Wednesday 13 May 2009

Hot & Happening

I think the heat is getting to me. I’ve been sitting here past ½ an hour wondering what to post but the brain is not working. All I can think of are tall glasses of brightly coloured chilled refreshers & immersing myself in cool waters[never mind the fact I cant swim]. The next 6 months are going to be horrible; the heat is unbearable and the humidity is a killer..........Summer has started with a vengeance.

If not for the heat & humidity, one can be forgiven for thinking that this place is not a desert. Nowhere inside the city will you get to see camels or bedouins……or barren land. But mirages....they are everywhere.

The rulers of this country made sure they have the best of everything in their land. When you see the greenery, the unsurpassed structures and the most up-to-date facilities one almost forgets that even 15 yrs back basic amenities like fresh milk & fresh meat[except for camel meat] were not available in the supermarkets. People those days make did with milk powder & frozen meat.

If you have the moolah & want to experience pure unadulterated luxury come over to Dubai & stay at the Burj Al Arab[check this link out. Its worth it]. It’s supposed to be a sublime experience. Ask Shah Rukh Khan or…or David Beckham..... according to local gossip, they’re supposed to have put out their awe-struck hands & picked up their fallen jaws off the luminous flooring.

Commoners like yours truly appreciate the architectural delight from the outside[even entrance fees is a ridiculously high amount], click pictures of ourselves with it in the background and get to check out the luxurious interiors only in the documentaries from Travel & Living and the internet.

Which ofcourse brings me to another well-known accepted fact. There are no confusions about classes…coz there are only 2 types out here. The rich & the middle-class:

The rich…..they are like unimaginably loaded:
#They own Villas in many countries.
#They have cars for each occasion.
#And buy personalized number plates for ridiculously high amounts.
#Most of the men have more than 1 wife[or atleast a Philippino girlfriend].
#Maybe not all but most of them get up around 2pm & wind up by 5am the next day.

The middle-class could be anything from a labourer to a high-salaried person:
#Most of us live in rented accommodation
#Go to our home country once in 2 years or twice in 1 year.
#Almost everybody who has a license will own a car. And the ones who dont will be drivers.
#All of us have cell-phones
#Drink only bottled water
#Would have definitely visited Lulu Supermarket atleast once.
#Kill time in Malls during weekends….the labourers are not allowed in but they manage to get past the security somehow.

Some curious realities:
- Unlike most countries we have almost nil beggars here. In these 10 yrs I’ve been here I can count on 1 hand, the numbers of beggars I’ve met.

- Very rarely do we come across elderly people or even handicapped people. This is not to say there are none but compared to the young & middle-aged, the elderly are a rare sight.

- A white skinned person gets instant attention anywhere. An old story is still doing the rounds that a gardener from UK was given an MD’s post in a company….20 yrs back ofcourse. Though nobody says it, we still think things have not changed all that much.


Having said this much let me hasten to correct your mistaken impression that I don’t have much opinion about my country of residence.
^When I first came here I missed my own country terribly but now I’ve learnt to love Dubai.
^One can’t help but admire the Rulers for taking care of their people & making sure we have the best of amenities.
^The crime-rate is negligible compared to other countries & corruption is almost unheard of.
^Whether it is fresh fruits & vegetables or the latest gadgets, everything is within hand’s reach.
^It maybe a middle-class life but comparitively the standard of living is exceptional[giving u a personal example so that u get the general idea - I was gifted an i-phone by the better-half last week, heeeee, see how casually I let u know;-D]…….....except for the heat.

Uffffffff…….there’s no escaping this blasted heat!!!!!!!

61 comments:

  1. You know what...i read this article a friend had forwarded me(written by a British Journalist) and its completed marred my opinions of Dubai for life. I was so angry after reading it..that i went on and on about it for quite a few days:)
    But all said and done, the faster you get used to the place and accept it for all its goodness, the easier and more fun life would be for you. Learnt out of experience although i still crib about my life in a foreign country!

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  2. You almost make me want to come to dubai :) can I come stay with you :)

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  3. wow! thats a good one... pretty much like a virtual trip to Dubai! when is the weather good? i would definitely want to visit during good weather times.

