sandCat in Dubai

Category: reality

  • in store for the UAE in 2013

    Are you a New Year’s Resolutions person? I’m not. I used to dutifully complete my list of intentions for the new year, but they didn’t last much past the 10th of the month really, so now I don’t even go through the charade. And whilst its common for people to make (and of course break) New Year’s resolutions are they an option for other entities, like countries for example?

    Well in yesterday’s paper there were several previews, plans and various stories on changes in the UAE for the coming year – maybe not resolutions exactly – but close enough in my opinion. These are the ones I really like.

    Dubai roadworks
    thanks to emirates247.com

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  • Dubai wildlife

    You have probably heard a lot about Dubai night life – there is no shortage of that here with our umpteen shopping malls (with 24 hour weekend shopping during Eid), restaurants, hotels and night clubs (just have a browse through Time Out Dubai if you don’t believe me).

    But what you may not know much about is the Dubai wildlife. I have spotted a few little critters in my travels over the last few weeks.

    The first was an Arabian Red Fox (I think although it was night-time) that I spotted on my way to friends who live in The Villa. Now that might sound odd but the complex / development is called The Villa. So you have people saying stupid sounding things like “I live in a villa in the villa” and you scratch your head a bit if you don’t know. But anyway, this little guy was on the side of the entrance road, which is a bit off the beaten track as The Villa is out in the desert a bit. I hope he didn’t tarry too long at the side of the road and moved off into the desert after I passed him.

    Dubai Desert Conservation red fox
    [Arabian Red Fox photo by P. Roosenschoon from Dubai Desert Conservation]

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  • Dubai residence…take 5

    Stu and I set off this morning to (finally) apply for my new residence visa. He has changed jobs, and so has a new visa, which means I too must change (as he is my sponsor). This is the 5th time I am doing a residence visa, I had one in my own right once upon a time (ie employer sponsored) but this will be my 4th overall as the “housewife” (haha).

    Anyway you would think that we are old hands at this based on the number of times we have done it, certainly it works out at more than once a year. But of course nothing is ever that simple. Besides the fact that things are not the same if you are doing a Dubai proper visa, a Freezone visa (Jebel Ali), a Freezone visa (Tecom) or a Freezone visa (DMCC*) the requirements within each section also change. I have no problem with that, things evolve over time. What does get my goat is that these requirements are not widely known or published**, and sometimes it can really depend on the day, the office and the officer you speak to at immigration on how strictly they are enforced.

    pulling-hair-out
    [makes me crazy]


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  • only in Dubai

    Dubai is not a city for walking, not really.

    I first noticed this when I went to the bank in Bur Dubai to close an account. I had to wait for them to process something so went for a walk to find a cup of coffee whilst I waited. In the centre of the triple-lane road is a big grassy island, but it is surrounded by a railing type fence so you cannot traverse it – once you have taken your life in your hands to cross the road you then have to walk parallel to it on the pavement (if there is one) to the next intersection to be able to cross all the way over.

    I guess they figured that it’s either too hot or too dusty or too far to really walk anywhere here so they didn’t factor it into the plans.

    The picture below I took outside our office yesterday. Nice crossing – straight into a thorny bougainvillea bush. Ouch.

    Dubai crossing
    [crossing into a bush]

  • Herbie to the rescue

    There is an 11 year old British boy living in the UAE that has developed an acute fear of flying. Despite hypnotherapy he flatly refuses to step foot on a plane. No one is entirely sure why he suddenly feels this way as he has flown, without incident, several times in the past.

    herbie
    [Herbie. Photo credit: Richard Cartwright]


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