Dubai: Advanced city on the sea

In December temperatures are in the 25-28 degree C range and swimming in the warm sea of the sandy beaches is a delight.

Behind you is one of the world's most advanced cities, with stunning modern architecture, the world's tallest building (the Burj Khalifa) and biggest airport. It has a western culture and its Universities, with huge local funding, are the envy of the West.

In just 40 years Dubai has been built out of the sands. It has motorways, an extensive street system, a railway system, yacht marinas, and many hotels with nightclubs. With 2 million inhabitants, petrol at 30p a litre, and big malls everywhere, it a shopping paradise. Its full of restaurants; the Atlantis Hotel alone has 25. Every cuisine is available.