With enough money, it’s possible to do something unbelievable in Dubai and now you can add another to the list — walking on the moon. Recently, Canadian architectural company Moon World Resorts announced plans to construct a $5 billion resort (度假村) that looks like the moon in Dubai.

The project, named Moon Dubai, is meant to help visitors experience space tourism, which allows guests to find out what it is like to walk on the moon. The resort will be very luxurious and contemporary, with a lot of components inside that one would already know — for example, a wellness area, residential properties, restaurants, a convention center, and a spa, each with a lunar twist (月球扭). It will also include a training platform for space agencies and astronauts.

Space tourism currently comes with a big price tag, and it’s a barrier to entry for most travelers. However, the moon resort experience will be significantly cheaper. A walk on the lunar surface of the moon resort is much more affordable at $500.

“Moon Dubai will significantly impact every aspect of the UAE’s economy, including tourism, transportation, commercial and residential real estate, infrastructure, financial services, aviation and space, energy, agriculture, technology and of course education,” says Michael R. Henderson, co-founder of Moon World Resorts. “It will be the largest and most successful modern-day tourism project in the MENA region, doubling annual tourism visitations to Dubai based on its global appeal, brand awareness and unique multiple integrated offerings.”

Whether the project will eventually take off is currently unknown. If the design can be successful, it will require a 12-month pre-development planning program and a 48-month building process. But the company’s plan is viable (可行的). Moreover, Henderson estimated that the moon resort could open in 2027.

Saturday, March 24th

We have arrived in the hot, wet city of Bangkok. This is our first trip to Thailand(泰国). All the different smells make us want to try the food. We are going to eat something special for dinner tonight. The hotel we are staying in is cheap, and very clean. We plan to stay here for a few days, visit some places in the city, and then travel to Chiang Mai in the North.

Tuesday, March 27th

Bangkok is wonderful and surprising! The places are interesting. We visited the famous market which was on water, and saw a lot of fruits and vegetables. Everything is so colorful, and we have taken hundreds of photos already! Later today we will leave for Chiang Mai. We will take the train north, stay in Chiang Mai for two days, and then catch a bus to Chiang Rai.

Friday, March 30th

Our trip to Chiang Rai was long and boring. We visited a small village in the mountains. The village people here love the quiet life--no computers or phones. They are the kindest people I have ever met. They always smile and say “hello”. Kathy and I can only speak a few words of Thai, so smiling is the best way to show our kindness. I feel good here and hope to be able to come back next year.

Holidays