Tallybalt | ExpatWoman.com
 

Tallybalt

Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 29 April 2011 - 14:38
I just saw the queen sniffle back a tear!
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 29 April 2011 - 14:17
Kate looks like a 1940s bride. The dress is almost identical to my grandmother's wedding dress. They look so young! And I'm bawling, remembering my own wedding. Awww.....
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 28 April 2011 - 14:32
I try to cap our weekly food bill to 600 AED. This is for two parents, two young sons and one maid. This includes cleaning supplies but not cleaning equipment. It also doesn't include meals out or DH's daily lunches at the office. Shopping is mostly at Carrefour with the odds and ends and meat at Spinneys.
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 28 April 2011 - 09:03
We've always called the maid the maid. Straightforward and to the point. I don't see anything wrong with the term as a maid is someone who cleans and that's what she does. When my parents were growing up in the 1950s USA their families did have maids, who were interchangeably called the maid or the help. These days Americans who have full time help tend to call them housekeepers. Part time cleaners are always called cleaners or "the cleaning woman."
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 28 April 2011 - 08:56
Lady Maude Huckle-St. Albans. Hmm....not bad.
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EW GURU
Latest post on 28 April 2011 - 08:52
As others have mentioned, both Arabian Ranches and Victory Heights are worthwhile areas to look at if you want a masterplanned community at slightly cheaper rents than the Meadows. I wouldn't put too much hopes in finding a villa with a "nice" kitchen. In our four years in Dubai I've rarely seen a truly nice kitchen, certainly nothing like the high end gourmet kitchens you can get in the US. Most people rent so there's little incentive on both the tenant and landlord's part to spend the money on high-end cabinets and fancy tiles and countertops, even in the very expensive villas on the Palm Jumeirah. We left behind a fabulous custom-made kitchen with cabinets made by Amish carpenters and lovely Italian tiles for a very basic kitchen with slightly grungy black cabinets and 1970s style subway tiles on the floors and walls, and yes, it was hard, but as it turns out having a maid means we spend very little time in our kitchen (which is probably another reason why people are hesitant to splurge out on kitchen fixtures). The villas here, even the new ones, generally don't have the open end floorplans you find in US, rather you get a lot of poky rooms. It's actually the Arab style villas where you will find the biggest floor spaces.
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 27 April 2011 - 14:00
The three month rule is a bit awkward in many respects. Say you want to stay in the villa/apartment, you need to notify the landlord at least three months before the lease expires of your intent to remain, but how/when do you agree to the new rent amount, given that the longer you wait the lower the rents go? Our landlord has always been flexible. DH called him three months before the lease expired and indicated what he thinks we should be paying in rent, the LL always said to call back in two month's time to finalize the final rent. So it's worked out in our favor but I can see how it wouldn't in other people's favor. <em>edited by Tallybalt on 27/04/2011</em>
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 27 April 2011 - 11:28
We have a friend looking to move this summer but he specifically wants an apartment building that has a large swimming pool ideal for doing laps. The pools would need to be at least 25 meters long. I know the Fairways in the Greens has a 30m long lap pool and the Golf Towers also in the Greens has a 25 meter pool, but what are the other options, especially somewhere in New Dubai or Downtown?
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 27 April 2011 - 09:10
the main problem with ALL the Springs/Meadows villas is that they are getting old and are starting to show that age! I had to laugh. The Meadows is only, what, seven years old? But that's Dubai for you. ScSchroder: your budget is on the low end for a standalone villa in the Meadows/Lakes. 170-180K will get you a 3 bedroom + Maid's villa in the Lakes and a larger attached villa in the Springs. We live in Umm Suqeim and we pay about 170K for a four bedroom + Maid's standalone villa but with no pool (we paid 300,000 in our first year in Dubai, so it's been a very nice rent deduction!). It's not a masterplanned community with lush landscaping like the Meadows/Emirates Hills, but it's still a pleasant part of town, right by the beaches and so convenient to so many amenities and shops and malls. DS will be going to ASD this fall and the drive will be fifteen-twenty minutes. We almost moved to the Meadows as I really wanted a pool for the boys but since it will be our last year in Dubai we decided to stay put and got a hotel club membership instead. Another community you may want to look at if you want a standalone 4+ bedroom villa is Al Barsha itself. You should be able to get a nice villa with a pool in your budget and it's only 5 minutes to ASD max!
