Bahrain
 

I am moving out to Bahrain in the New Year.

Don't know much about the place (have heard about the weather!),where are good places to go, best things about the country?

Lots to do unless you're avid outdoorsman...then a bit limited...good family atmosphere..lots of shopping etc...duty greatly reduced...so prices now in line wiith dubai.. schooling a bit expensive...weather fantastic now until about april..early may..summertime in the pub..(lots of them)..single? girlies galore...got a harley...bring along...few of us here brave the "challenging" drivers....joining gf? see ya here soon...cheers

Actually i'm a girlie joining my partner out there.
I gave up my job as hostie 6 months ago with a UK charter airline and was wondering what job prospects are like,not flying but within airport,in Bahrain.
Sounds great though.

Ridders with your past airline experience I see no problem of you get a job with us as ground staff at the airport. When you arrive and settle in drop me a private message and I'll put you in contact with a lovely girl who works as ground staff at the airport and she'll give you the full run down and help you apply if you wish.
I'm sure you'll find our little island great, as Ironbutt57 said great family atmosphere and the local people are very friendly and hospitable. My wife absolutely loves Bahrain.

Hay Ironbutt saw the other day in the GDN a Fat Boy for sale was that you?

Not mine one...but if it's the one I've seen at Nader's it's a beauty....kinda hard to tell gender from a username:o :o

Thanks very much CaptSnails,i will get it touch at a later date.I'd really appreciate that.:)

[i]Actually i'm a girlie joining my partner out there.[/b]

Are you actually allowed to do that? I would have thought that you needed to be married in order to get a resident visa for BAH?

Mutt.

If he/she is offered employment whilst visiting Bahrain, then they can leave, and return on the employer's visa, after the employer/sponsor obtains an No Objection Certificate from the gov't to employ that person...marriage would only be an issue if Ridders were to seek to reside in Bahrain under her partner's sponsorship.

Ridders - What Ironbutt57 says is very true, unfortunately. If you are married then employment is much less of a problem as it will all be done on the strength of your husbands visa.

If you are not married then you have to obtain the right to work yourself, based on your passport/visa, sponsorship in the face of local competition, (which will always get preference, regardless of qualification), a firm job offer etc. etc.

Could be easier to get married!;)

Its all a bit confusing.I've read so much information on visa requirements and even spoke to the Bahrain Embassy in London.They said it didn't matter that we weren't married and my boyfriend could apply for a visa for me.That really surprised me and i haven't seen that info anywhere else.
I have a UK passport and there is a visa you can apply for that is valid for 5 years but i have to leave the country every 4 weeks which i suppose could be quite inconvenient.
It would be easier to get married....now i just have to convince him!!!!!!!

but i have to leave the country every 4 weeks which i suppose could be quite inconvenient.

I believe that they have just changed their regulations, this is taken from todays Arab News (A Saudi paper).

Visitors to Bahrain will no longer be issued with one-month visas, as they are being restricted to one week, "to combat cheating"...... roque companies have been using the old system to bring in illegal workers. Visit visas were being issued for one month and were renewable every month for up to six months. Now they are being restricted to one week, with a once only renewal for another week.....

I would go for PLAN B.... get him to walk down the aisle.... :):)


Mutt.

if you're british the visit visas are more relaxed...you do indeed have an excellent chance in a p.r. customer relations type job...so would be very suprised if you didn't find a job very quickly....just don't ever say "im coming here to live in sin with my boyfriend" and you'll be ok...but he cannot obtain you a residence permit unless his company, or your new employer sponsors you for it...as mentioned above, certain countries' citizens are affected by a "clampdown" on abuse of visit visas being used for short term employment...e.g. hotels bringing in entertainers, temp laborers etc..was a widespread practice...but for UK passport holders..don't think it has changed much...just c'mon down for a visit and see what transpires...why not fly for GF? You can make lots of business contacts for sure:) :cool:

You are all being really helpful,and i can't wait to get out there.
I did look into applying for Gulf but was told that i am too OLD at 30!!
I did fly for 6 years so i think a ground job would be preferable or as Ironbutt57 says a customer relations type job.
As for getting married,i mentioned it to the boyfriend and he went white:eek:

Plenty more where he came from...and here too:D :D :D :p :cool:

She cant work if she is married on arrival as when she recieves a CPR card it states no work,you can work illegally on a visit visa,but have to leave bahrain every month and the salary would very poor unless you are proffesionally qualified.I would geuss you have next to no chance of working at the airport unless you are fluent in arabic.keep in mind that a large amount of gulf air f/a were retrenched last year and quite a few are hanging around looking for work.
dont expect to get here in a hurry as the approval for a visa to join your partner could take up to 2 months:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

majority of "retrenched" cabin crew re-employed if not all, and new classes as we speak....you can arrive on a tourist visa, and then apply for employment ...your sponsor after completing the formalities, then advise you to leave Bahrain, and stamp back in on his Noc which will then be processed along with the appropriate work permits..yes an initial noc can take 10 days to 2-3 weeks come down and have a visit with your friend, and find out the realities...this a rumour network right time of the jyear to do it...a visit in july might convince you otherwise:cool: :cool:

Like i said at the beginning of this thread,its all very confusing and nobody seems to know the answer.The best thing for me to do is go to the Embassy in Bahrain itself.

