RuthM

1042

Posts

EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 12 March 2013 - 18:36

Just a quick note for those that are having electric shock problems. This has been reported across forums and a few solutions have been given that you may wish to try. iStyle ship many of their products with a Euro 2-pin adapter. I picked up a new 3-pin magsafe in Hong Kong to replace mine and it seems to have solved the problem. The other thing is ensure you are using the long plug lead not the travel one, apparently it has a better grounding. I do recommend a Speck case anyway as they do provide protection for your Mac. But my electrical discharge was coming through my iPhone and iPad while charging off the Mac as well! I forgot to mention. Hong Kong is the cheapest place to buy Apple products, they have a huge Apple store and it's US prices but tax free! Mine was bought in Singapore, so has UK style 3 pin plug and the desktops have too, so it must be something else There have been a variety of posts about this. The only other thing I can suggest is firstly trying it plugged straight into the wall, if it is not already of course (ensure you are using long 3 pin cable not the short travel plug). You could try using an appropriately grounded socket adapter. Otherwise there may be a problem with the grounding in sockets in some houses in Dubai, an electrician should be able to check). Hopefully one of these solutions may help you. edited by RuthM on 12/03/2013 <em>edited by RuthM on 12/03/2013</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 12 March 2013 - 17:29

Please advise which spas? I am now concerned about visiting them. It is actually the code of many of the best spas here that underwear is a MUST - the ones they provide many spas have a WRITTEN code here that underwear MUST be kept on Fortunately I have looked at three top spas in Dubai so far and found no written note to say you must keep your underwear on Talise (Jumeriah), ShuiQi (Atlantis) and One & Only. In fact at the One & Only it clearly states: [i'>For your convenience a robe, towels and slippers will be provided. During all treatments you will be properly draped for ensured privacy.[/i'> Nothing about disposable panties here. In fact it specifically states you will be draped appropriately to ensure privacy. <em>edited by RuthM on 12/03/2013</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 12 March 2013 - 16:54

Lets simplify this: Body scrub/Moroccan bath - disposable undies Therapeutic massage - no undies if you want one of the strongest muscles in your body (the one helps support your back and legs) massaged, wear undies if you want it skipped (if you want them to massage it through undies then you'll probably have to ask) Sports massage - just uncover areas being worked on, for manipulation you may not even need to uncover anything Thai massage - wear loose cotton clothing And don't worry unless you have a problem with your coccyx they won't even see your butt crack they use the sheet to wrap around you like a thong. Here is some information about massage draping (beware contains some nudity): http://cmabw.com/wordpress/2011/massage-draping/ For the record I'm a bit of a prude and won't be having a Brazilian anytime soon. edited by RuthM on 12/03/2013 Why do we need it simplified? It's each person's individual preference. Sorry I thought you said: It is actually the code of many of the best spas here that underwear is a MUST - the ones they provide. I must be mistaken. <em>edited by RuthM on 12/03/2013</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 12 March 2013 - 11:51

Maximuscle is available in Go Sport and Decathlon.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 12 March 2013 - 11:24

Lets simplify this: Body scrub/Moroccan bath - disposable undies Therapeutic massage - no undies if you want one of the strongest muscles in your body (the one helps support your back and legs) massaged, wear undies if you want it skipped (if you want them to massage it through undies then you'll probably have to ask) Sports massage - just uncover areas being worked on, for manipulation you may not even need to uncover anything Thai massage - wear loose cotton clothing And don't worry unless you have a problem with your coccyx they won't even see your butt crack they use the sheet to wrap around you like a thong. Here is some information about massage draping (beware contains some nudity): http://cmabw.com/wordpress/2011/massage-draping/ For the record I'm a bit of a prude and won't be having a Brazilian anytime soon. <em>edited by RuthM on 12/03/2013</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 12 March 2013 - 00:25

All off. Keep your underwear on and the therapist will think you're a prude and won't touch your glutes or piriformis. Take it off and you'll be thankful when all that butt tension is released! The therapist won't just whip the towel off for all to be seen. A good therapist will only uncover a small section of your butt at a time to be massaged so your modesty is kept. Apart from which it is so much more comfortable. It is actually the code of many of the best spas here that underwear is a MUST - the ones they provide. I don't think a therapist will think you are a prude if you keep it on .....................odd thing to say really... I love the way some people on these forums like to personalise everything. [i'>Prude: a woman who shows or affects extreme modesty[/i'> Keeping underwear on = protecting your modesty. Nothing odd there then. I've never worn underwear for a therapeutic massage in Dubai and I haven't been arrested yet. Typically spas provide their own underwear for when you are having a body scrub or similar where you will not be as well covered with a sheet and you have to get up during the treatment to shower. I have worn lots of clothing for sports massage however but then they more commonly focus on specific areas, and do not use long massage strokes where underwear gets in the way, especially if they are using oils. My sports massage has predominantly focused on my calves so I have worn shorts and a t-shirt. In a thai massage I wear lightweight clothes but that is mostly stretching where covering with a sheet is impractical and they massage through your clothes with no oil. If the therapist isn't capable of covering a client appropriately with a sheet and moving the sheet to cover the client whilst massaging then clearly that are not properly trained. Oddly all the massage therapists I have had thus far in Dubai have been very good at ensuring my modesty is protected so I suspect they may be trained in how to handle naked clients. None have run out the room screaming in any case! If you're uncomfortable taking it off then keep your underwear on, but for the traditional massage experience then no underwear is the way to go. Btw it is not acceptable for your therapist to ask you to take them off. edited by RuthM on 12/03/2013 <em>edited by RuthM on 12/03/2013</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 11 March 2013 - 20:54

