Living in Dubai

[trot]

Cheers,

thanks everybody posting their thoughts about ek. The good as well as the negative ones. It helps us, who try to make an educated decision about joining the sand pit. But unfortunately most of the posts fail to answer the question being initially asked and wander off into moaning-land.

What I really need now is to get a couple of facts about the lifestyle in dubai.

What are the cost of living?
e.g.
- grocery shopping (eg. 2x, 3x or 4x more expensive)
- phone bills
- internet access
- joining a gym
- gas/petrol prices
- car prices (BMW3 series, or Passat wagon)
- cinema
- dvd/ video rental
- hair cutter
- going out for dinner
- etc…….

what is there to do for your wife and kids.?
May your wife work? If yes, what options.
Is there an university for the kids to attend?
What is there to do in your free time ( except catching up on sleep ).
Are expats restricted to certain things?
Do you feel you just live there to work?
Do you feel you are just confined to the housing area?
Do you feel safe?
Do you feel comfortable letting your kids drive around?
Do you feel comfortable letting your kids roam around downtown or shopping areas?
Do you get in contact with the locals, or is your social life mainly with other pilots in the community?
What about churches?

may be you guys can paste the above items and write your thoughts or values behind it, or if appropriate generalize the cost of living. I know the costs have sky rocketed, but I try to find out how far 1000 $ get me in dubai compared to europe and what my family is able to do socially and careerwise.

Thanks for the time answering the questions. I hope they will help others as well.
The 3 days during the selection program is certainly not long enough to get a feel about living in dubai.

Cheers,
trot

[Ahad Adump]

Been here a while, salary (incl housing) over 50g / month. (+/- 15000 USD) Live an avarage life style:
Living in own accom, house back home (rented out)
2 cars: 8 & 3 years old
2 kids
1 maid
Club membership
Golf and booze etc
So take it from my perspective or adjust as required.

Our groceries +/- 6000/mnth (1600 USD)

Phone: 900-home/ 800-2 mobiles (460 USD)

Internet: 250/mnth (68 USD) DSL. Etisalat very slow and very restricted. Sahm OK and you can look at ANYTHING, need to buy a home.
Gym 8000 to 17000 for family. (2100 to 4600 USD) Hotel gym, house wife orientated, no serious body building gyms unless you dress like porn star, speak Urdu or Arabic, use 50ml of decadron a week and moonlights as a doorman at some Deira club.

Petrol 6.25 a US gallon (1.7 USD/gal) I think.
Gas 45 per 40lbs cylinder refil. (12 USD)

BMW 330Ci Convertible, 2004, steel grey, with grey leather interior, automatic / steptronic transmission, black, automatic power hood, navigation system, 6 CD player, F.S.H., 30,000 km, Face Lift model, PKS, BMW Premium Sound system, Gulf specs., balance of dealer's warranty. Only Dhs 154,950/- or Dhs 3,486/- x 48 months.

BMW 330Ci, 2002, white, Gulf specification, 120,000 kms, Dhs 103,000/-.

BMW M3 Convertible, 2003, Individual, blue green, with cream leather interior, wooden trim, SMG transmission, DVD naviation, CD, power hood, c/w Hard Top, multifunctional steering wheel, FSH, Gulf specs. Only Dh 179,950/- or Dh 4,049/- x 48 months.

Volkswagen Passat, 1.8L, 1999, manual transmission, ABS brakes, full options, 6 CD changer, remote control entry, insured & registered up to 1 year, Dhs 20,000/-.

Volkswagen Passat, 1998 model, white colour, full options, steptronic transmission, 131,000 kms, agency maintained, Dhs 30,000/-.

Volkswagen Passat, 1998, black, 6 cylinder, full options, company maintained, for Dhs 25,000/-.


Cinema 200 for 4, with drinks & popcorn (55 USD)

DVD/video 10 a go can keep for few days (2.7 USD)

Hair cutter 15 to 100 for man/boy (4 to 27 USD) Cheap hair cutter makes you look like Lego man.
Girl cut & blow +/- 200 (54 USD)
Highlights +/- 500 (136 USD)

Dinner with wife at nice place, 2 starters, 2 mains, 2 Irish coffees, 2nd cheapest wine and 5 Stellas for dad. 800 (220 USD)

Dinner at reseonable place with kids, 2 starters, 2 mains, 2 burgers, 2 cokes, bottle of house plonk and 7 stellas for dad 600 (160 USD)

Anything your wife and kids do, it will cost.
Football weekly 500 for 3 mnths (136 USD)
Swimming weekly 600/3 mnths (160 USD)
Tennis weekly 600/3 mnths (160 USD)
Karate weekly 40/session (11 USD)

Yes your wife can work if you write a letter of permission.
Options, my wife HAS to work to balance the books.

American and Australian uni's. Other guys could help, my kids to dumb for that, so not researched.

As an expat you can do anything inside the law.
as an expat you can not overtake in the yellow lane.
as an expat you can only tint your windows 40 % max.
as an expat you can not show hand gestures to anyone.
as an expat your no. plate can have minimum 4 digits.
as an expat you can not go to newspapers to air your grief.
as an expat you must never talk about a union.

