simpleasabc | ExpatWoman.com
 

simpleasabc

simpleasabc
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Latest post on 12 July 2011 - 10:06
Hi, Ranches Rose, where on SZR did you go? Was it DNATA or is there another office you can go to, because your way sounds the best and most practical for us (leaving on Friday, I think!).
simpleasabc
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Latest post on 12 July 2011 - 10:04
Pls ask your husband if he has looked in Meadows 9, which is behind Springs 14, by the pylons, but where some lovely people live(!) and where there are some quite nice villas in what looks to be your price range, according to a quick look I did at Bayut: http://www.bayut.com/dubai_the_meadows_property/real_estate_properties-rent-5273-1.html Otherwise, if the school you need is ASD, I wouldn't live in the Green Community, much as I love the place and the atmosphere - as others have said, getting out of there in the mornings is a nightmare.. Good luck and welcome to Dubai!
simpleasabc
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Latest post on 11 July 2011 - 17:59
Suzy Duzy and Dragon are spot on - the Green Community has lovely villas and I think at v reasonable prices compared to the others you mention and much closer to Abu Dhabi and JA Primary school.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 11 July 2011 - 11:25
What's the egate card for, anyway? We've got our brand new Emirates ID cards and were thinking of getting egate cards. Is the theory that we can combine the two?
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 10 July 2011 - 16:14
Oooh, well done, SQ, that's wonderful, I'm so glad for you :) Congratulations indeed :)
simpleasabc
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Latest post on 09 July 2011 - 14:40
Yup, I'm a quick in and out girl myself ;) Even 15 mins is far too long.. Errrmmm..
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 09 July 2011 - 11:05
With a name like that, I would have thought Fondue would be familiar with "pain perdu", at least ;)
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 09 July 2011 - 11:02
Aren't you quids in if you are able to sell it at all? You have an asset, worth something, even if it's less than you paid for it If you can't sell it for a profit, how are you any better off than someone who has rented? Say you're able to sell it for the same you paid for it - you've broken even, but you still walk away with nothing, just like a renter does. The only advantage you've had out of the deal is that you haven't been subject to the whims of a landlord. If you sell for the same price you paid then you won't break even as there are interest payments on the loan and all the other expenses which come with owning your own home rather than renting. :) Depends on whether or not your mortgage repayments and the maintenance are more than your rental would have been over the period of ownership. Personally, I would certainly not consider buying here now (and we believe strongly that property is a great investment), but as I said, if I'd had the opportunity to get in on AR at the beginning and then to have sold after a couple of years, I'd have been very pleased with my investment :)
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 09 July 2011 - 10:46
But what happens if something doesn't fit well? Or it doesn't look the same as in the pictures. Can you send them back again? And I would imagine you have to pay for the return postage etc? I'm sorry, I can't help you there, as I don't usually buy clothing on-line for that very reason. I have no idea what to do.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 09 July 2011 - 09:59
Yeah for Kristina :D Congratualtions and enjoy :)
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 08 July 2011 - 23:43
I've recently read a book called "Hello Dubai", which demonstrated how people who bought in Arabian Ranches off- plan invested wisely if they sold on at the right time. I have a feeling they may have been the last ex-pats to have made a profit on property in Dubai.
simpleasabc
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Latest post on 08 July 2011 - 23:35
I find Shop & Ship is really useful for online shopping where people won't take a UAE credit card, or will only deliver to the UK or USA. I use it for Amazon a lot, as the free shipping within the UK outweighs (nother pun, sorry) the delivery costs on arrival in UAE. We also use it to buy HP printer cartridges from the UK, as the ones we need for our particular printer scanner are not available at all in the UAE, and for other things like that. Also, for important documents, as it works out a lot cheaper than a courier service like DHL or UPS to get them delivered to the UK address and then shipped here, delivered to my door.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 08 July 2011 - 18:35
This is from the recipe:'Don`t use fresh bread. Don`t use the stuff that’s hard as a rock but one that`s starting to toughen' How can i harden some nice and fresh, bought last night at Spinneys pave bread?? So it won`t become too soggy and won`t fall apart from soaking in the egg-milk mixture? I have never made french toast before and i need some advice how not to end up a mess on my hands. Would appreciate any input or tips:) Use it as you slice it, fresh-ish (yesterday's bread) is absolutely fine, no need to muck about with it :)
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 08 July 2011 - 17:44
Lots of people love it and I've seen many people on travel forums raving about it. DH and I did it for our anniversary and found the whole experience pretty dull and the food very average. I suppose it was kind of romantic but we definitely have no desire to do it again. Ditto.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 08 July 2011 - 17:30
the property is worth slightly less than when we bought, but we haven't thrown rent down the drain, so we're easily 'quids in' How does that work then? You'll only be "quids in" if you can sell it at a profit. Otherwise, you're no better off than someone who's rented, in fact you're possibly worse off. Aren't you quids in if you are able to sell it at all? You have an asset, worth something, even if it's less than you paid for it, rather than "dead money" paid out in rent, so you have still managed to save some money by buying, rather than renting, surely? Unless you get yourself into "negative equity", of course, and are *obliged* to sell on a downturn, having invested more than you can afford. <em>edited by simpleasabc on 08/07/2011</em>
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 08 July 2011 - 11:38
Well, GA, the thing is, according to the Murdoch spin, Rebekah Brooks (why do I want to call her Wade?) was away on holiday every single time something dubious was going on. Of course. And being the editor meant she was in no way responsible for what her employees did, cos she wasn't there, see? No, nor do I.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 07 July 2011 - 21:54
Having led a sheltered childhood and youth, it was only at a relatively late age that I realised that it was not nicknamed "News of the Screws" because it reported the latest about prison officers.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 07 July 2011 - 11:29
I echo JHM - and it might also depend on the English teacher's choice, not all classes in the same school necessarily study the same texts, if I remember from my long-ago schooldays..