All off. Some of your most important muscles are in no other place than your BUTT. The gluteus maximus is one of the strongest muscles in your body! They support your back and if there is tension in your butt it can cause all kinds of problems. Low back pain, sciatica (your sciatic nerve runs through your butt), leg tension, tight hip flexors. Keep your underwear on and the therapist will think you're a prude and won't touch your glutes or piriformis. Take it off and you'll be thankful when all that butt tension is released! The therapist won't just whip the towel off for all to be seen. A good therapist will only uncover a small section of your butt at a time to be massaged so your modesty is kept. Apart from which it is so much more comfortable.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 11 March 2013 - 16:28

I don't necessarily work per se but friends keep on handing my details out to fix the computers of their friends. What do you need set up? It's been a while since I mucked about with pivot tables but pretty much anything else I can bash together fairly quickly, I could do with a bit of Excel stimulation, not used the new version of Office yet and like to keep my skills in check.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 11 March 2013 - 10:16

Just a quick note for those that are having electric shock problems. This has been reported across forums and a few solutions have been given that you may wish to try. iStyle ship many of their products with a Euro 2-pin adapter. I picked up a new 3-pin magsafe in Hong Kong to replace mine and it seems to have solved the problem. The other thing is ensure you are using the long plug lead not the travel one, apparently it has a better grounding. I do recommend a Speck case anyway as they do provide protection for your Mac. But my electrical discharge was coming through my iPhone and iPad while charging off the Mac as well! I forgot to mention. Hong Kong is the cheapest place to buy Apple products, they have a huge Apple store and it's US prices but tax free!

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 11 March 2013 - 10:15

Just a quick note for those that are having electric shock problems. This has been reported across forums and a few solutions have been given that you may wish to try. iStyle ship many of their products with a Euro 2-pin adapter. I picked up a new 3-pin magsafe in Hong Kong to replace mine and it seems to have solved the problem. The other thing is ensure you are using the long plug lead not the travel one, apparently it has a better grounding. I forgot to mention. Hong Kong is the cheapest place to buy Apple products, they have a huge Apple store and it's US prices but tax free!

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 10 March 2013 - 12:52

I've been using Macs since 2003. I also used Windows at work until 2009 when we moved to Dubai. Whilst using both consecutively I cannot describe how frustrating I found the Windows machine at work! However as previously mentioned you may find switching to Mac a steep learning curve (unless you are a geek!). I have switched nearly everyone I know to Mac and some people embrace it immediately, others want to throw the machine out the window for the first few months. One friend gave up on Mac, but then went back to it about six months later. Everyone did make the switch in the end and no one I know regrets it. Windows seems to overcomplicate things, on a Mac you need to be bold, if you want to put something somewhere just try dragging and dropping it - chances are it will work. It's a more natural learning curve but many former Windows users are afraid to try things at first. In answer to your questions: - Can Macs read Microsoft files - excel, word and access? Excel - yes Word - yes There are two options. Convert everything to Numbers and Pages, the downside is there may be some compatibility issues, upside is you can store everything in Documents in the Cloud and sync them across all your devices. The other option is to use MacOffice 2011, which Microsoft claims to be completely compatible. Rumour has it iCloud has or is going to allow MS documents to be stored in their service, however opening and viewing on an iOS device may be more complicated. However there are other options like Dropbox and Skydrive and things are changing very quickly (this information may not be up to date). Access - no I would never recommend using Access unless you have to for work. My former company banned it as there were so many issues with staff creating Access databases, but obviously if you need it for work then you will need to find a way to access it. There are alternative database programs on the Mac, although I always recommend using a cross platform database systems preferably web based in any case. - Can I use Outlook or is there something similar? Outlook - yes But if you want to sync your calendars etc. with iPhone/iPad then it is probably easier to use the Mac options of Mail and Calendar. - Will I be able to connect to the office server (Microsoft Business Server 2008) I know it can connect to Small Business Server 2003 so would say probably yes, I haven't done any server management since 2004 though so cannot be sure. You can always install Windows on your Mac. I bootcamped DH Mac with Windows (although he only ever logged in to do his timesheets as they used a database not available on Mac). He has a Mac with his new company now with Windows installed using Parallels, he has never logged into it though. - Bootcamp means Windows will run off the boot partition of the Mac. - Parallels means you can run Windows within Mac OS X, this can be slower but it means you don't have to reboot to go into Windows. You can also consider VM Ware Fusion as an alternative to Parallels. As for which Machine... - MacBook Pro Retina I recommend the MacBook Pro Retina. It has a new cooling system and is much cooler than the old MacBook Pros. It also has a fantastic display (I didn't realise until I tried using DH MacBook Pro after having the Retina for a few months), flash based (very fast) storage, a decent quad core processor and lots of memory, it has just been updated a few weeks ago so make sure you are getting the new faster processors if buying in the UAE. - MacBook Air I love the MacBook Air but it is due to be updated probably around June this year. - MacBook Pro The regular MacBook Pro is antiquated so definitely not a good buy at the moment - I think there's a good chance it will be phased out or replaced with a cheaper more basic MacBook option very soon. - iMac The iMac was updated with an all new model last year. If you can spare the cash opt for the fusion drive, it's overpriced but I don't think you'll regret it. The new iMacs are not user upgradable so I also recommend maxing out the RAM as much as you can afford (16GB is optimal, 8GB is minimum). Buyers Guide: http://buyersguide.macrumors.com Apple UAE store: http://store.apple.com/ae/browse/home/shop_mac <em>edited by RuthM on 10/03/2013</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 10 March 2013 - 01:03

