# One month in - my experiences so far!!!



## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

Well - I have been lurking on this board since last August (when we made our first visit to Dubai for job interview) and since then have been reading all the informative threads to try and make orientation here easier!
The vast majority of the information has been spot-on and has certainly helped.

Below are a few things that I have found that might make it easier for new people coming here.

*Mobile phone sims*

Within first few days we bought Etisalat Wasel (Pre-paid, Pay-as-you-go) SIM cards from a shop in Mall of the Emirates - all we needed was a copy of passport with valid VISA stamp.
The SIMS were put into our Iphone 4 & 4S phones that we had brought with us from the UK (having had them officially unlocked by the UK networks a little while before we left the UK).
We charged them with 100 AED and started to use them for local and international calls.
If you are making international calls frequently to the UK, for instance, you can send a text to 1012 with FC followed by that countries international dialing code to get cheaper calls - for UK you send FC 44.
I turned on Mobile Data and accessed a few websites and was horrified how quickly the balance on my account was being drained!!
I phoned Etisalat to discuss this and found out that you can buy daily, weekly and monthly data bundles - this was a much better idea!
I chose the 1GB monthly bundle and just made sure that I had more than 100 AED balance and then texted Sm1G to 1010.
This activated the 1GB bundle and you can see how much data you have left by phoning *170# and following the instructions.

*Mobile broadband*

I needed to get online with my laptop before our house phone and internet connection had been installed.
I went to the Etisalat & Du counters at Deira City Centre around 4.00pm and the queues were dreadful. I got information and discovered that the Etisalat USB dongle for pre-paid had the best speed and opted for a 5GB package to tide me over until the house broadband was installed.
I ended up going to Deira City Centre at 9.45 on a weekday morning to get in the queue really early and this worked fine.

*House broadband, phone , TV*

We already knew that Etisalat had the contract for our villa complex and that also factored into my choice for them on the mobile & mobile broadband.
If you check the Etisalat website about getting the home service, they mention going to one of their centres - like Deira and you need to take a lot of documentation with you - residency visa, ID card, tenancy agreement etc!
However - if you phone them and give them your mobile or mobile broadband phone numbers - you can book it all over the phone (this saves both the admin hassle and the queueing!!)
The one key thing you need to do is give them an operational phone number of another flat in your apartment building or your next door neighbour if you are in a villa - this helps them to pinpoint your location and to tell you what level of speed they can give you.
We chose the Elife 100mps connection with loads of TV channels but did not take their router (as this seemed expensive at around 700AED). I bought a router myself for around 300AED and it works fine.
The apppointment for installation was 5 days after I called them - but to my pleasant surprise they actually installed everything within 2 days!

*Driving*

Interesting!! - already had plenty of near misses and experienced road rage from the larger 4WD vehicles with low digit registration numbers!
We have ordered a new car on a PCP and have opted for a saloon car with a powerful 3.5L V6 - should enable us to power around the trouble caused by joining fast moving roads from intersections!

*Friday Brunch*

Experienced our first brunch in Dubai at the Aquarium restaurant at the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht club - seafood selection was awesome, beverages were great & free flowing!, view was magnificent and the staff were great - especially with our 7 year old son (they basically fed and watered him - whilst we got our own food & beverages).
Look forward to going back there to experience their BBQ Donuts - they have elctric powered round boats - like donuts. They give you cooked BBQ food and launch you into the creek to power around eating the food! - alcoholic beverages are banned, probably for good reason!

*Schools*

Paid the obligatory 500AED "registration fee" at a few schools who gave us hope of a place for our son in January - never to hear from them again.
A shameful, profiteering practice that should not be allowed!

*Supermakets*

Really like the choice and quality of food and Waitrose products from Spinneys - less impressed with food from Carrefour (especially the very plastic bread -shameful for a French brand supermarket).
Like the Pork departments in Spinneys!!
Have not tried Geant or any others yet - dont actually know who else other than Spinneys has pork departments?

*Satnav for car (and Salik charges)*

Within first few days went and bought a satnav for the car and was allured (against my better judgement) into buying a less well known brand. This was awful - you could not see the screen in sunlight, routing was terrible and yuo could not program it to avoing toll roads - Salik charges.
Luckily it totally froze and stopped working, so took it back to shop and swapped it for a trusty Garmin and this has been fantastic.
In the first week we ran up Salik charges of 95AED before getting the new Satnav.
Since then we set the Garmin to avoid toll roads and have not incurred Salik charges since!
We use the Shindagha Tunnel, Floating bridge & Business Bay Crossing to cross the creek and avoid the two bridges with Salik charges.

