And the problems that come with growing up…
I’d just started at my new school, Merchant Taylors’, and we’d finally finished our first half term. It hadn’t been easy — getting to know new people, new teachers, and trying not to get lost in this massive school. Some of my older cousins went through the same thing, including one who just started university this year! So, we all thought a one-week break in Abu Dhabi would be the perfect way to relax.
My cousins had actually been to the same place — the Sheraton — a couple of years ago, and they said it would be even better if we all went together this time. It took some serious planning to organise the whole trip, but somehow, we made it happen.
The first day started early — and I mean really early. We woke up at 2 a.m. for our flight to Zurich, then another one to Abu Dhabi, followed by a drive to the hotel. Thankfully, we arrived just in time for dinner before collapsing into bed.
Days 2 and 3 were all about relaxing. Since only half the family had arrived, we hadn’t planned anything big yet. We spent most of our time by the pool, exploring the hotel and the beach, and even managed to go to the gym a couple of times — surprisingly. We also got access to the Club Lounge, which was amazing — it’s basically a balcony overlooking the lobby, with free drinks during happy hour and endless snacks.
Day 4 was easily one of the best days of the trip. We all went to Yas Waterworld — all 21 of us, yes, even my grandma. We started off by queuing for the big rides that get busier later in the day — the 6-person dinghy slides. They were thrilling, but not quite the ones I was most excited for. Next came the vertical drop slide, which almost everyone (including my sister) decided to try.
Lunch might have been the real highlight of the day — mostly because my mum ended up arguing with the staff about how long our food was taking. Classic. After that, we tried a few of the new slides (which turned out to be pretty underwhelming), floated around the lazy river (also underwhelming), and then tackled LIWA. You know those slides where they count down and the floor suddenly drops from beneath you? Yep, that one.
I wasn’t exactly scared, but I wasn’t thrilled either. My cousin had already got stuck earlier because his rash vest caused too much friction, and he didn’t make it over the loop. Then he told me his trunks nearly fell off — not an experience I wanted to repeat. To top it off, the scale said I was 50kg (which I am not). Anyway, I went for it, made it through successfully, and that wrapped up the day.
Day 5 took us back to Yas Island, where our group split into two. The families with younger kids went to SeaWorld, while the rest of us headed to Ferrari World — famous for its record-breaking rides like Mission: Ferrari, Flying Aces (which has the world’s largest loop), and Formula Rossa, the fastest roller coaster on Earth, going from 0 to 250 km/h in under a second! Unfortunately, Formula Rossa was closed, so we settled for Mission: Ferrari and Flying Aces.
We also tried another ride — I can’t remember its name — that started indoors, shot forward, and burst out of the building before suddenly stopping at a dead end. For a few seconds, we were left hanging upside-down, suspended above Ferrari World, before the ride plunged us back down through the same track at full speed.
The rest of the day was a bit more relaxed. We watched my cousins and my sister do some rock climbing, played a few fairground games, and even won a couple of prizes.
Day 6 was much like Days 2 and 3 — we spent most of it just sitting back and relaxing. But this was also when the “growing up” part of the trip began. See, there was this… girl. She kept looking at me, and honestly, there wasn’t much I could do except try to act natural. We made eye contact a few times — kind of awkward, kind of funny — but I decided to just ignore it and move on.
Later that day, we visited the Swaminarayan Temple, which was absolutely stunning. The architecture was incredible, and we stayed into the evening to take part in the Ganga Aarti ceremony. After that, we headed back to the hotel and finished the night the usual way — playing cards together.
Day 7 was probably the worst day of the trip — not because anything bad happened, but because of how it ended. Remember that girl from yesterday? Yeah, somehow we’d managed to “bond” without ever getting closer than a metre to each other. The closest I got was walking past her table at breakfast. She had this really nice outfit on and spent most of the day sitting outside.
Then, finally, my moment came. The universe had aligned perfectly — she was sitting alone, my family had gone to lunch, and for once, I actually had a chance. But of course, me being me, I completely fumbled it. I hesitated, overthought it, and before I knew it… she was gone. I didn’t see her again after that. Yup. Life hits hard sometimes.
Day 8 rolled around — the day we were leaving. After the disaster of the day before, I’d learned from my mistake and was finally ready to talk to her. But, of course, when I went to look for her… she’d left the hotel the night before. Just my luck.
I was honestly depressed for the rest of the day, holding onto this tiny bit of hope that I might see her at the airport — but I didn’t. I was miserable on the plane too, and eventually, my parents found out what was going on. Luckily, they were super chill about it and told me not to worry — after all, she lived really far away anyway.
We got home around 10 p.m., and even though I was still a bit down, I realised I’d come back with loads of great memories, hilarious moments, and stories I’ll probably tell for years.
Overall, this trip wasn’t just a fun holiday — it was a mix of laughter, chaos, and a few unexpected life lessons. From thrilling rides and family adventures to awkward encounters and moments of self-reflection, it had everything. I learned that sometimes, even when things don’t go as planned, they still make the best memories.
(I would’ve added some photos here, but I can’t include them without everyone’s consent.)