Sorry off topic but related question. Has anyone had a baby in Dubai and kept the baby's family name as the mothers maiden family name? For various reasons I would like to do this. DH is intending on changing his name to my family name but is concerned as he is well known in his industry and doesn't want to change his name right away. (also have no clue how to do this out here - if only men could keep a bachelor name for business and a married name like women can!). But when we have kids they will have my family name - is this possible in the UAE and is it going to cause massive complications? In response to OP. I believe you need permission from the children's father to be able to bring them out here. Your BF will be their sponsor as well as yours so he will be fully responsible (financially) for them. Easiest thing may be for him to adopt them. No problem with maiden names for married people, not sure about for children. Lots of pets over here, but your cat will soon realise outside is not the place to be in summer. We shipped out pets with Emirates - booked it directly ourselves, they were very helpful. Virgin were also great when we enquired (and the cheapest) but BA (most expensive) were hopeless (a shame as we try our best to support BA). We went with Emirates as they have their own terminal so we thought the pets might get through faster. Dubai Kennels Cattery (DKC) picked them up at the other end and delivered them to our home for a fee. I found quotes from Airpets very high but I'm sure they do an excellent job. Good luck with your move.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 06 March 2013 - 13:42

I'm curious why you dislike crate training and Ceaser Milans method of training? All of our dogs were crate trained and love their crates. When I can't find someone at night or even in the day I look in the crate and one or all of my dogs are fast asleep. They put themselves to bed in their safe spot. Crate training is never meant for punishment. For me I believe in CM's methods. As the owner you are the pack leader and need to set the tone. He's not abusive in anyway and he's all about praising the dogs. Back to the original question. I agree with taking your dog to the vet and set up a routine when taking your dog out to pee. Routine is key when training, and praise! Good luck, I understand your frustration. We adopted a desert dog who gave us a run for our money. She is now close to perfect. I personally do not like crate training as I have large dogs and do not like having crates in the house. Also too many people crate their dogs for too long. Finally I think having an immobile dog in your house in Dubai whilst you are out can be a serious danger if your air conditioning breaks in the room the dog is in and the dog is therefore trapped. However I do agree it is an effective training method. As for Cesar's way I actively disagree with it. As another poster has stated it has been scientifically proven to be a bad method of training. Cesar himself managed to get a food guarding Labrador to bite him by terrorizing it using his 'method' which included kicking the dog, clearly not abusive. I grew up working with gundogs which were trained to work on whistle, hand and voice commands. Our dogs were field trial champions and were all trained using positive reinforcement. Training sessions are always kept short and always finished at a successful point. Cesar's way is a quick fix gimmick. As for Verity, I had the opposite experience and I don't recommend her. Within five minutes of entering our home she started a full on fight between our dog and a guest dog that had been staying with us for just over a week with no incident except an occasional warning growl. She took a toy off our dog (a working rescue with some social problems, mostly resolved now) and tried to give it to the visiting dog. We had other people visiting without a problem. Really desensitization which is what we have done since is what should have been done for our dog. Separating her and our other dog for training (which we also did) was vital. Verity concentrated on 'checking' kept the dogs together and made the session too long so the dogs were bored and tired by the time they finished, hence finishing on a bad note. She also contradicted herself by chastising our one dog for following my husband everywhere but then chastising our working dog for not following me after she has been told to 'hup'. Unfortunately in the working world when a dog is told to hup it means stay where you are until I say otherwise, even if I walk away get in a car and drive off you still stay sitting. Verity claimed this was bad behavior even though Labradors have been trained this way since the breed was created in order to retrieve shot ducks and not run in front of guns. I am glad to say that with further socialization she now gets on fine with the other dog. I am hoping to work more with her at either Positive Paws or Paws Pet Planet to socialize her further. Cesar's way may be a quick fix for people that are not willing to take the time and dedication required to bond with and train a dog correctly using positive reinforcement. Short, regular training sessions (daily) are time consuming but so much more effective than seeing a trainer once a week. For the OP however the first thing is a call to the vet.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 06 March 2013 - 09:53

Maltese can be very hard to housebreak. Firstly as Ayzzy said get her checked out at the vet to ensure there is not a medical problem. Is she peeing when she's excited? Or sneaking off to do it? Peeing when she is excited is known as submissive urination, if she's sneaking off to do it then she is not properly housebroken. It could be scent marking which is more difficult to solve. Submissive urination is hard to solve. Typically the dog will urinate when greeting you at the door etc. calming the dog in this case is vital. When you arrive home ignore the dog when you first come in wait until they are calm before greeting them. Housebreaking issues at this age are most easily corrected with crate training. I dislike crate training and if you ave time and patience then positive reinforcement is key. Keep to a strict routine with the dog. Take them outside on the lead at regular times and praise them when they urinate. Unfortunately the dog will need to be confined when you go out. Any slip up will set the training back. Scent marking is much harder to solve. But then she would most likely be returning to the same spot. Using one of the 'get off' chemicals a pet store sells can help. As for 'dog whispering' I don't believe in it. Cesar Millan type training has been heavily criticised by professionals and academics. http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2007250,00.html Positive reinforcement is key in 90% of dog behaviour problems. Unfortunately this takes a huge amount of time and investment by the owner, it is not a quick fix however but does pay off in the end. First port of call however is definitely the vet.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 05 March 2013 - 23:40

