Life in UAE after leaving Qatar...
Well I left Qatar hoping my life will get some where and I came to UAE, until now it's only been down down and downs :P, but no regrets, sometimes we gotta learn how to adjust with the flow right?. Oh well the first week I lived in sharjah, if u think the traffic is bad in Qatar, try visiting Sharjah or Dubai for that matter, its the worst flow of traffic, for example we had to cross a 10 min's bridge, that took us exactly an hour and a half (literally). At first I was wondering why do people live like a 100 KMs away from Dubai and they dont live in Sharjah, which is just 10 mins away. But now I know its easier and quicker to get to Dubai from a 100 KMs than from Sharjah lol. All in all UAE is not really what I expected, from what we hear or watch on TV about Dubai being all that, I guess its all just what the media wants us to see... Advertising and exagerating. When I first landed, I found this place rather depressing, then I spotted that the lights were too weak on the streets, makin it look depressing at night lol. It's a busy life around here, all people do here is, wake up, get stuck in traffic, go back home, eat and sleep... same routine every day except for the weekends. Visiting Dubai was a roller coaster ride, alot of bridges, life's different on both sides of the bridge. For everyone who is thinking about UAE from Qatar, I advise you to stay where u r. I can't believe I left Qatar for this seriously. I'm not ungreatful, but Qatar is heaven compared to here.
Fujairah is a small village that is developed, it looks pretty much like Qatar 20 years ago lol. The population is very low, its pretty quite, Internet is not really available in many places, the malls are empty, lulu has all the public lol, the beach is beautiful, people go to the beach or to parties to socialize, a few nice resturants and cafe's. There's only 1 kfc, 1 pizza hut and 1 pizza inn in the whole city lol. English is a myth though lol. I like it here a little, cuz it reminds me of my child hood lol. It's a nice experiance.
In the end all i'll say is, if u want to get away from QL or have a castaway vacation, Fujairah is the place. But for me, I cant last one day without internet lol.
Oh and I miss all the Qlers and QLSG Alot :(
I spent 4 years in uae. 2 in Dubai and 2 in Ras al kaima.
What you like most is highly personel thing. I loved Ras al kaima than dubai. Becouse i wanted calm peaceful lifestyle.
Some people like shining and brighter city with taller buildings. They like Dubai.
I have to say one thing ..Both are Israeli dominated US colonies.
For me, both are ok.
style :-) .... UAE is the best place to live in. Don't compare Doha with Dubai you can't beat on that man ..
Truth is that I feel like am back in 1980s of Dubai time when I land in Doha last year ... traffic here is also getting worst day by day ... reason is that thousand of new expat coming to Doha for work and every day hundreds of new cars are hitting the streets here but Govt. is not paying any serious attention to the road infrastructure no proper tunnels or bridges here... no proper customer services in Govt sector or in most of the private companies ....
Dubai has excellent road infrastructure, Dubai has Quality and Excellent Customer Services in Govt and as well in Private sectors.. you will find World class Companies in Dubai Specially in Internet City /Media City/ HealthCare City etc..., also several flight options to travel due to which you benefit a lot in competitions between Flights/Banks etc..., you feel freedom in UAE no travel restrictions you have your passport you can leave the Country anytime no need for sponsor approval or 'Exit Permit" ... World class shopping centers .. go to City Center or Mall of the Emirates or Ibn-e-Batuta Mall or Malls on the Jumeirah road ... In short Dubai is full of Entertainment it provides every nationality a life style of his own community, I must say you have landed on a right time soon you will enjoy your ride on the Dubai Metro the new modern auto-Trains.
Traffic problem in Dubai/ Sharjah is Temporary now, they have already announced that due to Dubai Metro network and other roads projects in Dubai and Sharjah and Ajman.
Also note that there are several alternates and you can skip the traffic from those routes ... when i was working in Jabel Ali i used to travel from Ghusais to Jabel Ali in 30 - 45 mins during peak hours ??
To know more about Dubai or UAE in particular, you need to develop a good social network .... hmmm becareful with bad people and don't go to Clubs, once you stepped in night life of Dubai then it's difficult to come out ... it will look good for few weeks or months no doubt you will enjoy (you will forget your social group in Doha) but later you will regret :-) coz this will destroy your life.
Fujeirah is a Modern Village of UAE ... even Fujeirah is booming now a days due to free ports so there is no comparison between Doha and Fujeirah.
One way I like Doha that it is peaceful but social life is almost NIL here no entertainment for families specially kids ... I am here only because of QatarLiving, trust me if Qatari would have not created this site I might have left Qatar long back :-)
So stop complaining and go to sleep :-) if you need any kind of help in UAE do let me know.
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Most parts Janey, they do have electricity, but its timed, hence they get it for six hours and then cut for six hours, with the recent heat and humidity, its a killer, people sleep on their verendahs because its so hot indoors, its quite sad actually..
and I'm supposed to be visiting sharjah sometime soon...grrr
That made me reconsider my trip now...