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 07 July 2011 - 00:16
OK, an Italian password? Italian children's nursery rhyme? Italian Pope? Italian opera, sculpture, city, holiday resort, food..??
simpleasabc
5400
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 07 July 2011 - 00:08
Early in the morning, just as day is dawning..
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 07 July 2011 - 00:06
Well, there is always the Georges Pompidou French school. No harm in trying them? Just because this place is skewed towards English language schools doesn't mean other good schools aren't available. We personally don't want the French bac for our teenager, but the French primary system might suit your children, at least for a year? edited by simpleasabc on 07/07/2011 <em>edited by simpleasabc on 07/07/2011</em>
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 06 July 2011 - 23:46
Apply to schools now, if not yesterday and then look at places to live in relation to schools. When you get places, you will no doubt have to pay from the beginning of the semester, but it's worth it! Do you know which curriculum you want?
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 06 July 2011 - 23:18
Sorry ladies I had my accounting head on in that cars depreciate quite rapidly unless they are vintage cars, so please accept my apologies. If you make(?) on any sale, good on you. No offense I hope? No offense taken :) All cars are different. Two years ago I bought a new car and knew as soon as I drove it out of the showroom I had lost money! There are cars like that, aren't there, but you just have to have them anyway :) (Personally, not so much, but so husbad tells me.)
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 06 July 2011 - 23:06
Good news simplesasabc Hope you do make a profit on your car but I always thought cars depreciated and quite rapidly? Good for you! Actually, moomoo, I should make it clear, I mean that compared to renting, we would make a profit over three years, if that makes sense? Some friends had a second-hand Prado they bought for AED 100,000 and were able to sell it for AED92,000 when they left after two years - to them, and us, that seemed like a profit :) Still not sure if I'm making sense here, sorry about that, but I know what I mean.. ETA: Probably got the figures completely wrong, but they were v happy. Bought and sold at Ras al Koor. <em>edited by simpleasabc on 06/07/2011</em>
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 06 July 2011 - 22:54
I've got a second-hand Ford Explorer, on a bank-loan, repayable over the 3 years we anticipate being here. At least once a month, I find a card on it asking me to call a number if I want to sell it, so I'm fairly sure we could already make a profit - at least not a loss. Much better to buy second-hand if you can get a loan, than rent, I think. Obviously, you need to be forking out a monthly repayment you're comfortable with.. Does any of this make sense?
simpleasabc
5400
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 06 July 2011 - 12:42
GEMS Wellington International School is also British Curriculum in primary, isn't it? So I think klflopster's suggestion of Gems Wellington DSO is probably the best idea - only trouble is, distance from the Palm? Doesn't one of the other new-ish GEMS schools also have places? GEMS World Academy, possibly nearer to the Palm? I would try emailing Admissions now, or even calling them, they may not yet be on holiday, some schools are waiting for exam results which they will have to distribute. (IB out today, how did everyone do? :) )
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 06 July 2011 - 10:43
Kardelen, people may have more experience than I with this, but I would suggest you should be able to get a refund/exchange on the bed. There's the Consumer Rights thing, which I can't say I've ever investigated, and also I think you should be able to return goods within a week or a month of purchase if they're not what you wanted. I might be completely wrong, and I'm sure it will be a lot of hassle, but it's worth giving it a go, no? Otherwise, buy the correct size bed elsewhere and sell the wrong one on Dubizzle?
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 05 July 2011 - 13:17
Ours has gone up to AED3,000 this month. And strangely, yes, it's the electricity which has tripled since April (the latest hard-copy bill I can find), whilst the water has gone down a little since we installed sprinklers and asked the gardener not to water where the sprinklers reach. Also, for some reason, the sewerage has quintupled..
