Do you prefer Dubai

I have much respect for the veterans on here including DesertRose and the like. Their words are gold and although I don't post as much on here, I really value their input in discussions. Hats off to you too, Di! What you wrote is an absolute Malcolm Taylor material! :cool: I agree

I have much respect for the veterans on here including DesertRose and the like. Their words are gold and although I don't post as much on here, I really value their input in discussions. Hats off to you too, Di! What you wrote is an absolute Malcolm Taylor material! That's sweet of you CB :)

I have much respect for the veterans on here including DesertRose and the like. Their words are gold and although I don't post as much on here, I really value their input in discussions. Hats off to you too, Di! What you wrote is an absolute Malcolm Taylor material!

Wow that's really interesting Di. You must be one of the earliest expats on here (?) Were you a toddler when you came out here in 1975 then? ;) Unfortunately not a toddler! So now you have my age figured :) not sure if I am the oldest oldie though on here, I think are one or two others around the same time as me but probably I'm ranking pretty high on that scale! HaHa! I thought you were younger than me. Of course I am only 21 myself ;) edited by Alismum on 26/11/2014 Of course we are both 21! :) Only in my case I may have passed that number more than once! <em>edited by Di@DXB on 26/11/2014</em>

Wow that's really interesting Di. You must be one of the earliest expats on here (?) Were you a toddler when you came out here in 1975 then? ;) Unfortunately not a toddler! So now you have my age figured :) not sure if I am the oldest oldie though on here, I think are one or two others around the same time as me but probably I'm ranking pretty high on that scale! HaHa! I thought you were younger than me. Of course I am only 21 myself ;) <em>edited by Alismum on 26/11/2014</em>

Wow that's really interesting Di. You must be one of the earliest expats on here (?) Were you a toddler when you came out here in 1975 then? ;) Unfortunately not a toddler! So now you have my age figured :) not sure if I am the oldest oldie though on here, I think are one or two others around the same time as me but probably I'm ranking pretty high on that scale!

Wow that's really interesting Di. You must be one of the earliest expats on here (?) Were you a toddler when you came out here in 1975 then? ;) I prefer Dubai now, there's so much that has transformed since I first came here. It's like a city being built in front of our eyes. I like the bling and shopping malls, not that I'm a spendthrift or anything like that, but I like city life, hate rural living....... <em>edited by Alismum on 26/11/2014</em>

The Dubai of today cannot be compared to the city I first came out to in 1975. It would not be fair to make a comparison, but what I used to like was the smaller expat community, so few cars and traffic and being of a fewer number of expats we had more privilages really and it was easier and far less red tape to rent a villa and all the other things needed to settle down here. There were few rules and no fees attached to living here. Entry to DESS was more or less a given! Most of the housing was low level villas or buildings not more than 3 floors. The city had a tranquil vibe, a far cry from the buzz of today. Few of the beaches were closed off to the public the way they are now, only the Chicargo Beach Hotel, now the Jumeirah Beach hotel had its own stretch of beach. There was pretty much nothing between the old Toyota roundabout (now intersection) and Jebel Ali, the sheikh Zayed road had not been built, I used to drive home off road across desert from the Trade Centre to Jumeirah. There was just one Spinneys on the beach road, an old building, demolished some time ago, with creaky floor boards, but we found most of what we wanted there and everyone knew us by name, It was the only place to get Bird's Eye frozen products and we would be told when the next consignment would arrive, i remember once much excitement over the arrival of frozen peas after a bit of a shortage of them. Of course shopping in malls was a thing of the future, the first one opened in 1980 in al Ghurair Centre. That year saw the construction of the SZR and the Hyatt opened too with the revolving restaurant which was a big novelty at the time. The only other major hotels were the Sheraton and Intercontinental on the Creek. The Dubai now is a fabulous city, with incomparable infrastucture and facilities, but For me life does not revolve around the malls, so although there are so many fantastic malls, hotels and attractions today it's not a prime factor for me really, I prefer smaller shops. Not into brunching or nightlife either, howver there are many things I do appreciate today that make life easier, it's just that I was just as happy to manage without them too! It's nice to recall the old days, sorry for the ramble! <em>edited by Di@DXB on 26/11/2014</em>

I think the answer depends on how much money you have, if you are working, and it you love shopping and nightlife and bling. I prefer it 10 years ago. Traffic was much better, people friendlier, skies cleaner (no construction), affordable, enough restaurants to keep everyone happy, water was clear , view from beach was unobstructed and stunning, simple cheap and cheerful venues for families, food and fun like the country club, Jebel ali sailing club etc. You could camp on the beach in Jebel Ali, surf, kayak, windsurf anywhere without breaking the "rules". Your money went a lot further. The only thing I like better now is finally a lot of govt processes are becoming more streamlined, online, and efficient etc.