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  4. yes, its bleeding hawt already, I realise I should have spent some more time outdoors while there was still time. there is nothing besides the mall these days which i am quite tired of
    anyhow, @dubai-this morning a colleague forwarded an email with a link which shows how a local arab treats a pathan cabbie,beating him up pathetically in the middle of the desert, literally putting salt on his wound, getting the entire thing video shot as well so that he can view it for pleasure later, and all this with a help of a policeman.. i was terrified to say the least., i will forward u the email, not sure if putting up the link here is a good idea..
    i like living here now but sometimes the bias gets on to me.. but then again, i dont know of any place which is perfect

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  5. wow- no poor people???? That is amazing. It is incredible though about the two classes- how very different they are.

    I know you love Dubai- I can see it in your posts- even despite the heat :)

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  6. Hey Nancy, thanks for that insight into Dubai life. Am surprised about the beggars part.

    I just cant bear the Hyderabad heat itself[its around 42-43] and I visited Nagpur last weekend[47-48] which was unbearable. How much is it there? All the best then to beat the heat :P

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  7. An Open Book: "the faster you get used to the place and accept it for all its goodness, the easier and more fun life would be for you."
    Couldnt agree more with u....coz I learnt this the hard way;-P

    Prashanthi: Ofcourse u can, just gimme a days notice;-P

    Rohini: Lousy weather now. Come after Oct/Nov & its good till March.

    Ish: Sheesh...tht sounds awful. There r some creeps like this who give the whole country a bad name.

    Anjuli: Aaarrrggghh the heat is really terrible. Otherwise Dubai is my favourite place;-D

    Swaram: U r joking...47-48 is unimaginable in India. It is just 40 here but its early days yet. & combined with humidity it becomes intolerable

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  8. there are too things i noticed when i visited dubai -- the INSANE heat and the EXTREMELY INSANE wealth lol ;-) but i liked that place, for whatever short time i was there.. and yes, we too clicked pics outside the Burj lol

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  9. I wanna stay there! corruption almost nil? :O :O

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  10. See what this heat has done to you..:)):))

    Just kidding. Nice comparisons and insight in Dubai life. :)

    I love Summers:D

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  11. I so want to visit Dubai esp during those shopping fests.sighs.

    Btw. You have been tagged, see if you want work on it if you havnt already.smiles.

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  12. the chilled glass mention made me reach for one even this late at night:P
    drinking mango shake :P
    Burj LA Arab ..hmm have heard so many people who have described it:))and all that you have done here too:) makes me want to go there:))

    it IS astonishing to know some of the facts for sure:)
    but like someone up there said...the sooner you learn to love a place the Better it becomes:)))

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  13. once its home u start loving... home is where the heart is.. the heart jus takes sometime to accomodate itself than us...

    middle class almost seems like the middle clas of US .. in our country its quit different there are almsot 4 different classes ... ut frm watu say there is a labor class there too aint it?

    and yea u din write bout one more thing, speaking politically rite the 'call-girls' are too common there i ve heard thro frineds there, u can c them on the streets like we c beggars here i guess?

    Visiting Burj Arab mite b a dream for u... visitin Dubai itself will b a dream come true for me :D hope i do sometime this life time :)

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  14. Hi Nancy
    That made a nice read and after being here for more than an year I am still taking time to come to terms with it....my life is somewhere in between the two classes you mentioned....but still coming from New Zealand its complete contrast of culture and the lifestyle we are used to....still for me the best part is its so much closer to India that I can visit my parents as many times, I visited them 4times last year and also I have lots of relatives...sisters...nieces and nephews over here who are all locals and work so hard on making me comfortable that I sometime hate myself for not being able to adapt as faster as my hubby and kids.

    Your article has definitely made me look at the brighter side of the heat (yeah its unbearable darling) and I am sitting here with a cold watermelon drink :)

    Cheers

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  15. @Open Book - If you're referring to the article by Jhohan Hari something, it's a load of crap. It's actually the choicest crap I've ever read in my whole life. Dubai is nothing like that.

    And yeah, ISH, I guess, there are a few crazy people everywhere and comparatively very very few such people here.

