Re: Going to Dubai
^ No, no, its perfectly acceptable, the skimpier the better....
Re: Going to Dubai
firenze dear you think too much of yourself:chai: that american passy of yours has gone to your head:chai:
Attitude for those who show attitude, so now move out if you have nothing to add !
Yup American/EU license holders can drive rental cars. I don't know about Abu Dhabi but Dubai public public beaches had plenty of swim suits but it also had abayas and shalwar kameez and saris! That's the beauty of that place do whatever you feel! Photography is prohibited in public beaches though so that women do not feel uncomfortable. Beaches also have ladies only days. and ladies only sections. I don't live in UAE but I visited for an extended period and had a really awesome time!
^^ Thank you , that kind a list i need from the actual people living their. Otherwise guides are available, i confirm with local UAE consulate here, American License holders can drive car their. So i might rent a car !
Thanks indeed for your time !
wearing swimsuit (gf) in abu dhabi is against local law? Correct !
Yup American/EU license holders can drive rental cars. I don't know about Abu Dhabi but Dubai public public beaches had plenty of swim suits but it also had** abayas and shalwar kameez and saris**! **That's the beauty of that place do whatever you feel! Photography is prohibited in public beaches though so that women do not feel uncomfortable. **Beaches also have ladies only days. and ladies only sections. I don't live in UAE but I visited for an extended period and had a really awesome time!
Looks like a nice diverse cultural place, photography prohibition is normal and can understandable !
That’s so not true! Traveled to Dubai with both an American passport and a Pakistani one. You are Definately treated better with an American passport even if you are of Pakistani origin. This time traveled with some relatives from Pakistan especially young males and those with Paksitani passports got lengthy investigations while the American passport had no line, my sister even over stayed her Dubai visa and there was no trouble or penalty. I’ve heard people with Indian or Pakistani passports who over stay are given lots of trouble.
I am not saying its better but Arabs are suckers for anythign western.
Aisha dont think too much of yourself. I dont know how and why living in Dubai has gone to your head. Please stop defending Dubai whenever and wherever someone rightfully criticizes it. I sometimes wonder if they’re paying you to make up the stuff you say.
Dubai is a potempkin village with the architecture of a modern city but the mentality of a tribal colony. Some people (ahem ahem) are so lost in the glitz that they start to forget how much the locals hate them.
YES nationality does matter. Friends and family on Pakistani passports have been harassed. I’ve been lucky enough to only been hassled.
That's so not true! Traveled to Dubai with both an American passport and a Pakistani one. You are Definately treated better with an American passport even if you are of Pakistani origin. This time traveled with some relatives from Pakistan especially young males and those with Paksitani passports got lengthy investigations while the American passport had no line, my sister even over stayed her Dubai visa and there was no trouble or penalty. I've heard people with Indian or Pakistani passports who over stay are given lots of trouble.
I am not saying its better but Arabs are suckers for anythign western.
Hopefully people will come out from Utopia, Dubai is just another city, but certainly not better then any Western classic city !
That's so not true! Traveled to Dubai with both an American passport and a Pakistani one. You are Definately treated better with an American passport even if you are of Pakistani origin. This time traveled with some relatives from Pakistan especially young males and those with Paksitani passports got lengthy investigations while the American passport had no line, my sister even over stayed her Dubai visa and there was no trouble or penalty. I've heard people with Indian or Pakistani passports who over stay are given lots of trouble.
I am not saying its better but Arabs are suckers for anythign western.
I can confirm that. I had never been to Dubai when I had a Pakistani passport.
Now that I live here and travel quite a bit, I have gone through Dubai immigration quite a few times. And on some occasions, immigration officers have shown some weird attitude before seeing my passport. And when they do see it, they suddenly become much friendlier. I hate these kind of suckers.
Re: Going to Dubai
Hey you know. I've lived in the west most of my life, but I think the UAE (not just Dubai) does offer something unique. I've traveled extensively through Europe and the UAE and other Gulf Countries offer and experience of the east that is missing in a lot of places. Most countries in the middleast are riddled with strife, ethinic violence etc. For me UAE offeres something I can't do in Pk, as I've never lived in PK as an adult I've never been allowed to drive a car there, go to shops alone go out partying etc. But since UAE is so safe one can get an eastern experience but not have to worry about saftely. I think for people from all the troubled countries that I meet on my viists its a little oaisis of clam.
