Many moons ago, I was sitting in the middle of the Sahara, luxuriating in the heat, making eyes at the camels and wondering if the rug I was lying on had any magical properties.

One of my co-travellers noticed this. “You were a Bedouin in a former life,” he said. I was delighted and ever since have tried to combine my Bedouin tendencies with those of, shall we say, a more worldly lifestyle. And where better to do that than Abu Dhabi, one of the most high-profile cities in the Middle East?

Its younger sister, Dubai, might be flashier, but Abu Dhabi is the one who bailed her out after her finances hit the skids and AD is now rapidly catching her up as a tourist destination in its own right. A more sophisticated destination, too, for while Dubai (which I like) is all about the tallest building and the biggest mall, Abu Dhabi is shaping itself as the cultural hub of the UAE, understandably as it is also its capital.

But we Bedouins like our shopping and good hotels, or at least, this one does, and there’s no shortage of those too. We Bedouin do not just travel by camel these days, and so it was British Airways that stood in for the magic carpet on its newly reopened route to AD, a route that had been closed for some years due to Covid.

The very welcome sunshine and heat hit you as you get off the plane. Escaping from the dreary British spring into the vibrant Middle Eastern one, which is hot but entirely manageable, makes it one of the very best times of the year to go.

Our first stop was the glamorous Jumeirah hotel at Saadiyat Island, which meant enjoying lunch overlooking the beach before heading off to the Louvre. Yes, the Louvre. Saadiyat Island is a manmade construction which will be home to some of the biggest names in museums in the world.

The Louvre, which is already up and running, and houses a collection of objects as well as paintings, designed to showcase the history of mankind, is dominated by a huge silvery dome, constructed of geometric shapes and designed to reflect the night sky. Many more museums are already there or scheduled to be opening, and one in particular will lure this traveller back to see it alone – the Guggenheim, designed by the extraordinary American architect Frank Gehry. If the designs are anything to go by, will be even more spectacular than the Guggenheim in Bilbao. At the time of writing it is due to open next year.

But it wouldn’t be the UAE without a bit of fun and so the following morning it was off to Yas Island, another manmade construction that is ideal for visiting families. It houses the Yas Marina Circuit, which hosts the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Ferrari World, Waterworld and Warner Bros, the world’s largest indoor theme park – clearly, AD is not allowing Dubai to get away with all of the ‘world’s largest’ around here.

It features various gut-churning rides, but plunging rollercoasters aren’t my thing so I headed off to nearby Yas Mall.

There you will find western shops alongside locals, including Ether, a department store that specialises in brands from the region. I am a shopaholic and bought a maxi dress and scarf, perfect for visiting mosques.

But it was that afternoon that my inner Bedouin really came to the fore, because it was out into the desert, for a spot of dune bashing, namely making like a Formula One driver in the middle of the sand. About an hour out of the city, our driver stopped at a camel farm to let some of the air out of his tyres before we started our adventure, where we spotted a flock of baby camels, prompting some revolting gushing from the females present and yes, I do mean me. Show me a baby furry anything and I’m done for, although these ones were quite as capable as their parents at looking down their noses at us with undisguised contempt. Did you know that another collective noun for camels is a “scorn”? There’s a reason for that.

We weren’t racing camels that afternoon, but 4x4s. “I’m going to start now,” said our driver and it was as well he gave us notice because the speed at which we raced up and down those dunes would have put the rides on Yas Island to shame.

A certain amount of screaming ensued. I was praised for my British reserve but the fact is that I was so paralysed with fear not even a squeak could come out. But it’s a great way to have fun in the desert, followed up by climbing a dune to watch the sun set, an open air feast and a show that included belly dancing and fire eating.

Not sure that these are entirely Bedouin pursuits (belly dancing comes from Egypt), but my Bedouin heart swelled.

The next day we moved to the incredibly glamorous Emirates Palace, Mandarin Oriental, a building so spectacular it’s listed as a sightseeing destination in itself. It is in a huge site right at the heart of the city, beside the Qasr Al Watan, the presidential palace that opened nearly a decade ago. Made of white granite and sandstone, it is so big you may well be able to see it from space and has interiors that are, to be honest, pretty bling.

That is OK by me, because I might be a Bedouin, but I do like my bling – think gold, everywhere, and chandeliers the size of battleships. It is open to the public, but is still used for the official purposes for which it was built. And then it was on to that other must-see, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, which can hold more than 40,000 worshippers.

Nothing is done on a small scale in this place.

About 30 years old, its inspiration was various bits of Islamic architecture around the world and indeed, with its curving shapes and pietra dura decoration, it was slightly reminiscent of the Taj Mahal. Remember to dress modestly (my Yas mall purchase was just the thing) and cover your head with a scarf.

All too soon it was time to go home. The final evening started with drinks at the Emirates Palace Broadway bar. “I have one serious complaint about this place,” I informed our host.

He was alarmed. “What’s that?” “We’re only staying one night!” There are many restaurants to choose from: we opted for Talea, a Michelin-starred Italian eatery. Reader, it was sublime. Would I go back? Yes, especially when the Guggenheim opens.

Like Dubai, Abu Dhabi is changing by the hour. For nomads like we Bedouins, that means we can witness change on a daily basis – without actually having to roam very far at all.

Book the holiday

• British Airways Holidays offers five nights’ B&B at the five-star Jumeirah Saadiyat Island resort in Abu Dhabi from £1,049pp, departing from Heathrow on selected dates in September with 23kg baggage; or five nights’ room-only at the five-star Emirates Palace, Mandarin Oriental Abu Dhabi from £1,499pp. Book by June 26. britishairways.com/abu-dhabi
• More info at visitabudhabi.ae