Never mind...I'll hunt you when i get ther so you could show me around...deal?
Nadt, seriously? Which part of Lebanon doesn't have electricity? That's a shame hey.
Hey thexonic, hang in there, relocation is always difficult, you will get used to your new life, try not to compare(although its hard not to compare)and make the most of what you have.
If you think no internet is hard then re think your "Lebanon is a piece of heaven on earth, b/c having recently returned from there, where theres hardly any electricity meaning no internet and no AC's, Lebanon isnt heaven on earth...Give me Gulf countries anyday..
...but the country's too 'popular' in my ear. I jumped to Qatar coz it's new to my ear...and nice to see Qatar is fit enough and still under development. I got many friends in UAE...but I think I'll stay here fer awhile no matter how much they're going to convince me to join them there in UAE...
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
Thexonic...Qatar streets will be more jampacked than UAE..in a couple of years....by then UAE will have the Its Metro Railway function and will ease about 50% of the traffic.
Qatar will have a metro around 2018!
oh...i thought u wer gonna drive over to UAE...even without car u can go...ther r quite a few tour operators...
Infact I wud suggest EID holidays as a time wen u can rent a car n roam around the place n get to know the routes/hotspots etc
QT, Winn
QT, only GCC Nationals not residents bro.
Winn, thanks for the tip, I wont have a car, most likely a cab or I might be in Qatar for Eid.
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(Lebanon A piece of Heaven on Earth)
Thexonic: You can get a visa at the border, if u r on a UAE resident visa. If you are planning to go during EID holidays, it wud b a gud idea to get the visa from Oman consulate since ther will be a long queue at the border. Plus you hav to pay a nominal amount for ur car insurance in Oman.
QT thats true GCC nationals can move easily in GCC countries
I always thought GCC residents could travel freely around the GCC
Winn I visited Kalba, it has a nice corniche :D. Btw do I need a visa to visit Oman from Fujairah? or do they let anyone in?
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(Lebanon A piece of Heaven on Earth)
QT I envy u :(
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(Lebanon A piece of Heaven on Earth)
Thexonic: Actually Dubai traffic is not so difficult to beat...only thing is u must know alternate routes and alo keep ur FM station tuned so that u can get traffic updates n decide. and yeah...it SEEMS like there isnt time for anything there, but u defenitely can change by steppin out of the rush!
...Dubai can give u quite a nice roller coaster life...
Do try out the road that goes from National paints to Kalba...its a nice drive(one of my personal favorites)...You can also drive to Khasab/Musandam in Oman... ofcourse there are quite a lot more to do...will talk abt that latr!
:P
QT, visit Fujairah sometime if u can lol. I'm not gonna be able to make it to Dubai before Eid.
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(Lebanon A piece of Heaven on Earth)
...and the driving is slightly better here!
:)
Bahraini,
bro, im good, how about u?
Your case took a 180 flip when u met QL lol. There's no FL here :P. It'll be allrite hopefully.
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(Lebanon A piece of Heaven on Earth)
hey bro
how r u doing?
whats all this negative energy you are sending in your thread :P cheer up .. this was my case when i arrived to Doha .. i'm getting thriugh it
missing u here
take care
just not sure I would want to live there these days. I also loved my holiday in Zanzibar but living there would get pretty boring very quickly...
R7, yea u r righyt man lol. I'm too used to doha :P. I like dubai a little. I do have the company, but they are all busy lol.
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(Lebanon A piece of Heaven on Earth)
You can get pork there ffs, can't be bad!! I LOVE DUBAI!!!
i am thinking about take an offer for Dubai, interesting job.
i was already concerned about life there
u are not helping me to decide!!!! lol
Come on Man Dubai is'nt that Bad.. There's a lot to do there n if u have the right company u can go to so many clubs, restaurants, Cafe's sheesha joints, water parks n so much more... Not to mention all the shopping u can do... Except for the traffic n all the construction i think Dubai's pretty good.. If ur into that fast paced lifestyle...
For u i guess ur too used to Doha coz u've been here all ur life ... Like me :)
Though i luv making my monthly Dubai trips !!!
or is it the sand is always yellower....
You pick the reasons I have taken up one of the offers I have had to go to Dubai. If I wanted to get stuck in traffic and commute for over an hour I would have stayed in London..... 35 mins I can handle...
at a traffic light this morning! I wouldn't live in Dubai for all the tea in China!!
Did you Google it first?
Oh Al Ain is beautiful, I went there 2 days ago and I loved it, its more full of life than Fujairah lol.
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(Lebanon A piece of Heaven on Earth)
This is why I hate UAE,, except Al- Ain which is greener and much peaceful
Britexpat, I know man, I am as patient as I can be in other aspects, but no internet.... ah that sucks the life out of me lol. Its all good though :P
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(Lebanon A piece of Heaven on Earth)
Cheer up, its been a little while only. i am sure things will get better. BTW, I was stuck in traffic for a whole 35 mins today.. Cursed everybody in sight:)