Celebrity Hairdresser's £2,000 Desert Odyssey to Dubai Amid Middle East Conflict
In a dramatic tale of maternal determination, celebrity hairdresser Nicky Lazou has disclosed how she embarked on a gruelling £2,000 journey spanning over 4,500 miles to return to Dubai during the escalating Middle East war, only to now seek an exit from the city. The 39-year-old entrepreneur, originally from the West Midlands, undertook this perilous desert crossing after her flight was cancelled, driven by an urgent need to reunite with her five-year-old son Zion, who was in Dubai under the care of her mother and live-in nanny.
A Desperate Scramble Amid Airspace Closures
When the United Arab Emirates closed its airspace in response to Iran's suicide drone attacks, Ms Lazou found herself stranded in London, where she had been attending to high-profile clients. With her scheduled return flight on March 1 cancelled, she scrambled to devise an alternative route. Her solution involved booking a flight to Muscat in neighbouring Oman, a destination that has become a refuge for many expats fleeing the conflict. From there, she hired drivers to navigate the desert and cross the border into the UAE, a trip that totalled approximately £2,000 in expenses.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Ms Lazou described the surreal experience as "like a movie," noting her frequent travels—sometimes up to six flights a week—but this time felt terrifyingly different. "I just felt like, oh my God, what if this is my last time? My biggest fear was: I'm by myself," she recounted, adding that she received alarming phone notifications from UAE authorities warning residents to avoid windows and glass due to missile threats.
Reunion and New Challenges in Dubai
After a six-hour drive from Oman, including a border switch of vehicles, Ms Lazou was finally reunited with her family in Dubai. However, her relief was short-lived as she now faces the daunting task of evacuating them from the war-torn region. Unlike many British expats, she cannot return to the UK because her nanny, Sunia, holds an African passport and lacks a visa for entry. Instead, Ms Lazou is organising a move to Thailand, but this plan is complicated by a seven-day waiting period for a pet visa for her dog, Balayage, a Pomeranian named after the hair colouring technique that launched her business.
Ms Lazou expressed frustration over the lack of support for pets during crises, citing instances where expats have abandoned animals on streets or tied them to lampposts. "I feel like the world needs to do something better when it comes to, in crisis, helping pets," she said, emphasising her commitment to keeping her family—including her dog—together. Her mother, Penny, 63, who was visiting Dubai from Cyprus, has also been affected, having lived through the Turkish-Cypriot War and now reluctant to leave her daughter behind.
Balancing Business and Family Amid Uncertainty
As a single mother and successful entrepreneur with over 83,000 Instagram followers and clients among UAE royal families, Ms Lazou earns up to £12,000 per appointment. She moved to Dubai permanently in January 2022 to start a "new life" and has built a thriving business, but the war has cast a shadow over her achievements. "I've worked super hard, I've never relied on anyone financially and I was so happy that I built this little life for us, and now I don't know what will happen," she lamented, comparing the uncertainty to the pandemic but noting this situation feels "worse."
Despite the challenges, Ms Lazou praised UAE authorities for maintaining safety and control, acknowledging her relative luck compared to others. She has shared her contacts on social media to assist fellow expats struggling with transport, highlighting the community spirit amid adversity. As she navigates visa logistics and plans for Thailand, her story underscores the complex realities faced by expatriates in conflict zones, where personal and professional lives intertwine in unpredictable ways.