Well - above is our few experinces thus far!!!

Cheers

Steve


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## blazeaway (Sep 28, 2011)

Stevesolar said:


> Well - I have been lurking on this board since last August (when we made our first visit to Dubai for job interview) and since then have been reading all the informative threads to try and make orientation here easier!
> The vast majority of the information has been spot-on and has certainly helped.
> 
> Below are a few things that I have found that might make it easier for new people coming here.
> ...


5 months in myself and so far not bothered with satnav as cocnerned that need to keep eyes open and undistracted until used to it.

Supermarkets - mainly shop in Waitrose (Dubai Mall or sometimes Marina MAll) which is good quality with good pork section. Many of the other supermarkets als do pork. Quite like Union Co-op.

Also Steve


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## qadir5000 (Feb 4, 2013)

Steve, the experiences have just started


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

blazeaway said:


> 5 months in myself and so far not bothered with satnav as cocnerned that need to keep eyes open and undistracted until used to it.
> 
> Supermarkets - mainly shop in Waitrose (Dubai Mall or sometimes Marina MAll) which is good quality with good pork section. Many of the other supermarkets als do pork. Quite like Union Co-op.
> 
> Also Steve


Thanks - Steve , for the tip on Union Co-Op, we will check them out.

Forgot to mention that Satnav has speed limits and shows you if you are exceeding the posted limit - very useful for the abundance of speed cameras!

Cheers
Steve


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## maths.teacher (Feb 4, 2013)

Stevesolar said:


> Well - I have been lurking on this board since last August (when we made our first visit to Dubai for job interview) and since then have been reading all the informative threads to try and make orientation here easier!
> The vast majority of the information has been spot-on and has certainly helped.
> 
> Below are a few things that I have found that might make it easier for new people coming here.
> ...


Thanks. May be looking to get a job in Dubai so might need to be reading this again.


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## blazeaway (Sep 28, 2011)

Stevesolar said:


> Thanks - Steve , for the tip on Union Co-Op, we will check them out.
> 
> Forgot to mention that Satnav has speed limits and shows you if you are exceeding the posted limit - very useful for the abundance of speed cameras!
> 
> ...


Most cars here also have an annoying beep if you exceed the 120km limit ( motorway or whatever they are called), the Union Co-op I liked is the newish one in Al Barsha, certainly a nicer experience than Carrefour or Geant.


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## ZeeKhan (Nov 13, 2012)

Satnav for car (and Salik charges)


What's the price of a decent sat nav and where would you recommend buying one from?

Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum...Have a great day ... Zee


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## mlkendall (Feb 2, 2013)

ZeeKhan said:


> Satnav for car (and Salik charges)
> 
> 
> What's the price of a decent sat nav and where would you recommend buying one from?
> ...


My experience thus far (2months) is that Satnav takes into account some future expected growth that either has not and may not ever be finished or started and that roads and buildings change so fast in Dubai that Satnav can be helpful or incredibly unhelpful. I just haven't been able to personally decide if the many misguided Satnav trips outweigh the difficulty of trying to navigate Dubai's confusing roads using only signs.

If you decide to purchase I found that the many electronic locations in Dubai mall ran specials on different types of Satnavs and if you shop around you can find a pretty good deal on whatever model you may be looking for. 

Hope this helps.


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## ZeeKhan (Nov 13, 2012)

mlkendall said:


> My experience thus far (2months) is that Satnav takes into account some future expected growth that either has not and may not ever be finished or started and that roads and buildings change so fast in Dubai that Satnav can be helpful or incredibly unhelpful. I just haven't been able to personally decide if the many misguided Satnav trips outweigh the difficulty of trying to navigate Dubai's confusing roads using only signs.
> 
> If you decide to purchase I found that the many electronic locations in Dubai mall ran specials on different types of Satnavs and if you shop around you can find a pretty good deal on whatever model you may be looking for.
> 
> Hope this helps.


Really appreciate your help, I have been to Dubai over 20 times for holidays only ever drove once in 2007 when the roads were mentally busy I believe they are not as bad now, well we arrive on Wednesday 10th April I think I will buy one before the weekend ...and also thanks for your info regards the schools which school do you work at and wheat do you teach ...you can PM me If you prefer 

Thanks again

Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum...Have a great day ... Zee


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## m1key (Jun 29, 2011)

Navigation on Google Maps works reasonably well if you have an appropriate smart phone. Often better than my Garmin.