Yes, I feel I only live here to work.

No, not confined to housing area.

Thought I was safe until my home got burgalled a few days ago, garden furnture, ladder & bicycles gone.

No, not comfortable with kids downtown or shopping malls without supervision. To many stories of rape or boys beaten up.

Only contact with locals is at work. (good guys) Or when doing car registration and paying fines.

Try to avoid too many pilots in social live, conversation about work ALL THE TIME.

Yes there are churches, about 6 clustered together, hidden from view in a remote area behind Jebel Ali village. No road to churches, your 3 series is going to scrape it's belly getting there.

Some pilots formed their own church group at guys houses. Lost popularity when one wife apologised to husband, during prair, for having an afair. He then, during prair, confessed to shagging whores in BKK.

Now sit back and wait for condemnation and agreement on my figures. Then draw your plan. As a senior guy, my lifestyle is same as when I was an FO, thanks to INFLATION. Hope same doesn't happen to you. Good luck.

[max AB]

Ahad that's pretty close to the mark, I had to laugh at the second last paragraph, oh to have been a fly on the wall...... Trot there is a pilot's club, (150dhs/month per family) organised by pilot's, that gets you entry to a bunch of beach clubs/gyms so no need for expensive memberships unless you want something specific. What are you trying to compare cost of living to, Europe or USA?

[A300Man-2005]

Ahad,

One of the best posts I have EVER seen here on PPrune, although will be totally meaningless to those who have never been here in the Sandpit, and Dubai in particular.


Humorous. Spot-on accuracy and a pleasure to read.


A300Man

[4HolerPoler]

Great post Ahad - you're the man :ok:

4HP

[Desert Whine]

Yes well said Ahad except you forgot to mention at the cinemas that listening to the locals in front of you calling the locals behind you on their mobile phones is FREE OF CHARGE.

[bentwings]

Same same in Saudi except in Saudi you might get to visit a colleague in jail for two months who was at a dinner party attended by females other than his own family and where there was whisky being served when the religious police came calling.

A wonderful piece about the prayer group. :D :D :D

[fullforward]

My compliments, Ahad!!!!

[flyboy519]

Some pilots formed their own church group at guys houses. Lost populatity when one wife apologised to husband, during prair, for having an afair. He then, during prair, confessed to shagging whores in BKK.

Kind of reminds me of the story that was going around after the AirTransat A330 glider in the Azores. Turns out that a family was on the flight and when everything was going to S$&*, the husband, who thougt he was about to meet his maker, turned to his wife and told her he had been having an affair with her sister .... who was sitting on the other side of the wife. :rolleyes:

Good call on life in Dubai.

[Jack D]

Aaah the power of prayer...Perhaps they were contemplating the book of Revelations.

It gave me a good laugh and the rest of the post was spot on.

[chandlers dad]

Bentwings,

One thing not mentioned is that every, and I mean EVERY telephone call in the whole bloody country is monitored.

They brought in the engineers from Siemans years ago and set up a computer system that scans every call and records them.

If any word or phrase is said that is on "the list" then a human listens to it. Then if anything is said that is "not correct" or suspect a policeman and mutawa at a minimum is dispatched to the house and life goes downhill from there.

I was married to a German lady for a long time while living in Saudi and she met another German at a health spa. We had dinner with the couple and since we were all speaking German they felt a bit more comfortable in what they talked about. He was one of the engineers on the project and said to never, ever say anything over any phone in Kingdom that you did not want to hear in a court.

Would hope that Dubai does not have this in place. Saudi is indeed a very different place to live. At least Dubai, Bahrain and Kuwait are a bit more progressive in some ways.

CD

[trot]

fellas,

thanks for the replies to my recent post about living in dubai.

here a couple more about ek:

-is there a training bond for f/o's?
-how is the pay during training(already base salary or reduced training pay?)
-how is accomadation during training?
-will ek pay or finacially help with a move from europe to dubai?
-is the provided accomadation furnished or not?
-regarding housing, singles get an appartment, families a house. how are you considered, if not married,but would come with girlfriend and your kid?( so, you are a family, but just not married)
-is the schooling allowance sufficient to send your kid to a good school?
-if expat woman work in dubai, what jobs can they accept, or from your experience, what jobs do most wives take, and how much can they expect to earn?

thanks for the help

cheers trot

[bigilla]

