Only in Dubai

Sometimes, Dubai completely astounds us. Here are 25 of those unique moments 5 Comments

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1 Do you buy your milk at the New Gold Souk?

2 Do you see maids walking someone else’s dog for them?

3 Do you get a cab to go 200m because you need to stay dry – from your sweat?

4 Do you only use your jacket when sitting in the cinema?

5 Do you not go to the beach because it’s the summer and therefore TOO sunny?

6 Do you go 11 months without seeing rain, but still complain during the four wet days?

7 Do you feel guilty for ‘only’ doing a nine-hour day.

8 Is your local pub a five-star hotel.

9 Do you pay a woman to do your nails for you on a weekly basis? And you’re male.

10 Is it cheaper to get a takeaway delivered than to buy the ingredients in some supermarkets?

11 Are bottles of local water cheaper than they are in rain-sodden Europe – despite the fact we’re in a desert?

12 Are you still unsure how much those coins that aren’t one dirhams are worth?

13 Do you accept sweets instead of small change from shopkeepers?

14 Do you get offended when people don’t speak English, even though the national language is Arabic?

15 Do you tell five people ‘I’m fine thank you’ within two minutes of stepping into a shop or restaurant?

16 Do you feel like taxi drivers are in a competition to see who can drive closer to the next person’s tailgate?

17 Are fish and chips now considered an expensive treat?

18 Is summer a dirty word?

19 Do you actually have arguments with people about the ‘best’ mall?

20 Do you take a picture of anything ‘old’?

21 Can you hold a conversation on the pros and cons of various five-star hotels?

22 Will you and all your friends confess your love for a vaguely popular, probably best forgotten pop star when they arrive here for a show?

23 Have you got a better chance of seeing a premiership footballer than a tramp?

24 Is there a building over there that wasn’t there yesterday?

25 Can you not move for Chanel handbags?
Got some more ideas for The List? Email them to becky.lucas@itp.com.

By Becky Lucas
Time Out Dubai, 22 June 2009

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Posted by: Viv on 25 Jun ' 09 at 10:00

A litre of Petrol / Milk and some mineral waters cost the same.

Malls are baby walks.

A Beach Umbrealla costs four times more than the entry.

Two wheelers are the fastest way to get anywhere.

Sharjah is the best place to go to have a "who can get to my place the slowest competion"

Kitty Parties are a must in Cenemas halls.

You need a licence to Fish / Buy Alcohol / Surf / Have a pet / and soon to eat / drink / and breathe.

Three Toll gates on the same road within 10 miles of each other.

Stay outdoors in Winter and stay indoors in Summer.

Traffic fines are part of the family monthly budget.

Posted by: Carol on 25 Jun ' 09 at 09:43

very good.. but Wayne's were better!! =)

Posted by: Zak on 25 Jun ' 09 at 08:00

You live here for 25 years and still need a Visa!

Your mom, brothers and sisters are UAE nationals and you are not eligible

If you own a business and hire 50 people, then all of them are eligible for benefits and loans and cards, while you are not !!

If you owe a bank a cent they can screw your life, if you owe them millions, you can literally screw theirs.

mmmm .... can we start a new one abt Saudi please :)

Posted by: Wayne on 25 Jun ' 09 at 06:48

Seeing wildlife sitting on the front seat of a 4x4 is not unusual or worrying.

Having the tiniest cup of tea brought to your car window while holding up the traffic.

Early morning jogging in a luxurious mall is the done thing.

Always having at least 24 passport photos in your possesion.

Wondering if the exact same paperwork that you used to apply for a visa last month will be accepted this month.

Valet parking at malls.

Being impressed every time you see someone use vehicle indicators.
Being extremely impressed when the vehicle actually goes in the direction it is indicating.

Receiving two phone calls from the same bank in one day. First call to tell you that you are behind on your credit card payments and the second to offer you a new credit card and/ or personal lone.

Being able to recognise the backside of a building.

Knowing "Hallo!" is an acceptable manner in which professional bussinesses answer the phone.

Shredded tyres on the road and plastic yellow Modeshes beisde it are the harbingers of summer.

Cinemas are regarded as telephone booths.

You get used to sharing a bank teller window with 2 or 3 other people.

Everyone complains of the heat in summer and everyone complains of the cold in winter.

You stay as far away as you can from vehicles with single or 2 digit number plates.

You stop wondering how the handbag/ shoe boutique at your local mall has stayed open for 3 years and you have yet to ever see a customer inside.

"Tell me" is a perfectly acceptable way to open a telephone conversation.

A man can get a massage but only by another man, while kissing in public is frowned upon.

All the radio DJ's think they are brilliant.

The 80's was obviously a very very good year for music.

Posted by: Sneha on 25 Jun ' 09 at 05:42

Hilarious! & yet so true... Cheers!!

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