Some very reasonable questions raised - I'll try and answer as best I can.
When I talk about safe and secure I mean from the perspective of day to day living. The only real threat we have here is from a random terror attack (ala July 7th in London!) or bad driving. No danger of the drunken British yob culture, vandalism, mindless thuggery, burglary, violent crime etc. Your wife could safely walk alone through the middle of many Middle Eastern cities late at night. There is no way the same could be said in the UK. I think that is worth a lot.
Compound living shouldn't be viewed in terms of siege style living. Picture a complex with swimming pools, restaraunts, pre school, shops, gymnasium, bowling alley, tennis courts to name but a few amenities. No travel to time to these facilities for you and your family, and included in your rental price. Once you step outside the compound these cities offer superb shopping and restaurants so you don't feel that you have to remain 'walled' in. Having lived this way for a number of years now it would remain our preference if we move on to another location in the Gulf.
My commute here is far shorter than it ever was in the UK, so even though I work hard I find I leave the house later in the mornings and am always home earlier than I ever was back in the UK. This gives me priceless time with the family. Sun always shining, the family seems to be happier - could just be me!
Quality of life - you have everything here materially that you could possibly want in the UK. Better climate, low crime rate, much more spacious accomodation, facilities, a very family-oriented culture. And, along with all this, as long as your package is structued to protect you against rising rental prices and school fees I am sure you would be in a better position to save some money.
Hi Mark,
Some very reasonable questions raised - I'll try and answer as best I can.
When I talk about safe and secure I mean from the perspective of day to day living. The only real threat we have here is from a random terror attack (ala July 7th in London!) or bad driving. No danger of the drunken British yob culture, vandalism, mindless thuggery, burglary, violent crime etc. Your wife could safely walk alone through the middle of many Middle Eastern cities late at night. There is no way the same could be said in the UK. I think that is worth a lot.
Compound living shouldn't be viewed in terms of siege style living. Picture a complex with swimming pools, restaraunts, pre school, shops, gymnasium, bowling alley, tennis courts to name but a few amenities. No travel to time to these facilities for you and your family, and included in your rental price. Once you step outside the compound these cities offer superb shopping and restaurants so you don't feel that you have to remain 'walled' in. Having lived this way for a number of years now it would remain our preference if we move on to another location in the Gulf.
My commute here is far shorter than it ever was in the UK, so even though I work hard I find I leave the house later in the mornings and am always home earlier than I ever was back in the UK. This gives me priceless time with the family. Sun always shining, the family seems to be happier - could just be me!
Quality of life - you have everything here materially that you could possibly want in the UK. Better climate, low crime rate, much more spacious accomodation, facilities, a very family-oriented culture. And, along with all this, as long as your package is structued to protect you against rising rental prices and school fees I am sure you would be in a better position to save some money.
Hope this helps a little.