We lived in Dubai in 2006 and 2007, working at the time for Emirates Hotels and Resorts. Since leaving there we still return often on both business and pleasure. Here is our account of the place, which of course is probably biased by our own opinion, but we've tried to be as objective as possible. Here we talk about life in Dubai, visiting Dubai and the effects of the credit crunch on a modern metropolis still in the midst of a struggle to create an everlasting identity.
Dubai is an incredible place, of that there is no doubt. It is not really like anything else in the world. It is literally "cutting edge" in every field. If you were to reside there then quite naturally the plus side of that is that you would be living in a place that is ranked right up there in the global top 5 in terms of the world's trendiest spots to travel to and do business in. That alone is a plus on the marketing front for your business or personal image. Dubai hosts amongst much more, the world's tallest building, huge islands (easily seen from space) carved in the shape of palms and the globe, underwater hotels, the world's largest indoor ski slope, massive malls and generally just incredible opulence almost everywhere you look. And in the deserts around Dubai a playground of adventure awaits. Camel racing, dune driving and falcon flying are just a few of the many activities on offer. On the basis of these things alone we would recommend Dubai as a place to travel to. The feeling you get as a visitor there cannot be explained in writing. One has to experience it. When we arrived there for the first time the feeling of excitement was so intense. Try it! We recommend landing there on Emirates Airlines for the first time because they play you a really good welcoming video just before you land and that really serves to wet the appetite.
Having said this living there can be quite different and create mixed emotions, once the novelty has worn off. Dubai's development has come only in the last 15-20 years with the growth momentum reaching incredible speed only at the turn of the century. It is all so brand new that it almost lacks true atmosphere or history. This will develop in time for sure, but at the moment you find yourself in the midst of Arabia whilst true signs of it are pretty few and far between in the city itself. This can be a good or a bad thing supposedly and it all depends what you make of it yourself and if you're prepared to search for it then you'll almost certainly discover some gems to fall in love with and make your residence in Dubai that much more appealing.
Climate and People: Dubai can be incredibly hot, humid and dusty from April to October with June to August averaging between 40 and 50 degrees. The most comfortable time of the year to live there lies between October and April. Diurnal temperatures sit for the most part in the comfortable high twenties and there can even be the occasional rain shower. The nationals living there make up only about 25% of the population and the rest are expats from all over the world making for an incredibly metropolitan community. Most of these are labourers that have been brought in from India, Pakistan and the Phillipines to aid with the building and growth of the city. There are also plenty of westerners, who are sitting in pretty good positions because their expertise is well sought after. Never forget though that all of them (expats) are on visas, that generally last 3 years. To become a national in Dubai is a very lengthy process and usually only attributed to those that can claim birthright in the UAE. Visas can be extended after the three year period is up, but one needs to ensure they still have a spotless record at this time. The locals are clever and don't doubt that they are in control. One does not want to get any kind of a blemish on one's history in the country because the consequences can be very grave. We know of people who've been deported out of the country or barred from re-entry. Common reasons for this include debt (being the biggest), drunk driving or being drunk in public, adultery etc.... Look the chances of this ever happening to you or anyone you know are virtually nil, but it's always good to keep in the back of your mind. Make sure you obey the rules and live a life of respect for the rules of the land and you will be fine. Dubai is actually extremely liberal and open as far as the Middle East goes. Ladies don't have to cover up their faces, arms and lower legs and can almost wear what they like, although it wouldn't be wise for a lady to walk around in a mini skirt and tank top. Alcohol can be bought in Dubai - it's pretty expensive and you need a licence to buy it - here we are referring to buying alcohol from a bottle store. You can go to a hotel and buy as much as you want and you don't need a licence for that. To get this licence to buy alcohol and take it home you need first to have a letter from your employer stating that you have a good record. This then needs to be passed by the Dubai police who if in favour will in turn grant you the licence and you are limited to spend a certain amount per month. Remember that Dubai is only one of seven Emirates in the UAE and each Emirate has it's own ruling on alcohol, so be sure to know what these are. For example, alcohol is forbidden in Sharjah.
Home, transport etc..: It is possible, if you have the money, to have a reasonable sized house with a garden. Or otherwise you'd probably qualify for an apartment or compound housing provided to you by your employer. You want to try and be in the Jumeirah, Umm Suqeim sort of areas if you can. Look them up on google earth or ask us for links and we'll send them to you. There are also a number of new cluster home establishments that are being built and these too offer a good lifestyle. Dubai now has a brilliant metro system (very modern - even has wireless on board), so you can get to and from certain places quite cheaply. If you go by car, fuel is cheap (because of the oil), but there are sneaky toll gates everywhere that take your cash electronically(they're called Salik gates) without you having to stop. Ideally if you are travelling to Dubai just for a holiday then we would not recommend you hire a car unless you're confident of your way around. It's a tricky place to drive and the costs can rack up pretty fast. Parking, especially at shopping malls is VERY expensive - we learnt the hard way!! Buses - there are buses and they look pretty OK, but we've never taken one, so can't really comment. Traffic is heavy heavy - eight lane highways and bumper to bumber during rush hours! Best advice: take the metro and then taxis from there.
Jobs?: We secured jobs before we moved to Dubai. We worked for Emirates Al Maha Desert Resort (a division of Emirates Hotels and Resorts). Check out http://www.emiratesgroupcareers.com/english/ for more on emirates recruitment. We would advise that you try to find a job before moving to Dubai. Of course you can always search once on the ground and that may work out too, but you would have limited time. For example, I think on a British passport now they only grant you 30-60 days before you need to get out of the country again. So do some good research before you go. It really depends what line of work you want, but there are loads of resources out there.
The financial crunch has definitely changed Dubai - we were back there in November last year and will be there again soon for a travel show. The place has slowed down a lot. Many buildings are half built and waiting for more funding. Many people have left because they racked up so much debt and could not pay it back - some of them left their luxury cars at the airport with the keys still in the ignition.
Dubai is still a great destination though and whether you choose to visit or live there you are bound to be rewarded with a special life experience.
Don't forget Abu Dhabi - probably ten times richer than Dubai (due to oil) and now starting to grow at a rapid rate. Have a look at what's on offer there too. It's about 2-3 hours up the coast away from Dubai city.
Anyway here endeth the first in our series on Dubai. Please feel free to post your comments, ask for more information or suggest new topics.
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