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 26 April 2011 - 16:57
If you paid the deposit in a separate cheque and it was cashed, it may be worthwhile to get a copy of the cheque from the bank to bolster your case. They will have electronic records and scans of the cheque. Your landlord is just hoping that you will give up and disappear. Don't. Go to the police and go to RERA in person. I'd speak to RERA first to find out what their recommended steps are, and follow them to the letter. It may take some time but with effort you should get your deposit back. <em>edited by Tallybalt on 26/04/2011</em>
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 25 April 2011 - 14:53
People will assume you're a muslim convert if you wear an abaya. There's no reason for non-muslim women to wear them and exceedingly few Western women in Dubai wear abayas, so you may get more puzzled looks and inquiries as to your faith than you might expect. <em>edited by Tallybalt on 25/04/2011</em>
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 25 April 2011 - 13:51
Sheikh Mo isn't listed as one of the royal wedding guests http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/royal-wedding/8469683/Royal-wedding-guest-list-who-will-be-attending-Prince-William-and-Kate-Middletons-big-day.html Only the crown prince of Abu Dhabi is attending from the UAE. Sheik Mo is going to the Do. Ask him if he can sneak you in!. Wonder if he'll wear morning dress or kandura
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 25 April 2011 - 13:29
If I were to customize DH's next birthday cake, it'd be a laptop with a blackberry on it, with mini airplanes on the corners. But I don't think he'd get the point.
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 20 April 2011 - 13:07
Jews are not forbidden. Only those traveling with an Israeli passport. Crystil, my apologies if I sounded rude. I am feeling ignorant here, as I honestly didn't think that J*wish people were allowed into this country, because of the politics of religion. Reading various things here, it seems they are, presumably it is those with Isr***i passports who are not allowed in? Or have I, yet again, completely misunderstood what happens here? edited by Tallybalt on 20/04/2011 <em>edited by Tallybalt on 20/04/2011</em>
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 20 April 2011 - 09:40
I used Carr's table water crackers/buscuits to make matzo ball soup once. It turned out just fine.
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 20 April 2011 - 08:54
Buying real estate as an investment is a minefield and you must be very, very careful about what and where you buy. You can't just buy a random apartment or house in a random location and expect to start reaping lots of profit. We've bought several investment properties in the US in the past two years but we were very careful about where we bought the properties. They are in well-established and popular neighborhoods in excellent school districts. The demographics of the neighborhoods is highly educated and moderately affluent, and our houses are ideal for young families or couples starting out, and we have the bonus of being near a major university which means there's a regular supply of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows with young families looking for safe neighborhoods and good schools. The demographics of the people likely to rent our houses are people who are educated and well-behaved, which means they are more likely to take good care of the property and be quick to notify us of any maintenance issues. We also bought an older house that's divided into apartments in a student neighborhood. This is a bit more of a gamble as the wear and tear will be much higher but the tradeoff is that we get more rent from a group of students than from a single tenant or a couple. Finally, we're committed to this for the long run. So far the rents cover the mortgages, taxes and the maintenance expenses. There's nothing left over but our plan is that in about twenty years the mortgages will be paid off and we'll have the whole value of the houses just for what we paid in in the down payment, plus any appreciation (despite the current price declines, in twenty years house values will be much higher if simply because of inflation). I would steer clear from cheaper rental properties because you're much more likely to get nightmare tenants, and condos as their monthly maintenance charges tend to be quite high.
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 18 April 2011 - 11:01
If you want a dubpex you should look at the duplex apartments in the Greens (or rather, the Views, which is the official name of the section of the Greens facing the golf course). The duplex apartments face a lovey landscaped lake and have very nice finishes, and the Greens is a pleasant and quiet community. We have friends who have a duplex in the Fairways and they're quite happy with it. The Fairways does have the most amazing pool complex I've seen in Dubai, outside of the hotels. In general luxury apartments will have much better finishes than a comparable villa.