The GMC Acadia is really nice. A friend has one with 3 kids under 4 they said you can fit all three child seats on the back seat and still have the extra seats in the third row free. We are looking to buy one ourselves they can also go up to 8 seats. (although DH has his heart set on a LR4). <em>edited by RuthM on 05/03/2013</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 05 March 2013 - 23:35

If it's from John Lewis no need to return it. Take the delivery slip to a John Lewis store within 3 months of purchase. Go to the Exports department at Customer Services. They will issue you with a form for VAT Export Scheme. Then you can claim VAT back at the airport. Selfridges will do the same. Harrods will not and House of Fraser are a little clueless on how to for items ordered by post (fine for items bought in store). I do this every summer when I'm in the UK. I save up all my John Lewis and Selfridges receipts and delivery slips for items bought online and take a trip to Oxford Street a few days before leaving to get the forms done. Needless to say I no longer buy from House of Fraser or Harrods anymore. <em>edited by RuthM on 05/03/2013</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 05 March 2013 - 23:28

I would encourage the following: Doctor, Dentist, Veterinary Surgeon, Physiotherapist, Radiographer, Pharmacist or similar. If they hate science then might consider: Accountant, Solicitor (not Barrister) but will push towards family accounts/law rather than corporate. If they lean towards the arts: Teacher or similar would consider Actor, Dancer or Singer if they are exceptionally talented and dedicated Why? 1) I want them to have a job where they can not only work anywhere in the world but they can choose where they want to live rather than the job choose where they have to live. Be it in a city or in a tiny rural village. 2) I don't want them to work in a stuffy office with the same people every day. I don't believe it is healthy for them mentally and sitting at a desk all day is certainly not healthy physically. 3) I want them to work serving people not bosses, I think you get much more job satisfaction that way. 4) I want them to be in a profession which is not necessarily reliant on having to work for a large organisation My family all have jobs on the list of above jobs but I decided to do design engineering. Biggest mistake of my life, whilst I love engineering I hate working in an office, working for bosses who don't appreciate you and I now have a major back issue from sitting at a desk all day. I have had great jobs for great bosses but by the same token terrible jobs for terrible bosses. A role like that can be so dependent on who you work for rather than what you do. Working for the public is certainly more satisfying imo and no matter how bad your boss is you can still get some satisfaction from the people you serve every day. If my child really wants to be an engineer or an investment banker I would not stop them, but I would certainly try to encourage them into a different profession. <em>edited by RuthM on 05/03/2013</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 05 March 2013 - 11:28

Go West at Jumeirah Beach Hotel. The best ribs we've ever had barring in Vienna. We celebrated my DH's B'Day there a few years back and they were quite good at catering to a big group... Pretty sure Go West has closed. It's going to be a Jamie Oliver's. Agree about the ribs at the Grand Grill but they are beef ribs. So far as I know they still do the Chicken and Ribs night on a Tuesday for about 100/125 dhs. You get both to start and can then keep re-filling your plate with one or the other. I was full after the first plate!! edited by amelia on 05/03/2013 Oh I only eat beef ribs. But if you are looking for pork ribs The Rib Room is one of the few places that seem to do them.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 05 March 2013 - 11:26

If he shows up at the rental counter with his tourist visa and a valid UK drivers license (don't bring the UAE one or mention he has one), I bet you he will leave with a car. I'd probably not go back to the same place you've been dealing with because they are confused and know too much. would he be covered by the insurance in the event of an accident though if they did find out he had a UAE licence? We asked this and they weren't clear, which is why we've avoided doing it. Doesn't seem worth the risk imo.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 05 March 2013 - 10:40

Oh dengue fever, not pleasant. I think it drops off then peaks again so fingers crossed they are just keeping him in as a precaution. It causes vomiting and high temperature so best he is in hospital to keep his fluids up. Hope he recovers soon.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 05 March 2013 - 10:26

Was it definitely a mouse? Rabies would be first concern, which is I think four or five shots over the course of 30 days. Antibiotics should be given in case of localised infection (quite likely with rodent bites). Tetanus will always be given. And then there's always concern of rat bite fever. http://www.cdc.gov/rodents/diseases/direct.html

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 05 March 2013 - 10:12

You don't need a UAE drivers license to rent a car. Your mother in law could rent one in her name for the duration of her stay. You can add yourself and/or your DH on as drivers on her car. Would have to return it, technically, when she leaves the country. Your husband can also rent a car on his tourist visa and could add you on as a driver, as well. The only one who might have problems hiring a car would be you in that you're on a valid visa (as they haven't yet cancelled it), but don't have an Emirates drivers license. Thanks for info. We have asked about my mother renting a car but they said DH would not be able to drive it. They seem very unclear as to exactly what the problem is. I think it's typical Dubai service staff response - Not in flowchart... - Say no... - Customer questions further... - Say will call back... - Don't call back and hope customer does not call again... It's been a week of back and forth with them asking questions and getting unhelpful responses. DH has emailed, phoned, gone in to the rental place, emailed, phoned some more, spoken to about ten different people and they are all as you would expect clueless. I can't drive without a UAE license as I am no longer a UK resident.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 05 March 2013 - 09:02