Same here... i also hate just circling the malls purposely... and i dont believe ppl who live here throng to the malls just to shop... how is it possible to shop all year round... i dont even like it as a hangout (maybe if i was a teenager i would have) ... so basically i feel as a resident of Dubai malls r the last attraction for me at least...! Agree... with the exception of Dubai Mall... i love the Dancing Fountain... :biggrin:

I love Dubai very much. I have been here for the past 10 years. Dubai is changing day by day with new wonders (Burj Khalifa) happening now and then. I'm crazy about the shopping malls in Dubai. There are many. Big and small in size. There are many shopping malls in Dubai like The Mall of Emirates, City Centre Mirdif, [url=http://www.citycentredeira.com'>City Centre Deira[/url'> etc. People throng here everyday mainly for shopping. edited by mejohnsam on 25/11/2014 I hate shopping. Same here... i also hate just circling the malls purposely... and i dont believe ppl who live here throng to the malls just to shop... how is it possible to shop all year round... i dont even like it as a hangout (maybe if i was a teenager i would have) ... so basically i feel as a resident of Dubai malls r the last attraction for me at least...!

I love Dubai very much. I have been here for the past 10 years. Dubai is changing day by day with new wonders (Burj Khalifa) happening now and then. I'm crazy about the shopping malls in Dubai. There are many. Big and small in size. There are many shopping malls in Dubai like The Mall of Emirates, City Centre Mirdif, City Centre Deira etc. People throng here everyday mainly for shopping. edited by mejohnsam on 25/11/2014 I hate shopping.

I love Dubai very much. I have been here for the past 10 years. Dubai is changing day by day with new wonders (Burj Khalifa) happening now and then. I'm crazy about the shopping malls in Dubai. There are many. Big and small in size. There are many shopping malls in Dubai like The Mall of Emirates, City Centre Mirdif, City Centre Deira etc. People throng here everyday mainly for shopping. edited by mejohnsam on 25/11/2014

I don't have a lot to add but a few rants from a small business owner; Employement Visa costs are increased recently. RTA has increased fare of public tranport (we need to increase transportation allowance). -Rents are increased, both home and office. -Spending power of normal has decreased resulting in less business and less profit. -Unfortunately, we feel terrible for not being able to increase salaries of our staff as much. I feel really bad for them, how do they manage and things would have effected them same way. -Higher crime rate, in many areas you can't really walk as freely - people have become more ambitious, want to achieve goals at any cost regardless of ethics/morality. -Traffic has gone worst. -Groceries are more expensive. - Government is increasing charges/expenses more and more for small business. We are seriously thinking of moving to some other country, just deciding where too go next.

harrimayne1965, I am sorry to hear our recent experiences ring true with yours. Despite it all, I hope you can find pockets of happiness and joy in the midst of the challenges. Thank you for sharing. It may sound strange but sometimes it helps to learn one isn't alone. I hope that viable options present themselves to us at the right time. Onward and upward. :sun:

Lovely reply Tattie Bogle. :cool: We've had a horrible week so forgive me if my post doesn't live up to my username! Hopefully, I'll be back to my 'rainbows and unicorns' self tomorrow! After approximately 15 years here, we feel quite 'broken' by the current state of affairs. To start with, we have to move again and the process has been a nightmare-agents that never reply to calls or texts and make us wonder what they get paid for. Online property ads not updated or containing incorrect information. And I don't even want to get started on the hikes in rent: 95 thousand for 300 sq. feet????? To quote TV's [i'>Miranda[/i'>, "Even the notion!" Apologies for my w'end rant. We generally believe that the spirit of gratitude does wonders and we do count our blessings in many ways. It just seems like we're 'stuck' here for the foreseeable future when we would dearly love to be able to return to Europe. Where once we could reassure family and friends in the UK that we would be closer to home one day soon, we're not saving any money these days and have had to place such things as basic dental treatment much further down the list of priorities than we would like. We can't afford to have children here. My inlaws were here in the 70's and the difference between their standard of living then and ours now, is incredible. With the increasing difficulty in terms of getting from A to B we are struggling to find the light at the end of the tunnel. Yesterday we went to look at properties in Bur Dubai. It wouldn't be our preferred area-we lived there for 8 years when we first arrived, but DH works on SZR close to WTC and we are determined to minimise his commuting time. I was shocked to see the amount of construction and destruction that had taken place and so many of these new residential buildings looked small and ugly. The air was thick with dust and the traffic was horrendous. DH is owed a great deal of money from his last employer and this not the first time we have found ourselves in this predicament-it took 2 years and a court case to fight for the last lot. As I said earlier, no doubt I'll be ready to take on the world again soon but to refer back to the OP, 'new' Dubai isn't really working out for us so far - we much preferred things how they were and will miss the parts of Dubai that seem to be rapidly disappearing. VP, your post and experience rings true with us too. Dubai used to be manageable and affordable. When it becomes neither, it really isn't a fun place to be anymore. It's not a place worth staying when you're going backwards, but what other options are there? Few for us, sadly.