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 17 April 2011 - 12:10
I would think a lot of the spices can be obtained in Australia? If it's dry spices you can probably bury it in the boxes of kitchen supplies. I'd be more hesitant about taking oils because of the danger that the bottles might break and leak over everything. Forget the booze. I think it's illegal to ship alcohol and odds are the shipping company won't touch it. I've never heard of people taking alcohol home, they usually have a big blowout party to get rid of it. Though I am new to this whole moving thing, I might have a couple of questions on the way.. We came here with only our personal effects and now as I see we have a big household to move. I am really terrified of the custom officials in Oz and have these weird thoughts popping up in my mind. Have just fewquestion for now. 1) Can one pack food items along with other items in the same container? I am thinking of all the rice/dals/oils/spices I've accumulated. 2) What about Alcohol (unopened and opened bottles and cans) ??? 3) Indoor Plants like the Money Plant and Bamboo shoots? Will the customs allow it?
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 17 April 2011 - 09:55
Your "private" lady is unfortunately illegal. If caught you are at risk of a 50,000 AED fine (or even more). Depending on which part of town you are living in, i use a private lade who is REALLY god, speaks fluent english and only charges AED 25 per hour and then i give her AED 15 per day for transport. She works in the springs,meadows,JVT areas and is very trusworthy and thorough. Let me know if you would like her contact details.
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 17 April 2011 - 09:05
If you fly out of Dubai the airline won't bat an eye at how much carry-on luggage you take. It's embarrassing how much we've been able to get away with far exceeding the carry-on restrictions. It's returning to Dubai from the UK or the US that they're very strict. I imagine it has to do with the anti-terrorism policies in place in both the US and UK. I remember once flying back to the US from London way back in the day and arrived at the airport, checked in and went to security screening only to discover that the airline had just implemented a one bag only policy. I was carrying a large shopping bag with the new jacket I'd bought, a small backpack and a laptop carrier. "One bag only, ma'am," the guard said. I looked at what I was carrying, put the laptop into the backpack and squeezed the backpack into the shopping bag, and was allowed to proceed!
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EW GURU
Latest post on 14 April 2011 - 11:54
It's considerably cheaper if the cat flies on the same flight as you do. If you can't get through to Emirates try calling BA or Virgin or any other airline that flies to the UK from here.
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 13 April 2011 - 08:39
DH came back from a business trip yesterday and bought eight bottles of wine at duty free. The cashier didn't bat an eye. simpleasabc, different rules apply. it is not allowed in a shipment of your personal belonging.Meaning that one can not import the vine cellar with x-hundred bottles or the collection of rare Whiskies.... however, if you travel in/out and use the regular duty free allowance you can buy the alcohol up to 4 litre wherever you like. Done this many many many times..... in fact my friend always buys 8-12 litres when he comes into DXB...and just says that they are a company of 3 people when asked....not a single time this has been an issue. Fact is....Duty Free is a GOLDMINE for the government and therefore they will not stop you buying more at the spot upon arrival :-))
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 12 April 2011 - 11:52
We just replaced one tire on my Pajero. Price was 620 AED for a brand new Yokohama tire. The place was Bridgestone(?) on Sheikh Zayed the next block up from Al Nabooda Mitsubishi dealership.
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 24 March 2011 - 10:22
But Americans are loud, no? If course it's a generalization but there's a hard core truth to it. Americans as a whole are a loud and gregarious group of people. Just like how most Americans seem to wear blindingly white sneakers whenever they travel. I'm fully aware that Americans are deserving of their reputation for being overweight even though I'm not nor are most of my friends. Generalizations aren't entirely unfair to make as long as you recognize that there are always exceptions. What? Me? Being judgemental? thats a laugh given some of the opinions being stated on this thread. It's not a judgement I am making, I just catorgorically state that the above generalization is just that: a gross generalization. Its like saying all americans are loud.