Blender: Reputably the best - Vitamix Reputably very good - Waring Pro Good and stylish - KitchenAid I have KitchenAid and am very happy with it. Food Processor Reputably the best - Magimix (my mum has the 3200) Reputably very good - Kenwood Also consider - Dualit, Bosch, KitchenAid I have the KitchenAid but I haven't used it yet (only got it last week). Food Mixer (in case you were looking at these too) Reputably the best - KitchenAid or Kenwood Chef (forever neck and neck) Also consider (and significantly cheaper) - Kenwood KMix (I have this and is seems great) Now the Kenwood Chef includes a blender. It's the one every grandma (this side of the Atlantic) has in their kitchen. However Kenwood, a British brand, have moved all manufacturing to China whereas their American counterpart, KitchenAid, still manufacturer in the good old U.S. of A! A final note. KitchenAid are due to launch a completely new range of small appliances this month. Unfortunately I don't fry anything so someone else will have to answer that sorry! edited by RuthM on 05/03/2013 <em>edited by RuthM on 05/03/2013</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 05 March 2013 - 08:44

I can't hire a car unfortunately, DH didn't believe me that I need a letter from him to drive so he never got me a license (long story). He has promised to when we get new visas. My mum is visiting atm in any case and she asked if she could hire a car for us and the answer was no - I don't think the hire companies have a clue tbh. We have transferred some money to my account but as my visa is dependent on his I assume it will probably be frozen too. However he is going to take a letter from his new employer to the bank to advise he has a new job. His new employer have been paying him for the last two months anyway. He works from home in his new job so has just waltzed off into his old company's office and set himself up on a hot desk until the guy that needs to sign off his paperwork appears and agrees to do it - this might put the pressure on somewhat! Thanks for all your help and advice ladies, fingers crossed it can go smoothly once he gets the paperwork signed off!

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 05 March 2013 - 08:37

Ooo I will have to try this Grand Grill one! Meat Co also have a big birthday thing they come out with drums and so on - quite fun!

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 04 March 2013 - 22:53

Meat Co is overpriced but you can see their prices clear as day on their menu on their website. And using Entertainer vouchers certainly brings the price down somewhat. However I will say I was irritated with them when celebrating a friend's birthday and wanted to have some bubbly but they didn't have any non-alcoholic options on their menu. So we brought our own sparkling Bateel drinks and they charged us 100Dhs a bottle for corkage which they put on the bill as "out of house alcohol"! edited by RuthM on 04/03/2013

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 04 March 2013 - 22:46

Yes, he'll be stamped tourist visa since employment visa is expired. 1. As far as I know, tourist visa stamp should not cause a problem at all. If any it will fasten the process. Cancellation of visa is done on the employer's side only. So unless they do anything, it won't be cancelled (unless if he's away from the country for 6 months). For Tecom, we just fill up a form for cancellation,, pay AED 300 and submit to Tecom together with employee's passport, visa is cancelled after 5 working days (for LLC companies, I heard it can be longer but should not really take more than two weeks I assume). Some sh!tty companies though hold off on releasing the passport after it is cancelled unless the entry permit for new visa is processed; or the employee has exited the the country, in which case they will release the passport but have a driver take you to the airport to get a copy of exit stamp, as this is required for them to get back their bank deposit for the visa. I know it is pretty stupid that visa has to be cancelled even if it has expired anyway but this is to prevent employees from staying in an expired visa - so they won't be able to get a new visa if so. 2. At the end of 30-day grace period, technically he needs to exit the country. He can exit to Oman if your passport qualifies for it, but he can also stay if he's guaranteed to have a new visa by employer as the fines aren't that big, and most companies don;t mind paying it for their new recruits. Although, I would advise you to check with the appropriate ministry as your husband's situation is a bit complicated since the visa has expired before it was even cancelled. Also, keep on pushing the old company to process the cancellation asap because if the 30-day grace period starts from the day visa is expired and not from the day of cancellation, then fine would be bigger. edited by everythingnice on 04/03/2013 Thanks for advice. He is in a free zone so hopefully that will speed up the process. He is also flying in and out of UAE at least every fortnight so shouldn't need any trips to Oman. I might though, which will be interesting as we had a rental car and have now been informed we cannot rent a car anymore until the new visa comes through (getting taxis, even just to buy a pint of milk, is not fun from where we live). I assume my visa will also be on a 30 day grace period since his expired? Although my expiry date isn't until 2014?! We're on UK passports. The main thing I am worried about is them freezing his bank accounts. Should he go to his bank with a letter from his new employer so they know he has another job and hopefully don't freeze his accounts? Needless to say he is pretty miffed with his old company. But then again this is but one of the many reason he left. They are useless at doing anything except talking about nothing.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 04 March 2013 - 22:12

Meat Co do good ribs. I recommend the short ribs though the baby back ribs we had last time were terrible. http://themeatandwineco.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Dubai-Menu-Web8.pdf I would imagine the Rib Room do good ribs too, their chateaubriand is excellent so I cannot imagine their ribs being anything less and it's in the name! http://www.jumeirah.com/Global/Property/JET/Documents/rib_room_menu%20aug2012cover.pdf Asado is lovely but no ribs, great if you like steak though, and their seafood starters which our friends had looked nice, I love their goats cheese starters. My friend had the goat however and was less than impressed and he will generally devour any kind of meat. They don't have a menu on their website but if you email them and ask they will send you one. I have one from last June though and there are definitely no ribs. All three restaurants have vouchers in the Entertainer Fine Dining I think. <em>edited by RuthM on 04/03/2013</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 04 March 2013 - 21:50

DH started a new job in January. His old company are a special kind of useless (it took them five months to process his original visa). They have yet to file the paperwork to close his old visa since he moved jobs. His old visa expired last week, he was travelling at the time and arrived back in Dubai after it expired. For some reason they stamped him in on a tourist visa? His new company say they cannot process his new visa until the old company get up off their @!"*'s and close out his old visa which they are stupidly slow in doing. Questions: 1) Is this tourist visa they stamped his passport with going to cause a problem? 2) What happens at the end of the 30 day grace period with his old visa expiring? Will his accounts be frozen etc. Any advice much appreciated. TIA.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 01 March 2013 - 01:08

We used The Wedding Shop which also do the same I think. http://www.weddingshop.com Harrods also have an export service so I would not be surprised if they can also offset the VAT. Also they have very low shipping fees for Dubai on their website so may have some good deals on shipping as it's something they do a lot off. However you'll have to offset that against their high prices!

