Hey there, readers! I know it's been a while since my last Mariobilia or launch party photo gallery, but I've got a very good reason for that: I've just spent an entire month in Dubai, the most bustling of cities in the United Arab Emirates.

Dubai is known for being a playground for the rich and famous, and offering a luxurious lifestyle of beaches, shopping malls, fine dining and decadence, it may be hard to imagine what the city has to cater to the everyday Nintendo nerd like me.

Do people in the Middle East follow pop culture from the outside world? Do they read comics, or play video games? What are their thoughts on Japanese media, and do they know about anime? You might be surprised!

Click on the pages to the right to check out my desert adventure.