A term that kept repeating itself during my days in college was the ?Freshmen 15? ? a phenomenon that took first year students by storm as their mass x gravity showed an increase of 15 lbs between the arrival date in college and the return home for the summer. My situation however was contrary and I took the other extreme. The first semester, I was 5 kilos down and I was still going south with the fear of male anorexia. Fortunately, there was a weight stabilization factor that kicked in every holiday season ? destination Dubai (home).

Dubai is known for its lavish lifestyle that attracts thousands of immigrants every year. Fat pay cheques with comforts of domestic help means that the general ?size? of the population is higher (or heavier!) every year.

Dubai's vision to be one of the most sought after tourist hubs in the world is evident in the tremendous flourish in it's hospitality sector. Every holiday in Dubai was an eye opener as to what mankind can accomplish with great leadership and direction. Hotels, restaurants, cafes & night life have sprung up in the city faster than Schumy's lap records at the Spanish grand prix.

Now Dubai has over 1200 restaurants (excluding the ?menu-less? ones) that cater to every taste of its residents which include people from over 200 countries. The wealth of nationalities has contributed quite literally to a melting pot of different cultures and is evident in the different cuisines offered around town.

Whilst the quantity of restaurants increases, there is no compromise on quality either. Some of the finest restaurants in the world have opened branches in Dubai to get a piece of the Emirate's economic success and of course contribute to every new immigrant's ?Dubai 20?!