My First Car Accident in Dubai :(

The driving is so crazy in Dubai that you see accidents all the time. I have been here over two years and I am accident free....well I was until last week. I now join the ranks with all the others that have been involved in a traffic  accident in the UAE. I was hoping not to join that club ! You hear the horror stories about accidents and really hope it will not be you one day ( who is really to blame , getting the vehicle fixed, etc).


Clearly it was my fault. When the officer asked who was to blame I said it was me. He approached me and said, " I love when people admit they are at fault".  "Thank you for being a big girl " . Did I actually hear the office say that...." thank you for being a big girl?"
I got the red ticket.....okay, that wasn't that hard to say.


This is how it happened....


I was following a fellow on a turn when another car made an abrupt U turn and almost broadsided the car in front of me. The driver in front of me then slammed on this breaks to avoid being hit. I was too close and no place to go but hit him from behind. Oh no ! Bang ! The noise was very loud and of course during lunch when lots of people are around.


Thank goodness no injuries ....just my pride bruised a little....


To have your insurance take care if the accident, you have to have a police report and number. We called the police and waited. Tick, tock, tick, tock .... an hour and 30 minutes passed, still no police. My husband called and said that his wife had an accident and was standing on the street waiting with  strange men. They arrived a few minutes later and let me know that my husband had called about my safety. Thanks sweetie !


When the UAE police officers arrived they were very polite and insisted that I not stand on the road - he said " women don't stand on the side of a road - get into your car".
Officer Hamzah also said that part of his job as a officer of the law was to call husbands of women that have been involved in a car accident to help smooth it over before they got home. I told him I was okay,  my husband knew about the accident, but he offered three more times to call my husband after his initial offer. So sweet don't you think ? !


I was cited a ticket - handed a red piece a paper ( the person not responsible gets a green piece of paper). When it was given to me, the ticket was completely written in Arabic - "what does this say ?" I was told that it said that my fine was 200 AED ( @ 55 USD ). The officer quietly said, " Pay the ticket online and your husband will never know". I love this guy. He was watching out for me as a woman.


My car is now being fixed and the accident will soon be forgotten. I have had my token car accident in Dubai and would like to not have any others.


Overall not a horrible experience and thank goodness I had some very polite funny officers.

Two Starry, Starry Nights in the Arabian Desert

Camping in the Arabian desert is a popular thing to do on weekends in the UAE when the weather is cool.  Now is the time people camp. Families literally go a few miles outside the cities and camp, along side busy roads or any place adequate to make a fire and pitch a tent. There is room... no shortage of camping spots. The UAE has vast rolling sand dunes with space for everyone.






In the two years I have been in the UAE, I have not camped, nor have I wanted to camp in desert. No thank you ! You see, I don't like to camp, never have. If I had to rank my top five least favorite things to do, camping would rank high on the list right up there with visits to the dentist.






Two weeks ago I broke down and did it - I camped in the desert. I was with a large group of @  90 people. We traveled @ 40 minutes outside Abu Dhabi to a camping spot only accessible by walking into it or via vehicles that can travel over deep sand. We had several 4XD vehicles, including a razor but the majority of us walked into the camp site. The drivers remove air from the tires and away they go. After you have lived in the UAE for awhile you soon become a master of getting yourself out of deep sand. But no worries, if you have not mastered that skill yet, sooner or later someone comes along that does.
Not only did I camp one night but here it comes ....two night and three days. Yeah I know, I cannot believe it either. Besides being filthy by the time I got in my car to go home on Saturday afternoon, I had a layer of sand all over my body, in my hair , ears, etc. One fact with sand - the wind blows and sand shifts and swirls constantly. Becoming covered with sand is a minor inconvenience of camping.






Overall it was not that bad, actually, I would maybe consider future camping ( please do not tell my husband).




The days were hot and windy with sand blowing around but the I actually loved the solitude and quiet. No phones and electronic gadgets . At night , the stars were brilliant. The sky was amazing - the stars looked like beautiful sparkling crystal and so many shooting stars. I lost count after 20. Starry, starry nights !The night sky in the Arabian desert was the most beautiful than I had ever seen before anywhere else in the world.




Bedouin Shepherds were all around our camp day and night with their herd of camels, many times they would wander into our camp, looking for food and /or drink. One of them found the cooler with Coke Light and we soon found out that he had a fondness diet soda. We were also surprised. It was not uncommon in our three days of camping to see herd of camels surrounding us, strolling, baby camels romping in the sand or resting while their mothers stood around.




We were all together in the desert enjoying the beauty and solitude.