-Training bond US$36000, pro rata for three years - if you leave after 1 year you pay $24000 etc.
-Full base salary during training
-Accomodation can be either your eventual fulltime villa/apartment, or if still not ready for occupation a temporary apartment
-EK allows a certain weight of cargo to be carried for free but not sure what the amount is. I think 500kg. Not sure if it's free on other carriers either
-Furniture - you either get furnished accomodation ( very basic - ikea type ) or you can take an allowance of about Dhs 30000 and buy /get your own.
-Living with girlfriend is frowned upon in the U.A.E. - many people do it but "undercover" (excuse the pun!!!!!) It would be impossible, i think to get a visa for girlfriend/child iy you're not married. You would be considered single and hence get an apartment.
-schooling allowance pays 90% of fees up to a limit. with the price of schooling nowadays expect to fork out about Dhs 10000 a year from your own pocket - that depends on which school you choose. Certain schools rae even more expensive. Extra curricular stuff (sport, music etc) is fairly expensive.
- expat ladies can work in Dubai. ( You'd need to be married - your girlfriend would need a rsidence visa before ahe can work and very few women manage to get jobs in Dubai under their own steam i.e. without their husband's visa sponsorship) Wide variety of jobs but secretarial jobs and similar tend to be taken by Asian ladies, who seem to get paid less, one of the "subtle" cases of racism here in Dubai. Salaries overall tend not to be as good as Europe but there are exceptions.
Please be advised that apart from the questions you made there are the other costs - food, entertainment etc and these can be substantial. Do your own detailed research. Ultimately thee's nothing better than coming over for a few days to get an idea.

[Cerberus]

expat ladies can work in Dubai. ( You'd need to be married - your girlfriend would need a residence visa before she can work and very few women manage to get jobs in Dubai under their own steam i.e. without their husband's visa sponsorship)

Not true! Start by looking at EK, none of the female hosties are on their husbands sponsorships and I know bunches of girls that are unmarried and pursueing careers in Dubai. ATC, Hotel Managers, Car Managers, DJs et al

[flyboy519]

As an expat you can do anything inside the law.


Ummmmm ....

Does that include a night at the Cyclone ?? ( or the York Hotel for that matter )
:E

[BYMONEK]

Seaman

Have you heard of a wonderful idea called 'Letting'. It's a process whereby someone pays YOU to live in your house back home thus paying your mortgage for you and avoiding the hassle of having to send your OWN money home. This cushions the blow of having to 'survive' on only $5,000 a month and makes it less of a hardship!:ok:

p.s Cyclone not included but if you're into saving money, York is cheaper...........so i've heard......

[Andu]

Cerberus is correct, trot, females can get themselves a visa to work here if they can find a company willing to sponsor them. It's also true that many unmarried Westerners cohabit here. The local authorities treat the situation very much the way the military used to treat homosexuals - "if you don't tell us, we won’t ask.” But don’t kid yourself that they won’t know.

However, as a new joiner with EK, it's important that you understand that as far as EK will be concerned, if you ain’t churched, with legally notated documentation to prove it, your partner and her/your children simply will not exist. (And neither will any child you have that exceeds number three, but that’s another story.) Even if your girlfriend can find a sponsor, (usually an employer), to get a residence visa, she and the kids may be able to live with you, (the apartments are usually pretty roomy), but EK won’t cover them for education, medical or annual leave tickets home or subload travel. Without coverage in those three areas, expect to live a VERY frugal life even if coming as a DEC. On an FO’s salary, I’d say forget it, unless your girlfriend’s package is at least as good as yours. But if that’s the case, she’ll be working full time, and for most expats here, full time is just that – usually many hours of overtime (almost always unpaid), and a killing work schedule even without the overtime. I think I could safely say that the hours and the work load demanded by most companies here of managerial grade staff make what we EK pilots complain about pale into insignificance.

Some have already mentioned the traffic. It’s got to the point now where you have to make allowance for travelling time between points even quite close to each other. Maybe those of us who’ve been here a long time have forgotten how horrible the traffic is in major cities in the West. Dubai strives to outdo the West in most things, and in some ways has succeeded. Certainly over the last year or so, it has caught up with the worst examples of traffic gridlock you’re likely to see anywhere in the world, with the added ‘extra’ of young locals roaring past said gridlocks at near sonic speeds on the hard shoulder to cut in at the head of the queue, and depending on how many (or more accurately, how few) digits they have on their number plates, remaining virtually untouchable in doing so.

Back to the married/unmarried question: some others might correct me, but from friends I’ve known here, I think I could safely say that quite a few long term unmarried couples have trotted off to the registry office or the local parson immediately before coming here because they’ve seen that it was the only option.

I’d agree with the suggestion that a quick visit here, maybe a few days ahead of your interview, will answer many such questions far more clearly than any number of questions posted here or elsewhere on the Net. Don’t let the negative comments sway you, but if you have kids, be prepared to be living pretty close to the line, if not biting into your savings, for the first year or two – or three, until you get your command.

[bigilla]

Cerberus, fair enough. After some thought (very rare of me nowadays) I have to agree, although I still think it would be more difficult for her than it would be for a guy, unless she's qualified as something that is in great, immediate demand here in DXB.

Andu, waiting for a command for, one, two or maybe three years is somewhat unrealistic, don't you think? Unless Trot has accelerated command requirements that is.

cheers
Big Illa

[expatcdn]

dont take the company furniture.....the amount you get in cash...use it to buy furniture....you can get some really good stuff

[flyboy519]

expatcdn ....

That is true, there are some excellent furniture places here in dubai. But be warned, if you take the money, the first day you show up at your place, there will be NOTHING in your apartment ( no beds, no drapes, no kitchen stuff, nothing ). So, if you have a friend who is here, and you can bunk in with him, take the money and buy furniture here.

