Poster: A snowHead
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...and visited Ski Dubai. Okay, I didn't ski it but I had a good look at it.
It is the effective anchor of the Mall of the Emirates shopping EXPERIENCE (it makes Bluewater look like the Ilford Exchange)
I was with the kids and it wasnt logistically possible to ski but I did sit in TGI's and stuffed my face looking out the window at it!
It is opened until midnight and I would say the wierdest thing about it is that it really is like looking outside at a ski resort, save for the wall on the other side. Price wise its about the same if not cheaper than MK, although the airfare makes it a tad pricey!
The quality of snow and gradient looked great and watching skiiers and boarders I gained a sense of space in that they were doing loads of linked, good sized turns, the main criticism I have of MK and Tamworth.
It wasnt crowded at all on both nights I saw it and the chairlift was very effective and efficient. It seems about twice to three times wider than MK and I couldnt see how high up it was as there looked like there is a big bend up top and where the chair ended up was out of eye sight.
Visually it is as obvious a landmark as the Burj Al Arab, and has some funky purple lighting at night down the side to give it real kick.
Is it a good thing? It's brilliant....for an indoor, artificial ski experience. As someone who has tried MK and Tamworth and always up for trying new things, it was as inspiring as I felt when I last walked out of MK after an hour of a two hour session - its just not the same as the real thing. BUT, to be fair I didnt ski it.... I would recommend Wild Wadi though!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Peter Leuzzi, thanks for the report. Yes there is a bend half way up. The developers said it was to be like skiing a real mountain - i.e. you can't usually see the bottom of a run from the top. Personally, I think it's a clever way of optimising the amount of vertical and run length in the available space.
So who is going to be the 1st snowHead to slide in the place ???????????
( PS for those who don't know it Wild Wadi is a world class adventure water park. Some seriously scary slides. )
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I would add that Wild Wadi has water slides that take you up hill! Massive jets of water thrust you up once you have come down from the top.
The centre piece is the Jumeirah Sceirah that is a single lane rollercoaster water slide whereby the last drop gives you the feeling of weigthlessness and all at 80 km/hr! Brilliant!
kuwait_ian, thought of you when I was at Ski Dubai!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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quote of the week: it wasnt logistically possible to ski |
Sorry, Peter, just pulling your leg!
Was it your presence in a restaurant that made it 'logisitically impossible' to ski, a fear of indoor avalanches, or the presence of a stray camel on the intermediate piste? (You don't have to answer - it's none of my business, really!).
Thanks for the interesting eye-witness observations - it does look an amazing facility.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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kuwait_ian, I will be there 20 October 2006 !
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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David Goldsmith, Funnily enough I was sceptical about posting and saying I'd been but hadn't for fear of a community tisk tisk!
Paul Mason, hate to be the one....it is closed from August to November.
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Paul Mason,
only kidding
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Would love to go to Dubai to experience this indoor ski dome. Will have to do a fair bit of nagging though!
Quite a few of my friends have been to Dubai because their parents either live or work there, but none of them have been to this ski dome yet!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I've got a business trip to Dubai in March - I'll try to make time for the ski dome.
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