We slept in three sided Bedouin tents with Arabic rugs that acted as floors. Our tent smelled like live stock had been kept in it which probably would not be a stretch. When I asked about the fourth side of the tent, I was told, it doesn't matter , you wont be changing your clothes for three days. Oh well then !


The deep , deep soft white sand is very hard to walk in so we all had a no shoe weekend. Even though we are told that shoes should be worn due to the scorpions that bury themselves into the sand. Thank goodness no scorpions were spotted or stepped on while we were camping.




The last day in the desert, a herd of camels walked up behind us as we were readying ourselves to leave. One of my friends said," Debbie, look over your shoulder." Behind me were 15 + camels. One of them quickly ran up to me and reached out with its big teeth to bite me. When I jumped back out of its way, it proceeded to kick me . Down I went, right into the sand face first. I jumped up and could not stop laughing ! That darn camel even stood close behind me making a sound that sounded like it was laughing. 


I still love camels even if one tried to bite me then kicked me over into the sand. I forgive him.




Overall I would give our three days in the desert a B+. Would I recommend it ? Yes - definitely. I am sorry I waited so long to spend a night in the Arabian desert and experience the beautiful starry, starry nights and peaceful quiet days.

What Makes a Good Tour Guide, I Ask ?

Dubai, UAE has become my home away from home.


In a short two years, I have come to know this amazing, wacky city and it has come to know me. The first time I came to Dubai to take a look and see where my husband had moved us, I was terrified.


The landscape was flat (until you get way out in the desert), the roads were nothing like I had ever seen before... they twisted, they turned, and the city had incorporated speed "humps" and round a bouts everywhere. The roads made no sense and people drove at accelerated rates of speed in heavy traffic.
Plus there are over two million people in the city and it appeared that they are all out on the roads, in the malls or just trying to get around the city at the same time.


As Jeff and I drove around the city the first couple months we were ALWAYS continually lost (and yes, I cannot emphasize that enough), we had become pros at getting stuck in the sandy lots and we never, ever got anywhere on time - oh my !


There was a lot to see and do in this city and country and I decided if I was going to live here , I needed to become friends with it, best friends.


It was time to go out and conquer Dubai....one road, one section of the city, one new experience at a time.


I got my UAE drivers license and got behind the wheel. If you are afraid to drive on these scary roads, don't do it ! Driving in the UAE is not for the meek and courteous. You have to turn into a driver that you have never been before and go for it.....most important, learn to use your horn.


My youngest daughter Taeler came to visit after I had been in the UAE two months and we played and explored the city for 30 days. Every day was a new adventure. Up and out in the morning and at night we safely returned. By the time she left, I was feeling comfortable with driving and would not get lost every time I went out and could actually make it to places with and without my nifty, unreliable Garmin.


So...what makes a good tour guide ?


You need to know the city. Not only the main attractions but also the things that most tourist would not know about or never see. Go off the beaten path so to speak.


Don't be afraid to explore and get to know the fun spots, where the locals hang out, the great shops and shop owners. There is so much to experience here, such as, the souks, the tailors, the food....


Learn the facts about the city or country, the customs, religion and respect it. Don't expect it to be identical to the country that you left back home. I may not agree with the way that things are done here in Dubai, but it is their country and they make the rules.


Drive like a local. No need to say more.


Experience everything  - not just the things that interest you, but everything. Stretch yourself and doing things that you would never do. Okay....I will never sky dive ....ever !


Dubai and I have an understanding, I think we even sort of like one another....just a little. I can get around the city pretty good and only have to use my same unreliable Garmin occasionally and yes I still get lost. You cannot help that with the way the roads are set up Dubai. Who designed these roads anyway? !


Ok, no problem ( as the locals say) , you come to Dubai and I will show you around.


Come to Dubai and I will show you a city that you will never forget. Any takers ? !

Naif Jail, Central Prison and a Mass Fillipino Wedding

What do Naif jail in Dubai, the Central Prison located in the Al Awir desert and a mass Filipino wedding at the Philippine Consulate have in common ?

All three are new things that I got to experience last week ! What a week and some...

Just when you think you have experienced and seen it all in Dubai, you soon learn, that is not the case.

Unfortunately, several people in our church congregation have found themselves on the other side of the law in Dubai. One particular woman was arrested and has since been sentenced to prison because of bad debt. You ask , "why is she in prison?"....She did not make her payments on a loan and credit card as agreed. In the UAE you can get jail and or prison if you do not pay your debts.

There is one common thing everyone says about Dubai....Never, never end up in jail or prison here.

I would agree after being at both places.

