Jaunted

Art Travel / Los Angeles / London / London Travel / Paris Travel / Dubai / Geneva / Hong Kong / New York / Exhibitions / → All Tags

Exhibition of Liz Taylor's 'Serious Bling' Currently Roving the Globe

Elizabeth Taylor's jewels, clothes, and art are crisscrossing the globe leading up to their auction at Christie's in December

One of our on the ground London contacts returned from The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor exhibition with the following report: "That woman owned some serious bling."

more ›

Dubai Travel / Dubai / Aquariums / Scuba / → All Tags

Forget Boring Offices, Because Dubai's 'Underwater Zoo' Wants Student Interns Too

Dubai's Burj Khalifa's 124th-floor observation deck may have shut down, but college students have another excuse to travel to the city: a highly sought-after internship at the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo. Oh, to be frat-age again.

To be eligible, students have to be at least 16 years old and the preference will go to those studying marine science, teaching or a tourism-related subject. Students from all over the world are encouraged to apply.

more ›

Celeb Travel / Dubai / Paris Hilton / Ski Dubai / → All Tags

Do Some (Legal) Skiing With Paris Hilton In Dubai

Paris Hilton is back to work on her BFF show in Dubai after taking a break to dump her boyfriend and dance on tables. She’s already raised controversy after reports surfaced that she had gotten in a rift with local authorities for wearing a bikini, but Paris was quick to take to Twitter saying, “One of my friends just called me from back home and asked if I got in trouble for wearing a bikini at the beach here and once again – FALSE”.

Even though she hasn’t gotten arrested yet, she has been keeping herself busy while filming abroad. So far she's met a huge guy, rode a “cute” camel, gone skiing, and tonight she’s hosting a party at Club Neo.

more ›

Dubai / Nude Travel / Dubai Travel / Beaches / → All Tags

In Dubai, Sex on the Beach Could Lead to Prison

It may have neat architecture and man-made islands, but playboy paradise Dubai comes coupled with a legal code not built for vacationers: A British woman is facing six years in prison after being caught in flagrante on Jumeirah Beach--twice!

The first time, publishing manager 30-year-old Michelle Palmer was caught in a compromising position after a business brunch (!) at Le Meridien Hotel. The policeman on duty let her and her paramour, known to the press as "Vince," off with a warning. When he caught Palmer and "Vince" again, she allegedly got a little rough with the cop.

Now the pair are facing charges not only of indecent exposure, public drunkenness and assault of a police officer, but also of having sex outside of marriage--an act prohibited under Dubai law. (Also a crime in Dubai: Being gay or cohabitating.) Though they're exempt from the sharia court system, Palmer and "Vince" aren't in great shape.

British paper the Daily Mail was particularly unsympathetic to the lovers' plight, writing that the first Brits in Dubai behaved "badly, lewdly, crudely, as British expats do everywhere" but were decent enough to do it behind closed doors. Once again, we implore you: Be suspicious when you strip!

Related Stories:
· British Woman Faces Jail for Sex on Dubai Beach [Telegraph]
· German Tourists Beat Heat Wave With Nudity [Jaunted]
· Dubai Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Still from "From Here To Eternity": Sydney Morning Herald]

Dubai / Dubai Travel / Internet Cafes / Internet / Emirates / DXB / → All Tags

Internet Crash Travel: No Emailing Travel Snapshots This Week

So that's why you haven't been able to upload your photos at the Internet cafe in Jodhpur. Two big underwater communications cables under the Mediterranean got damaged yesterday, hampering web access from Egypt to India. The slow-down scared more than just photo-happy tourists: Passengers on Emirates Airlines, with its headquarters in Dubai, feared their flights would be grounded.

Still, airline reps say there aren't problems with scheduled flights out of the region. But that isn't what Dubai International Airport workers are saying; they've reported problems on the ground since the cables were cut.

Not everyone in the Middle East is without YouTube, though. Israel is on a different undersea cable, and folks in Lebanon and Iraq are both able to get online. Lucky: You'll still be able to research your Euphrates River shark fishing expedition.

Related Stories:
· Internet Outage Hits India, Middle East [AP, via Google]
· Internet Failure Hits Two Continents [CNN]
· Dubai Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Marc Shandro]

Celeb Travel / Dubai / The-World-Dubai / Pamela Anderson / Tommy Lee / → All Tags

Tommy Lee Buys Pamela Anderson The World

Update:
According to Jaunted tipsters and commenters, Tommy Lee isn't buying in. He didn't get an invite.

The World, whose sales are by invitation only, is now 92 per cent reclaimed, according to Nakheel (via Emirates Today).

Nothing says "I love you and I want you back" like a man-made island, so Tommy Lee bought Pamela Anderson one off the coast of Dubai. Need further proof that Dubai is desperately trying to become the world's Las Vegas? While there are still plenty of cultural issues to sort out before Dubai is christened Sin City Middle East, having America's first couple of sex tapes purchase an island in one of the biggest vacation developments ever constructed isn't a bad start.

The World, where Tommy Lee reportedly purchased the man made island of Greece, consists of 300 man-made islands positioned to form the shape of the world map, lying 4km off the coast of Dubai. Measuring approximately 9 km in width by 7 km in length, the development covers over 9,340,000 million square feet and is visible to the naked eye from space--just like Vegas! The World will include a collection of homes, apartments, resorts, restaurants and retail amidst beaches, and boating. Heh, Tommy and Pam on a boat, isn't that how all this began?

Check out The World Dubai on Google Maps Here.