    I'm actually amazed by the coureousness of the locals I've met everywhere, be it the Police station, be it the airport, immigration, labor everywhere and to think that these are government servants doing their job with a smile compared to our government servants in India!!!

    It is actually a wonderful place, despite few issues about bias.

    So whoever is planning to come to Dubai, let us Dubai bloggers know and we could arrange a wonderful trip :) Hotel rates are at all time lows... Even cheaper than India these days.

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  16. I'm with you on the heat - brain fried at this point.

    As for the Burj al Arab - seen it coupla times from a distance, but like you - I am a commoner who got more insight through the Travel and Living channel. I believe one entire wall is made of fabric to let in the sea breeze and the ceiling is gold plated! Fantastic architecture!

    Yup money is a plenty in the "Gelf rajyam" :O) ...but I also think it is that money that manages to sideline the poor so the privileged don't have to see it. I have heard some scary stories about the labourers that would break anyone's heart.

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  17. BTW, are u working for the Tourism Dept of Dubai ?
    Such honest and detailed descriptions, like a Travel and Living Channel host - does a flutter in my heart - I also want to come to Dubai !

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  18. Quick comment before drowning in work... come to Brussels - it is cold and raining here.

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  19. Nice virtual trip and I loved it,

    But one of my relative stayed in Saudi for 5 years and they were higly qualified doctors, and the life stye she told me and whatevr I have read in the books, I ma really so scared of these countries that I wouldnt dare to even visit them.

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  20. Why are you not putting on your ac/cooler? that sure should help.;)
    Aah the white skinned obsession, so true. It is a well taken care of place, but you have to see the condition of the labourers, to know it is not that way for all. BBC even did a documentary on the pathetic conditions of the labourers in Dubai. It is terrible, really. There is a high degree of status conscious treatment here, and in ways much much worse than it is in India, and it is really bad, especially since it is a viscous cycle.

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  21. Your last bit on how you've begun to love Dubai, made me be there too. We're the middle class anyways. Why not a better life at Dubai then a cruder one in this godforsaken Hyderabad - was what I was thinking. Will keep coming by to cement-up this new idea.
    Cheers and keep posting

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  22. Snow: When did u make this visit???? And did u notice..even the airport & its facilities are like out of the world.

    Winnie: Yes crime rate is very low coz punishments are very hard tho not as severe as Saudi;-P

    Solilo: Oh I love summers too but not the humidity which tags along with it;-P

    Spontaneous Mini: Yeah the best time a tourist shd come is during the festival. The whole place is lit up, entertaining stuff at every street corner & the offers are a steal:-)).
    And thank U for the Tag:-))!!!!!!

    Indyeah: Mango milkshake huh...yumyum. Dunno why but I dont find tht many varieties of mangoes this year.
    U knw we get mangoes from all over the world & u'll never guess which country's mangoes are the sweetest
    ..
    ..
    Pakistan:-D!!!!!!

    Former Sansmerci: Even I've heard of such stuff....but i doubt they r on the streets coz it's way too hot to hang around on the streets;-D.
    And do visit Dubai atleast once, its worth it;-))

    Sadiya: I second u on the 'close to India & can visit anytime' part of it:-)).
    Ur watermelon juice makes me want to tell u abt a new fancy of mine...I picked up this Dabur Rose syrup last week & have been making chilled rosemilk & a cool drink out of it. The kids are not too fond of it but somehow i love the flavour;-D.

    Rakesh: Which article is this....I want to read it, do u have the link????

    And agree with u...its time for a Bloggers Meet:-D!!!!!!

    Shades of Grey: Stories like that are everywhere. And tho the plight is terrible, if u ask the labourer abt it he'll mostly say tht he is quite happy inspite of all his problems coz if he were in his home country he would only be earning quarter of wht he earns here.
    And did u click tht link..the pics are mindblowing.

    Umas: I doubt the tourism dept will want me. I havent exactly praised Dubai to the skies;-D.
    I thought I read somewhere in ur blog tht u've visted Dubai????

    Colours: Wow, even in summer???....sounds so good;-(.

