Dubai advice please?

[SLIGONIAN]

Im heading to Dubai some time in the next 2 weeks for a few yrs working. Just waiting on the visa to come through. Any on here out there at the min?

Anyone know anything about it? Its cooling down to the mid 30s at min, they drive on the right side of the road and supposed to be lunatics drinving wise.

Accomodation seems crazy but im in hotel for first month.. Whats the nitelife like? Dubai Celt is the local GAA club, so will probably join them.... hope the standard is good .

Any pointers greatly appreciated.

[ziggysego]

Tony's out there on a freebie at the moment.

[The Blegard]

Im out here for the last 2 years. Weather from now on is great. Was still 40 on Saturday but will drop a degree every week until Christmas.

Make sure you do your homework in regards to your contract with accommodation and school fees etc as I know people who have been blown out of the water due to inflation. Make them put "company supplied villa" or whatever in your contract or make sure you are covered. Try to avoid maximum allowances.

Traffic is crazy but you get used to it. In the last few months its crap altogether to the point where you are safe enough as you would be unlucky to be killed from 0-40 KPH

[SLIGONIAN]

Im out here for the last 2 years. Weather from now on is great. Was still 40 on Saturday but will drop a degree every week until Christmas.

Make sure you do your homework in regards to your contract with accommodation and school fees etc as I know people who have been blown out of the water due to inflation. Make them put "company supplied villa" or whatever in your contract or make sure you are covered. Try to avoid maximum allowances.

Traffic is crazy but you get used to it. In the last few months its crap altogether to the point where you are safe enough as you would be unlucky to be killed from 0-40 KPH

i dont want to be travelling far to work, its the Dubai Trade Towers  where im working, is there accomodation sharing out there and how long from outskirts in or would i be better looking in marina and place in the centre.. im afraid ive signed the contract but rent allowance is on it and will cover it just about? No company supplied villa.. the way it works co pay my rent a yr in advance and take it out of my wages.

Not looking forward to driving , should be fun though getting used to driving on right side.

What the nite life like? Hot girls alot out there? Dont want to be going over to a cockfest...

Ziggy is that tony baloney your on about? Mite pm him, cheers.

[ziggysego]

No, Tony Fearon.

[The Blegard]

dont worry about girls. Loads of places . If you are working in the trade center then you should try to live close by as the traffic around interchange 1 is the worse in the joint. If you live in the marina you could be OK as you would be against the traffic bot ways but dont quote me on that as I work in Jebel Ali and live out that way. Dont worry about left hand drive. You get used to it after a few weeks. Untill then just follow the car in front Suprisingly when you change back to normal when on holidays and then back to left hand drive you wont have any problems.

Pm me if you like re your rent for sanity check

[T Fearon]

I'm in Dubai from November 19th for a week...Burj AL Arab no less.

ANyone fancy a meet up pm me. Lets see if you can do better than Laoislad who couldn't even find me in the Gresham last week

[lynchbhoy]

I'm in Dubai from November 19th for a week...Burj AL Arab no less.

ANyone fancy a meet up pm me. Lets see if you can do better than Laoislad who couldn't even find me in the Gresham last week

jeez blegard , if I'd known you were out there I'd have given you a shout a few weeks ago when we were out there.

Sligonian - maybe you should think about 'buying' a place...I dont think the rent would be much less than a mortgage payment, and last I heard, the house /appt prices were still going up....
blegard would know better than me though..I was thinking of buing a place in dubai or abu dhabi

as for the Burj , tone - its got a nice foyer and apparantly the accomodation is nice, but the bar and restaurant at the top of the place are a disappointment. Its like being in that disco from saturday night fever ! Retro lights and colours everywhere.
Horrendous!

Get yourself over to the adjoining 'Madinat souk' shopping centre for some good bars and restaurants (noodle house restaurant and there is a great bar 20 yards away from it)
Some good restaurants elsewhere too - in the mall of the emirates, the butchers grill does fantastic South african steaks. No booze though.
Shopping for clothes etc is pointless as they are the same prices as dublin.
Gold and diamonds though are less than half the price of here. You should get them down to close to half what they originally quote you (on gold not diamonds). The gold and spice souk down at the deria city centre is a good place to check out.
Get the 'local' food (local as in iranian, lebanese, indian, pakistani, arabian - because only the bedouin are natives) as in chicken/lamb shwarma, kebabs etc etc - cheap as feck and these restaurants even the chain restaurants are great value and decent food.
Try the 'beruit cafe' chain.
the arabian one in the 'souk madinat' is also good enough.
Enjoy the sun. I am missing it already!

[T Fearon]

Thanks LB!

I'll consult you for further advice prior to my departure

[lynchbhoy]

Thanks LB!

I'll consult you for further advice prior to my departure

yeah give me a shout Tone

[SLIGONIAN]

dont worry about girls. Loads of places . If you are working in the trade center then you should try to live close by as the traffic around interchange 1 is the worse in the joint. If you live in the marina you could be OK as you would be against the traffic bot ways but dont quote me on that as I work in Jebel Ali and live out that way. Dont worry about left hand drive. You get used to it after a few weeks. Untill then just follow the car in front Suprisingly when you change back to normal when on holidays and then back to left hand drive you wont have any problems.

Pm me if you like re your rent for sanity check

Just sent you PM, i need a sanity check from ive heard rent is crazy. Cheers.

[Aerlik]

Don't be getting a leg over in a public place or else we might not be hearing from you for a few months. 

[SLIGONIAN]

Don't be getting a leg over in a public place or else we might not be hearing from you for a few months. 

Thanks Aerlik, I'll try to control myself in public .

[thebandit]

Does anyone know of any good websites for jobs in Dubai?

[mannix]

good luck sligonian,
keep us posted, it would be interesting if you had time to do a weekly blog or the like about the place and how you liked it.