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 24 March 2011 - 09:47
Don't be so judgmental. Of course there's always going to be the outlier, the one exception to the rule. I have one American friend who "loves" Dubai, but that doesn't mean it's not fair for me to say that most Americans don't love Dubai. With this one exception my American friends are lukewarm about this place. They like their life but they don't love Dubai and will be quite happy to move on when the time comes. I think the reality is, that it depends upon where you come from, where you have possibly lived/worked abroad in the past and what matters to you in life. Depending upon how one answers those questions, Dubai could seem like a paradise...or it could seem like a nightmare....or somewhere in between. If you were born and raised in Kabul...worked previously as an expat in Harare, got posted to Dubai and love cars and cheap gas, then you likely LOVE Dubai. If you were born and raised in Canada...worked previously as an expat abroad in Tokyo/Singapore/Sydney and don't really subscribe to having brand names and doing a lot of shopping...I suspect you loathe Dubai. what a bl00dy ridiclous generalization! I come from NZ (you know, pure green beautiful NZ) worked Sydney, Dublin etc, wouldnt know a brand if it uped and hit me in the face, loath shopping, and have a true hate affair with malls, and funnily enough, despite all that, and some very real problems i have with certain things here, I LOVE living here. Hows that work in with your theory then?
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 23 March 2011 - 14:50
Bah. What was initially mutually agreed to be a three year adventure in the Middle East before returning to the US has turned into a four year stay with a 99% confirmed relocation to Singapore next year because "he who makes the money makes the decision." Oh, I'm not protesting you, I'm just mildly amused at that I've turned into a trailing corporate expat wife. I suppose I'll have to do a Freckles and put on a bright smile and make the best of it. That said, the decision to relocate was a MUTUAL one; I baulk at the phrase 'we followed our husbands to Dubai' when in my case at least, we decided, [i'>together[/i'>, to make the move. We saw it as an adventure, another chapter in our lives together, and our relocation wasn't made because DH was unable to find work elsewhere!
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EW GURU
Latest post on 23 March 2011 - 14:23
There is a slight irony in this thread. "We" followed our husbands to Dubai, no? How many of us would be here if our husbands hadn't landed jobs here or been relocated here? Some of the attitudes on this thread imply that it was the personal decision of everyone to come to Dubai when it's not really the case and there are unhappy women in Dubai who feel trapped here because it's the only place where their husbands can find work at the moment. It's not so easy for some of the "moaners" to just up and leave.
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EW GURU
Latest post on 23 March 2011 - 11:19
I am sympathetic with both sides of the argument. If you came out on a great package, have a large villa in Umm Suqiem or the Meadows, school places in JESS/Dubai College, husband works only fifteen minutes away, lots of money for brunches, nice cars, shopping, vacations, a great maid, then yes, Dubai can probably be a fantastic experience. But if you have a small package, a cramped villa in the Springs or are all the way out in the "sticks" in Silicon Oasis/Motor City, can only get your children into the mediocre schools simply because of a lack of places elsewhere, hours and hours driving on the road, a husband grumbling nightly because of a long commute to as far as Abu Dhabi, maid problems, the illogical roadways, the cumbersome bureaucracy and ridiculous laws, Dubai can easily be tiring and the grind very easily wears you out. This is especially tough on new people if they come here not knowing anyone and not being able to meet people easily. We have made Dubai work for us but the monent it becomes a grind we will leave. <em>edited by Tallybalt on 23/03/2011</em>
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EW GURU
Latest post on 22 March 2011 - 13:10
Bahrain allows part-time maids and I can't see why the practice can't flourish here. The rules for responsibility cannot change. This market is a prime target for human trafficking and they would conceal it through this and the courts would have to then start cases of the burden of proof as to whose idea it was for the person to work five jobs. They also can't change because taxes aren't paid. If they bring in tax it will change. The only reason it doesn't matter in other countries is because the g'ment still makes an income from the taxes. Hence tax evasion being the big issue. They are also making employers responsible for their maids full stop. Because while one may only focus on the human detainee issue, there are also the issues of human solicitation and, as I said, trafficking - having them work for nothing People need to understand why legislation has been formed and respect the reasoning behind it. Not just assume that the people who've made it, most of whom are both educated and have the greatest understanding of the social, political, cultural and economic situation in the country, are idiots and don't know what they're doing because we've formulated a better idea, an idea that suits our personal needs better.