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 28 February 2013 - 10:20

This is what the staff use to clean display items at the end of the day in Apple Stores, also works great on laptops etc. http://store.apple.com/uk/product/TX154ZM/A/keep-it-clean-anti-bacterial-notebook-spray-and-cloth?fnode=54 Just take care putting the cloth back in the lid afterwards, I put mine back a bit damp and it went mouldy :-( Also personally I wouldn't bother with a screen cover, you just end up getting dust between the screen and the cover, the glass polishes up just fine. <em>edited by RuthM on 28/02/2013</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 28 February 2013 - 10:10

DH residence visa expired last week. He has started a job with a new company but the manager for his old company has been out of the UAE therefore unable to complete paperwork for his visa transfer. He returns next week and will complete the transfer then. DH arrived back from a business trip yesterday and they stamped him in on a tourist visa. Can he still drive on his UAE license? He is no longer a UK resident so presumably cannot drive on that. But is his UAE license still valid? And how long for? Is there a 30 day period or something to allow for situations like this?

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 24 February 2013 - 14:00

Sorry our experience with Hertz was beyond useless. We requested a seat for a nine year old and they sent us a baby seat. She couldn't even get in it and just had to sit on a cushion for the time she was visiting.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 24 February 2013 - 13:57

Well we don't have any of those things with HSBC. Just an account here. Our UK account is with NatWest. I guess we'll just have to move to another bank if they get funny. I don't mind paying a small fee as we get the credit card free and that has travel insurance. We used to pay for our NatWest Black account in the UK and get travel insurance there too.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 24 February 2013 - 12:54

As far as I know you only have to have the minimum of dhs350,000 at the time of renewal each year. Our renewal is around March and then after that we never have that much in HSBC and it has never been a problem. Oh dear... March is next month, we might have it by next March lol!

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 24 February 2013 - 12:19

Laura Ashley and Crate and Barrel do daybeds with trundle beds underneath. But they may need to order them in as there might not be stock in Dubai. And So To Bed had stock of the Natalie bed (a single bed with trundle in cherrywood) but it has been discontinued I think so I'm not sure if they still do it or have one in stock. These guys do the finest trundle beds and will ship to Dubai. We're looking at getting one for our spare room when it becomes a nursery but they are hand made and very expensive. http://www.simonhorn.com/products.asp?topmenuid=1&category=2

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 24 February 2013 - 10:39

The genetic pool in the UAE is too weak to breed puppies here, there is no kennel club and no suitable stud dogs, not to mention I don't think it's legal to breed here in any case. You would be best advised to buy a pup from your home country and bring it out yourself. Otherwise look for a rescue.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 23 February 2013 - 13:51

No problem with SLR. DH took Canon 7D with a 100-400mm lens and monopod last year with no problems.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 22 February 2013 - 23:22