When we eventually located this particular woman after a week of searching jails, we soon discovered that the conditions inside the jail are not good, they are not even marginal. The inmates are only given food and water, nothing else. Not a bed, change of clothes, toothbrush, etc.  The conditions are overcrowded and dirty. It really makes you think twice about being a good girl. The person that was with me , mentioned that a scared straight video for youth and adults could go along way if filmed from one of these jails.

I took this woman clothes and money after she had been incarcerated over a week. As I entered the the front door , I was pleasantly greeted by a man dressed in a Kandora. Not the usual guard uniform like every other person working at the jail was wearing.

I let him know why I was there and his pleasant tone got stern. He said, " too late, go home, you will not be able to see her" . "Oh come on", I said.
He asked , "Are you from Russia ?"  "No, I am from the U.S."
"OK then, you can see her."  Once again his tone became very pleasant and he proceeded to give me a number, told me sit down and wait my turn.

Tick, tock, tick, tock the time marched on.  The waiting area was dirty, okay filthy and I sat on the edge of the chair hoping not to catch anything.

Finally ! My number was called and the guard in the tan uniform and his barely recognizable English  said, "You are too late to see anyone, you will have to come back".

Really, I have been waiting a long time for my number to be called and and I was here on time, well within  the listed visiting hours.

The guard asked, "Where are you from - let me see your passport."
I gave him my passport, played a funny banter with him on her legal charge and then so nicely and quietly he said that I would be able to see her.  '
Go and be on your way through those doors and the guards will assist you," he said in a very stern voice.

Two large, scary women were guarding the big heavy wooden door with big thick metal bars and a sliding window. The jail was old, smelly and definitely could use a make over. The room next to the heavily barred door was full of suitcases that belonged to the women inmates. I am sure many of them were picked up at the airport on their way into the country.
I demanded to see the person I was visiting and the guard told me no at first. I persisted with her until she said , "wait 5 minutes."  What did that mean I thought to myself?

I never was allowed to speak with my friend but was able to see her from a distance. They brought her in to the waiting area so I could have a visual only, no talking , just waving.

The week in jail had taken its toll on her.

When she saw us, she burst into tears. Two minutes was all I got until the guard pushed me out the door and slammed the heavy door after me. Our visit was over.

Later the same week, Jeff and I drove 35 minutes to Central prison , that is located in the middle of the Al Awir desert to visit with another person that has found themselves on wrong side of the law in the UAE.
There is no place to go if you escape. Especially in the heat of the summer, it would be relentless. It seems appropriate that the jail would be where it is. More on the prison later....

The week ended with a happy event - thank goodness !

 To cap off this unusual week, Jeff and I were asked to participate as sponsors for a Filipino wedding.

Rowena and Lau are the cutest young couple and we were honored to be their sponsors.

It was a special event, @ 30 couples were going to be married at the same time on a beautiful Thursday afternoon at the Philippine Consulate. We all stood shoulder to shoulder in the small room, brides and grooms dressed in their wedding clothes, brides holding flowers, while the consulate authority had the couples face each other, exchange their vows, rings and kiss each other in unison.

Even the sponsors had a part to play in the wedding ceremony. We had to agree to support them as a married couple. In unison we all agreed.

You may kiss your bride, congratulations you are married !

Just like that  - @ 30 couples were married.

We signed as the witnesses to their wedding and we were on our way.
There was not a lot of fanfare - it was simple and accomplished the task. Hmmm...I could have saved boat loads of money if my three daughters would have been married in a similar fashion.

Our bride wanted to stand out, be different and she did. While all the other brides wore white, Rowena wore a red lace dress. She was stunningly beautiful.

When Lau saw Rowena for the first time on Thursday, he was stunned and speechless. When he could talk he said, "Rowena, you look like a brand new Ferrari ." I would agree !

It has been a crazy, interesting week to say the least. Some of these experiences and the emotion, sites and smells attached to them are forever etched in my mind.

Congratulations to Rowena and Lau ! Thank you for letting Jeff and I be the sponsors for your wedding and the opportunity to be part of your special day.

The Wacky and Wonderful - "Only in Dubai"

Dubai is quickly becoming the most recognizable city in the world. The city is filled with distinctive landmarks and it is ever evolving, always in a state of change and construction.

 

I have heard this over and over again, ‘you have to live in Dubai for at least two years to truly get it’.  
 Our two year mark in the United Arab Emirates has come and gone and I think I now fully understand that statement.

Dubai sucks you in from the very first minute you arrive; you are instantly captivated and mesmerized. As time passes and you get to know the city and country, you start to see things differently and gain a better understanding and perspective.