FB519

[trot]

guys,

thanks a bunch for all your replies. they sure help to get informed.

as for my lonely sole:

- no chance for accelerated cmd
- and no DEC( i sure don't wonna start that issue again, although remember that it is the company that hires DEC and undermines the F/O's, not the DEC applicant)

by the way, what does ek mean by''4000hard hours''. this was written as part of their upgrade requirements among the 6000 total time and 3 year seniority?

again folks, thanks for all your comments.

[Blue-Footed Boobie]

flyboy519,

Tell us more about 'Cyclone's'.. this thread shouldn't be monitored in Saudi so don't reply in German OK!

BFB

[flyboy519]

Trot ...

If memory serves, your time is broken down into 'hard ' and 'soft ' hours. 'Hard' hours is any time ( CPT / FO ) in an aircraft over MTOW of 10,000 KG ( I think thats the number ) and 'soft' , obviously is anything less the 10,000kg MTOW.

Hope this helps

FB519

[Glorified Donkey]

This is a really good post, I think it should even be stickied because alot of people have questions about living in Dubai and I think this is as good of an answer as one could find on this forum. :ok:

[Glorified Donkey]

I figured there would be someone that would hijack this thread sooner or later... :rolleyes:

[ratpoison]

This is not a 3rd World airline with insurance and accident problems
Yes they are a Third world airline, in a third world country with unfortunately an accident just around the corner.

[bigilla]

Chine et al
Why don't you just start your own thread, rather than, as you said, hijack this one?
Don't get me wrong, I totally agree with you regarding our seniority system. I too suffered from it, but somehow every time someone ( trot, in this case) asks a question about the company then it always ends up the usual mish mash of anti-ek posts. I'm surprised that d***head Waldorfin hasn't showed up in this one yet, with the resultant mud-slinging, as in most of the other EK threads.
People like Trot have the right to ask questions about EK and he has the right to relevant answers. If he's seriously interested in joining EK, I'm sure he'll have a good look at ALL threads, whingey ones included.
I totally disagree with the company employing DECs but ultimately if I were somewhere else and offered a DEC job with EK, I WOULD TAKE IT AND SO WOULD YOU AND THERE IS NO ONE IN THE WORLD WHO WOULD CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE.

[kokkos]

I agree with Chine, the new guys should have all the info.

On another thread, someone talks about the low caliber of DEC's on the 310.
Did you know these 310 DEC's are only locked on type for 3 years and not the normal 6.
AAR is filling his boots with DEC's via a backdoor that no-one cares about.
The 310 FO's are taking a shafting of note; lock in on type for 3 yrs, then one year on a different type, before upgrade.

Financially, new joiners should add all the no's on this thread:

Groceries 6000
Phone 1700 (1 home + 2 mobs)
Maid 1000 (low starting, increasing)
Provident 800
School 1000 (if one kid under 5)
Car 2000 (not your 3 series trot)
Tennis 200
Swim 200
Football 200
Ballet 200
Maid visa/mnth 500
2 dinners/mnth 1400 (1 romantic +1 family)

TOTAL 15200

I don't know what FO's start on, but these are basic figures.
No clothes, golf, hobbies, holidays, ID90 tickets etc.

Man, doesn't look so good to me.

Noticed Waldo disappeared on other thread when he was caught out.

[ratpoison]

Geeeez, I thought I was the only one having romantic dinners.:ok:

[AirNoServicesAustralia]

I better start eating better cos I can't see how you can spend 6,000 dh's a month on groceries!!! That's 1,500 dh's a week. For a wife and 2 kids, and a maid.

[Al Koholic]

I gotta agree with that. Have been here 9 years and never spent more than 2000 per month in groceries (wife+1 kid+1 dog) and that includes the non-edible items, like a$$-wipe, dog food, soap and other sundry items! Even ordering a pizza and other delivery food twice a week, we cannot spend more than 2500? Must be the "Klumps" family if spending 6000 ??

Monthly totals:

Groceries = 1500/month

Car = Zero .. paid for after 4 years and still drive it, cause it works perfect and I don't have to worry about idiots denting the doors on my Series 3.

Car Insurance = 1000 per year

Gas = 150 month

Booze = 500/month (depends on how much you need to de-stress)

Satellite TV (Orbit and Star Select) = 250/month

Internet (hi-speed or at least what they claim is hi-speed) = 249/month

Entertainment (movies/delivered food from Pizza/chinese etc.) = 500/month

Phone = 100/month (absolute max as we use the NET)

Live in company villa, so no water/power/rent to pay

Incidentals (clothes/toys) = 500/month (depends on what you need/want)

Pilot Club Membership (beach club access/discounts at restaurants) = 100/month

Golf Membership = 2700/year (going up to 4000 in 2006)

That's it ... all I can think of ... might have missed something, but nothing major. We live a normal lifestyle, nothing overly fancy, but certainly we aren't hurting. Usually 2 or 3 trips a year to Europe/North America.

