Dubai Update: Dolphins!

Back in December for my birthday, I got a unique experience to 'Play with the Dolphins' in Dolphin Bay at the Atlantis hotel. I was beyond excited ! This was definitely something I had on my life "to-do" list :)

On Tuesday May 29th, 2012 we made our way to the Atlantis for our orientation session. A marine mammal trainer gave us a briefing about dolphins and their behaviours before we entered their waters. It was quite educational !
* Dolphins have approx 80 to110 teeth - if they lose a tooth, it is gone for life
* But with all those teeth, they don't chew their food - they swallow the fishies whole
* The best way to tell a dolphin's age is by dissecting a tooth, but only if one has fallen naturally
* Dolphins shed their skin every 2 hours
* They communicate through three sounds: frequency modulated whistles, burst-pulsed sounds & clicks

We then got into wetsuits, and waded into the waters to meet our bottlenose dolphin. Our group got to play with Alice ! She was a beautiful dainty dolphin with kind eyes. While we were 8 people in a group, we got to have individual play time. We each got to pet, kiss, hug & dance with Alice !
* It was pretty funny because when it was Aaron's turn to kiss Alice, she looked back at me and started talking - poor little Alice didnt want to step on my turf ! haha
* I myself was rather nervous when it was time to kiss her - she is afterall quite large with many teeth. But it worked out and a bit on the salty side haha
* The entire time I could not stop giggling, smiling and laughing. It is such an incredible feeling to be so close and get to play with a dolphin :)

Time flew by so fast ! Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the shore and say goodbye to Alice. I was nearly in tears - so happy to have played with a dolphin but so sad to have to leave. Had I been good in sciences, I would have loved to become a marine mammal trainer !

* Ever since I was little I have loved dolphins. My parents used to take me to Marine Land in Niagara Falls, and I remember vividly watching the whales and the dolphins in the various shows. I had always wanted to be picked to interact with them - but not once was I chosen. Although one time, when my Dad and I were there during a quiet day, we were the only ones there and got to throw a ball back and forth to the dolphins in the tank. It was one of those precious moments that Ill never forget - along with this magical day of playing with Alice.

If you're interested in the dolphin experience for yourself, check out the Atlantis' website for the different packages they offer (http://www.atlantisthepalm.com/marineandwaterpark/dolphinbay.aspx) Yes, it's a tad bit on the pricey side, but it's a once in a lifetime opportunity that I would definitely recommend :)

After our dolphin experience, we played in the Aquaventure waterpark. They have quite a few great slides to try! My favorite was the "Shark Bite" - I think it's called - and after going down the slide on a tube, you end up going through an aqaurium tunnel with tons of fish swimming around you. I was really impressed with the park for a few reasons:
* there was a lot of shaded areas so we werent overexposed in the sun, very clever.
* there were conveyor belts to take people up the hill to the top of the slides so you didnt have to drag a tube up or walk on hot asphalt/stairs
* really friendly staff everywhere to help and guide you

Overall, it was an amazing day !

xox <3 xox