I would say Beckenham would suit your requirements perfectly. Croydon is not really that close (5 miles or so - 20 mins no traffic up to an hour with traffic!) and you are more likely to see crime from Lewisham or Catford which is much closer. Also as Croydon has a town centre most trouble stays there. Catford and Lewisham have less of a town centre so you get a few petti-thieves coming in, but they are opportunist mostly. Within Greater London you will always be relatively close to a high crime area somewhere. My parents have lived in Beckenham since 1978. Total crimes they have had against them are that my mother's mobile phone was stolen in Bromley town centre. She had left it on a table in Marks and Spencer Cafe. Someone stole the flashing under one of our windows once and my bike was stolen chained up outside my flat in Beckenham a few years ago (the police said someone had done nearly every town in the south east just taken a van and stolen every bike they could find in the middle of the night over about a six week period, they were professionals, took the railing with them as well). I do not know anyone in Beckenham that has been a victim of a home break-in or a mugging and we certainly have never have even felt threatened in any way. A neighbour some years ago had a husband who was working in Dubai and she was nervous in the house on her own (they had a Range Rover and an Aston Martin parked outside so open invitation for theft!). She thought she saw someone in the drive one night and called the police and they came out immediately. The next day they took statements from all the neighbours in the street to see if anyone has seen anything. My parents originally lived north of the river in Hampstead but wanted to move south as it is closer to the countryside and not as built up. There is a very exclusive area in Beckenham called Park Langley (not to be confused with Langley Park). It is in the catchment area for Langley Park Girls and Boys schools and is a big residential area with nice houses and good community spirit. People buy property here specifically for the catchment area. Of my friends that went to Langley Boys one is an accountant, one is an investment banker, one is an electrician (he is a lovely guy but never academic) and one is a property developer (also not a very academic guy). As for social economic our neighbours over the years have ranged from, Antiques dealer, Aston Martin Showroom Manager, former Engineer and Chief Executive of one of the largest national owned businesses in the UK who now gives financial advice to Sheikhs in the UAE and Kuwait, Doctor, Dentists, Accountant, Bank Manager for the largest branch of a leading UK bank, Professional Boxer, Owner of a company that organises events (like Michael Jackson concerts), Engineer/Manager at a London Airport, former solicitor now Judge and Private Banker. From what I can remember! It is an expensive area but there is a road which once you cross is no longer part of Park Langley but still within the catchment area for the school so still very nice. It's one of those areas where kids play in the street, neighbours know each other etc. There is a local golf club and a tennis club. One of the largest David Lloyd gym, spa and racquets clubs is also nearby. There are a large number of very good independent schools nearby (James Allen's, Whitgift, Dulwich College, Alleyn's, Cambridge Tutors, Eltham College, Trinity these are all in the top 100 schools in the England (out of 2190) and Bromley High number 102) as well as a top 20 in the England ranked Grammar school St Olaves and top 100 ranked Newstead Woods which are both in Orpington but I knew people in Beckenham that travelled to them. The biggest excitement in Park Langley in the last 20 years has been, the kid that 'borrowed' dad's porsche and crashed it into parked cars and erm the Doctor that murdered his wife (okay that isn't selling it!) http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/Park-Langley.html (first property is David Haye's house lol) http://www.parklangleybeckenham.co.uk/history.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langley_Park_School_for_Girls http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langley_Park_School_for_Boys I'm out at the moment but when I get home I will run through all the towns on the South Eastern Line from London to the Ashford (not including Ashford - too far out and not very nice). I can do a few towns on the London to Hastings route but many of the nice ones may be too far out (will not be including Hastings it's too far out and full of junkies). One thing I forgot to mention. Green Park is walkable from Victoria Station if your DH is ambitious. It's about a 20mins walk but I have done it several times. Normally when I go shopping with DH we walk to St James / Bond Street to shop around there but get a taxi back once we've bought things. It's quite a nice walk as about half of it is through the park and past Buckingham Palace. http://walkit.com/walk/?city=london&from=victoria+station&fuid=426665_3310238&to=green+park&tuid=415493_443375&rta=old&direct=0 <em>edited by RuthM on 22/02/2013</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 22 February 2013 - 13:36

Thanks for all your advice. She has some tablets from prescription in the UK she's going to bring with her and rarely needs them. Hopefully she won't need any more but it's good to know she can get them here if need be.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 20 February 2013 - 22:52

Are you set on Surrey or Bucks? Also why Bucks? As far as I'm aware most of Bucks comes in on Thameslink, Marylebone or Paddington none of which are going to make an easy journey to Green Park. However I never covered that area so could be wrong. For ease of journey I suggest coming in to either Victoria which is one stop on the Victoria Line, or Waterloo which is two stops on the Jubilee Line to Green Park. - Kent comes under South Eastern and goes into Waterloo East (Charing X, Canon St, London Bridge), Victoria and Blackfriars. - Sussex comes under South Eastern and Southern and goes into Waterloo and Waterloo East (Charing X, Canon St, London Bridge). - Surrey is Southern and goes into Victoria and Waterloo. - West of London (we called it Wessex but it's not the county name) I don't know well but it is South West Trains and also comes into Waterloo. I know lots of gorgeous places in Kent and Sussex, and a few in Surrey, if you decide to consider those areas then I can post the up for you. If you want more details on the train routes can post those as well I covered South Eastern and Southern when I was an engineer on the railway so can give you the details on those too. (Southern trains are nicer, South Eastern are more reliable - or were when I was there!). Some more detail like whether you need to be near to a certain religious community, how long your husband is prepared to travel for, whether you will be looking for state, private or grammar schools would also help. My first recommendation however would be Beckenham. It's 20mins to Waterloo, 20mins to Victoria, in Zone 4, is very pretty has great schools, has a village like atmosphere with lots of restaurants etc. even though it's in Greater London. David Bowie was from here (well Bromley), David Haye used to live here (opposite my mum!), Bob Monkhouse, Julie Andrews and Enid Blyton. It has a very nice church with one of the oldest lychgates in England and some almshouses that go back to 1694. Second would be Royal Tunbridge Wells. It's about 40-50mins to Waterloo. Very pretty if you visit you must look at the Pantiles they are so picturesque they were used for a TV advert last Christmas (http://www.pantilestraders.co.uk/). The countryside is on your doorstep. A spa town which received it's name as it was holiday destination for the royals, it is massively middle class however. There are many famous people here but the only one I can think of is Ian Hislop who DH would often see on the train on the way into work. Also Sid Vicious and Shane MacGowan but lets not mention that! And if you want to blow the bank then Sevenoaks. About 30mins to London. Very exclusive. Gorgeous town, just on the edge of the M25 so best of the country and the city. I can only think of Daniel Day Lewis and Paul Greengrass as having resided here but I'm sure there are more. Sevenoaks has a very prestigious private school, Sevenoaks School. Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells are within an area of outstanding natural beauty. There is lots of beautiful countryside there including the nearby Ashdown Forest where the Winnie the Pooh books were set, Bewl Water (the largest inland water reservoir in the south-east) and a few castles etc. such as Hever Castle, Leeds Castle, Chartwell (home of Churchill), Battle Abbey (where the Battle of Hasting was fought and now a school - which looks a bit like Hogwarts!) and many many more. Unfortunately they are all in Kent, Tunbridge Wells borders Sussex.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 20 February 2013 - 21:29

