Dubai

Axe_meister

Looks like I'm going to be in Dubai next week for work.
Never been before.
What to do in the evenings?
What to wear, i.e. are shorts and T shirts acceptable when out in public?
What is general office attire?
Do Taxi's/Hotels/bars take Amex?

stickyfiddle

I'm up the road in Abu Dhabi. It's a bit hot at the moment...

Evenings is much like anywhere else - dinner, drinks, clubs (if you want - not my scene!), shopping (malls are open till late here), even skiing if you fancy it...

Out and about you're fine wearing anything really. Shorts and t shirts absolutely finest places though some restaurants don't like shorts & flip-flops (anything that could be considered beachwear, basically)

Office wear is much like the UK - depending on where you work people wear anything from jeans up to full suits. I usually wear a suit but my shirt sleeves get rolled up by 10am, the jacket hangs off my chair, and a tie stays in my desk drawer unless I have clients visiting!


Taxis usually won't take amex but most should take mastercard/visa. Hotels and restaurants are more amenable.

I'm happy to give food recommendations if needed! Where are you going to be staying/working?

octatonic

44 during the day down to 33 at night.
That is properly hot.

stickyfiddle

Wind chill of 55C today. Yes, that's fifty-fricking-five.

Still better than London

Everywhere's got A/C so it's fine. I barely notice it and still spend half my life wearing a hoodie. Bit hot for the beach though. 

octatonic

stickyfiddle said:

Wind chill of 55C today. Yes, that's fifty-fricking-five.

Still better than London

Everywhere's got A/C so it's fine. I barely notice it and still spend half my life wearing a hoodie. Bit hot for the beach though. 

It is a balmy 26 degrees here in Oxfordshire.

Bygone_Tones

Axe_meister said:

What to do in the evenings?

If you were thinking of watching the flintstones, forget it.

Axe_meister

I'll be working at the EMC Alpha building hopefully staying at the Marriott on the sea front.

stickyfiddle

Ok, that's a nice area. There's a great curry place I can recommend if you fancy.

The dancing fountains at Dubai Mall are a good watch every half hour in the evenings - right at the base of Burj Khalifa. 

Axe_meister

Should I do the usual things like avoid salad that could have been washed in tap water to avoid a runny tummy

stickyfiddle

Axe_meister said:

Should I do the usual things like avoid salad that could have been washed in tap water to avoid a runny tummy

If you're worried, or often get sick on holiday, sure, but I've never been particularly careful and never got sick from restaurant food in the 3.5 years I've been out here. It's much safer than most of asia.

Worth specifying "local water please" when ordering at a restaurant - it'll always be bottled but the local stuff costs about 10% what they'll charge for evian or san pelligrino!

joneve

Don't expect much from the Airport. It's needlessly massive, full of prick shop owners and very little clear signage about terminal and gate links and tannoy announcements - we nearly missed our connecting flight to Australia because of this. 

The place has put me off ever going back to Dubai at all. 

stickyfiddle

joneve said:

Don't expect much from the Airport. It's needlessly massive, full of prick shop owners and very little clear signage about terminal and gate links and tannoy announcements - we nearly missed our connecting flight to Australia because of this. 

The place has put me off ever going back to Dubai at all. 

When were you there? T1 is recently refurbed  and really quite good now. Staff are usually very helpful. 

Axe_meister

All booked staying at the Marriott Harbour hotel with Marina view.
Two bed suite. 
A nice tally of air miles and this trip will get me to gold status on Marriott rewards.
Free bar here I come ;0)

stickyfiddle

Sounds good. Miles & hotel points are awesome if you travel a lot. I'm an IHG man... 

Let me know if you have a free night in Dubai - would be good to have a mini-Fretboard meetup in the Middle East!

Axe_meister

Will do but there will be bunch of us out there (could be dangerous on the party front)

Troy

It's worth doing the desert safari whilst there.

stickyfiddle

Desert safaris are good fun but it's really very bloody hot out there at the moment...

joneve

stickyfiddle said:

joneve said:

Don't expect much from the Airport. It's needlessly massive, full of prick shop owners and very little clear signage about terminal and gate links and tannoy announcements - we nearly missed our connecting flight to Australia because of this. 

The place has put me off ever going back to Dubai at all. 

When were you there? T1 is recently refurbed  and really quite good now. Staff are usually very helpful. 

November 2013 on the way to Australia. We had to change terminals which was not clear at all. And they don't (or didn't) announce flights/gates for other terminals, so we had no idea that our flight was boarding. 

badlydrawnbanjo

The best thing about Dubai airport is being able to get a chicken Big Mac from Mc'D's!

Axe_meister

Well I got here. Decided to go to the bar on 52nd floor.
ehhhhhhh a bit of a fanny fest up here I'm the only bloke in here.

stickyfiddle

Axe_meister said:

Well I got here. Decided to go to the bar on 52nd floor.
ehhhhhhh a bit of a fanny fest up here I'm the only bloke in here.

Half are probably there "on business"...