    Renu: There is zameen asmaan ki farq btn Dubai & Saudi. Touchwood. After living in Dubai, adjusting in Saudi will be impossible.
    U knw Osama keeps threatening us precisely for this reason;-D

    Goofy Mumma: AC is on 24 hrs but not of much use esp in rooms like the kitchen & bathrooms coz I'm placed on the top floor where the sun's ray attack directly;-(.
    In India we dont find racism tht much coz 95% of us are Indians only. Here it is there but not from the true Emaratis its mainly from the Kuwaitis, Lebanese & the Syrians.
    But then tell me which country doesn't have it????
    And dont feel too good saying this but even we Indians looks down on the Philipinoes & the Bangladeshis. Its a vicious circle:-(.

    Ann Dee: LOL....will be pleased to continue discussions on this interesting track:-D

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  23. I liked the way you ended the post and I'm glad you ended it the way you did! Nahin toh? Hmmm...

    Yes, whatever said and done, I love this place and to some extent I owe it one.

    P.S: Good you didn't put Atlantis up, it's as deserted as a desert :D

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  24. Still thinking: LOL abt Atlantis...u knw it didnt occur to me at all;-o.
    Burj sort of epitomised everything abt Dubai.
    "Yes, whatever said and done, I love this place and to some extent I owe it one."Exactly..I heartily second tht:-D!!!

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  25. The closest I have been to Dubai is the airport- and that is sure swanky:)

    As for racism, I think every country has it - in some form or the other.. In India too.. After living in the UK, I have come to the conclusion that we Indians are equally racist..

    I guess, whereever we are, we just need to look at the bright side and accept it :) You talk abt the heat there- I crib about how cold the winters are here :) Can you believe it - its summer here and the temp averages around 14!
    Loved the way you ended the post!

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  26. no beggars?....india is full of such people...here in our hosp 99% are in low middle class...thats the reason india has never progressed:(...but still i like my country:)..[desipan!!]

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  27. Yeah...this place does kind of grow on you, doesn't it?.... and LOL about the Burj Al Arab...don't we all do the taking pictures part... hee hee...we even take visitors there..not inside the burj but in front of it to tak pictures ;)

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  28. Great post! I live in UK and shifted here almost 3 years back. Its a similar situation here in terms of weather. It is not hot but extremely miserable, grey clouds all the time and very unpredictable.
    I hated the weather in the beginning but now realised that there is no point in moaning. :) We all learn the hard way.
    I always wanted to visit Dubai. After reading your blog, I want to do so very soon. :)

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  29. Well it did seem as if you have case a spell about Dubai. Good to know its all Cool over there.

    By the way, 2 questions for you. (on a serious note)

    1) Why are there not many elders in Dubai.

    2) How much moolah does it cost me to Stay at Burj Al Arab. I have received few forwards about it and thought it was a hyped up place.

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  30. wow!!! i am looking for a job there...somebody help meee *grin*!!!!

    i have a friend there, whos having the time of her life in Dubai. Been seeing so many of her absolutely stunning pics that i have been after her life to find me a job there..ANY job would do :) hehe!!
    BTW check out my blog!!

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  31. Very interesting insights. The link was really good. Esp the tennis courts.
    Glad u're lovin' it :)
    And i-phone nice! :) Coincidence--my nokia n-72 conked out as my son dropped it and guess what husband is gifting me? :)
    Yes--u guessed it..same pinch!
    Cheers
    preeti

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  32. I have never been there....should do it some time..........

    Atleast the common man can live a simple life there, and that is good........

    Btw, enjoy the heat!!!!!!!!! :) :P

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  33. Smitha: It was a stoppover, right;-D?????
    @ racism....exactly every country has its share of it & we Indians are not exactly role-models;-D
    And I simply cant decide which is worse...INSANE heat or FREEZING cold;-P.

    Brocasarea: Oh I love my country too...just tht I've learnt to love this place too otherwise its makes my life miserable.
    And thank U:-))!!!!!!

