Travel Wisdom - Travelling Alone : Reasons/Justifications

By Hamza Shafique (Instagram / Facebook)

When I sent a picture of me in front of Hagia Sophia in a family WhatsApp group, first response I got was “It's so much better when you visit with your wife " and then the second one was “Only Hamza will go to Cairo and Istanbul alone leaving his loving wife back in Ajman." Not only in my family, but in fact almost everyone asked me the same question that why I travel alone? And my response to all of them is Why Not.

Social Connect with Sana Fakhar

Interview and Photography by Hamza Shafique (Instagram / Facebook)

I last interviewed Sana Fakhar for my social connect segment in 2018 and since then we stayed in touch. When I found out she is here in Dubai for some collaboration, I contacted her for an interview, to which she agreed. My idea was to interview post success of GEO network's drama "Tu Mera Junoon" and about her second innings in Pakistan entertainment industry. We met in Dubai Festival City mall and interview soon turned into a discussion on important topics like individuality, feminism, fitness etc. and I was really impressed with how evolved she is as a human being.
I still tried to put our discussion down into my usual format of 5 questions and here it is.

Travel Wisdom – Weekend Trips and how to plan

By Hamza Shafique (Instagram / Facebook)

Instagram is full of travel bloggers with perfect beach bodies telling their audience in perfect written quotes that you live only once and life is short, so enjoy the max possible. What no one tells is that Life is short and budgets are even shorter. Story of every middle class, corporate slave, Desi travel enthusiast like me. I guess we all have seen ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’, where Ranbir Kapoor, to pursue his passion for traveling has to detached himself from his world (friends/ family) and responsibilities to an extent that he finds out 2 weeks late about his father’s demise, and that’s kind a true for our world. If you immerse yourself into Desi world as a responsible adult following the fixed path that most of us follow, you will always have millions of responsibilities and priorities unless you are an Ambani or Zardari. As a result, you will always be short of time and if you manage to find some time to travel then budget constraints will always be there.

I have found a solution for this, which works, at least for me and that is "weekend trips". Instead of planning a full fledge trip that spans over weeks just plan a quick getaway manageable with in available weekend, so you can save your annual leave for the important family events that you may need to attend throughout the year and being in Dubai gives us this amazing opportunity of budget travels with amazing weekend offers, easy on pocket as well.

This year I travelled to Turkey for 2 nights cost 1200 Dirhams (flight and hotel only), 3 nights to Georgia cost 1099 Dirhams (flight and hotel only) and without having this facility of weekend getaways I would have never been able to travel to these two amazing places in the first 3 months of 2019.

My major concern is always how to cover a country having thousands of years of history and hundreds of touristic sites in just 3 days and for that I have developed a simple five step planning process which ensures I see/ experience most of what that country has to offer in whatever time/resources I have. Here it is.

Perfect Weekend Getaway - Sir Bani Yas Island

By Hamza Shafique (Instagram / Facebook)

I wanted to do something different something that would feel like travelling abroad but without leaving UAE and Sir Bani Yas Island provided just that.

17 Pictures That Perfectly Capture EveryThing About Hatta Water Dam

By Hamza Shafique (Instagram / Facebook)

Last weekend I decided to check out the most recent social media craze ‘Hatta Water Dam’ and I am glad to report that the place is as amazing as everyone says and deserves all the attention it's getting in Dubai social media arena

All Things Good That Bollywood Has To Offer @ Bollywood Park Dubai

Written & Photographed By: Hamza Shafique

 

Bollywood park is one of its kind attraction in Dubai. Part of Dubai Parks and Resorts, this facility caters to desi families just like mine. Dubai Parks and Resorts is an area developed on the outskirts of Dubai and contains multiple parks and resorts, you can find more details about other attractions on their official website. I have only visited their Bollywood Park and for now I will try to pen down my fun experience there.

Social Connect with Ahad Raza Mir

By: Hamza Shafique

Today for Social Connect we have Hum TV network’s drama ‘Sammi’ famed, long haired handsome actor Ahad Raza Mir. Ahad Raza Mir is the son of veteran Actor Asif Raza Mir and has not only inherited his Father’s good looks but acting talent as well. With his second drama serial already on air, he displays all the signs of a future super star. Here is DDR’s usual 5 questions interview.

Throwback Thursday: Chitwan National Park Dec-2014

By: Hamza Shafique

An Elephant sand bathing - Elephant Breeding Center Chitwan National Park Nepal

I have so much to share from my past experiences (mostly travel) that I think it’s good to start a throwback segment. As Thursday is usually considered a day for Throwback, hence the name Throwback Thursday. For the very first post in this segment I have selected Chitwan National Park.