I’ve ventured to this park more times than I can count, and I just had to share it with all you lovely folks out there in the UAE—consider it my public service announcement! The first time we made the great trek, we were so bored at home that my dad suggested we go wherever the road might lead us, which is basically his way of saying, “Let’s wing it!” Lo and behold, we stumbled upon this enormous park that’s so big, I half-expected to find a lost civilization hiding in there somewhere!

As it was night time, we decided to unleash our inner fitness gurus in a random area before hopping into our trusty steed (a.k.a. our car) and zooming off to the local Spinneys. Now, let me tell you, this Spinneys was like the alien version of the ones I’ve encountered before! The products were so bizarrely different, I half expected to see an intergalactic menu. We snagged a pistachio chocolate croissant—because why not mix nuts with chocolate?—a cheese and spinach roll that looked like a fancy burrito’s cousin, pretzels that could probably double as weights, and scones that had obviously taken a dip in the “I’m too fancy” pool.

My mom even splashed out on tea like we were hosting the Queen! After a gourmet feast of randomness, we strolled back to our car, brimming with excitement to return the next day. Fast forward to the following afternoon, and off we went, this time packing our own food like seasoned picnickers. We also splurged on a veggie burger because, you know, health is wealth! And of course, I brought my bike because there was a glorious 3km path that practically screamed, “Ride me!” So, I rode for 9km because why stop at just 3 when you can send your legs into a spin?

Then I decided to let my dad take my bike for a spin, because who doesn’t love a middle-aged man on a bicycle? Meanwhile, I practically attacked the veg burgers my mom had made, while my sister was busy making new squirrel friends in the park. There was even a sneaky cat eyeing our feast, probably plotting a heist, but it quickly got distracted by a shiny plate of chicken biryani instead—its true love!

After a bit, my dad returned, probably winded from trying to act like a kid again, and I rushed off to join my sister. There was a zipline that looked super fun, but the line for it was longer than my patience. So, we stacked our things aside like seasoned pros and set off to explore the wonders of the park, which mainly involved dodging other people’s picnics.

There was this fancy green house packed with veggies that made a cameo in the Holy Quran—who knew produce could be so divine? It was a picturesque spot where my mom and dad spoiled us with ice creams, because obviously, ice cream is the real holy grail! We then waddled over to this place that looked like a cave, minus the bats and treasures, of course. But wait we must, as the next English tour wouldn’t start for another 15 minutes—oh, the agony of waiting when ice cream is involved!

After what felt like a lifetime in a queue that would make a snail seem speedy, it was finally our turn! We dove into some fascinating tales from the wonderful world of Islam—talk about a plot twist! Afterward, we trekked back to the designated treasure trove of our belongings, scooped them up, and made a mad dash for our car like kids escaping from school.

The next outing? Oh, we traded in our storytelling for some exhilarating cycling—because who needs a treadmill when you have two wheels? Then, on yet another adventurous exploit, we rolled out with our friends, ready to create a whole new chapter of amusing mishaps!

As we were too busy soaking in the fun, I completely forgot to play photographer! I guess you’ll just have to trust that it was as amazing as my memory—hoping you visit this place and enjoy the sights instead of my invisible photo album!

The End