about to happen. Sitting there next to him, I felt calm but excited, like we were part of something special.
Then the drones came. Telling a tale of being a hero in your own story. A story that resonated so deeply with me at the time… and still does, actually.
To me, it was an interpretation of pursuing your goals with courage and determination, and making choices that align with your own values. Something I’ve always been intentional about, and since meeting my husband, he’s only elevated that in me even more.
So there I was, feeling like I was sitting in my own story. Hundreds of little lights bouncing off the drones, lighting up the sky, moving and changing shapes. Honestly, it caught me off guard. It was magic ✨.
For those few minutes, I was lost in it… like nothing else in the world mattered. That moment set the tone for the rest of the day.
🎈 Floating.
Then next came the Dom Pérignon! 🍾
Driven further into the desert where the balloon was being inflated . The sound of the fire, the heat against my skin, the balloon growing bigger and bigger until it towered above us.
Climbing in, I knew heights weren’t his favourite thing 😅 …but.. he did it anyway, because he knew it mattered to me. That’s love in its own way… Right?!
We lifted. Slowly, quietly. The desert below shrinking away, the sky opening up. The sunrise poured in.. golden, dreamy, endless 🌅. I tried not to touch my phone. Some things you just have to see with your own eyes, you know… not through the lens.
For that hour in the air, everything felt still. Just us. Floating.
🥂 Breakfast in the Desert
After landing (and holding a falcon, because.. Dubai 😂🦅), we were taken to the most beautiful breakfast spot. A pond, trees giving shade, little wooden pods tucked around the water. It was peaceful, quiet, just us.
The food was next level. Were talking… sparkling wine , fruit bowls , fresh bread , smoked salmon, cheeses , meats, hummus. We sat there eating, drinking, laughing. No rush. No distractions. Just being.
💆🏽 The Day That Kept Giving
Back at the hotel, he surprised me with a spa treatment 💆🏽 (around £80 and worth every penny). If I wasn’t floating in the balloon, I was deffo floating then.
Later, Osh Del Mar on the marina. Elegant setting, city lights, the water right there. The kind of dinner that makes you pause and think: this is exactly where I want to be 🍷. Where I need to be!
Oh and the food. Chef’s kiss 👌🏽. One of, if not the best meal of our whole trip. They really looked after us there. You know one of them ones where you don’t have to share your own side salad, or the wine glass is never left empty. And yes… I did get a chair for my handbag. If only he knew it was only from Zara 😂
But seriously though. Luxury at its best!
❤️ Back to Us.
So, just like in my very first entry of my Dubai Diaries, I want to end with a love letter 💌 because this trip gave us something bigger than all the bucket-list experiences: a reminder.
Our marriage isn’t perfect, but our friendship has always been our foundation.
Somewhere between school runs, bills, and “what’s for dinner” chats, we’d let life creep in.
Here, in Dubai, we stripped it all back. It was just us again. Like those 19- and 20-year-old kids who first fell in love 💕. Free. Excited. Fun. Deeply connected.
This trip reminded me why I chose you. Why I’ll keep choosing you, and why the best adventures aren’t the ones that take us 1,000 miles into the sky… but the ones where it’s simply us. Side by side. Always.
Dubai was the backdrop.
But you.. you’ve always been the story.
✈️ If You’re Planning This…
Experience: Hot air balloon ride, drone show, falcon, breakfast in the desert
Cost: £592 for two (around £296pp)
Where we booked: Viator — easy to use and everything ran smoothly 👍🏽
Tip: The 3am start is tough but so worth it 🌅 — book in advance for sunrise.
Extras: Spa at Al Bandar Rotana Creek – our hotel (£80) + dinner at Osh Del Mar 🍷 for the perfect romantic finish.
So let me end with this… For any couple… married or not. Don’t forget – it started with you both. It ends with you both. Don’t underestimate the importance of making space for each other. Despite how difficult life can get, that time and space is the thread that will pull you back together. Every time.
Loves,
Zo x
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