# Test Run In Dubai!



## Danielle89 (Jan 13, 2011)

Hello All,

I am meeting my other half in Dubai tomorrow for a two week trip to test the water before we get on our one way flight! I have been once before but it was more of a "tourist holiday" and was just wondering if anyone could offer any advice as to where we should go or what we should do (giving we have such a short period of time) to really get the "living in Dubai" experience? 

Thanks =]

Danielle x


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

Go to Barasti on Thursday evening to get it out of the way, you'll either love it and go there every night or hate it.

Also, go find a non-air conditioned Government office and stand there for 3 hours, you'll need to get used to that.


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## Danielle89 (Jan 13, 2011)

Gavtek said:


> Also, go find a non-air conditioned Government office and stand there for 3 hours, you'll need to get used to that.


haha - looking forward to it already!!!!


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

You don't really get a taste of life in Dubai until you have dealt with DRND, DEWA, DU/Etisalat, Palm Utilities/Empower, Real Estate Agents, Traffic Dept, Emirates Bank, Tried to arrange a delivery etc.... Bring a bag of patience and a new thick skin!! xxx


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

Phone up Etisilat or Ampost 5 times each day.
Go to Carre Four at 10pm on a Thursday night.
While you are in Carre Four you can ask for information about a product and have the assistant read the back of the box to you.
Go to the most expensive bars and clubs in town and nurse one drink all night. Better if you can pinch someone elses off a table.
Take random amounts out of your bank account at random times, throw the money away and accept it as 'charges'
Play the songs I've Gotta Feeling and Poker Face on constant loop. Only they two songs - always!
Learn a bit of the language - "Same, same" "Backside" and "Yes, yes, yes"

And if you don't like it, you can always go home.


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## Danielle89 (Jan 13, 2011)

Mr Rossi said:


> Phone up Etisilat or Ampost 5 times each day.
> Go to Carre Four at 10pm on a Thursday night.
> While you are in Carre Four you can ask for information about a product and have the assistant read the back of the box to you.
> Go to the most expensive bars and clubs in town and nurse one drink all night. Better if you can pinch someone elses off a table.
> ...


Poker face is a good song....


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

Danielle89 said:


> Poker face is a good song....


Well if you go to the pub, you'll be hearing a lot more of it. And I hope you're not much of a conversationalist....


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## bluester (Sep 23, 2010)

Stand outside any shop or restaurant to receive the standard Dubai greeting of HI SIR, HI MAM from 25 paces


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## Moe78 (Oct 29, 2010)

she doesn't need to stand near a shop, just go to the food court, you'll hear it in every stall as you pass by. Oh and sometimes they shout the name of the place or what kind of food they serve. As if Burger King isn't a good enough hint that they sell burgers


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## xchaos777 (Dec 15, 2010)

Moe78 said:


> she doesn't need to stand near a shop, just go to the food court, you'll hear it in every stall as you pass by. Oh and sometimes they shout the name of the place or what kind of food they serve. As if Burger King isn't a good enough hint that they sell burgers


haha, you guys kill me! And where are the positive remarks??

In France, it is so opposite on the greeting perspective. Go to a restaurant, ask for a table for two...and either they will just look at you or ask you for what purpose. Then leave you standing there while they have 5 empty tables but it is time for the smoke break. You should have known better than to interrupt them from their job.


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## Danielle89 (Jan 13, 2011)

Jeezo guys.... anything positive to say about Dubai? 

I'm still a newbie!! =[


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## stuartmatthewson (Feb 15, 2011)

Dubai is a great place to live, waking up most mornings to the sun shining, just ensure that you have the hide of an elephant and the patience of a Saint - most of the BS is bearable - make sure you bank with a company that has all it's facilities online - Emirates NBD are the best of a bad bunch and I pay all my bills online.

It's still a better standard of living than I had in UK - so count your blessings


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

It's really cool when people ask where you live and you say Dubai.


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

Just been reminded - queues are merely suggestive and used by people who want to prolong their enjoyment of the shopping experience further. If you wish, feel free to just walk to the front of the queue and push in even if someone is being served.


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## Confiture (Jan 9, 2011)

Hi Danielle, it sounds like you're in the same boat as me and my wife.

Our "test run" will be some time in March so it would be good if you could post your findings from a newbie perspective.!


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

Rossi.... Spot on with that one! That one unnerves me the most here. I can deal with the no left turns and driving an extra 45 minutes. My fault. The moment it turned from dislike to hate was when we were getting off the plane on the way back from my vacation and the black sheet decided she was more important then the entire plane..... Just to get outside and we are all on the same bus.  

I have met very few english people who dislike this place. Just stick in the western areas and you will love it too.


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## Moe78 (Oct 29, 2010)

Hahaha I actually had that happen to me tonight by some insect I felt like squashing. I wanted to treat him like crap and push him out of the queue but I felt sorry for his son who seemed to look up to him. No idea why, the guy barely registered as human! I just ended up talking down to him and he didn't say a single word. Should have grabbed his stuff and thrown in on the floor


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## DubaiATC (Jun 26, 2010)

Mr Rossi said:


> Go to Carre Four at 10pm on a Thursday night.


Why would you ever want to subject yourself to such a miserable experience?? 



Mr Rossi said:


> While you are in Carre Four you can ask for information about a product and have the assistant read the back of the box to you.


True, the "help" is usually not very helpful, other than being able to show you where something is located. (But even that can be hit or miss, of course)


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## rsinner (Feb 3, 2009)

DubaiATC said:


> True, the "help" is usually not very helpful, other than being able to show you where something is located. (But even that can be hit or miss, of course)


Just a question - is there any assistance available in a hypermarket in the US?


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## DubaiATC (Jun 26, 2010)

rsinner said:


> Just a question - is there any assistance available in a hypermarket in the US?


IMO, YES!!! While you will always have an abundance of "just-out-of-high-school" employees who lack the experience or motivation to accurately answer some questions, there is also a large number of retired people working in these US stores who usually work in departments having to do with the fields they retired from. For example, you go to the old dude working the camera counter, not expecting much, only to be pleasantly surprised to learn that he worked for a camera company for 25 years and is _extremely_ knowledgable and can answer all of your questions without consulting the "back of the box". You aren't going to find that in Carrefour or Geant here (At least I haven't).


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## rsinner (Feb 3, 2009)

DubaiATC said:


> You aren't going to find that in Carrefour or Geant here (At least I haven't).


I haven't either - but to be fair, some of the sales people in the electronics section do know their stuff. however, I don't know how the arrangement works, but a number of them are supposed to be "merchandisers" for their specific companies - so a samsung guy is different from a sony guy and will try to sell only a samsung TV, which is not particularly helpful when you are trying to choose between a samsung and sony


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

DubaiATC said:


> IMO, YES!!! While you will always have an abundance of "just-out-of-high-school" employees who lack the experience


Can't speak for the US but in the UK if someone can't help they will generally find someone that can. Here you get told they don't have it in stock or answered any old rubbish to questions. Will this blender connect to my router? Yes, yes, yes, no problems.

That said, the staff at Plug Ins and Ace at Festival Centre have always been good and knowledgeable with me so there are some companies that focus on training and providing customer service.


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## thecork (Apr 20, 2009)

DubaiATC said:


> there is also a large number of retired people working in these US stores who usually work in departments having to do with the fields they retired from.


This is so true. I always adopt the "old-man-with-grey-beard" theory. Especially in hardware stores, guarantee they will be so knowledgable and extremely helpful...!


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