    WannabeWriter: Exactly...grows on u..just the word I was looking for;-D.
    LOL abt the posing bit. Ah nothing to feel funny abt really...all of us everywhere do it...in front of the Taj Mahal, beside the Statue of Liberty...........Pyramids......;-D

    Divya: Come over...infact convince Bins also....we can have a ball;-D

    Snow: Soh...u came here exactly 2 yrs back huh....but whtever made u come in the height of summer;-o?????

    Prashanth Sree: Generally...after the age of 60 only professionals like doctors, etc can get their visas extended. The rest have to go back to their home country;-/.
    @2nd question...I've heard tht 1 night at the Burj costs MINIMUM 6,500dhs..ie around 65000-70,000rupees;-D.

    Saima: Is ur friend married??? Coz its very difficult to get even visit visas for unmarried women.
    Get married & then come over;-D.

    Preethi: Wow......same pinch;-D.
    And ur son deserves a treat;-D!!!!

    Ordinary Guy: Yeah everybody must visit Dubai atleast once.
    And u r so kind....thanking U for such sincere wishes;-/

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  34. nope she isn't married.. :)
    find me a Dubai based groom ;) i really won't mind, the only male i know in Dubai happens to be an unmarried sheikh ;) i don't see marrying him in future though !! he he!

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  35. Just see how many people want to come to Dubai ?
    Its all becos of your post. If the tourism dept dont want to take u, they're missing out on a very good candidate.
    Yes, of course, 2006 May, we were in Dubai. One full month - absolutely enjoyed the stay at my BIL's house.

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  36. Here - http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/the-dark-side-of-dubai-1664368.html

    It's really long but very interesting trash :)

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  37. pics from the burj link are nice. interesting write up on dubai. hope the heat will give it up sooner rather than later. the sun here occasionally grows intolerable and is more damaging than the indian heat i grew up with and so i can sympathize a little bit with your plight.

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  38. Hmm... I would definitely love to visit that country. The closest I have got till now is the airport...:)

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  39. Hi Nancy,

    Saw your comment in my post. Thanks a ton for stopping by:). I haven't blogged in a while cos life is busy :). Had shifted my house and have still not got around to fix my internet connection. Work is hectic too. So time is eating me up on all sides to blog. Am hoping the internet will get sorted out soon since I have too many things in my mind to put down in writing. Its hot in India too. Getting hotter by the day :). Hope u are able cope :).Wow thats rhyming isn't it:))

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  40. Ahh dubai is definitly more happening than Kuwait...The heat is more killing here....I feel there is more of freedom and life in duabi, more places to go to, things to c etc...here getting a holiday is a waste as there is nowhere to go other than a few malls...one cant go to the beach during summer other than to get burnt completly..

    But ya we do get a variety of fresh things, gadgets and all, humm if possible we can make a trip or 2 to india and all and its definitley closer to india than US and all...The pay is good thats the only reason people r staying on, otherwise y go through so much humiliation and stuff and stay in a foriegn country...

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  41. Saima: U have a Sheikh as a friend & u r asking me how to get a job in Dubai;-D.
    Seriosuly, ask ur Sheikh...he can fix it in a jiffy.

    Umas: Seriously Dubai is worth visiting atleast once;-)).

    Rakesh: I read it....there is a grain of truth in what he writes but he is obssessed with making it sound so...so dark;-S

    lan: Summer here last upto 9months;-/.

    Abraham Menacherry: Stoppover huh;-D!!!!!
    And why arent u posting???

    Anusha: Was wondering where u'd got to...then thot it must be exams;-)). U tek care.

    Enigma: Hmmmm Dubai is quite lenient tht way. But the money is good in Kuwait;-D

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  42. MY sheikh :) hehehe!! well he isn't too helpful :( he din't even help me with my dissertation, how will he help me with a job..!!!

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  43. oh gosh, nance, i have so much negative to say about dubai ;) but i am not gonna. as long as you're liking it, i am very happy for u ji.
    :D

    sab thok thaak ke theek thaak!! fun reading you again. catching up on all. i've been away from blogging for so long.

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  44. oh ho, iphone and all!! hmmmmmmmmm!LOL abt the tourism dept thing. Enjoyed the article and the comments!

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  45. Saima: Dissertation may be outside his capabalities but a visit visa for him will be ready at the click of his fingers...if he is a Sheikh ie.
    Ask & see;-D!!!!!!