Lovely reply Tattie Bogle. :cool: We've had a horrible week so forgive me if my post doesn't live up to my username! Hopefully, I'll be back to my 'rainbows and unicorns' self tomorrow! After approximately 15 years here, we feel quite 'broken' by the current state of affairs. To start with, we have to move again and the process has been a nightmare-agents that never reply to calls or texts and make us wonder what they get paid for. Online property ads not updated or containing incorrect information. And I don't even want to get started on the hikes in rent: 95 thousand for 300 sq. feet????? To quote TV's [i'>Miranda[/i'>, "Even the notion!" Apologies for my w'end rant. We generally believe that the spirit of gratitude does wonders and we do count our blessings in many ways. It just seems like we're 'stuck' here for the foreseeable future when we would dearly love to be able to return to Europe. Where once we could reassure family and friends in the UK that we would be closer to home one day soon, we're not saving any money these days and have had to place such things as basic dental treatment much further down the list of priorities than we would like. We can't afford to have children here. My inlaws were here in the 70's and the difference between their standard of living then and ours now, is incredible. With the increasing difficulty in terms of getting from A to B we are struggling to find the light at the end of the tunnel. Yesterday we went to look at properties in Bur Dubai. It wouldn't be our preferred area-we lived there for 8 years when we first arrived, but DH works on SZR close to WTC and we are determined to minimise his commuting time. I was shocked to see the amount of construction and destruction that had taken place and so many of these new residential buildings looked small and ugly. The air was thick with dust and the traffic was horrendous. DH is owed a great deal of money from his last employer and this not the first time we have found ourselves in this predicament-it took 2 years and a court case to fight for the last lot. As I said earlier, no doubt I'll be ready to take on the world again soon but to refer back to the OP, 'new' Dubai isn't really working out for us so far - we much preferred things how they were and will miss the parts of Dubai that seem to be rapidly disappearing.

I was here for a couple of years in 2008, so for the good and the bad. What I loved about it back then: - How the rent dramatically decreased and living anywhere comfortably was within our means. - Everyone seemed friendlier then. - This forum had a lot of interest topics daily. - Filipino maids weren't banned :biggrin: Now, there is so much access to markets, locally grown produce, even art is becoming big in Dubai. There are more parks and entertainment for children. There are more stores. The cons: Less expat diversity. More crime. It's not as clean as it used to be (but still very clean compared to other parts of the world) Customer Service, need I say more? All in all, Dubai is a beautiful place to live but can not be compared to a first world nation.