But it also has its quirky side, wacky things that make you shake your head and say, "only in Dubai".

The government is offering rewards of gold if you lose weight. The more weight you lose, the more gold you get - “Gold for your Load". When announced, masses of people stood in line to be weighed and measured for a chance to earn gold. Because of the overwhelming demand, the government changed the rules. Lose less weight - get more gold. What, that is so curious ....wouldn't you want to make it harder to obtain?! Of course, the public went crazy over the new rules.

People in Dubai, no matter young or old, wait patiently for elevators to come down from the 15th, 30th or even the 100th floors, just to give them a lift up or down one floor. The stairs could be very close but get rarely used.

Children at very young ages, quickly learn to operate an elevator, knowing what all the symbols mean. Our little Ellie Grace, age two, was with us in Dubai over the summer for one month, by the time she left; Ellie Grace was a master at the elevator and navigated it with ease. Little Ellie Grace is a city dweller at heart.

 Shopping is the national sport, with malls open 24 hours on holidays and special occasions as so dictated. Literally the saying, ‘Shop till you Drop’, is applied here. The malls in Dubai don't even get busy on week nights until 10:00 P.M, which also includes very young children being out with their parents until very late.

When you leave your purse, wallet, iPhone or anything else of value in a taxi, you can expect to get everything back in tact the very same day. Only in Dubai would that happen.

Street names are only now being posted in some places around this big city. You can have numerous villas or businesses on the same street with the same number which is so confusing. If one person liked the number 56 and the next door neighbor liked 56, then they both could have the address 56. Okay, that makes sense. Goodness gracious...You get around the city and give directions by landmarks, what's on the corner, closest store, what you live close to.

I have never given a proper address to anyone but surprisingly everyone seems to get to their destination.

Lateness is a given. No matter what it is ....plan on everyone being late.  Only in Dubai.

When you find yourself stranded in the middle of nowhere or stuck in sand, before you begin to despair, a complete stranger in a 4x4, most likely an Arab, will come to your rescue. No questions asked. They provide help and before you know it they have driven off before you can thank them properly.

Abandoned and sand covered cars litter the city. From expensive cars to junkers, there is no rhyme or reason; the owner has walked away and left them to deteriorate in the hot sun in the strangest places. 

When your monthly water bill is more expensive than your electricity bill, you know for a certainty you reside in a desert.

 When you are driving on Sheikh Zayed Road at the maximum speed permissible and are tailgated and flashed by a SUV bigger than yours, you know you are in Dubai. It doesn't matter the lane either-fast lane, slow lane or a crowded traffic lane-someone always thinks they should be ahead of you.

A Guinness World Record office was opened in Dubai last year. Dubai holds a ridiculous number of world records and has many more already in the works. Always striving to be the best, the biggest, the tallest, etc...I am certain it made perfect sense to put an office here. I myself am proud to say that I live in tallest residential tower in the world and the top floor has the official plaque proving it hanging on the wall.

Last but not least, when it is announced that a large canal, which will run across the city, will be built within two years thereby bringing beach front to places in the middle of the city, far away from the beach AND cutting in half the three main traffic arteries, you say to yourself, "only in Dubai".  

I love this wacky and wonderful city. There are days that it drives me absolutely crazy but I have come to realize that it is craziness that endures me to this city and keeps me interested.

Two Years In Dubai ...The Adventure Continues

It is true time does fly. Quickly...

Two years ago, one of our daughters was getting married, another was awaiting the arrival of her first child (our beautiful grand daughter Ellie Grace) and my husband and I were in the middle of preparations to shake up our lives and move to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

It is hard to believe that two years has come and gone. We have lived an adventure like none other. More than the adventure it has helped me grow and expand, change. I am a different person than I was two years ago.

My life two years ago was great. I was happy and content with the life that my husband and I were living. In my own little corner of the world, life was perfect. But now I realize that I was missing out and that there was more to life then what I was living. More people to meet, more countries to visit.

Like most Americans, we vacationed within the U.S. or right outside the U.S. boundaries. We had our usual vacation haunts...California/Disneyland, Hawaii, Caribbean or Southern Utah. All beautiful, amazing destinations, but guess what I have learned? There is more; so much more to see, live and experience outside the circle of the United States. Americans, get a passport and visit the world !

We recently vacationed in Istanbul, Turkey.  Istanbul! Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined vacationing in Istanbul. It is definitely a city that everyone needs to visit.
In a couple months, we are going to Ukraine. Ukraine - this is another country that I would have never imagined that we would have as a travel destination. The list of countries and places Jeff and I want to visit is lengthy.We can hardly wait to plan the next adventure/trip.

