Dubai Tour by a Dubai resident. Review on Dubai

Dubai – The city of gold.

I have been living in Dubai-United Arab Emirates for almost three and a half years now. So, I guess its time to write a review on this wonderful and vibrant city.

I will divide my review into various sections.

Living here:

Well this is what I do most of the time, so this comes first. Living here is not so great nowadays, due to the rising inflation which affects all walks of life. Rents are extremely high, salaries (for existing staff) have not kept pace with the increasing costs, and expenses are increasing for each and every item. Entertainment, fuel (gas for US), Groceries, you name it.

However, the job market has never been better. The government has changed the labour laws, making it easier to change jobs. And new positions are offering high salaries in line with the cost of living. If you are a newcomer to Dubai, do your homework well as salaries are largely determined by what you asked for in the first place. Find out what your position and your experience are worth, and whether you can survive with that number in Dubai.

The work culture is easy for some jobs and demanding for the rest. Sales staff and shop attendants get the worst deal. Apart from the construction labour that is.

People are easy going, and the “Locals”, that is what the UAE citizens are called, are very good and helpful in general.

Traffic is terrible and there is no concept of rush hours. You are as likely to be stuck in a jam at midnight as you are at Eight AM.

Schools:

There is a diverse variety of education available for the various diaspora of people living here. School fees are increasing rapidly keeping in pace with the rising inflation. Many middle class families opt to send their kids to their home country to save on costs. However, generally the quality of education is excellent.

Entertainment:

Predictably, the first thing I will write here is that costs are rising and entertainment is becoming very expensive. However, to be honest, it is mainly the Movie tickets, the amazement and water parks and the rides in the malls which are expensive. Going to parks and going bowling are not that expensive. The facilities are excellent in the parks, most of which are beach parks. There are free public beaches too, so you do have a non paying option. I know of two bowling centres, and both are worth a visit.

Movies are released here generally after a delay as compared to the release in the west. Asian movies, read Bollywood, are released simultaneously as they are released in India, so that is a relief.

The most impressive Water Park cum Fun Park is nothing compared to Esselworld or Water Kingdom in Mumbai. And this costs more than ten times. However, it is a good place to visit, as there are not many other options available.

There is a Zoo in Dubai. The less said about that, the better. Please give it a miss until it has been renovated and shifted to a much bigger and healthier environment for the poor animals. Don’t worry, plans are already underway.

That brings us to the beaches. Beautiful settings, white sand, blue crystal water, and a beautiful crowd. If you like the Sun, or the bikinis around you, the beaches in Dubai are the place to be. If you prefer a more private setting, you can go to one of the beach parks where there is an entrance fee, thus limiting the crowds. Well, atleast in theory.

Lifeguards are available during the day, and we have not heard of many drowning incidents in these beaches, so it is safe to assume that the beaches are safe.

Okay so I saved the last part for the best place in Dubai. If you share a love for Jewellery, then the Gold Souq is the place to be. The shop windows are stocked full of various designs of necklaces, rings, bracelets and bangles. Gold, emeralds, rubies diamonds and all other gems. A wide selection of designs and material, and theguarantee of not being cheated by the jeweler. The laws are very strong for the conduct of business in gold in Dubai. So rest easy and shop to your hearts content.

The other aspect of life in Dubai is its Shopping Malls. There are way to many malls and surprisingly all are doing good business. Personally, I find most shops are selling overpriced products. I am told that some clothing items are available cheaper in London as compared to here. But people still call Dubai the shoppers paradise and I think the shopkeepers agree.

There are ofcourse many other places to see and things to do in Dubai and many aspects of life in Dubai, which I could not cover in my review. Hello, this is supposed to be a review and not an encyclopedia on Dubai. And, on that merry (?) thought, I leave you, hopefully yearning to visit this vibrant tourist attraction, which is currently my home.