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## ZeeKhan (Nov 13, 2012)

m1key said:


> Navigation on Google Maps works reasonably well if you have an appropriate smart phone. Often better than my Garmin.


What does a 3G data bundle cost if you have a pay as you go DU phone

Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum...Have a great day ... Zee


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## ZeeKhan (Nov 13, 2012)

m1key said:


> Navigation on Google Maps works reasonably well if you have an appropriate smart phone. Often better than my Garmin.


I just want to try and avoid these Salik Charges

Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum...Have a great day ... Zee


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## m1key (Jun 29, 2011)

ZeeKhan said:


> I just want to try and avoid these Salik Charges
> 
> Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum...Have a great day ... Zee


That is easy. Don't drive up and down SZR constantly. It is 4 AED a time, so it isn't going to break the bank. You'd spend more on a sat nav than you're likely to spend on tolls for a good bit of time.


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## dermotbell (Jan 21, 2013)

I use Navigon on iphone, generally very good and the updates to maps are free. You can get the whole GCC on it. You can hoose whch to have actively on your phone. Due to spaace U have restricted it to UAE and Oman, but I can easily add others if I need (no cost as part of package).
Think I paid 60GBP, well worth it as map updates are free.


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## paulrh (Feb 16, 2013)

Stevesolar said:


> *Mobile broadband*
> 
> I needed to get online with my laptop before our house phone and internet connection had been installed.
> I went to the Etisalat & Du counters at Deira City Centre around 4.00pm and the queues were dreadful. I got information and discovered that the Etisalat USB dongle for pre-paid had the best speed and opted for a 5GB package to tide me over until the house broadband was installed.
> I ended up going to Deira City Centre at 9.45 on a weekday morning to get in the queue really early and this worked fine.


Steve,

were you able to use Skype with the USB Dongle?


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

paulrh said:


> Steve,
> 
> were you able to use Skype with the USB Dongle?


Yes - but I bought the fastest speed dongle that you can get on Etisalat prepaid and before I came to Dubai I also installed Skype and subscribed to another important service *V*ery *P*roper *N*ame! - to ensure everthing went smoothly.

Cheers
Steve


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## DebbieT11 (Jul 26, 2012)

blazeaway said:


> 5 months in myself and so far not bothered with satnav as cocnerned that need to keep eyes open and undistracted until used to it.
> 
> Supermarkets - mainly shop in Waitrose (Dubai Mall or sometimes Marina MAll) which is good quality with good pork section. Many of the other supermarkets als do pork. Quite like Union Co-op.
> 
> Also Steve


Hello Also Steve - looking for other supermarkets that also sell pork other than Spinney's.....thanks!


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## terdubai (Feb 15, 2012)

Park n shop, choithrams, waitrose and spinneys I think are the only ones that sell pork.


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## DebbieT11 (Jul 26, 2012)

terdubai said:


> Park n shop, choithrams, waitrose and spinneys I think are the only ones that sell pork.


Ah, I have not been to the new park n shop yet...... Sounds like I need to! Thanks for the tips!


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

terdubai said:


> Park n shop, choithrams, waitrose and spinneys I think are the only ones that sell pork.


Can you tell me where park n shop is please?

Cheers!

Steve


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## terdubai (Feb 15, 2012)

There are a few - 1 on al Walsh in umm suqeim, 1 in the greens, 1 in JLT - that I know of, maybe there are more?


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## Yorki (Feb 10, 2013)

Been here a month and finding my feet..great advice thanks.


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## blazeaway (Sep 28, 2011)

terdubai said:


> There are a few - 1 on al Walsh in umm suqeim, 1 in the greens, 1 in JLT - that I know of, maybe there are more?


There is one in Tecom to, they have also opened a cash and carry at DIP!


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## blazeaway (Sep 28, 2011)

DebbieT11 said:


> Hello Also Steve - looking for other supermarkets that also sell pork other than Spinney's.....thanks!


Have to say Waitrose is the best I've been to, even sell Clonakilty black and white pudding!

Park n shop wasn't bad

Organic Cafe is very good but don't think it sells pork


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

terdubai said:


> Park n shop, choithrams, waitrose and spinneys I think are the only ones that sell pork.


Lal's also sells pork.


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

BedouGirl said:


> Lal's also sells pork.


I have never heard of Lal's!
Who, what and where are they please??

Cheers

Steve


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

This should help http://www.dubaifaqs.com/supermarkets-in-dubai.php


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

BedouGirl said:


> This should help Supermarkets in Dubai


Thanks for the link!!

Cheers

Steve


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