Related Stories:
· Lee And Anderson To Snap Up Dubai Home [SF Gate]
· The World Dubai [Official Site]

Dubai Travel / Emirates / Haliburton / Dubai / → All Tags

5 Places Halliburton Executives Need To Know In Dubai

Earlier this week Halliburton announced it was moving corporate headquarters to Dubai. Who knows what, if any, tax or political implications the move might entail. However, what we do know is Houston, Halliburton's current headquarters, is world's away from Dubai in every way imaginable.

Dubai is hot, and hardly because of Halliburton. Emirates, the countries premiere airline recently placed an order for Airbus A380s, yet another sign of the coming Dubai tourism dominance.

Below we have put together a list of the five top tourist attractions for Haliburton employees and executives--to help them feel at home in the Middle East.

5 Dubai Locations Halliburton Needs To Know

more ›

Celeb Travel / Dubai / Hotels / Film Festivals / Film Festival Travel / → All Tags

Dubai Draws Film Festival Celebs

Dubai's popularity only seems to be growing; the city hosted its annual (ok, it only started in 2004, but still...) Film Festival all of last week, and raked in the celeb guest appearances. Oliver Stone and Richard Gere teamed up at a press conference on Sunday at the festival to discuss violence in the media and artistic responsibility, and Stone screened his World Trade Center.

Diane Kruger (of Troy) also made the rounds dragging around boyfriend Joshua Jackson (yes, Pacey of Dawson's Creek). The two reportedly even had time to hit up the Mall of the Emirates for some post-festival indoor skiing.

Home base for the fest was the Madinat Jumeirah Resort (that's a tiny slice of it pictured above). The resort is a gigantic, Vegas-like development that's supposedly ridiculous, but gorgeous nonetheless. Though all of its three hotel subsections are expensive and celeb-worthy, we're guessing the biggest stars in attendance opted for the secluded Dar Al Masyaf rooms.

[Photo: James Cridland]

Related Stories:
· Dubai Dazzle [Page Six]
· Richard Gere to Grace Dubai Film Festival [India eNews]
· Dar Al Masyaf at Madinat Jumeirah reviews [TripAdvisor]

Dubai / Contests / Sports / → All Tags

Run Into the New Year in Dubai

Are you READY, screams the Dubai Marathon website, not needing a question mark, it seems. Anyway, since we did mention it before, you should be, but if it's slipped your mind, don't worry. Online registration for the January 12 race doesn't close until New Year's Eve, so there's still time.

You can choose between a 3km, 10km and full marathon entry, and with entry fees ranging from $10 to $50, the best value for your buck definitely comes with the marathon. All the races start and finish next to the Dubai World Trade Center. Unsurprisingly for this middle-of-the-desert-feeling location, the courses are pretty runner-friendly, with "excellent road surfaces and many long straight sections." But if the Dubai Marathon isn't challenging enough for you, consider joining along with crazy (but socially conscious) Austrian ultra-marathoner Manfred Michlits who'll already be twelve days into his run around the world by that stage. All of these possibilities...or you could just stay home.

[Photo: _Daragh_]

Related Stories:
· Run, BA, Run [Jaunted]
· Run, Manfred, Run! [Jaunted]

Security / Airport Security / Dubai / → All Tags

When Good Little Boys Go Bad

If you're flying with children soon, this is important information for you. Because you've really got to watch toddlers these days. When you're least expecting it, they'll turn out to be wanted criminals trying to stow away on a flight to Turkey. At least, that's what officials in the UAE thought recently, when a two-year-old's name came up on their wanted list.

Poor little Suhail Saleh's Ma and Pa were trundling his pram onto a flight from Dubai, heading for a relaxing holiday in Turkey, when immigration officers came to officially take him from the flight. Somehow Suhail's personal details--including his birthdate--had been added to a list of people posing a security risk. It took a bit of convincing, plus reassurance that he was traveling with his parents and not alone, before the officials finally let him fly. If only they'd arrest toddlers on planes for true acts of terrorism...like screaming.

[Photo: lynn smith]

Related Stories:
· 2-Year-Old Emirati Boy Held [Middle East Times]

Dubai / culture / → All Tags

Where Saturday's the New Sunday

Planning on taking a weekend break to Dubai? Apart from the fact that for most it's a little too far for a two-day getaway, there's another problem: When exactly is the weekend in Dubai?

Traditionally, Thursday and Friday made up the weekend in the UAE. But that's not too useful for employees who need to call up customers, suppliers or colleagues in other countries, and it's pretty confusing for tourists, too. So the government decided to change the weekend. Simple as that. The new weekend is Friday and Saturday, both fitting in better with other parts of the world and tourists, and retaining the holy day Friday free. So if you're reading today from Dubai, we can wish you a good weekend right now. The rest of you have to wait another day.

Working Thursday [Gulf News]

Celeb Travel / Dubai / → All Tags

Dallas Austin Blows Through Dubai

Hip-hop producer and gangstar Dallas Austin--his ID must be confusing to look at--might be spending some extended time in the rich and famous playground of Dubai very soon. Austin was arrested for cocaine possession at Dubai's airport in May and is now going on trial in the UAE at the Dubai Court of First Instance. Yikes! Didn't he know that snow would be conspicuous in the desert?

Austin's produced hits for Madonna and Michael Jackson, to name a few, and is scheduled to appear in court again on July 2nd. Rumor has it he was caught on his way to Naomi Campbell's birthday party, but his lawyers claim he was just in town for a concert. The UAE doesn't mess around when it comes to drug charges either. At least he didn't get caught in Singapore.

[Image via Phannemann/Flickr]

Related Stories:
·   Austin To Go On Trial In Dubai [SF Gate: Dish!]