Anyways l,ike I said I don't like there, I've visited for 2 or 3 mts at a time and find the place to be totally unique. Are the Arabs who run the joint A-holes, YES! but are they offereing you an experience like no other? I'd also say YES to that!
Re: Going to Dubai
I will keep this thread updated, it will serve as Dubai for first timers..
Just got a call from travel agent on confirm flight.. here i come Dubai !
Re: Going to Dubai
From a tourist perspective. Was there in Nov 2008. Travelled on U.S passport. No trouble but immigration lines were long.
- How will be the weather? It Was nice in october - t shirt and jeans. Nights were pleasent.
- Any good thing to see except, roads, sky scrapers, malls ? - jamiera beach was nice. white sand - warm water. Right by the Burj. Also it was nice to see how they implanted alantis right out of the bahamas into Dubai. Plam Jameira was nice. Loved seeing the architecture
**The last thing I wanted to do was go to the malls after 13 hours of flight. I stayed outdoors. Sat in sand. went to beach. went to mountains in Oman, went up to drive in jabel hafiz (mountain drive in al ain (a hour away worth seeing)
3) Any Museums, cultural, religious sites? The best one I saw was sheikh zayad mosque but was in Abu dhabi Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates pictures from middle east photos on webshots**
**
**5) Whats the Kharacha (money) apart from hotel for three days, mid/splurge ??
Food was pretty cheap - I would say $50 dollars a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
excursions cost more - if you rent a boat, or do a desert safari
You can book those things in advance
Do the desert safari in morning - or else you’ll be melting with the car in the middle of day
SKIP wild wadi water park (overrated and old)
- Whats the best way to go around, hire a taxi, public transport, subway???
We had a car. There was a monorail being built - don’t know if it’s completed yet. Gotta warn you though the traffic signs are majorally confusing! They have no concept of north, south, east, west. Maps are crazy too. We were lost about 25% of time in Dubai
Mix of Arab and USA. They are basically implanting a six flags, a universal studios which I am sure will have a mosque and prayer areas. mA!
**I hope you have a good time. I sure did.
**
Re: Going to Dubai
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Re: Going to Dubai
OH GOOOOOD I HAVE THE E GATE CARD:rotfl:
benefit of being a resident of dubai 
no need to wait for long lines at terminal 1
plus the ladies are so sweet at the immigration at both terminal one and two…
at terminal two they just look at my sweet emirati looking face and let me right through:blush: after stamping my passy:chai:
Re: Going to Dubai
^ I believe it has less to do with you being an "emirati resident" and having some facial resemblence to the locals - which again is very common for pakistanis; and more to do with you having an e gate card. Hoards of south indians are emirati residents, and you are well aware that these folks have separate lines for 'GCC nationals' i.e. locals, one line for 'Diplomatic passport' and rest of the lines for "Other Nationalities". E gate card is a convenience, and nearly ALL frequent travellers have them.
Re: Going to Dubai
jaanwar.. i wear an abaya and sheila.. i literally look like an emirati.. i speak emirati style arabic.. not that i am an emirati resident:chai:
now u are comparing me to south indians, greattttt:rolleyes:
oh and also i have the added advantage that i stayed in kuwait for 15+ years so i can go through the GCC nationals line…
i have pakistani origin card:chai:
and a british passy 
so i am all advantaged at the moment:chai:
and yeah btw not all south indians look emirati:chai:
i look sweet and nice so thats why they let me through easily 
and yeah not all pakistanis look emirati.. specially those that dont wear abaya and sheila.. thank you so very much!
Re: Going to Dubai
Sorry again, but I've seen plenty of south indian women wearing abbaya and sheila - and funny part is, a lot of them actually are emiratis (married to locals). So they are much more privilaged than those dressed up like the locals. So unless you are married to a local or granted an honorary nationality by the royal family, it puts you in the same shoes as the rest of the world.
I could be wrong, but I believe you have to have a GCC passport to go through the GCC nationals line - perhaps that is why it is called GCC 'Nationals' line. I know people who have lived in GCC for decades, yet are not as privilaged as you apparently are.
And your British 'passy' places you in the 'other nationalities' line. Alongside those 'less privilaged'.
PS: WOW! you have it made.
Re: Going to Dubai
lol this is all talk …
trust me i know if i am privileged or not…
take care fellow uae resident:chai:
Re: Going to Dubai
^ and that tells me why you have been bashed in the very same thread earlier.
Re: Going to Dubai
yeah well what can you say i am an easy target:chai: and right now in no mood of arguing. i am doing something really important right now for my job. job and uni comes first right now:chai: