# Pre-Assignment Trip



## Narender (Aug 1, 2012)

Hello Everyone,

So I am going to visit Dubai for the first time this week for a week long Pre-Assignment Trip. I am supposed to check out the place and see if I like it and then accept/reject the job offer. I was wondering if anyone has any tips as to what I should be looking for beyond the basic things. I am planning on checking out some apartments in the Marina area. After browsing through this forum it seems like I should be looking at the following towers:

Torch
Ocean Heights
Mag218
Marina Heights

My budget is 115k for a 2 bedroom.

Thought?

thanks all


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## fcjb1970 (Apr 30, 2010)

What I would do is drive somewhere and miss the exit by accident than see what it takes to get yourself back to where you were trying to go. That is a good way to get the feel for the place.

Another fun thing would be to ask someone directions somewhere and they can start telling you all the landmarks you will eventually need to learn to ever go anywhere.

Something like, could you tell me where the Bur Dubai police station is?

Well go to the big roundabout, ext and take the third right just past the bus stop. Then go to the light and make a U-turn. It will be a little way up. You can't miss it...


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## streetspirit (May 12, 2011)

fcjb1970 said:


> What I would do is drive somewhere and miss the exit by accident than see what it takes to get yourself back to where you were trying to go. That is a good way to get the feel for the place.
> 
> Another fun thing would be to ask someone directions somewhere and they can start telling you all the landmarks you will eventually need to learn to ever go anywhere.
> 
> ...


Haha this made me laugh. Completely agree. 

I'm in Abu Dhabi and one of the worst things is the access to Raha Mall. From my house it takes 10 minutes to get there. To get back it takes 20 because I have to drive miles up the road to the exit to go around the roundabout, then miles back along the exact road I was just on. Past the mall and home. Absolutely ridiculous but at least that's a work in progress! There are some roads that have actually been designed like that!


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## Narender (Aug 1, 2012)

thank you both for such *useful *information. this is exactly what I was looking for...


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## DubaiTom (Nov 3, 2010)

Hi,

I was living in MAG218 in my first year and it was actually pretty nice. Quick access to SZR (in and out) and a lot of nice places in walking distance, pool was good, gym was soso. Friend of mine is living in Ocean Heights which is also pretty nice but the access can sometimes be a little bit annoying (no real access road to the tower and heavy traffic during rush hours). Some apartments there are really crap but some are nice (dont take the first one you see). Torch tower is crap IMHO, I mean who designs a kitchen where you cannot fit a dishwasher? I also looked at apartments in Marina Heights but all of them were old and not very well maintained. But the layout was good. Maybe you find a nice one. You could also check out Green Lakes towers in JLT, the apartments are huge with good layouts and high quality appliances (AEG, which is not common in Dubai) and well within your budget. Just don't get one which faces the mosque in Tiffany tower as this can get a "little" bit annoying. Also the traffic is a problem during rush hours. I was living there for 1 year but couldn't stand the traffic anymore. As I am working in DIFC I've now moved to the Rolex Tower which is absolutely awesome but a little bit out of your budget. Depending on where you work I would also check out apartments in the Downtown area.

What else....get an offroad capable 4x4 and enjoy the dunes at the weekend. IMHO best activity by far in this area 

Cheers,

DubaiTom


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## Narender (Aug 1, 2012)

Thanks for the great reply. After hours of research on this forum and dubizzle I kinda had my mind made up for the Torch because of the views and accessibility to SZR. The second consideration is Mag218. Besides the kitchen factor is there anything else you don't like about The Torch?

Yeah, vehicle is the next decision I have to make. Trying to decide whether I should get a 4x4 or a nice little german sedan  



DubaiTom said:


> Hi,
> 
> I was living in MAG218 in my first year and it was actually pretty nice. Quick access to SZR (in and out) and a lot of nice places in walking distance, pool was good, gym was soso. Friend of mine is living in Ocean Heights which is also pretty nice but the access can sometimes be a little bit annoying (no real access road to the tower and heavy traffic during rush hours). Some apartments there are really crap but some are nice (dont take the first one you see). Torch tower is crap IMHO, I mean who designs a kitchen where you cannot fit a dishwasher? I also looked at apartments in Marina Heights but all of them were old and not very well maintained. But the layout was good. Maybe you find a nice one. You could also check out Green Lakes towers in JLT, the apartments are huge with good layouts and high quality appliances (AEG, which is not common in Dubai) and well within your budget. Just don't get one which faces the mosque in Tiffany tower as this can get a "little" bit annoying. Also the traffic is a problem during rush hours. I was living there for 1 year but couldn't stand the traffic anymore. As I am working in DIFC I've now moved to the Rolex Tower which is absolutely awesome but a little bit out of your budget. Depending on where you work I would also check out apartments in the Downtown area.
> 
> ...


