Nordfjord Folkehøgskule 13/14

My year at Nordfjord Folkehøgskule.

The Burj Khalifa: The Tallest Building in The World

We’re On Top of The World, Hey!

Well, not exactly, but on the 124th floor of a 828 meter-high building, it feels like it. The Burj Khalifa is in the heart of downtown Dubai and holds the record for the ‘tallest building in the world.’ But that’s not all– it also holds the titles for the ‘tallest free-standing structure in the world,’ the ‘highest number of stories in the world,’ the ‘highest occupied floor in the world,’ the ‘highest outdoor observation deck in the world,’ the ‘elevator with the longest travel distance in the world,’ and the ‘tallest service elevator in the world.‘ Like I said in my “The Excessiveness of Dubai…” post, Dubai must have the world record for the ‘city with the most world records.’

The Dubai Mall, (all 5.9 million sq ft. of it) sits next to the Burj Khalifa. Surprise Surprise, the mall is the world’s largest mall based on the total area. Every evening there is a fountain show outside the mall, at the base of the Burj Khalifa. We stuck around for the show one night, and boy, was it a show.

After watching the sunset, we faced the crowds and shuffled through the mall in search of a taxi to bring us back home.

Stay tuned for more from my time in Dubai.

The Excessiveness of Dubai… You Better Come To Dinner Hungry

If there’s one thing Dubai is known for, its excessiveness. They hold many world records such as the ‘Largest Firework Display,’ ‘Tallest Hotel in the World,’ and of course the ‘Tallest Building in the world,’ also known as the Burj Khalifa. It wouldn’t surprise me if they held the world record for ‘The Most World Records.‘ People drive around in swanky cars, costing more than houses. But not more than houses here is Dubai– property here is insanely expensive. You can stay at their 7 star hotel, the Burj Al Arab for 3,000 USD per night– but don’t worry, if that room isn’t luxurious enough you can continue to chuck up thousands of dollars until the price per night is just as outrageous as you want. Who knows what you get in a hotel room that costs 13,000 USD per night?

Although this excessiveness can be seen as ridiculous and even reckless, there is one thing you have to acknowledge about the people of Dubai: they are innovative. It’s, perhaps, the most innovative place on Earth right now. They make their own islands. The Palm itself increased their shoreline by 72 miles. Once The World islands are finished, Dubai will have yet another amazing accomplishment: having built over 300 man-made islands in the shape of the world. 

It’s impossible to spend time in Dubai without experiencing this excessiveness. Last night we went to the 5-star hotel and resort, Atlantis, on The Palm. We ate at a restaurant called Kaleidoscope. It was a buffet style restaurant with a focus on the regions of Asia cuisine. This was one of the most excessive meals I have ever eaten, and definitely the most luxurious buffet I have seen. They had dozens of interactive stations with foods from all over Asia. I can’t go without mentioning the mountain in the middle of the room: the dessert! They had over 50 different options for dessert, all eloquently displayed and prepared. I captured most of my courses, although there were some that were not documented.

I am just wondering, was my caloric intake cancelled out by the many trips back and forth from the table to the food stations? Probably not.

The Adventure Never Lulls

After returning to Norway from my trip to London, I packed my ski bag and headed to Hol, Norway. We skied for three days– with ski instruction until lunch and free ski afterwards (until closing.) This time I managed to get some pictures of myself! (Thanks to Andreas.)

I am now back at Nordfjord, with sore legs that don’t want to move. Too bad for my legs, I begin my journey to Dubai tomorrow morning. I fly from Sandane, Norway to Oslo, Norwa– then through Istanbul to finally arrive in Dubai where I will meet up with my sister and my dad. The adventure never lulls!