    Roop: I get the feeling u must be confusing Dubai with a place like Saudi where the laws & day to day living is more strict. Or have u read tht article Rakesh was talking abt???? Is tht it????

    Butterfly: Thank U:-))!!!!
    So u r back huh...when do we get to read the update;-D?????

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  46. Nope, nance. I just find the place built up on sweat on blood of poor laborerd who are tucked away from public eye so that Dubai's image of a playground for rich remains untainted. I've had a few first hand accounts of laborers who are shipped around town in vans with tinted windows to and fro job site, foreign laborers have no health care and work in terribly unsafe conditions at minimum wages, poor are jailed for being poor (begging on streets) and so on. Dubai has created an image as an utopia for the rich cuz, like you said, they have no other resources to feed its people. They are playing with the conscience less rich by giving them the reasons to spend money. Good for majority of Dubai junta and Dubai itself but I personally can't overlook the institutionalized exploitation of labor in that city. If there is any place in the world that still practices slave labor, it is Dubai and I wouldn't want to visit it for the fear of adding to its economy and, in turn, exploitation of more people.

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  47. Roop: I dont deny this kind of thing does exist here and compared to us their plight is terrible. But if u ask the labourer[most of them ie] abt it he'll mostly say tht he is quite happy inspite of all his problems coz if he were in his home country he would be out of job or only be earning quarter of wht he earns here.
    "poor are jailed for being poor (begging on streets)"Yes begging is a crime here & tht is a fact. There are other ways to ask for help....contact the nearest police station or charity organisation, they will definitely help.
    If a person is out of job automatically it means tht he is no longer allowed to stay legally in the country....so there is no question of begging.
    The locals who r in need are taken care of by the govt.

    I know u r not convinced so let me see if I can get Rakesh to explain some more to u:-)).

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  48. Roop, I guess, any country who has gone from a desert to an amusement park in just around 20 years will have made some compromises.

    But the condition of labours here, from what I see is much better from the place where these labours are coming. The labour ministry has quite strict rules with regards to hiring labour. Contractors have to provide them with clean and air conditioned living conditions, No living in temporary shelters such as containers etc., transportation has to be in air conditioned buses, working hours are restricted, compulsory rest to be given in summer during the afternoon, wages to be paid on time without fail etc. etc.

    Now if you compare this with most of the developing countries, you'll see that labours have a great life. Every evening while returning home, I can see on construction sites, a group of labours, tired from a good days work but happy with a smile on their faces, boarding their bus just like school kids. The bus takes them to their labour camp where they cook, clean and play cards or have small gatherings.

    Now again, how each Company treats its labours might differ but there are strict rules in place and surprise checks are conducted by Labour inspectors and violating companies are fined for neglect.

    Of course, in a country where Construction is the most prominent sector, there are a 1000 construction companies so some of them might cut corners and make compromises and not treat their labour fairly but that is not to say Dubai is not doing anything for them.

    You know, I can clearly see a bias in the western media for Dubai. The article by Johanan Hari is an example. The article says such blatant lies that I wanted to puke, reading it.

    Sure, there would be a few instances where labours have been mis-treated by the Company but to exploit those few cases and paint a totally negative picture is something that the western media does best.

    Just a simple question - If labours are actually in such a bad condition, why is crime at such a low rate in Dubai. I mean, isn't it quite natural for a country where there is a very large unhappy labour force to be unsafe and risky?

    But I'm telling you, people can roam around in the labour camp areas at midnight without worrying about disgruntled people. Would that be possible if labours were actually enslaved and treated as badly as you think?

    Yes - Unionisation and violence is discouraged and dealt with severly but so are Companies who do not pay their staff or have unacceptable working or living conditions for their labour.

    I guess, you gotta speak to people living in Dubai rather than gather info. from the media. Maybe I and Nancy are biased but do speak to other people living in Dubai and then tell us if they say anything different.

    And as you said, YES Dubai is projected as a playground for the super rich - What is wrong in that projection? I mean, that's marketing. You can't say in your travel brochure that Dubai has a lot of labour camps.