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 05 July 2011 - 00:46
god bless our wonderful america! happy 4th of july ladies... oh tri tip and fireworks, what i would give for a little slice of home right now : ) edited by julzandrews on 04/07/2011 What's tri tip?
simpleasabc
5400
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 04 July 2011 - 21:00
If I'm not back on here tomorrow, you can imagine me still wandering round the other end of Dubai, lost..
simpleasabc
5400
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 04 July 2011 - 20:59
I've just realized today's date, Happy Independence Day, US Expat Women :)
simpleasabc
5400
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 04 July 2011 - 20:52
How do I get from Meadows 9 to near the American College of Dubai in Garhoud, please? Up the SZR and then what? Is there a Garhoud exit?
simpleasabc
5400
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 04 July 2011 - 16:22
I'd suggest getting your husband to ask his colleagues at work how they handle personal post, and take it from there. It is really hard to get a personal post office box sorted, like finding a post office in the first place would help ;) It seems the nearest post office to Meadows with boxes available is Karama at the moment, so we're making do with stuff all being redirected from Switzerland to my husband's office PO Box. It seems to be standard practice here, nobody in the offices minds, as far as I can tell.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 04 July 2011 - 12:55
maid probably cheaper then M&S meals 7 days a week! with the amazing deals they do in the uk, i doubt it! they do dinner for two, plus bottle of wine, for a tenner! That's what I just saw kelly; I was reading an article in the Guardian about it and it made me all homesick for food/laziness lol! My mother was just telling me that now M&S and Waitrose do home-made ready prepared meals that you can buy at the deli counter. Is that right (she's a bit confuzzled in her old age)?
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 04 July 2011 - 12:23
Lol! I said we both work, I didn't say we earn much money :) oh and...HAND? Have A Nice Day.
simpleasabc
5400
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 04 July 2011 - 12:22
Sorry to be a kill-joy, but apparently things have got much worse in Athens since the recent economic downturn and there are many more homeless and beggars on the streets than there used to be - and they are Greek, not Romany or Albanian. I don't know how dangerous they are, and to be honest, have never thought of Athens in terms of dangerous districts. Would reiterate Plaka and Monastaraki. Or, as I said before, elsewhere, one of the coastal suburbs might be fun :) <em>edited by simpleasabc on 04/07/2011</em>
simpleasabc
5400
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 04 July 2011 - 12:16
Get a maid. HTH, HAND.
simpleasabc
5400
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 July 2011 - 15:04
Ooh, Happy Birthday, CP :) Enjoy :) That'll make you nearly as old as wot I am :D
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 July 2011 - 15:01
Sorry, Yuzliya.S, we're watching the tennis on television. Didn't realize we'd got the sports package, this fortnight is the only time these channels are being watched :)
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 July 2011 - 13:00
It would still be kind to put a header such as "Wimbledon Spoiler" rather than naming names in the thread title, so then people who don't want to know are warned not to read it. Did I say who had won the match? It wasn't even finished when I posted so you must have found out from someone else. I saw your thread header after the match was over, and I'm speaking in general about not posting possible spoilers. Anyhow, what else would anyone understand from the header "Bye, Bye, Murray" but that the man was out of the championship?
simpleasabc
5400
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 July 2011 - 12:11
I believe if you have one of those Vee Peee Enn thingies, you should be able to watch the Beeb live on the internet.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 July 2011 - 10:22
It would still be kind to put a header such as "Wimbledon Spoiler" rather than naming names in the thread title, so then people who don't want to know are warned not to read it.
simpleasabc
5400
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 July 2011 - 10:17
Sorry, Chocs, to whom do we report the number?
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 July 2011 - 10:11
The walking pipe cleaner is Peter Crouch :D Never heard of him :) Lead a very sheltered life :)
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 July 2011 - 10:10
HWMBO just got a call on his Etisalat mobile, supposedly from du asking for his dob, account number, email address and even, I think, trying to get bank details so they could send him his bill. HWMBO told them to write him a letter as they should have any relevant information in their records.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 July 2011 - 09:56
I'd have thought the "walking pipe cleaner" was the lady formerly known as Posh Spice (not when she's pregnant), so am now even more confused than ever. Rooney and Giggs are the names which have most recently penetrated my brain wrt shennanigans.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 July 2011 - 09:53
Yes Nadal is fit! I'm not keen on his hungry bum/undie picking habit though:) Quaite :) Not a very attractive feature in a man :)
simpleasabc
5400
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 July 2011 - 09:38
I haven't done a great deal here yet, but my favourite so far has been visiting the rebuilt Sheikh Saeed House in Shindagha - the black and white photos of Dubai and its denizens in the Fifties and Sixties are fascinating. You can really see how quickly things have changed in the country since then. Amazing :) <em>edited by simpleasabc on 02/07/2011</em>
simpleasabc
5400
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 July 2011 - 01:15
Sorry, who do you think is gorgeous? I don't find either of them appealing, but Murray less so, even if Nadal is a stranger man..
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 July 2011 - 00:47
Where is Raffles, please, Mrs Mopp? My ma is being so bleaaagh about being here that I fear the Burj Al Arab afternoon tea will be wasted on her, so I might as well take her somewhere cheaper. Kempinski @ MOE maybe? It`s only 80 per person, unlimited tea/coffe, choc.fontain, decent canapes, pretty looking cakes, and scones with clotted cream, yum!! Oooh, that sounds great! Monday afternoon sorted :)
 
 
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