Driving has gotten a lot worse, not only the crazy drivers, but the congestion, which is the big problem now. They say they will sort it out, but they have been saying that ever since we got here, so I doubt it will ever be fun again. They wanted a world class city ... now they are getting it and all the problems that come with it. Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.

Hope it helps somebody!

[White Knight]

Kokkos the clown:} :}

Cut down on caviar when you buy groceries, hang up the 'phone (1700 dhms a month?? - you need to change your wife matey:D ), nor are maids a requirement...
With wife, kids and animals still save a bit - and go on holiday from time to time, and eat out a couple times a month.......

[kokkos]

Sorry lads, just added figures from earlier posts.

My personal grocery bill = 4000/mnth
I blow my booze license to collect free beer = 1000

We drive 3000 km/month @ 15lt/100km = 700dhm on petrol (2 cars)
If you spend 150/mnth = 600 km/mnth (20km/day) DO YOU HAVE A LIFE?? You obviously not a sim instr.

Groceries 1500, sorry, I come from a higher living std than you. Do you have dinner parties?? That’s what one party for 10 sets me back, I have style matey.

Phone, same as you, internet.

Clothes, toys 500???? Your wife and kid/s must be the laughing stock of DXB, poor things, Heineken T-shirts and Continent clothes is it??

You ONLY play golf at NAD?? Bet 10 on each 9 and 10 on the game?? You sad man. Try Monty, Abu Dhabi, Ranches, Al Bhadia LIVE A LITTLE or can't you afford that?

Not me mate, I have pride and a healthy social life.

[White Knight]

Hey 00B - thought I'd try a different approach for a change:)

Kokkos, really have to say that spending wads of cash doesn't mean you have a great life, although I'm sure you do. I've never worked out why people HAVE to buy the branded names when they buy their groceries at Spinneys when they could get the same product (in a different packet) for half the price at Geant?? Is it really a case of keeping up with the Jones's - or just wasting money:confused:

[AirNoServicesAustralia]

I have to agree with WK. If I was to shop exclusively at Spinneys I would probably spend 4,000 dh's a month on groceries. Instead I buy everything I can at Carrefour, and then just pop into spinneys and get my bacon and ham etc that I can't get at Carrefour.

Also in choosing products. I can buy a pack of name brand corn chips for 15 dh's a pack, or a pack of locally made corn chips for 5 dh's a pack and they are practically the same. Snobbery when it comes to groceries in the middle east costs you at least a couple of thousand dirhams a month.

[Wiley]

Well, I must congratulate the trouble an' strife next time we're both at home at the same time on what a good job she does in feeding three of us for 2000ish Dits per month.

It'd be a bit more if I was home every night, and it gets towards the 2500-3000 Dit mark if we throw a dinner party, but the Choithrams' bill has been a bit over 2000 Dits a month for the last few months.

Only six or so months ago, the average would have been around the 1500 a month mark, but like everything in Knoteetinghamm, grocery prices have gone up of late.

[ratpoison]

or a pack of locally made corn chips
Air, you obviously have a cast iron gut. Do you eat "Local Chicken" as well to "keep the costs down" !!!!! :confused:

[AirNoServicesAustralia]

Wiley, 2,000 dh's a month is pretty much the going rate I would say. I think if your wife tells you she is spending 6,000 dirhams a month on groceries, she's having a lend of you. Maybe she is including a few midday margharitas each day in the monthly grocery bill. Or a few pairs of shoes.

Ok ratpoison first off I use Amigos corn chips for nachos etc, and I find them to be better than Doritos for that, cos they are just corn chips without all the crap coating.

As far as local chicken. The local chicken breasts, especially the recent ones from Oman, are really good. They are only small, unlike the monster steroid filled ones from back home. They are not always pure white, cos they haven\'t been bleached like the ones back home, but they are great. To be honest I didn\'t even know there was an alternative to local chicken as I\'ve never needed to find an alternative.

I do buy New Zealand or Aussie beef and lamb only. But at Carrefour that is at least 25% cheaper than the same thing at Spinneys. Similairly, except for a few locally grown fruit and veg items I will buy imported stuff (eg. Holland tomatoes as local ones are nasty). Again the fruit and veg in Carrefour is at least 25 % cheaper than Spinneys for exactly the same thing.

[max AB]

Over the 3 months of summer school vacation I survive on Rum and McDonalds. If you get the rum duty free the monthly food bill becomes insignificant. Try it.....

[Wiley]

Ahh Chine, you beat me to it. I was about to say that Safa Park 'Eat and Drink' remains "Food Central" for the Dubai WANKERS* each summer, and has been for many years. Safa Park E&D do the best shwarmas in Knoteetinghamm.

(W.A.N.K.E.R = Wife Away, No Kids, Eating Rubbish.)

[ratpoison]

AirNoServices,

Thanks for the chicken and Amigo brief. I'm going to have to try them. Nothing beats a Steggels though mate. Their chickens are so bloody big you can put a saddle on them . :O

Actually Chine, it can also be only a W.A.N.K if you dont Eat Rubbish.:ok:

[AirNoServicesAustralia]

Thats what worries me mate, when I was growing up on a farm, our chickens, as a whole roast chicken sat comfortably on a dinner plate. Now you're lucky if you can fit a chicken breast from Oz on a dinner plate. It just doesn't seem natural.:uhoh:

Ahhh it stands for eating rubbish!!! I thought it stood for \"entertaining russians\", if you know what I mean. :E

[A300Man-2005]

My, my Chine,


You really DO have a way with words, don't you? Just what this thread needs! (Not).