    Honestly, these days, fares are cheap, hotel rooms are cheaper! Come over, let us show you the place and then you decide :)

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  49. SUPERB RAKESH......exactly the kind of thoughts running thru my mind but was unable to put across.
    THANK U for coming to my rescue;-D.

    Roop, I myself worked for an Interior Decoration company for 2 yrs & know for a fact how difficult the Govt makes it for companies, with these stringent measures of how the labourers shd be treated.

    Like Rakesh said...it is some of these companies who treat their employees badly & give the country a bad name.

    Also, most of the time...these labourers take big loans as they get conned into paying up to 3rd parties to come to Dubai. Thats where the major dammage occurs & they end up slogging for years to pay up these loans & this takes a toll on them.

    And echoing Rakesh's thoughts....
    Come over...we are just looking for an excuse to have a Blogger's Meet;-D

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  50. Oops, I didn't realise, the comment was this long!!!

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  51. Wow! All plans for a blogger meet out there; sounds interesting ;)

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  52. love the way uve described dubai! its def on my list of places to visit in the near future...lets hope i get married to a nice rich guy who has enuf money to take me around these places! or on the flipside a guy madly in love with me so that he listens to every whim of mine will also do!! :P

    and u betta stay there till i come so that i can taste ur wonderful cake! i have not forgotten ur promise!! ;)

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  53. hmmm, since the impression of dubai is largely on the darker shade, we all after staying here tend to write about the positives here and that I what some of my posts hv been about.

    I definitely have seen this place offering so much more.. than India. Not having seen any other country so far, after reading the discussions happening on the labour condition, the images of indian construction worker families came to my mind, the ones who migrate and create make shift arrangements to stay on road sides and cook on burning wood n stuff like that.. winters or summers or rains.. no difference for them.. isnt that harsh?? kids seeing such life too.. i dont know what to say.. I read the article on dark side of Dubai and it was painful but then I also felt it was fabricated to an extent.. a generalization made up from a sample study maybe.. not sure..

    My experience however has been good so far.. yes you need a job and money to enjoy life here but that is the case everywhere i guess unless you are into farming or something...

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  54. Rakesh: When we are trying to convince somebody abt something, better long than unconvincing;-)).

    Swaram: I highly doubt it will happen anytime soon...but still, its never too early to start planning;-D

    Sunshine: Hope ur wish comes true soon...whichever way it happens;-P.
    And just gimme a day's notice for the cake;-D

    Mindspace: Rakesh's comment "any country who has gone from a desert to an amusement park in just around 20 years will have made some compromises" conveys everything in tht 1 sentence.

    Like u said, worse things happen in India IN FRONT OF OUR EYES & nobody blinks an eyelid but when some idiot puts up a documentary or an article abt this place, we jump up in righteous anger.

    Again I'm not blind to the faults like lack of freedom & restrictions. And yes its a hard life. But then we[including the labourers] come here fully aware that this is a Islamic country, NOT A DEMOCRACY, which is still ruled by Sheikhs.

    Lastly I ask...if it was really such a miserable, lousy, slave-like life wouldnt u think tht the labourers who go on leave will not return...& in fact go around telling everybody abt the poor conditions here & nobody wd be prepared to come. But the truth is tht most of them want to come back coz they rather slog it out & earn some money rather than stay back & do nothing.

    Finally Tara this long comment is not directed at u coz I know u will be nodding with me on most points....but many others[Roop not just you] seem to have the wrong idea about Dubai based on a single article or documentary made by somebody who doesnt even reside in Dubai.
    My take on them.....yes there is a grain of truth in it but they r looking at only 1 side of it.

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  55. i am pretty pretty sure i left a comment here, ji. :<>

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  56. Really........I didnt get it:-(!!!!

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  57. I love reading about Dubai, Nancy.

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  58. Picking up fallen jaws from the floor... How do you come up with these?? You should be a script writer for the cartoons, I am sure you ll really shine there with your verbal acrobatics! ;-)

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  59. Agnes: Do come over....its quite an experience:-).

    Thethoughtfultrain: U think so;-o???? Thank U for the compliment;-))!!!!!

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