After an interesting and relaxing week at home it was back to work again with a brand new destination of Durban! I had bid for Durban as I had wanted to go shark cage diving, so when I received this on my roster I was very happy. The flight departed Dubai at 10:50am landing into King Shaka International Airport at 17:15 that evening. Driving over to the hotel, we checked in and I had the most amazing room!!
After touring what could be deemed as a small apartment, I changed quickly and went downstairs to meet some of the crew to go out for some South African steak and wine! We went to a restaurant called Baluga which was lovely, I went for the fillet steak with shaved asparagus – rare of course – and oh my goodness it tasted amazing!
After dinner we headed back to bed as five of us were getting up at 5am to go and cage dive with the sharks! The whole dive cost 1200 South African Rand (£65) and it took an hour to drive over to the coast line where “shark park” is. We changed into our wet suits and walked across to the beach and pushed the speed boat into the Indian Ocean.
It was a 20 minute speed boat where we swapped with a group who were doing an earlier dive. On the drive over though we managed to see a lot of dolphins and even flying fish which was amazing!!
As we began to swap boats, I could see all the sharks and fish surrounding us in the water beneath. There were two guys holding the two boats together and another two transferring the people! There was a lot of trust put into this as it was really choppy and the two boats kept pulling apart and all I could think was, if they drop me, I will be plunged into a pool of sharks with no life jacket or mask! However, we were all transferred safely and we were about to get in the cage!!
There was no need for breathing equipment as you were in the cage so you could just hold your breath and view everything around you and go up and down as you needed it. I thought I would be scared, but I didn’t feel afraid at any point during the dive! And if the sharks were going to eat anyone, it would most likely be the diver who was taking all the photographs!
And we were down. I’m the second in on the right hand side if anyone was wondering which is me (yes I’m talking to you again Grandmas) and the guys on the boat began to throw it the vast amounts of fish meat to attract even more sharks around! You’d also think the water would be cold, but it was actually a really pleasant temperature around 19 degrees one of the guys said!
When the dive had finished, we resurfaced but due to the choppy waters I was beginning to feel really sick and queasy, and when I got back onto the boat I actually threw up over board! Not like me to get travel/motion sickness, but I felt much better for doing so! We then drove back to the shore where we could get dried off and head back to the hotel for a sleep before our wake up call!
Back at the hotel, I ordered some room service and had a nice hot shower to warm myself back up and slept for around 4 hours before our flight back to Dubai! An incredible layover, and one of the best experiences I have ever had and/or done! If you think you’re going to be scared, just like I thought I was going to be, you honestly really won’t as what you get to see underwater is absolutely incredible! What an amazing world we live in, ey?
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Jessica's Journey With Emirates 
This was so beautiful to read! Happy you enjoyed your layover in my beautiful home town 🙂
Ill be joining the Emirates cabin crew in a couple of weeks, I’ve been enjoying reading your blogs. I just have one question, how much spending money were you given when you arrived? I’m just curious 🙂 xx
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Glad you enjoy my blogs, means a lot thank you! We were given just over 400 SAR xx
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Hey Phindi, was wondering when and where did u attend your open day coz I’ve been checking for an OD/AD here in SA and there is nothing scheduled for this year, please assist..Ngiyabona
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Hey Zama, I attended in July in Durban. They recently held an AD in Pretoria this past weekend. You must’ve missed it. X
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Hi Jessica, always great to read about the adventures and how you live in Dubai. I have the chance to travel to Dubai and I was wondering if it is save as a woman on her own to go to Deira and the souks. All other areas should be fine … e.g. like marina walk or the malls. Do you think it would help to wear the abaya? I would love to hear your thoughts on that. Thanks in advance.
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Hi, yes completely safe to wander around deira. Dubai is very safe and it wouldn’t make any difference to wear an abaya or not. I hope you have a lovely visit in Dubai, enjoy!
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Thank you! I appreciate your feedback.
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Good you have the opportunity of visiting home! glad you enjoy your stay. the hotel is beautiful.
there is one thing I learn from your blog which has help me and change me its to always be positive and learn to focus on good aspect of life to get the best out of everything.
I wish you best always.
I read post from DUBAIDIARY.She suggested yours to someone which I decided to check and like it.
keep on posting !
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Yes Dubai Diaries made me want the job so much more. I’m glad you enjoy my blog, it means so much and what you take from it too ☺️
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Hi Jessica, your blog is incredible and so insightful. It’s one of the reasons that motivated me to join Emirates. Please keep posting! My DOJ is 2 December and I’m flying from Johannesburg. I’m a bit nervous about the experience, was hoping you could share some tips and tricks?
Phindi when is your DOJ? X
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Ah that’s so so lovely to hear Chemoné, congrats and welcome to the EK family! Tips and tricks for training college are just keep on top of all your work and make sure revise each night as you need to pass all those exams, and don’t want to be sent back a week either! Keep up to date with your portfolio that you will do during your abinitio period as it is something that college takes seriously. Most of all enjoy though, you’re about to have the best time of your life! Hope to see you in the skies soon 🙂 x
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🙂 Thank you very much for your reply, and sharing your tips. I really appreciate it! I’d love being in the skies with an amazing person such as yourself… xx
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Hi Jess , how lovely that you can give such words of encouragement .. and hints and tips ,to other young ladies ..just starting out ! good on you, my love xx
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Wow! I live in Durban and have never shark caged dived. What company did you go through? Looks like it was incredible 🙂
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I did it with Shark Diving KZN there website is http://www.sharkcagedivingkzn.com/ and they were reasonably priced! I highly recommend!
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So glad you had the chance to visit Durban! It’s a beautiful place and you went cage diving which is great! Hope you return soon!
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