Anyway enough of the boring stuff,what are Fiddlers and the Britclub like!!:D

G'DAY Ridders,

Check your privates,

Regards G'burg

Brit Club is Ok, bit shabby and, well, I wouldn't necessarily choose to sunbathe there. Gym is very good. It is a good place to hang out and be sociable. Not sure Fiddlers is open, there was a bit of a crackdown on bars. Murphy's is open - excellent place - usually full of teachers. Rugby club and yacht club - very good.

My Choice - Meridien - 5star hotel - beach - cheap food at outlook restaurant, excellent place.

Bahrain is small, but it is a very relaxing and pleasant place to live.

Admiral

What is the price of wine like in Bahrain?

Will be leaving my beloved Barossa Valley.

Bekaa Valley a good wine region. Do Gulf Crew bring wine back from the Lebanon?

wine is pretty pricey particularly in restaurants.( roughly count on 15 uk for house wine, 30 uk for anything half decent (barolo chianti etc) and upwards) as is all alcohol. you can only bring back 6 cans of beer and one bottle (wine or spirits) a month so its not worth it. I actually like the brit club as its in town, cheap, good food and the pool is refrigerated in summer. squash courts and tennis etc. the yacht club is v expensive to join if you don't have a boat, way out of town and there is ****** all going on during the week. i'm a member there because of my boat but spend my days off at the brit club if there is nothing else going on. meridian is a lot of things but i wouldn't count good value as one of them. its pretty pricey and usually the reserve of the corporate membership people. fiddlers is ok and the only happening place during ramadan, murphys is great on a weekend, but the beer is more expensive than any other bar in town except maybe sherlocks. count on around 4 uk pounds a pint. Warblers is much better value, and you don't get many locals in there which is a bonus, unless you want to be stared at while you stand next to your boyfriend, in which case murphys and bjs are a better bet.

Best thing to do is just come...stamp in on a visit visa...then let your contacts here sort out the details...lots of pubs...no worries..

Ridders....the visa situation has changed. UK citizens will get a 3 months tourist visa on arrival.
And if you are interested in a nice hostie job...let me know...may be able to convert that tourist visa easily in a legal working visa...

G'burg, Hardys 2000 Shiraz Cab. Sav approx AUD18. Rosemount Estate 2001 Shiraz Cabernet Approx AUD 16.

Ramadan stocks nearly gone. Please send booze parcel.

Hang on, maybe moon-sighting Friday or Saturday so cancel parcel request.:p

Thanks Possum

Dissolve tough Kangaroo fillets with those brands back home.

Great info, thanks.

Only one bottle duty free?

Cheers Nightrider...check your private messages.:D

Wine
 

Would not recomend drinking the cask stuff as it gives you a major headache. It is about BD 7 for 5 litres in the booze shop.

For normal quaffing (about 12 bottles a week) I buy Maison Calvet from BMMI. It is a French Table wine and very drinkable it retails at BD 1.9 a bottle but if you join BMMI Premier club and buy it by the case you can get it for BD 1.615 (15%) a bottle which makes it very good value. :D :D

There is a good range of wine with a bottle of French Chablis about BD 10 and Mouton Cadet at BD 7

Bottoms Up :cool:

C'mon matey...the ozzie boxed wine is pretty good...this from a yank hooked on california wine....quit whining about the wine:D :D :D :p :p :p

Ironbutt

Aussie cask wine has always been better than your bottled stuff!

Headache? Crushed sultanna grapes, food colouring to make it red wine and heaps of sulphur dioxide- I think so.

Sirwa

Thanks for the info. Do they stock premiums? Bordeaux or Northern Rhone?

Thanks for the info gentleman. Working my way down the list of priorities, will eventually come to something aviation related.

Hasn't this topic become interesting!
 

Am very interested in the various deals available.
We can get Brown Brothers range for about 38dhs per bottle here, which seems to be the best value/quality.

Does anybody know if it would be possible to group together and import directly from the wineries? I know Swedes do it with tobacco.