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## DubaiTom (Nov 3, 2010)

Narender said:


> Thanks for the great reply. After hours of research on this forum and dubizzle I kinda had my mind made up for the Torch because of the views and accessibility to SZR. The second consideration is Mag218. Besides the kitchen factor is there anything else you don't like about The Torch?
> 
> Yeah, vehicle is the next decision I have to make. Trying to decide whether I should get a 4x4 or a nice little german sedan


Get a 4x4 which is really offroad capable. I've bought an Audi TT and then a new VW Touareg. The TT is useless here. You cant drive fast as there is a speed camera every 500m and no nice roads around in the surrounding of 100km.

Torch tower is OK, cheap appliances and fittings as in almost all buildings in Dubai but the location and access to SZR is good and equal to MAG218 (they are on the same street). Basically you will have to take a look yourself if the layout, quality and space is enough for you.

You could also try the Skyview Tower. They also had some nice apartments and location is good too.

Cheers,

DubaiTom


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## fcjb1970 (Apr 30, 2010)

Narender said:


> thank you both for such *useful *information. this is exactly what I was looking for...


Ok go see the Dubai Mall and apartment hunt. Because that is what you give you real insight into life here


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## m1key (Jun 29, 2011)

fcjb1970 said:


> Ok go see the Dubai Mall and apartment hunt. Because that is what you give you real insight into life here


But make sure you go to Dubai Mall on a Friday afternoon to get the full experience


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## ccr (Jun 20, 2010)

m1key said:


> But make sure you go to Dubai Mall on a Friday afternoon to get the full experience


...plus be sure to shop at Carrefour while you are at Dubai Mall on Friday late afternoon / evening as well...


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## m1key (Jun 29, 2011)

ccr said:


> ...plus be sure to *shop at Carrefour while you are at Dubai Mall* on Friday late afternoon / evening as well...


I'd be massively impressed if anyone could do that


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## Lita_Rulez (Nov 4, 2010)

Narender said:


> Hello Everyone,
> 
> So I am going to visit Dubai for the first time this week for a week long Pre-Assignment Trip. I am supposed to check out the place and see if I like it and then accept/reject the job offer. I was wondering if anyone has any tips as to what I should be looking for beyond the basic things. I am planning on checking out some apartments in the Marina area. After browsing through this forum it seems like I should be looking at the following towers:
> 
> ...



Torch has a few "issues" you need to decide whether you can live with or not before considering it.

Issue 1 : the kitchens are unbelievably crappy in design. If you like cooking, you'll be miserable there. It is small, it is inconvenient, it seem like an exercise on anything you can design wrong in a kitchen.

Issue 2 : the number of elevator per tenant. There are 3 elevators to service floors 1 to 46 and 3 elevators to service floors 47 to 85 (I think it's 85). I'll let you have fun with the maths of it all, but suffice it to say, right now, there is one elevator "under maintenance", and my friends living in the tower wait on average 7 minutes in front of the elevator door at rush hour...
I can't do that. After a minute or so, I take the stairs. Oh, wait, 69 floors...

Another issue, that may or may not be generalized to the tower, but just to my friends apartment : the cladding on the concrete structure on the balcony does not go all the way to the floor. But the cladding is not in contact with the pile either. There is a gap big enough for me to put my whole arm in, up or down. I'm guessing it goes all the way through to the ground. And regardless if it does or not, if you have pets or small kids, even 2 stories is catastrophic enough...



I would also propose you reconsider laughing at the first couple of advice you got. It might not be the piece of advice you were looking for, but you should listen to it anyway. Finding and moving into an apartment, you'll do (at the very worst) once a year. You might want to consider the day to day life a little more and the once in a great while event a little less if you are going to decide to move here for the everyday life.


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## Narender (Aug 1, 2012)

Lita_Rulez said:


> Torch has a few "issues" you need to decide whether you can live with or not before considering it.
> 
> Issue 1 : the kitchens are unbelievably crappy in design. If you like cooking, you'll be miserable there. It is small, it is inconvenient, it seem like an exercise on anything you can design wrong in a kitchen.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the great advice. Will definitely keep it in mind. I have been here a day and I like it so far. Been to marina walk a couple of times and I am pretty sure I wanna live out there. Any recommendations of towers with a good view? Budget is around 115-120 for a 2 bedroom.
No kids, no pets 

I wasn't laughing at the first two guys but it just wasn't the sort of information I was looking for. Regardless, the point was taken.

Also, does anyone know where can I get my iPhone unlocked from?


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