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 22 March 2011 - 11:18
Probably the best way to get rid of bedbugs is to throw away your mattresses. That's what we did when we found a few bedbugs underneath our mattress. I called National Pest and they said that with the mattress gone the odds of having any bedbugs left in the villa was minimal. They offered to send someone out who would do a bedbug treatment but if they found no evidence of remaining bedbugs they would do a general pest treatment, and that's what happened - the man came out, inspected the bedroom, said he couldn't see any bedbugs left and did just a general pest treatment spray. It was probably to our advantage that we caught the bedbugs early because the research online indicated that the typical bedbug colony is about 150 bugs, but I don't think we had any more than twenty bedbugs. Six weeks later, new mattress, no bedbugs (and I did buy a special mattress cover that seals the mattress from any pests). As it is, National Pest was the most responsive of the pest agencies I called. If they find bedbugs they will do a multiple step treatment process spread over several weeks.
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 21 March 2011 - 12:00
Almost all my friends in the US have help of some type. Cleaning women, baby sitters, nannies are fairly common especially among upper middle class Americans. My mother's cleaning woman has been coming in since I was ten. I have two sisters and of the three of us I'm the only one who doesn't work and I'm certainly not begrudging them their cleaners and part time nannies. A maid in starched uniforms is generally consigned to the dustbin of history in the West, but it really was not that long ago, certainly within living memory of older people, that servants were commonplace among affluent families in the West. Although we don't have "maids" anymore we probably still have the same amount of help in various guises. To use as an example, most of us don't have cooks but we eat a fair amount of takeaways and eat out far more often than the people who employed cooks fifty years ago did. Hi, Just thinking out loud but I wonder how Western places would look at us with maids in say the US or UK or Australia? My sister thinks it's wrong we had hired help here in the Middle East, that we were taking advantage, is it one of those things that should remain in the Middle East and not be re-introduced to other places in the world? Sorry I don't know about Australian immigration laws, I have a hunch it will be tough though.
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EW GURU
Latest post on 21 March 2011 - 09:23
Ramadan is not religiously observed in Turkey, especially Western Turkey. It'll hardly be noticeable especially in the beachfront towns and resorts. July in Salalah( Oman ) is said to be great too .... just another option ... might be cheap too All of August will be Ramadan though so it might be a bit too quiet and dull in Salalah then. Oh gosh, I hadn't thought of that! Turkey was quite high on our list!
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 20 March 2011 - 11:46
Thanks for the advice, ladies. I called the garage and told them to go ahead. 750 AED isn't much money and it's better to be safe than sorry.
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 20 March 2011 - 11:11
Update: the dealership said the brake pads are a consumable and therefore not covered by the warranty. Does this make sense?
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EW GURU
Latest post on 17 March 2011 - 11:48
Most cans in the typical corner shop are between 50-70p for a can. The only places I paid a pound or more were in train stations or airports or major tourist destinations. Coke has always been exceedingly cheap in the UAE. It's much cheaper here than in the US as well. As for eating local produce, I have to say that quite a lot of it has a funny and even bitter aftertaste. I stopped buying local broccoli because it always had a bitter aftertaste, compared to the relatively clean and sweet flavors of Spanish broccoli. And what about all the Coke brands ? + 50% since January 1st, I was shocked, cans are now 1.5 aed instead of 1, with the coke drinkers at home, bills keep rising ! It's unbelievable that they could indeed increase 50% in 1 shot. but they have been 1 AED forever! a can of coke in the UK is about a pound? or more??! about 7 aed!