Things I think have improved over the years -General amenities - healthcare; malls; brands; restaurants -Infrastructure - roads/metro -Parks & green spaces -Ease of getting things done, procedures are simpler and more streamlined -Introduction of schemes like SMCCU, bridging gaps in knowledge and trying to bring communities together -Locals with more passion about the UAE and especially around this time of year, it just gets bigger every year. I also love that we as expats are encouraged to join in celebrations like National Day. -People tend to stay longer than a 1 or 2 year contract. So it's a bit less transient than the old days. -We can now own homes here which makes long term expats feel more at home here. -Redevelopment of older areas to bring focus to the cultural side of Dubai (like Bastakiya and the Old School etc) -Driving, I'm surprised to see this is on people's bad list, it's SOO much better and more civilised than it used to be. -The music scene/bands who come here now - it's really fantastic - Organic & Local farming which has sprung up in the UAE, love it and we should all support it by buying local produce! -I love that so many things are free or low cost so that people across all walks of life can be involved in the same thing. I'm talking about parks/beaches/firework displays etc. So it doesn't have to be all glitz and glam. On the other hand I think: - it's sad that it's harder now to get to know Local families as more and more expats move in and establish their own communities. - it's harder to find genuinely older or more authentic parts of Dubai. Even places like Ravis/BuQutair - become so commercialised that they are not part of the 'old' Dubai anymore. It's almost tempting to keep old finds to yourself so they don't become Expatted! - The destruction of old parts to make way for new parts is necessary but also sad. The old arabic doors on the gates of someone's one storey house, the very tall trees, the little alleyways - parts of a Dubai which are slowly being eradicated. - it's harder to find people that have moved here for the adventure of moving to the Middle East for the cultural experience. There is almost a new wave of people who have moved here for the new 'style' of Dubai living - the boat/mall/brunch/lifestyle people, and while there's nothing wrong with that I sometimes wonder if they've ever spoken to a Local person or got to know anything about the country we are living in. oops. that turned out longer than I thought. :lol: Beautifully said TB. So many of those things you mention are things I miss. I'm so saddened to hear that more and more of old Dubai is disappearing...I had hoped those things would never change. ?

Things I think have improved over the years -General amenities - healthcare; malls; brands; restaurants -Infrastructure - roads/metro -Parks & green spaces -Ease of getting things done, procedures are simpler and more streamlined -Introduction of schemes like SMCCU, bridging gaps in knowledge and trying to bring communities together -Locals with more passion about the UAE and especially around this time of year, it just gets bigger every year. I also love that we as expats are encouraged to join in celebrations like National Day. -People tend to stay longer than a 1 or 2 year contract. So it's a bit less transient than the old days. -We can now own homes here which makes long term expats feel more at home here. -Redevelopment of older areas to bring focus to the cultural side of Dubai (like Bastakiya and the Old School etc) -Driving, I'm surprised to see this is on people's bad list, it's SOO much better and more civilised than it used to be. -The music scene/bands who come here now - it's really fantastic - Organic & Local farming which has sprung up in the UAE, love it and we should all support it by buying local produce! -I love that so many things are free or low cost so that people across all walks of life can be involved in the same thing. I'm talking about parks/beaches/firework displays etc. So it doesn't have to be all glitz and glam. On the other hand I think: - it's sad that it's harder now to get to know Local families as more and more expats move in and establish their own communities. - it's harder to find genuinely older or more authentic parts of Dubai. Even places like Ravis/BuQutair - become so commercialised that they are not part of the 'old' Dubai anymore. It's almost tempting to keep old finds to yourself so they don't become Expatted! - The destruction of old parts to make way for new parts is necessary but also sad. The old arabic doors on the gates of someone's one storey house, the very tall trees, the little alleyways - parts of a Dubai which are slowly being eradicated. - it's harder to find people that have moved here for the adventure of moving to the Middle East for the cultural experience. There is almost a new wave of people who have moved here for the new 'style' of Dubai living - the boat/mall/brunch/lifestyle people, and while there's nothing wrong with that I sometimes wonder if they've ever spoken to a Local person or got to know anything about the country we are living in. oops. that turned out longer than I thought. :lol: Longer yet a fantastic response.

Things I think have improved over the years -General amenities - healthcare; malls; brands; restaurants -Infrastructure - roads/metro -Parks & green spaces -Ease of getting things done, procedures are simpler and more streamlined -Introduction of schemes like SMCCU, bridging gaps in knowledge and trying to bring communities together -Locals with more passion about the UAE and especially around this time of year, it just gets bigger every year. I also love that we as expats are encouraged to join in celebrations like National Day. -People tend to stay longer than a 1 or 2 year contract. So it's a bit less transient than the old days. -We can now own homes here which makes long term expats feel more at home here. -Redevelopment of older areas to bring focus to the cultural side of Dubai (like Bastakiya and the Old School etc) -Driving, I'm surprised to see this is on people's bad list, it's SOO much better and more civilised than it used to be. -The music scene/bands who come here now - it's really fantastic - Organic & Local farming which has sprung up in the UAE, love it and we should all support it by buying local produce! -I love that so many things are free or low cost so that people across all walks of life can be involved in the same thing. I'm talking about parks/beaches/firework displays etc. So it doesn't have to be all glitz and glam. On the other hand I think: - it's sad that it's harder now to get to know Local families as more and more expats move in and establish their own communities. - it's harder to find genuinely older or more authentic parts of Dubai. Even places like Ravis/BuQutair - become so commercialised that they are not part of the 'old' Dubai anymore. It's almost tempting to keep old finds to yourself so they don't become Expatted! - The destruction of old parts to make way for new parts is necessary but also sad. The old arabic doors on the gates of someone's one storey house, the very tall trees, the little alleyways - parts of a Dubai which are slowly being eradicated. - it's harder to find people that have moved here for the adventure of moving to the Middle East for the cultural experience. There is almost a new wave of people who have moved here for the new 'style' of Dubai living - the boat/mall/brunch/lifestyle people, and while there's nothing wrong with that I sometimes wonder if they've ever spoken to a Local person or got to know anything about the country we are living in. oops. that turned out longer than I thought. :lol:

This is my second time in Dubai, the first time we left before the crash. I loved it then when Dubai was still developing and things were simpler. Living at Arabian Ranches was well within our reach as rentals were fair and cost of living was good. This time I've been here for two years and wow how things have changed. Living in a small apartment is just about affordable now (but I hope rents dont go up any further!) but I still love Dubai. It is more costly and things have certainly changed but I love the weather, I love the fact I can relax by the pool or at the beach on a weekend, I love the fact I can shop at stores that aren't readily available in my home country and I love the multi cultural part of society. I love that we are in a great location to travel with many fabulous countries on our doorstep. However, I HATE the driving. Back in the UK people tend to drive with consideration and common courtesy for others, here people just pull out, don't indicate, drive an inch behind your bumper, speed up when you indicate to change lanes on SZR so they fill the gap you were going to pull into and flash and pip their horn if you don't anticipate the traffic lights changing! One thing I have noticed though is that 'Home' will never be the same again. Friends and family will always be there for you, but other aspects change and having lived a different existence here in Dubai than at home you are always compelled to compare when you return.

I had two working parents - and that was in the early days (without showing age lines here!) - with a mother who could get a position faster as she was a professional and in demand. Even then, I think these ladies were a very small percent of the population. Their image was one that people could, and did, laugh at, and that stereotype became a talking point for gossip - and gossip was a lifeline then as families were a world away. Calls on Fridays were the done thing, as Friday rates were cheaper. Everyone was here to get paid not to lead a normal life. So no one complained, they knew what they were doing, heads down, wallets up, $$ home. And people now want to lead normal lives here. And while that is natural, it has resulted in Opinion pages in the papers, websites complaining about every and anything that a person does not like. I liked living in a none political world. The politics of everything are everywhere, and that is what a lot of people were happy to escape.

I prefer the expat mentality of then to now. The people who expatriated here seemed different. All were after money and there actually was money and a salary included all allowances. To get a job, you applied. If you were qualified, you would get a call that day, that week. Even if you were not qualified yet spoke English, you would get a call. I loved it under Sheikh Zayed his face everywhere, even the mention of his name demanded respect. People respected each other. Expats respected locals, locals respected expats. No one ever told anyone they did not belong here or should go home if they do not like something. People would let locals go fast through a service station - they generally knew that they were not trying to be ignorant, only trying to be fast asa they had left their cars running - it was not turned into a big fight of the beliefs. As long as fellow expats did not do it, there was no problem. Now things are easier in other respects, though. It is a lot easier to speak to staff, we no longer have to wait to go for holidays do get things (as the store we want to sop at are here now), there are things to do. I do think this is a better tourist destination now, though. Before it was the desert, Hard Rock. markets, whereas now the list if endless. And that what the plan - to divert the revenue away from being oil reliant, and this has been achieved. I will return as a visitor later in life and will no doubt love it! Interesting post! [i'>I prefer the expat mentality of then to now. The people who expatriated here seemed different. All were after money and there actually was money and a salary included all allowances. To get a job, you applied. If you were qualified, you would get a call that day, that week. Even if you were not qualified yet spoke English, you would get a call. [/i'> This is true ... to an extent. But perhaps -- compared to 'then' -- there is less of a JJ attitude as well? That surely can only be a good thing? I arrived at the tail of the JJ phenomenon and the winsome ladies-who-lunched .. with maids and Beemers and designer everything, had become something of a 'meme' rather than a reality, and I have to say: I'm quite glad about that. I actually like that more people now understand that we are largely wives and mothers and working women (single and married) who are struggling to save and have a good life and have plans for the future (back home) without it all being about the staff and the brunches and money-celebrating attitude .... More people now know that Dubai-ites are simply working people (many with families) who are trying to get ahead rather than living the 'high life' (that the life that we have all read about is pretty much a myth unless you're in the absolute stratosphere, money-wise). This is a good thing. Don't you think?

