Dubai: Going around the world in just a few days is an impossible task. But Kateryna Sakovich, a 26-year-old Ukrainian expat in Dubai, managed to “travel the world in 10 days” thanks to Expo 2020 Dubai.
She managed to visit all country and non-country pavilions at Expo after spending more than five hours per day, collecting stamps from all pavilions in her Expo 2020 yellow passport.
Sakovich told Gulf News she fell in love with the mega event and wanted to be one of the first people to gain passport stamps of 217 pavilions.
At Expo, residents and international visitors alike are able to ‘travel’ with a customisable ‘passport’ that keeps a record of their journey as they explore 200-plus participating pavilions.
“I’ve got all stamps from all pavilions in 10 days after spending five hours or more per visit traveling through pavilions. Finally, I did it,” Kateryna told Gulf News at Expo 2020 Dubai.
“It was a challenge for me and I liked the idea of being the first who collect all stamps. I decided to visit all pavilions as soon as possible.”
She said that Expo 2020 Dubai was her first Expo to attend and it became her favourite attraction.
Culture and concerts
“It was interesting and exciting for me to come here and learn about different cultures and history of each country. Expo is the best place I have ever been because I can visit all countries in one place,” added Sakovich.
She said that Expo has a long list of entertainment activities, concerts and shows that encourages people to visit many times.
“Always I have fun while visiting Expo. I love UAE and Dubai as its the best place to live, work and have a wonderful life.”
She said that her top five pavilions are: Germany, Emirates, Alif, Terra and Saudi Arabia.
Use smart queue, set targets
“My advice for anyone want to get all stamps is to use smart queue through Expo application on smartphones. Because people can visit pavilions without need to stand in long queues. “There is a long list of pavilions and it’s hard to remember all the pavilions that you visited so it’s better to make a checklist.”
Expo passport
The yellow passport encourages visitors to see as many pavilions as possible during the 182-day event and helps them to relive those special moments after they leave the mega-event.
Mimicking a real passport, no two are alike, including enhanced security features – a unique number, an area to include a passport-sized photo, personal details, and hidden watermarked images on each page.
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The passport celebrates the UAE’s Golden Jubilee with a special page stamped in gold foil, featuring a photograph of the nation’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, taken in 1971 when the UAE celebrated the birth of the nation.
The 50-page booklet also contains designs and pictures of the three Thematic Pavilions (Mission Possible – The Opportunity Pavilion, Alif – The Mobility Pavilion and Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion), as well as Al Wasl Plaza, plus other Dubai landmarks, such as the city’s iconic skyline.
People can get the passport from all official Expo 2020 Dubai stores located across the Expo site, and the Expo 2020 Dubai store located in Dubai Airports’ Terminal 3.
