7am. Top of the Palm. A Ferrari in front of us.
The plan? An epic road trip to Hatta Dam and a secret waterfall, covering half the UAE in one day.
What actually happened? Something completely different – and honestly, better.
The Ferrari Dream
We'd rented a Ferrari for the day. The boys were buzzing.
"That's the car I'm going to have when I'm 25!" "Can you put the roof down?"
We started at West Beach Palm – stunning spot for breakfast and planning. The original itinerary: Hatta Dam, a waterfall in the mountains, exploring places outside Dubai we'd never normally venture to.
Reality Check
Then we looked at the numbers:
- 5-6 hours in the car
- Two excited kids in the back
- 250km included, then 15 AED per kilometre after that
Even with Italian engineering, that's a recipe for disaster.
Time for Plan B.
Plan B: Kite Beach
We pivoted to Kite Beach – and it turned out to be the right call.
Aqua Adventure Park
The inflatable obstacle course in the water is brilliant for families. Think Ninja Warrior, but you're falling into the sea instead of foam.
We played tag with the boys on the inflatables. Yes, the parents joined in. Yes, we were just as clumsy as the kids.
Reggie's Wipeout
There's this thing where you sit on an inflatable and someone jumps on the other end to launch you in the air.
Reggie did one – perfect.
Second attempt? Somersaulted and landed flat as a pancake in the water.
"Poor kid. Hit with shock. Few tears. But he was good and went back on it after that."
That's the stuff that builds character.
The Half Desert
With time to spare, we headed to the Half Desert – a spot where people go to open up their cars.
What Is It?
It's a stretch of road on private land where you can... let's say, "enjoy your vehicle." We saw plenty of other cars doing the same thing.
Interesting setup:
- Says "private land" at the entrance
- Not entirely sure the rules (we Googled it afterwards)
- Police drove by, checked us out, kept going
- No cameras or radar (because it's private)
For the record: we purely went for a nice scenic drive. Like Miss Daisy.
Bonus: Wild Camels
Saw actual camels just wandering around. Dubai surprises you sometimes.
Car Troubles & The Speedboat Solo Mission
Then things went wrong.
The Ferrari's roof wouldn't close. Warning lights everywhere. I couldn't leave it in that state, and we had a speedboat tour booked.
Result: Sara and the boys went without me.
Yellow Boats Speedboat Tour
Sara's Review:
"It was amazing. Really, really good. Big shout out to John who took all the photos."
How it works:
- Starts at Dubai Marina – slow through there
- Once you hit JBR and Blue Waters – full speed
- Big waves, lots of fun
- Great photos included
The boys loved it. I watched from Blue Waters, broke and sweaty, waiting for the car to get fixed.
The Ferrari Company's Response
Fair play to them – guy called, tried to fix it over the phone, asked where I was, arrived in 15-20 minutes, sorted it, left. Fantastic service.
The Real Talk at Dinner
We ended up at Blue Waters, under the Ain Dubai, for dinner at Pasta Mama.
And I had a realisation.
"I don't think I've given the whole situation enough credit. They've relocated away from what they know – not just into a new part of the world with new everything, new ways of living, new cultures. It must be scary. And I haven't given that enough credit."
Tomorrow was their first day at a new school. End of their summer holidays. End of holiday mode.
The Brothers Bond
One thing I wanted to drive home at dinner:
"Yes, they are terrors some of the time. But they've got each other. The Callow brothers – they are tight as anything. And they're good lads."
That bond matters more than ever when everything else is new.
The Shift
Over dinner, we realised we're about to enter a different rhythm.
- Holidays done
- School starting
- Time to work out what "lifestyle" actually looks like here
"It's been holiday mode. It's been fun. We've relocated, we're settling in. This has been a bit of a blowout. Now we're going to get into more of a lifestyle rhythm and work out what that looks like."
That's the transition every expat family goes through.
Cost Breakdown
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Ferrari rental | Day rate + 15 AED per km over 250km |
| Kite Beach Aqua Park | Per person entry (worth it for families) |
| Yellow Boats Speedboat | Tour from Marina through JBR/Blue Waters |
| Dinner at Pasta Mama | Blue Waters – "exactly what the doctor ordered" |
Note: The Ferrari company is getting a Cybertruck. Just saying, if they want to do a deal...
Lessons from This Day
| Lesson | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Plans are overrated | Best memories often come from pivoting |
| Kite Beach is brilliant | Underrated family destination |
| Kids are resilient | Reggie got back on after the wipeout |
| Give credit where due | Relocating kids go through more than we acknowledge |
| Holiday mode ends | School starting marks the real beginning |
The Quote That Stuck
"There are worst places to be stuck with no money."
Me, sweaty and broke, standing under the Ain Dubai waiting for my family to return from a speedboat tour. Could be worse.
Planning Your Own Dubai Day?
- Take the neighbourhood quiz – Find where to base yourself
- First day at school – What happened next
- Work with Sara – We've been through it all
Sometimes the best plan is no plan. And sometimes a Ferrari day turns into an inflatable obstacle course day. That's Dubai with kids.