Tallybalt
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EW GURU
Latest post on 16 March 2011 - 17:39
Part of the problem may actually have to do with your fridge. We replaced our fridge a year ago and the new one has a much better cooling system and it's impressive how much longer our produce, including lettuce, last in the fridge. Spinneys and Organics do have better produce overall, but most of Carrefour's produce isn't bad. They quite often get produce flown in from France and occasionally have a fabulous selection of mushrooms. In general I avoid produce from the region in favor of European produce (Spanish broccoli over Iranian broccoli). For the past two months Carrefour has had a very good selection of imported lettuce at excellent prices which has lasted a week in our fridge. I have tried to save money by shopping at C4, but every time I buy produce there it goes bad in two days. The apples are always bruised, no matter which C4 I visit. What is the secret to getting good stuff, C4 shoppers? edited by FrancieBrady on 16/03/2011
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EW GURU
Latest post on 16 March 2011 - 14:31
Carrefour is always going to be a lot cheaper than Spinney's (NYCDoll, I buy Rachel's organic yoghurt at Carrefour). The prices for dry goods and packaged goods are better at Carrefour. I get to Carrefour at promptly 9 AM when it opens so there's usually lots of fresh fruits and vegs so the produce picking isn't bad either. Prices for cheese and dairy products at Carrefour are also excellent. We consume huge quantities of reggiano parmiggiano and it's half the price at Carrefour compared to Spinneys. I go to Spinneys for the meat and pork products, some of the produce and for a few special packaged goods such as Waitrose's canned organic tomatoes. Waitrose, however, does have slightly better meat. Once a month I stop at Organics market for the chicken. NYCDoll, that's interesting, I buy all the household basics in Spinneys, as well as food, maybe I should try Carrefour for those. Does anyone know whether things are cheaper still at Geant? edited by Tallybalt on 16/03/2011 <em>edited by Tallybalt on 16/03/2011</em>
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EW GURU
Latest post on 16 March 2011 - 12:24
It is ridiculous and it can be done much cheaper. You must do your research online and talk direct with the airlines. In general if the cat flies on the same flight as you, it's much cheaper and goes as excess baggage. But if you are flying separately, you need to basically pay the price of a ticket for the cat plus associated expenses. Hi Green queen - am going to be relocationg to nairobi too in Sept - i asked moveone to help me take my persian kitty home, but its gonna cost me a whopping 7000aed - is it worth it?
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EW GURU
Latest post on 16 March 2011 - 11:48
Whole Foods has two stores in London but I've heard they're struggling. Certainly they haven't expanded operations as much as the company initially hoped for. I enjoy Whole Foods but I like Waitrose better and I think that's the reason for WF's lack of success in the UK. There's already Waitroses, plenty of organic produce at Sainsburys and Tescos and all the small markets. Yep, it all sounds about right...I hate when people back home assume living in Dubai is cheap, like we are lording it up over here. Some things, like having helpers is cheaper than back home. And gas is cheaper. But really, food is more expensive here, going out is more expensive-think of what you pay for a drink..or even a diet coke at a hotel bar. And also the pampering stuff i find to be the same price as back home if not more expensive here. I used to get a non funghal pedicure/manicure for 20 bucks, 15 bucks if it was monday-wed. Thats like 80 aed? Whereas here I pay 80 for just a pedicure and its often not that great because the person doing it has no licenses or training... hehe - my FiL was in awe of the Waitrose supermarket here, and went as far as to say "ooo, this puts the UK stores to shame!"... I just couldn't help myself and replied something along the lines of "are you kidding?! A third of the range that's in the UK for twice or 4 times the price?! Don't think so!" For me it's also about being able to trust what you buy. It seems to be getting better here, but still... don't get me started on chicken breasts! Oh how i miss good chicken and meat that doesnt taste gamey! I know what you mean, your FIL would **** himself if he went to like a super walmart or a big whole foods. We've got lovely supermarkets in he UK... and lovely farmer's markets, organic markets... everything. /cry more don't forget, good manicurists...no fungus spreading :) <em>edited by Tallybalt on 16/03/2011</em>
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EW GURU
Latest post on 16 March 2011 - 11:20
Three adults (including the maid), two toddlers and two cats: we spend around 750-800 a week on groceries. We get one takeaway a week and one dinner out a week. Out of curiosity what are people's weekly grocery bill? My household is three adults, a baby and dog. I would ay we spend 500-650 weekly, on average. edited by NYCDoll on 16/03/2011 <em>edited by Tallybalt on 16/03/2011</em>
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EW GURU
Latest post on 16 March 2011 - 11:17
You should try going to Carrefour for most of your shopping. I keep our budget under control by buying most of our food at Carrefour and the prices really aren't bad. There's loads of lovely French packaged goods as well and I find the cheese counter to be better than Spinneys and with excellent prices.
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EW GURU
Latest post on 16 March 2011 - 11:15
Oh no, Trader Joe's quite cheap. Whole Foods is expensive (Whole Foods Whole Paycheck). I would love to have a TJ here. Trader Joe's is really expensive in the USA, so can you imagine how much it'd be here? edited by AnonDubai on 16/03/2011
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Latest post on 16 March 2011 - 09:14
The US has been tightening up visit visa requirements rather severely and there's very little chance you will get a visit visa for your maid to the US. It's possible, but probably not worth the effort. We looked into taking our maid home with us last summer but at the end of the day I decided I didn't want to deal with the visa process AND have to worry about her absconding while in the States (she is a wonderful maid, by the way, but when you take a maid to the US or the UK there's no telling what they might to in the land of "golden opportunities").
