So....
G'day from Dubai! Here with my wife and 13 month old. Landed here Friday morning and meant to fly to Maldives on Monday.
Saw the war started Saturday morning and was keeping an eye on it on X but wasn't concerned because we are in the UAE not Qatar or Israel. Mid morning we were at the beach and there was a huge thunder clap above us which turned out to be the first drone intercepted directly above our heads. Strikes were escalating during the day and then really kicked off at sunset. We were at the Ritz-Carlton in JBR and were getting intercepts directly above our resort more and more often. Came to a head around 7pm after sunset when there were multiple drone intercepts above the alfresco restaurant at the resort where we were eating and a firey ballistic missile falling into the ocean just off the coast. Everyone was rushed inside and then shortly after the restaurant was closed. This was the same time the Fairmont got hit. For next 2 days we were basically confined to our rooms. We got phone alerts and were smashed all that night, a fair bit the next day and sunset again on Sunday night. Managed to gain some courage and take the baby out on Monday morning to some play equipment in the resort grounds as he was getting stir crazy and needed to get out. Unfortunately for the first time in around 15 hours we had 3 intercepts directly over our heads at fairly low level, had to grab the baby and run for cover.
I've got photos and videos of drones being intercepted, missiles falling from the sky, F16's flying at low altitude with full air to air payloads. The intercepts are so close you can feel the percussion in your chest and taste/smell the remnants. It was insane, we've moved hotels and now there is a lot less strikes. We're all a bit shook up, any bassy noise is getting us jumpy and the bub is clearly concerned. Haven't really slept since Saturday night so if this post makes no sense, don't blame me.
Flights have been delayed and delayed and now we are just trying to get back to Perth, were booked on EK420 on the 7th but that has been cancelled. Still getting over 100 drones a day being intercepted so I can't see it getting back into swing of things for a while. We are registered on DFAT crisis but I don't think they know what to do with this many people.
Oh, and on the UAE is paying for hotels, that's incorrect reporting, Abu Dhabi is footing the bill, in Dubai people are just on fixed rates, so at the moment we are coping the hotel costs and as others have mentioned no insurance because of war. We are ok but others are clearly running into financial difficulties.
Fingers crossed we can get home sometime soon, getting out of UAE airspace is going to be the biggest sigh of relief