A300Man

[A300Man-2005]

I know. Me too. :ok:

Scarletts is losing it's sparkle, IMO.

[tiramisu too]

There you go another proof of you cheesy W.A.N.K.E.R. s' cheap and dirty reputation, what proof do you want more than these posts to show how cheap you are?

Pilots who can't even square the 500 Dirhams to have a decent meal at Gordon Ramsay's.


Probably skimping on 10 dirhams and take the crew sandwiches home with them.....


:E

[harry the cod]

Tiramisu

You're wanted on another forum. Secure ID is inviting you out on a date. Maybe YOU should suggest Gordon's establishment :p

Harry

[petitfromage]

We all here about DXB is a megatropolis (whatever that is?)...an modern cosmopoloitan city, the center of the new universe. But this photo from last week.......tells me its just a desert! (and hardly even an oasis)

The streets were definitely not pathed with gold. ;)

Ive many many firends at EK, I wish you all the very best. But is it really what you expected to be, or were you lured but unusually high expectations?

If it wasnt for the lay-offs in the US, would you really be here?

http://coppermine.luchtzak.be/displayimage.php?pid=7253&fullsize=1

[SecurID]

Cheers Harry for the reccomendation!

So Tiramisu, Gordon's restaurant, that would be Verre, would not really be much of a treat at Dhs500, more like Dhs1000 with the good wines. But of that's where you want to go, fine by me, I love the place!

[AirNoServicesAustralia]

Petit Fromage, while I am an interloper, since I actually live 150 km's south of Dubai, in that little town with no traffic jams called Abu Dhabi (:E ) , I can say that you can take a photo of any city and make it look bad. Take a photo of New York overlooking some of the dodgy suburbs out towards JFK airport and it won't look real nice. Dubai along the creek and out through Jumeirah I think is nice, and quality of life is pretty good from the majority of reports. (But still prefer to live in Abu Dhabi where you can still get a taxi anywhere on the island for 6 dirhams (albeit with an interesting odour)).

[fullforward]

Check you PM please.

[tiramisu too]

Secur ID lets make it for a night out at the Hofbrauhaus and then decide for the week.

Chepos stay out pls.

TSssssssssssssss

[SecurID]

Hey Tiramisu! Got back last night, looks like we're getting somewhere!

Hofbrauhaus? Good venue, I like a bit of pork knuckle to soak up the beer from time to time! Are you gonna PM me, or shall we conduct our 'affair' on-line. Could be a new kind of reality show, you know the sort of trash TV puts out these days!

Anyway, for the rest of you 'Tune in next week for the up to the minute news of SecurID and Tiramisu Too!! Who will be voted first out of the house??!!' :D

[Desert Whine]

Securid, you do know he's a fag, don't you?

No chick would bother with the crap we've been hearing.

This loser is either a bored pilot or a hosty who was just too dumb and lazy to go learn to fly. Now he blames you for him working with other fags and women!

[7x7]

'Desert Whine' isn't the only one with this opinion, 'SecureID'. I see that 'MTOW' "outed" 'Tiriamisu' yesterday on the "11 more gone/going" thread.
From Tiramisu's many posts on this and earlier threads about EK, I've always imagined her(?) to be an ex-Qantas FA now resident in Dubai whose only experience of tech crew/cabin crew interaction is the often poisonous atmosphere that has long existed between tech and cabin crew in that once fine airline. I say ‘once fine’, for it no longer is, thanks almost entirely to people with attitudes like hers(?) who now dominate its cabin crew numbers.I'd be guessing that you should pronounce "her(?)" with a lisp.

And I'd have to agree with 'MTOW' that I've never encountered anyone among the EK cabin crew even half way as nasty as 'Tiramisu'.

[tiramisu too]

If any one is bent like a nine bob note it's the likes of you and all those pilots who have nothing better to do on-board than talk about the likes of me. As if the gripes of your status, or lack thereof was not enough.

Others would call it anal retention, a psychomatic condition caused by an anal fixation set in your early years.


Meanwhile, back in the ranch, got work to do, and one thing I must say about secure ID is that he's got the balls that you don't have.

Secure ID you're on, let's keep it live, since all thes doubyas (Doubya=W as in W.A.N.K.E.R. (Specific to Dubai Residents))are following the saga like the Falcon crest TV series, told you they are all closet homos. they just don't want to admit it.

:E

[SecurID]

Balls? Me? Yep, just woke up, scratched them, they're still there. :}

Guys, let's all be nice here. No one knows who Tiramisu Too is, none of us. So for the moment, I am assuming that she is one of the most intelligent and gorgeous girls amongst the crew and that, like a lot of us, vents her frustration out through the Hallowed Portals of PPRuNe. Call it a fantasy if you like, we all have them. Hey, who knows, maybe this could be the start of something beautiful? Or maybe I could end up with cheese on my face... :O

So Tiramisu, come on, describe yourself to me.... ;)

[SecurID]

Homos? That's a bit politically incorrect in this day and age don't you think?

