Well I'm ending things here in Dubai. I really don't want to at all. However, reality has set in and I can't stay here any longer. Today I'm spending my last day at Burjuman Centre Fitness First, this is the first gym I attended here in the UAE. Tonight I will go to Deira City Centre Fitness First and complete my last Zumba in Dubai with my favorite teacher and sell my membership. That will be sad because I love the gym here in Dubai.
Tomorrow I plan to check out of my apartment, and then later in the day return the rental car and take a cab to the airport. I'll try to sleep there, but that likely won't happen. My fight is Monday morning at 8am. Once home I'll probably crash land in my bed, because at the point I would have been awake for nearly two days.
Lessons learned in Dubai (not an exhaustive list):
1. Driving here is at the risk of your own life and anyone else in the car with you or on the road around you. The speed limit signs of course are in km/h, which is find because the cars have the speedometer in km/h. No matter what the sign says you are permitted to go 20 km/h over the speed limit with no penalty. However, if you choose to drive in the left lane (you are crazy), be careful. The left lane is the Indy 500 of the UAE. Not only are you practically required to go at least 20 over you will likely experience a race car driver coming up behind you very closely flashing their lights and honking at you to move over so they can over take you, in stead of just going around you. They can get very upset if you don't move so they can pass. I found this quite entertaining actually, because once they are tailgating me, I would slow down even more. The police officer told me about the 20 over the limit idea so it's legal. Please be careful on the roads here!
2. Arabs/Muslims will always win in the legal system. No matter what happens if you are an expat chances are you will loose your case no matter how much evidence you have.
3. Speed is not of the essence here. Things take a long time here. Especially with the government, but even with the office at work things take a long time.
4. Insha'Allah is used religiously. Pun intended. Insha'Allah or God Willing is something one living here will likely hear a lot! When waiting for anything, or planning anything the locals will tell you Insha'Allah. Meaning they hope and pray that it may happen but if it doesn't God didn't want to happen anyway so it doesn't matter.
5. Prices are relative here. Keep in mind there is no tax of any kind, so prices may include a bit extra. Some examples:
Milk (2 litres) = AED 10
Cereal (350g box) = AED 10-17
Bread (loaf) = AED 7
Subway (6in meal) = AED 23
McDonald's (Big Mac meal) = AED 27
My apartment (furnished studio, with electricity, gas and water included) in a less desirable complex = AED 3400 / month
Gas = AED 1.72/litre ... this is a Arabia, land of oil. This a equivalent to $1.77/gallon!
The money used here in dirham, the currency here is pegged to the US Dollar. The exchange rate is and will always be: USD 1 = AED 3.67.
6. Most local people Arab/Muslim and other expats are VERY nice people! Other than the road ways, I can't really remember a time where I've been treated poorly. While hard for me, one must exercise patience while trying to communicate. For most here English is a second language which makes it hard some times. However, I have found that locals love to learn English from me rather then have trouble speaking it.
7. In a sense Dubai, and the greater UAE in general is a developing country. While they do have several fancy buildings, land marks and generally a lot of impressive things here they were all likely built on the backs of Indian labors run by foreign contractors and developers.
Last of the pictures on my camera:
Fog can slow this place down!
In Abu Dhabi, this was a geocache. Salt flats in the desert.
The dirham building in Abu Dhabi.
Next update likely to be the final regarding Dubai. :(
Tomorrow I plan to check out of my apartment, and then later in the day return the rental car and take a cab to the airport. I'll try to sleep there, but that likely won't happen. My fight is Monday morning at 8am. Once home I'll probably crash land in my bed, because at the point I would have been awake for nearly two days.
Lessons learned in Dubai (not an exhaustive list):
1. Driving here is at the risk of your own life and anyone else in the car with you or on the road around you. The speed limit signs of course are in km/h, which is find because the cars have the speedometer in km/h. No matter what the sign says you are permitted to go 20 km/h over the speed limit with no penalty. However, if you choose to drive in the left lane (you are crazy), be careful. The left lane is the Indy 500 of the UAE. Not only are you practically required to go at least 20 over you will likely experience a race car driver coming up behind you very closely flashing their lights and honking at you to move over so they can over take you, in stead of just going around you. They can get very upset if you don't move so they can pass. I found this quite entertaining actually, because once they are tailgating me, I would slow down even more. The police officer told me about the 20 over the limit idea so it's legal. Please be careful on the roads here!
2. Arabs/Muslims will always win in the legal system. No matter what happens if you are an expat chances are you will loose your case no matter how much evidence you have.
3. Speed is not of the essence here. Things take a long time here. Especially with the government, but even with the office at work things take a long time.
4. Insha'Allah is used religiously. Pun intended. Insha'Allah or God Willing is something one living here will likely hear a lot! When waiting for anything, or planning anything the locals will tell you Insha'Allah. Meaning they hope and pray that it may happen but if it doesn't God didn't want to happen anyway so it doesn't matter.
5. Prices are relative here. Keep in mind there is no tax of any kind, so prices may include a bit extra. Some examples:
Milk (2 litres) = AED 10
Cereal (350g box) = AED 10-17
Bread (loaf) = AED 7
Subway (6in meal) = AED 23
McDonald's (Big Mac meal) = AED 27
My apartment (furnished studio, with electricity, gas and water included) in a less desirable complex = AED 3400 / month
Gas = AED 1.72/litre ... this is a Arabia, land of oil. This a equivalent to $1.77/gallon!
The money used here in dirham, the currency here is pegged to the US Dollar. The exchange rate is and will always be: USD 1 = AED 3.67.
6. Most local people Arab/Muslim and other expats are VERY nice people! Other than the road ways, I can't really remember a time where I've been treated poorly. While hard for me, one must exercise patience while trying to communicate. For most here English is a second language which makes it hard some times. However, I have found that locals love to learn English from me rather then have trouble speaking it.
7. In a sense Dubai, and the greater UAE in general is a developing country. While they do have several fancy buildings, land marks and generally a lot of impressive things here they were all likely built on the backs of Indian labors run by foreign contractors and developers.
Last of the pictures on my camera:
Next update likely to be the final regarding Dubai. :(
I loved the way you discuss the topic great work thanks for the share Your informative post.
ReplyDeleteDubai TOP Experiences
"I found this quite entertaining actually, because once they are tailgating me, I would slow down even more"
ReplyDeletethat is an a-hole move.
The standard, polite and acceptable way to use roads is: you sit in the far lane if you overtake, otherwise you sit in the right lane. far lane is for overtaking.
It's none of your business if he's going faster than the speed limit, you're not the police nor are you traffic control.
It is quite disappointing that you would think that driving in the fast lane (furthest most to the left) regularly is acceptable. It is also quite disappointing that you'd find it acceptable to slow down in said lane and inconvenience someone, when you are, actually, in the wrong. Pretty disgusting.
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