assistance please
 

............ arrive DXB late Nov for EK job.

Anyone able to give advice pse on car hire for about a month´s duration - and how is Mirdef for a place to live i.e. facilities, pollution/noise from aircraft, etc? I know that it´s (relatively) cheap, but might this be outweighed by disadvantages.

Have EK told you where you will be living on arrival then?

VdG,

Expect to pay about £550/month for a compact(Toyota Tercel) up to about £1k for a Toyota Camry, all-inc.

Unless you can find something locally. Good luck with the driving, it can be frenetic!

VdG,
Relax mate. Check out the car hire when you get here. It will take you a while to get your licence, so you can't hire one till then. Taxi's are cheap and phone calls are free. Mirdif may not be top of the list, but wait till you see it, then make up your mind. If that's where the company have put you then there is little point worrying about it. It is unlikely you will be able to change what they offer, but stranger things have happened. If you really don't like where you live, then take your time and look around. You can buy a place here now, and i think prices are coming down. Not my cup of tea mind you, but quite a few have leapt in at the deep end.

See you in Nov

VdG,

You don't say where you come from, but some licences are OK for immediate car hire in Dubai - UK included, before you have to take the local test. Unless things have changed since 2000.

There is no local test needed if you already hold a valid driving licence from another country. You need to get a blood test and an eyetest. Then prividing you hold a UAE visa, you get a Dubai licence given to you. I know, Ive done it.

Cheers

Thanks everyone.

I can drive straight away - just looking for a good hire deal??

I am not using Co. supplied accommodation. So.......... still looking for comments re pros and cons of Mirdef (Mirdif??)

Sorry about the duff gen on the driving. I thought you had to wait until your visa was issued for your licence, but now i think about it i was incorrect. Anyway enough of that. Mirdiff is just another place in Dubai. It is about as far away as you can get from the "new" centre of town, which is near Jebel Ali where the new hotels, marina and residential estates are being built. The plus side of this is that the rents in Mirdiff are about as cheap as you can get in dubai. The down side is that it is a (relatively) long way to the schools and the beach and the beach clubs. If saving money is your thing, you could also think about Sharjah. It is not that much further than Mirdiff, and the rents are considerably cheaper than Dubai but it is a "dry" emirate. I know we have at least one Westerner living there using the housing allowance. Another option for you may be to rent a serviced apartment for a few weeks while you sort yourself out. I dont know how much they cost, but assuming you will get your allowance as soon as you arrive, then i think it should affordable for a while. Rule number one in Dubai is never rush into anything when you first get here. You will almost certainly be ripped off. Take your time to find your feet then bargain like crazy, and i am sure you will find something to suit.

I wasnt aware that Sharjah was dry. They serve drink in the hotels and sports clubs. Plus, the hole in the wall at Ajman isnt that far away either. I just dont think there are MMI and A&E places at the Spinneys out there.

BYB,

Are you sure about that? In 2000, we couldn't get a drink in hotels in Sharjah, or at Khor Fakkhan(?) which is within the Emirate. Also advised not to carry booze in car whilst driving through Sharjah. Told that if you are in an accident, they will throw the book at you. Not aware of anyone "done" due to random police stop.

The reason why Sharjah went dry, is that they ran out of money whilst completing their magnificent Islamic Museum and library, up by the Central or "Blue" Souk. They went "cap in hand" to the Saudis, who offered to assist if they applied Shariah rule strictly, hence no alcohol. Agreement reached, mosque finished, and Sharjah "dry". This was about the time of the coup in Sharjah when Sheikh Sultan was "otherthrown" by his brother, due to admitted financial mismanagement, but late reinstated by order of the Supreme council. Pretty bloodless, troops out on most roundabouts, waving at the passing motorists!

Newswatcher, Sharjah and its outlying lands are still dry and will probably always be that way now! Shame really because back in the late 60's and early 70's, it was the place to be. There is however one place in the Emirate that does sell booze/has a bar and that is Sharjah Wanderers RFC.
Vdg, Talking with many people here over the years, I've heard many differing opinions on what its like to live in Mirdif...
Its too Far out/Its really quiet/Its just under the extended centreline of Dubai International...What I can tell you is that rents are cheap meaning for a big 3 bedroom villa instead of paying approx 20,000 pounds a year rent (as you do in Jumeirah), you are paying half the price...hence more and more people are moving out to Mirdif..by the way, they have improved the roads so getting into town only takes 10 to 15mins outside of rush hour.

Cheers,
F-S