Anyway, back to the forum topic, which for those of you who have forgotten is 'Living in Dubai.'

There is no doubt that the cost of living here is escalating beyond control. Someone mentioned earlier about 'Keeping up with the Jones's' Well who would want to do that? The Jones's are broke!

[A300Man-2005]

.....not to mention the fact that it is now the foggy season, and hazard lights continue to twinkle like Christmas Trees on every hard shoulder in the nation.......whilst some of the locals persist in still driving at 160km/h with only ten metres visibility (as it was this morning), clearly thinking that their Toyota Landcruisers and Lexi (plural of Lexus?) have the same auto-pilot and auto-land capability as the winged French-built machines that you guys "drive".......

Yes, Welcome to Dubai's other silly season! Homos and all...

[AirNoServicesAustralia]

There is no doubt that the cost of living here is escalating beyond control

Sorry but I think there is some doubt. Rent has increased, and fuel has increased. Some food has increased in price. But you compare all this to the UK, Australia or Europe. House prices in any of those places have spiralled out of reach of most. Fuel prices are ridiculous, and as a result food prices have risen more than here (the only food prices that have risen to the same extent here are the imported name brands from the UK/Europe, solution, look for locally made alternatives).

Bottom line. Electrical goods are still cheaper here. Cars are still cheaper here. Fuel is still much cheaper here. Still no income tax. Still no VAT/GST. A can of coke is still 1 dirham and a packet of Malboro Lights is still 6 dirhams. Kids schooling is still paid for, for most expats (even if you have to contribute yourselves, still cheaper than private schooling from where you're from). Health insurance is still provided for by company for most western expats.

I know I am gonna get crap over this but really, a lot of you guys need to get over it and remember what it costs to live in England/Australia/Scandinavia/wherever else you come from.

As was said earlier, if you are spending 6,000 dh's a month on groceries, either change where you shop, or certainly change how you shop.

If you are spending 1,700 dh's a month on phone calls, get hold of SKYPE or the like and spend 170 dhs a month.

Its not about skimping on your lifestyle its about being smart.

[AirNoServicesAustralia]

Sorry Chine. I haven't noticed the difference in Coke quality. Mine seems to still mix well with my cheap rot gut bourbon so I'm happy.

I can still get a good bottle of Aussie wine for not much more than back home. I can get a case of my beer of choice for a 100 dibs, and scotch and bourbon are the same price as back home, so a happy camper here.

As far as getting an appointment with the doc. ????? Never had a problem, but again I live in Abu Dhabi so maybe there are less sick people here, or more doctors, or both. Either way it costs me a grand total of 13 dh's out of pocket to go see him, and then stuff all to get my prescription filled if need be.

Sorry, how it is for me is obviously different to how it is for you.

[4HolerPoler]

I'm glad to see this thread getting back on track - please keep your interpersonal bickering off the thread & hurl abuse at each other by PM or email.

Thanks. 4HP

[max AB]

ANSA whilst what you say is true, you are missing a very important point. In the regions you chose to compare (UK, AUS and EU) they monitor consumer prices and workers through various agreements generally have thier sallaries adjusted to at least match this increase. This does not happen in Dubai unless you were one of the "local" government employees recently. The guy doing the job I left back in Oz is being paid 50% more than when I was doing it. (Maybe he's just that much better, I don't know). By contrast the sallary for the FO job I started with here has gone up about 13%. Yet which place has had the highest inflation over the same period?? Dubai is way ahead. Sure petrol etc is cheaper in Dubai but as a % of take home cash, things have risen significantly.

[fullforward]

Check your PM again, please. I have some more queries.
Cheers!

[fullforward]

It seems that you're very popular here...your mailbox is full!...

[gl69]

With market forces in place in the EU and the USA the economy has a suppply and demand that works. In the present form gas prices are now cheaper in the US than in the UAE. The UAE jacked their prices a couple of months ago to about 6.75 dhs a imp gallon. The US saw their prices rise as well when oil was $70 a barrel. Now with the price of crude around $57 a barrel the price per gallon in the states and especially the southern states is near $2 a gallon. The price has come down a little bit in the US while the price is the same in the market controlled UAE.
Just food for thought

[fullforward]

...and your point is...

[AirNoServicesAustralia]

Even at $2 a gallon (which you will only find in a few Southern Cities like Dallas TX, and then only at the discount gas stations, the average is still more like $2.30 across the country), that is 7.35 UAE dirhams. So I am still trying to work out where you get the statement that gas prices in the US are now cheaper than the UAE. Thats just not true. Maybe I am missing something, so please enlighten me.

P.S When I got fuel last night it was 6.25 dirhams a gallon. And there are reports in the media here that with the dropping oil price the petrol price will be lowered in the new year.

