Wish you all a very Happy New Year 2014!
During the year 2013 end, I managed to get some good photos of fireworks display in Abu Dhabi for the 42nd National Day Celebrations. Those are my best fireworks photos till date. Will publish them in another post!
For the 2014 New Year eve, heard Dubai was planning to set a world record of fireworks display through newspapers. Since I’m improving my fireworks photography, did not want to miss it. Planned it from the last week. With Aarush and Aarvin it is very difficult to plan an outing like this. Using Google maps found that Jumeirah Beach Park is the best place to see fireworks (as it is the closest public area to the world island). Actually before maps, I tried some hotel rooms for just a one night stay to see a higher view of the fireworks. Nothing is closer to my range. They were all just above 3000 AED. So left the idea for the next year (:P). Click here to see the location.
From this point, we were able to see “Burj-Khalifa” (the world’s tallest tower), “Burj-Al-Arab” (the world’s only 7-star hotel) and the World Island (;) though you cannot visually see the islands). Knowing it will be crowded on the New Year Eve, decided to reach the place like 9 hours before the display (with full kits) On our way back home, we bought the necessary stuffs (like tent, LED lamps, etc.,) Took half-day off at work, packed everything and left home at around 3:00 PM. On our way to Dubai, heavy traffic. May be around 10 accidents at different places/severity. Drove very patiently and reached the spotted place at around 5:45 PM. Yes it took nearly 3 hours for us to reach.
Initially the place looked little secluded and with doubt, parked the car. Then roamed around. In one hour, few tents were formed. We put up our tent. It was very cold temp. around 16-18 degrees. As the time nears, the parking space was jam-packed. We thought fireworks from all the places (Burj-Khalifa, Burj-Al-Arab and world island) starts at the same time. Took a good nap for around 1.5 hrs. The display at World Island lasts for 6 mins. I thought to take pictures of Burj-Khalifa first. B’cos of the crowd 10-mins before the display start, could see only heads. Ran toward the parking space to get the better view of Burj-Khalifa. One gentleman guided us that the first display is on the World Island and Burj-Khalifa will be the last. So I came back running to our tent area to get the World Island display clearly. I didn’t know this guy is an idiot until the first firework display cracked from Burj-Khalifa.
Praising that idiot, started taking pictures. What a fantastic start! I clicked more human heads only. 🙂 After it is completed, (2 mins later) then the display at “Burj-Al-Arab” started. It was amazing. Though our view was far away, could able to see little. Still blaming my bad start, looking forward to World Island display.
Wow! When it started, lifetime moment! You need wide angle eyes to view the complete display. I forgot for a while why I went there. Again ran towards another area and clicked few. Though the place was perfect for the fireworks watching, i didn’t plan the view well. It could have been a better shooting. Still happy with whatever I got. All these photos of World Island fireworks display are direct from camera. (No PP) The younger kid slept and did not see the fireworks. We all enjoyed it. Please click this link for a slideshow with full screen.
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Return journey was tiresome, it took just 2 hours to cross a 5 KM road. Reached home around 5 in the morning and searched another 30 mins. for parking. Had breakfast and then straight to bed. good night! What a New Year start!!
These guys sitting near the tent shown real patience. 🙂 Happy New Year to them and all of you! Hey hey! thats not done yet, now I have to plan for her a gift close to 3000 AED (close to that hotel price)..
Enjoy and have fun!!