I would recommend firstly getting a letter from your attending physician in your home country with details of your anxiety, how long you have been on medication etc. Take this letter to the GP at the medical centre which you decide to register at. If you need a referral they should be able to refer you, or hopefully they can prescribe straight away. Just turning up at a doctor and saying "I need these drugs" will most likely result in you needing a referral to a consultant for a full evaluation as they cannot just take your word for it and will need to assess you themselves. But if your treating doctor in the UK can pass on your previous medical history things will be much easier and you should be able to pick up where you left off. It would be a good idea to engage a doctor here for a full treatment program and your previous history will mean that you won't have to cover old ground so that when the time is right and you want to reduce and stop taking SSRIs you can under your new doctor's supervision. Have you considered any cognitive-behaviour therapy? It is often used in conjunction with SSRIs to treat depression and anxiety and has been very successful in many cases. Don't be too concerned about it you will be able to get the medication here and any doctor will know that you cannot just stop taking SSRIs so at the very least they should be able to prescribe you a small amount (even a daily prescription) until your history is available or they have done their own history to keep you going.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 20 February 2013 - 12:23

Nitrous oxide sedation is rarely used in dentistry in the UK after a number of deaths in dental practices in the 1960s. In order to use nitrous oxide sedation you should have an anaesthetist present. You would be advised to have work undertaken in a hospital rather than a clinic to ensure medical help is on hand if required. Obviously this will be costly. Nitrous oxide is also not a complete analgesic so you may still require local injection. Most dentists will use a numbing agent on the gum for the injection anyway. My father had a major fear of needles (he was a dentist) every time he saw a needle he fainted - he eventually got over it at medical school (there were a lot of needles) but still hated needles being used on him. Best suggestion is close your eyes and don't look. Some dentists will offer an oral anti-anxiety medication such as temazepam but this can be a bit hit and miss. If you do take nitrous oxide it is administered under the same regulations (in the UK) as for general anaesthesia, which means that should not work, drive or operate machinery for the rest of the day, and should be supervised at all times. You should bring someone with you to the hospital who will look after you for the rest of the day. Same goes for most oral benzodiazepines. Also bear in mind in some cases these medications can increase anxiety. I don't think all of these statements are accurate. Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) is one of the safest forms of sedation, used in labour wards routinely and as the gas mixture contains a minimum of 30% oxygen it can't be fatal. The effect isn't long lasting either. Labour wards, commonly found in hospitals... Not dental clinics.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 19 February 2013 - 12:10

I wish they would put big orange flashing lights on crossings (like the UK) and also ensure there are streetlights above them. I also wish there was a crossing from the Ranches to Studio/Motor City and Polo Club. Then I guess the municipality wishes that the UAE wasn't the third most obese country in the world. Could it be because all the slim people are the ones that walk places and they've all been hit by crazed motorists?!

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 19 February 2013 - 12:05

My dad (a dentist) had braces in his 50s. I'm 32 and have a retainer behind my lower teeth. My ortho is trying to move my upper teeth with invisalign but it's a pain. You have to take them out to eat, then you lose them and they take forever. I want regular fixed braces but as my ortho is in London it's impossible. Given the option I'd get fixed braces and get it over and done with. the results will be worthwhile. <em>edited by RuthM on 19/02/2013</em>

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 19 February 2013 - 12:01

Nitrous oxide sedation is rarely used in dentistry in the UK after a number of deaths in dental practices in the 1960s. In order to use nitrous oxide sedation you should have an anaesthetist present. You would be advised to have work undertaken in a hospital rather than a clinic to ensure medical help is on hand if required. Obviously this will be costly. Nitrous oxide is also not a complete analgesic so you may still require local injection. Most dentists will use a numbing agent on the gum for the injection anyway. My father had a major fear of needles (he was a dentist) every time he saw a needle he fainted - he eventually got over it at medical school (there were a lot of needles) but still hated needles being used on him. Best suggestion is close your eyes and don't look. Some dentists will offer an oral anti-anxiety medication such as temazepam but this can be a bit hit and miss. If you do take nitrous oxide it is administered under the same regulations (in the UK) as for general anaesthesia, which means that should not work, drive or operate machinery for the rest of the day, and should be supervised at all times. You should bring someone with you to the hospital who will look after you for the rest of the day. Same goes for most oral benzodiazepines. Also bear in mind in some cases these medications can increase anxiety.

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 18 February 2013 - 20:31

Perhaps they are concerned since the US government successfully bankrupted a Swiss bank recently and seem to be coming after all the banks that keep any secrets and dragging them all through the courts. I don't know the ins and outs of how sanctions work but there was some concern for expats doing business with Iranians due to US sanctions, banking could presumably count as business? All very silly though, as they are allowing those with larger assets to stay and in all likelihood any person that is involved in undesirable activity would be someone with large assets, low income workers on 6k a month are hardly going to be sponsoring nuclear programs!

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 18 February 2013 - 20:25

So sitting on hold to Marhaba for 20 minutes why is everything in this country so hard?!

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 18 February 2013 - 20:10

Sorry I mean my home phone doesn't have caller display. I just missed a call and want to call them back. In the UK you can dial 1471 and it will tell you the number of the person who last called you (unless the caller ID is blocked), then you can call them back. Is there a number in Dubai which you can dial to find out the number that last called you?

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 18 February 2013 - 20:04

I asked Alhan and they said they don't do it, they were really rude and unhelpful. I'm thinking of cancelling them and switching to Marhaba. I'll have a look at careem thanks.

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