[gl69]

Don't forget that an imperial gallon is smaller than a US gallon and even at 6.25 dhs per gallon that is $1.70. Plus the 25% for the difference between both sides of the Atlantic gallons and you are above $2 a gallon. I filled up about 2 1/2 weeks ago in Orlando and it was $2.09 a US gallon. (53 cents a liter). I think if I am doing the math right that is in the ballpark as we like to say. Keep in mind that the UAE is the 5th largest producer of oil in the world and that would lend you to think that gas would be cheaper here than in the states but again my math could be wrong.
Media reports that the price of gas "might" drop next year? That proves my point to the T. There is no supply and demand here. Gas prices and everything else should fluctuate almost daily. Not 2-3 times a year.
As MAX AB says with very cheap labor here why are prices so high? There should be some relationship here between prices and wages and I don't think there is any relationship. Just my two cents worth.

[Sheikh Your Bootie]

gl69 Habibi. The Imperial gallon is bigger than the USG. Try checking you wizz wheel. 1 USG gallon = 0.83 of a Imperial (proper) Gallon.

Please do your maths again dude.

SyB. :zzz:

[AirNoServicesAustralia]

Yeh please check your figures again mate. I think your 2 cents worth is actually worth about 1.3 cents, and maybe you need to reheat that food you were offering for thought.

If you think the U.S gas price is purely left to the whims of the market to set price, you are very mistaken. It is a huge political issue in the states to keep the fuel price low. With everyone driving ridiculously huge "trucks" there, if the Federal government allowed fuel prices to go to the levels seen in Europe or Australia, there would be a revolution. In addition to this there are price wars between the gas companies, and at the other end of the spectrum, there is profiteering, where the companies agree to keep prices at a certain level to make sure they look after profits. In addition to this there is the usual opportunism, where the the gas company knows that everyone fills up the day before a long weekend holiday, so jacks up the price.

Sorry but I am more than happy to know that here, anytime I want to fill up the car, it will be 6.25 dirhams a gallon. No shocks, no surprises, no shopping around for the best price, no shopping at a certain chain of supermarket to get a special price on my fuel.

[gl69]

Okay, I admit it I am an IDIOT! I slide the figures the wrong way and got the wrong answer. My bad.
But can we all agree that the price of gas should be lower than what it is in the UAE? In the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia the price is around 55 cents a gallon.
Let's not start comparing the US with the island continent of Australlia. First of all our cars are not "ridiculously big". They fit our families very nicely because after all most of us Americans are obese.
The government does not market interference. Sure they do not like high gas prices but there is very little they can do about it besides lowering the tax on a gallon of gas.
Also if you take into account that Dubai is a tax free Emirate and the US taxes its gas depending on the state about 60-85 cents a gallon the US is way cheaper. I know it is what you are paying for the gas that matters not how much the government is getting in the end but if you take into account what I just metioned the US is cheaper for gas. Without taxes in Florida the price for a gallon of gas would be around $1.60.
Secondly the US government would never allow the gas prices to go as high as Europe or Australlia because they don't tax the heck out of fuel. You socialists know better than I do but gas has about 75-85% tax on it which is just criminal.
If you like the one price fits all you would have been better off living in a diffferent era, mainly the Soviet era were they told you the price and you paid it. Give me capitalism and competition anyday even with all of its faults.
I am off to math class now. If I had a brain most of you know I would not be a pilot.

[4HolerPoler]

Err, wrong again; in Saudi the price of gas is just over a buck a gallon - still a bargain but no ways is it 55 cents.

4HP

[tiramisu too]

Dove la carne?

Yawn!...................................................:hmm :

[SecurID]

Dove il bar...

That's more like it! ;)

[tiramisu too]

Dai al Hofbrauhaus la setimana prossima! Sono tropo stanco per uccire la questa settimana. Il mio roster e encazzato!

Ciao:ugh:

[SecurID]

Oui, cést bon pour moi! La prochaine semaine, quelle jour? Peut etre dimanche soir? Pour manger aussi ou seulement boivre? Je croix qui tu n'est pas une Italienne, comme tu a tres mauvaise orthographe!! Cést ne pas bon pour un Anglais, n'est pas!! A la prochaine semaine! ;)

[616200]

Tiramisu Too....Your Italian is very poor....:yuk: :\ :\

[tiramisu too]

Il est vrais que mon Italien est mediocre, ceci dit, Secur ID n'est pas en meilleure position .......sa syntaxe, sa grammaire et son orthographe sonnent tous faux.

C'est OK pour la semaine prochaine si ca vous dit, mais pour boire seulement, les allemends n'ont jamais ete connus pour leurs traditions culinaire a part les jarrets de porc.....bien sur!

Mais la biere au hofbrauhaus demeure etre l'une des meilleure de ce cote de l'Asie.

A bientot....

Js serai tout vetu de blanc, vous ne risquerez pas de me rater....

[mopsie2201]

How is life in Dubai for your family members (wife and school going children).
Is :O the salary from an FO enough to live in Dubai?

[banjul]

How would the costs indicated above compare with that of Singapore?

[rhinoboy55]

Ok, so I am single and have been living in Asia for 8 years and wonder what it's really like in UAE....