A woman with blond hair stands in a desert landscape with sand dunes.

Michaela Eckmüller

Travel Designer

Hello, I am Michi and since the beginning of 2023, I have been responsible for the worldwide after-sales area at Take Memories. For me, a successful trip begins not just at the airport, but with perfect preparation. I ensure that every detail of your travel documents is correct and answer your final questions so that the anticipation for your vacation is in the spotlight. Through my own passion for traveling, I know many of our destinations not only from the documents but from personal experience. Therefore, I am always happy to actively support our team in individual travel consulting. My expectation is simple: you relax and sit back – and I take care of the foundation for your unforgettable moments.

michaela@takememories.com
A woman wearing a white dress and a red and white scarf stands on vast sand dunes in a desert under a clear sky.
So many similarities connect the countries of the Orient – each has shown me a unique character on my travels. This became particularly clear to me in Oman and the UAE. Oman enchanted me with its untouched landscapes – from fjords and mountains to vast deserts and secluded beaches. The UAE, on the other hand, showed me a completely different side of the Orient: modern city life, extraordinary amusement parks, countless shopping opportunities, and a culinary scene that leaves almost no wish unfulfilled.
A young woman in a white dress standing by a black railing in front of a flower bed with the city skyline in the background.
A woman sitting on a green lawn with the Dubai skyline and a tall flagpole flying the UAE flag in the background under a clear blue sky.
A woman in a white dress and wide-brimmed hat stands next to a line of camels sitting on sandy desert terrain, each camel covered with patterned blankets and colorful muzzle coverings.
A woman wearing a grey abaya standing in the courtyard of Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi, UAE, with the mosque's white domes and minarets visible under a partly cloudy sky.
Young woman in a white t-shirt and floral skirt posing on steps with palm trees and the Burj Al Arab hotel in the background at Souk Madinat, Dubai.

On my bucket list

Egypt

At the top of my list is a tour through Egypt. I would start in Cairo to see the new Grand Egyptian Museum. On a Nile cruise, I want to explore the various historical sites along the river, such as the Valley of the Kings and the temples in Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Aswan. I also find the Wadi El Gemal National Park very interesting. And to top it off, a few days at the beach for snorkeling and relaxing – perfect!

Discover Egypt

My next trip

Jordan

My next private trip is not yet set. But if it’s not this trip to Egypt, I am also very interested in Jordan with the impressive rocks of Petra and the Dead Sea. Jordan is also great to explore as a round trip, and I hope it presents me with a different side of the Orient.

Discover Jordan

About Michi – How the Orient conquered my heart

My fascination for the Orient goes back to my childhood. When I first heard the story of Aladdin and the magic lamp, it was a world full of pure fantasy for me: the exotic, the distant, endless deserts, men in long white robes. I was convinced that such a thing could not really exist, that these were just stories invented for children like me.

However, this image has never really left me. The older I became, the stronger the desire grew to find out what in this concept is real and what is fantasy. I wanted to see these vastnesses and this foreign world with my own eyes and not just know it from books.

When I was out there myself, it became clear to me how close some of these childhood images actually are to reality – and how much more complex the Orient is at the same time. To this day, I am fascinated by this mix: the familiarity with old stories and images paired with the realization that every country has its own often surprising side. This makes my work exciting for me even today.

Moments that particularly thrilled me

Overnight on the Rubba

The winding road led us down to Khor Najd, from where we were taken by speedboat to the Rubba, a traditional dhow. Between boating, fishing, and chatting with the warm crew, time onboard flew by. The highlight was the joint dinner on deck. The crew had prepared everything fresh for us, including the fish we had caught ourselves. Sitting together outside on the calm water, eating relaxed, and exchanging stories made this time so special for me.

Shows in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

I am a big fan of light and water shows – such performances simply excite me every time anew. Therefore, I watch the Dubai Fountain Show at every opportunity; even after the X-th time, it is always a lot of fun and simply looks beautiful. Another highlight was the Palace in Motion show at the Qasr Al Watan Palace in Abu Dhabi. How the lights were projected onto the palace facade, perfectly accompanied by music, was a beautiful experience that I can definitely recommend.

Iftar in the desert

An evening that particularly stuck in my memory was an iftar in the middle of the desert at the Bab Al Shams Resort. The buffet was lined with Arabic delicacies while traditional dance performances and spectacular shows brought the night to life. Right beside, the camels dozed under a breathtaking starry sky. It was precisely this magic of traditions, Arab flavors, and the silence of the desert that made the evening something very special and reminded me once again where my fascination for the Orient comes from.

See where I've traveled

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Four people seated at a wooden table laden with various dishes and drinks on a boat deck, with water and mountains in the background under a shaded canopy.

Musandam

The Rubba shows that no luxury is needed to have an unforgettable experience – sometimes, it's just this carefree, familial feeling and good conversations that remain in memory. Oman
Woman in a striped shirt leaning on a railing with a fountain show and the illuminated Burj Khalifa in Dubai, UAE at night.

Downtown Dubai

For me, these shows are the best proof that even as an adult, you can still feel like a child enjoying colorful lights and music. Dubai
Woman sitting on a low wall beside a large bronze camel sculpture in an outdoor dining area at night, with many people seated at tables in the background under dim lighting and a glowing pink spherical light overhead.

Al-Marmoom Desert

Anyone traveling in the Orient during Ramadan should definitely experience an iftar, try the Arabic cuisine, and let themselves be swept away by the lively atmosphere. United Arab Emirates