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Latest post on 15 March 2011 - 15:53
Only if you're resident of the UK or an EU country. Residents elsewhere have to go through their local ticket sellers. There's an email for the UAE.
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EW GURU
Latest post on 15 March 2011 - 12:01
A lack of awareness? This country has no problems importing highly paid consultants by the tens of thousands to advise them how to do everything, western style. Buid a city overnight? No problem. Build a successful metro line in a few years? No problem. But when it comes to safety and road awareness, so many locals just somehow just cannot connect the dots between a child loose in a car and a child flying through the windshield in a crash? It does not take a rocket scientist to figure this out, especially as this does happen often in Dubai. The west learned about road safety and seatbelts the hard way because we had no one to tell us, but that's not the case with the UAE. It makes me really angry when i see kids running wild in moving cars, especially when mum & dad are buckled up in the front! Selfish idiots! It's nothing to do with being a) selfish or b) idiots. It's to do with lack of awareness and education. People seem to forget that in all western countries, there has been over 40 years of hard hitting educational campaigns with regard to car safety and seatbelts. This is only in its infancy here. So before you call someone selfish idiots perhaps look at the whole situation first.
Tallybalt
654
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 15 March 2011 - 11:30
The US embassy has just advised all expatriate families of embassy staff to evacuate Bahrain. We are hoping to move in August and wanted to get your opinions. I know most of you are already there, so I'd like to know how you feel about things - quality of life and political situation, mostly. If you had the chance to do it over again, would you choose Bahrain again? Thanks!
Tallybalt
654
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 14 March 2011 - 08:54
We get along reasonably well enough...as long as we don't talk about politics, which is quite hard as she's very liberal and was a political activist in her early days and a successful lawyer for a liberal law firm. In other words it's hard for her to keep her mouth shut, while I'm much more conservative. She is well mannered but I do know that in an ideal world her son would have married another liberal progressive, or at least another high achieving woman. But I'm happy to be a housewife and I have no desire to climb the career ladder (although I'll never let her forget that I scored higher on the SATs than DH did and had a higher college GPA). I'm sure she did initally view me as DH's rejection of her and what she stands for, which is ridiculous for DH loves her very much and wouldn't change a iota of her character. It's taken her a while to come to terms with me but there's now respect between the two of us, so we're well-behaved around each other. She does love her son and grandsons, which is the most important factor. <em>edited by Tallybalt on 14/03/2011</em>
Tallybalt
654
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 14 March 2011 - 08:34
I did an online google search and the only reference to a HSBC blue premier card is....ta de dah...this thread. Does one even exist? I love these threads. Helps me realize it's not only me that has these totally bizarre encounters in Dubai. I nearly lost it when I went to the movies at MOE this week. I saw an HSBC price so I asked, "If we pay with our HSBC card, do we get a discount?" The man said yes, two for one. Buy one, get one free. So I pulled out my credit card and he said, it must be premier. So I pulled out my premier card and he said, "No, the blue premier card." As I didn't realize there was more than one premier card, I clarified. "So we don't get the discount if we use our HSBC card?" He said, "Yes, two for one. Buy one get one free." Now I thought I understood that we didn't get the discount, but now he says we do. So I clarified again. "So we *do* get the discount if I pay with this premier card?" And he said, no, only blue premier card. So I said, to clarify, "So we don't get the discount?" "Yes," he said. "You get a discount. Buy one, get one free." We didn't get the discount. But how do I get this blue premier card? edited by guinness on 14/03/2011
Tallybalt
654
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 13 March 2011 - 08:37
I imagine it's more of a hassle to try to sort out an arrangement with the bank than moving.
Tallybalt
654
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 10 March 2011 - 15:53
You think any store in Dubai is going to pay its staff 18% bonuses? The Waitroses out here are not owned by John Lewis. The stores are under the Spinney's umbrella and Spinneys bought the right to use Waitrose branding and to receive Waitrose foodstuff. That's why the Waitroses out here are essentially identical to Spinneys but at slightly higher prices.
 
 
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