I prefer the expat mentality of then to now. The people who expatriated here seemed different. All were after money and there actually was money and a salary included all allowances. To get a job, you applied. If you were qualified, you would get a call that day, that week. Even if you were not qualified yet spoke English, you would get a call. I loved it under Sheikh Zayed his face everywhere, even the mention of his name demanded respect. People respected each other. Expats respected locals, locals respected expats. No one ever told anyone they did not belong here or should go home if they do not like something. People would let locals go fast through a service station - they generally knew that they were not trying to be ignorant, only trying to be fast asa they had left their cars running - it was not turned into a big fight of the beliefs. As long as fellow expats did not do it, there was no problem. Now things are easier in other respects, though. It is a lot easier to speak to staff, we no longer have to wait to go for holidays do get things (as the store we want to sop at are here now), there are things to do. I do think this is a better tourist destination now, though. Before it was the desert, Hard Rock. markets, whereas now the list if endless. And that was the plan - to divert the revenue away from being oil reliant, and this has been achieved. I will return as a visitor later in life and will no doubt love it! <em>edited by Londiamond on 19/11/2014</em>

I agree. I remember seeing a lot more car accidents and burned out cars on the side of highways when we first came here. The speed cameras weren't around then and it does seem to have tamed the aggressive driving somewhat. Somethings are better now, somethings better then. Everywhere changes and evolves so it's good to go with the flow. The traffic maybe more but it's better than when i first arrived, the first year i was here there was some horrific accidents..... Mini busses going up in flames in fog etc.

Somethings are better now, somethings better then. Everywhere changes and evolves so it's good to go with the flow. The traffic maybe more but it's better than when i first arrived, the first year i was here there was some horrific accidents..... Mini busses going up in flames in fog etc.

I preferred the lack of traffic then but prefer the wider range of choices re housing/schools/food/shops now. Agree--the only thing I dislike now is the traffic compared to 4 years ago. But it still beats the traffic back home. I still think the traffic 'back home' is better than what I experience here. For one thing, it seems like 'back home' people are more on the same page where traffic rules are concerned. Sure, there was lots of cutting up and speeding and things, but not to the extent I see here. And indicating! Wow. People seemed to indicate a lot more in London/Sydney than they do here. I really notice that both expat Westerners (and everyone else) think that the indicating thing 'doesn't apply to them'. But then, that approach seems to infect a lot of people here ... The traffic volume, however, is awful compared to when we first moved here in '08. I don't think there is such a thing as peak hour anymore because there is No Good Time to do SZR (now) compared to there being actual windows of opportunity seven/eight years ago. Except Friday. Sometimes Friday can still be a good day to get out and about! Still ... I used to love driving. I've never had an accident here, nor a fender bender or even a little ding ... but I'm much more wary of the driving out here now than I was in 08. Maybe I'm just getting old ... ;)

I preferred the lack of traffic then but prefer the wider range of choices re housing/schools/food/shops now. Agree--the only thing I dislike now is the traffic compared to 4 years ago. But it still beats the traffic back home.

We've only been here for seven years now and I think I prefer our first few years. We did arrive here during the boom and it was crazy, but at the same time Dubai felt smaller than it does now. Almost everyone we knew lived between the Creek and the Marina, but now people are living "way out" in Victory Heights and RemRamm and that whole side of Dubai has exploded in growth and population, whereas when we first came here only Arabian Ranches was built and people considered the Ranches "far out"! Motor City was under construction but not ready for occupation yet. And even within the older areas of Dubai there's more and more new construction. Al Wasl seems primed to turn into a seemingly endless row of mini malls and shopping centers (geez, aren't there enough shopping centers in Dubai already?). Within Umm Suqeim there were still a few unpaved streets, but now they're all paved over. In other words, some of the old fashioned charms of old Dubai that was still lingering around six and seven years ago has now largely disappeared. But all cities are constantly evolving. Many things are still the same. What's probably more of an impact is watching the constant flow of people coming and leaving. Dubai today isn't the same it was seven years ago because most of the people we knew then aren't here anymore. I suppose I am getting itchy feet, we were supposed to move to Singapore two years ago but that fell through at the last minute because DH's company restructured itself, so we ended up staying. I'd love to have the opportunity to live in Singapore or Hong Kong for a few years.