From the United Arab Emirates, everything is close (relative to how far those places are from the United States).  I just don't know if we will live here long enough to see it all.  

What else have I learned in two years living in the middle east ....

I have learned about the Muslim faith. The little I knew before arriving in Dubai was very sparse and not necessarily correct. It is a beautiful religion and I am impressed by the faith and dedication of its members. The call to prayer reminds me five times a day about how I need to be more dedicated to my own beliefs. If I am driving and hear the call to prayer, I love to roll down my window and listen.  It never gets old for me and I doubt it ever will.  The call to prayer will be one thing I miss when I return to the United States.

People are people, no matter your country of origin and we all want the same things for our ourselves and our family. What are they ... comfort, love, health and security. We all want to be happy.
Meeting and visiting with people from all walks of life has been an amazing experience. I would have missed out on not knowing these wonderful people had I not come to Dubai.

I have learned that I need an accent! To live and work in Dubai, you need to speak Arabic or English, but English is the connecting language. Believe me many of them say they speak English but I would beg to differ. When you need a person to translate another person's English then that is a problem, almost comical at times. Sometime I just give up and if the question is too complex ... never mind.

We have had repairmen that have shown up to fix something in our apartment and it is a struggle to understand one another. Before you know it, I am using incomplete sentences, leaving out words and speaking louder than normal. Why do I do that? Most the time the repairmen just shake their head, say "OK, OK" several times, then leave. I have learned to NEVER say "OK" back to them because it could get me in trouble if I agree to something that I do not want to happen.

More importantly, I have decided that I need an accent. First I was thinking an English accent, then French, then welsh, but my ultimate favorite is South African. Too bad I can't buy one. I would be the first in line at the store. My flat, monotone voice is not cute like everyone else that lives in Dubai.

In Dubai and across the UAE, Americans are fewer in number that most of the expatriates that live and work here. It is hard to tell a person's country of origin until they speak. When I speak, people will say, "oh, you are an American or " you are from the Americas". Then they proceed to tell me about their relatives that live in the U.S. and when and if they themselves have visited. Many people I meet or speak with want to go to the United States and cannot get visas no matter how many times they apply. I hear this a lot..."One day I hope to go to the U.S. It is my dream."

We Americans take what we have for granted. Live outside the country and you will learn to appreciate our country more than you do now, I guarantee that.

Who would have thought I would like apartment living ! Actually, I have found that apartment living suits me fine. The longer I live in an apartment, the more I realize that I do not need my big house in the United States. Jeff and I are thinking about selling our home and down sizing, sooner than later. We have a house full of stuff we never use and it is time to get rid of it. Sorry kids, if that is upsetting to you ! My good friend Kelly always says, " Before 50 you accumulate as much stuff as you can get, after 50 you get rid of it." That is exactly my stage of life. The less the better and no yard work.
Love, love, love living on a high floor. Being on the 58th doesn't seem that high anymore. Maybe we will need to go higher if we decide to move.

I have been surprised to learn that I am a beach/sea person. Now that I have lived by the sea and have a beach close enough to walk to, how can I go back to not seeing it everyday, walking along the white sand ?
Utah doesn't have a sea and beach front. Oh no, that could be a real problem. My overall love for the beach has surprised me. There is something therapeutic, calming when you are down on the beach, listening to the sounds of the sea. It seems to beckon me. When we decided to move into our apartment, one of the selling points was the full sea view. The view from our balcony is breath taking.
I know I am sounding a little strange but it is true. Alright I will stop....

When I first arrived in Dubai, everything was new, unusual and different to me. Two years later, I am getting used to the kookiness of this country and I have adjusted. Things do not seem as unusual or different as they did when I first arrived. The saying around Dubai is ..." If you fight the craziness it will eat you alive, if you adjust to it, you will thrive." I guess I am thriving.

What is life like now, two years later...
We have circle of friends that we cherish. Some of these good friends have already left Dubai, but others have come into our lives. Jeff and I have grown closer. Living 9000 miles away from home certainly will make or break a relationship. The good news is it has strengthened ours. We only have one another - that's it. I work part time (keeps me sane and out of the malls) and we have made a little home for us in our apartment in the sky. I think I have been here too long, my taste for shiny and sparkly has changed. Never liked it before but now I love it and camel encounters cannot happen enough for my liking.

The last two years has flown by so fast. We have one more year on our contract and after that will see what life throws at us. I don't think I am ready to give up this adventure just yet but thank goodness we made the decision to give it a try. We have been the ones that have benefited from this most. We needed it !