Has Dubai/Mideast fever gripped your family or desi social circle yet?

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Re: Has Dubai/Mideast fever gripped your family or desi social circle yet?

I lived in Bahrain from 1975 through end-1980 during my posting at UBL....and we really let our hair down with that quiet and small 250 sq.miles Island where the traffic was low....a few select parks and Beaches to spend our Fridays....and family gatherings each Thusday night....and then drive to MUHARRAQ area near Airport for fresh juice or doodh-pattee chai.

In 1997-98-99, my business visits took me to Bahrain several times...and it was horrifying to see a deluge of cars at BabAl Bahrain area.....where, back in 77-78....were hardly a dozen or moe cars. PLUS the nigh clubs and all that nonsense and the price hike...really dazzled me.....

NEXT.....it was DOHA-QATAR which I found the BEST place to live in the Gulf. A very good Pak community and all very quiet and smooth. No family fights and no politics amongst wives....just work and weekends and Fridays.....at Parks and beaches or Ummul Hasan...the mountain area where we use to slide on sand dunes. Economically well balanced and affordable fun for everyone. I was there from 1981 to 1984-Nov.

**UAE... I am glad I got posted at ABU DHABI and not Dubai...!!! UAE during 1984 to 1991...was mesmerizing. We had created a SILSILA group of eight families and use to spend last weekend of the month at some place like HATTA, ALAIN (Ainal Fayda and Jabel-e-Hafeet areas), SANDY BEACH MOTEL-Khorfakkhan or HILTON Resort-Fujeirah or UMMULQUWWAIN...or JEBEL ALI HOTEL.....where we had bar b q and singing and dancing. All family members...kids and parents were totaly involved. **

Normal weekend visits from Abu Dhabi to Dubai (1.50 minutes drive was normal) and from Dubai going to Sharjah and Ajman for PAANS was about 30 minutes straight drive.....

SHINDAGHA tunnel and underpasses were then also.....and the land mark was Deira's CLOCK TOWER and ABUDHABI's Volcanic Fountain.

Since 1999 I have been visiting UAE both; on Bank's business and for shoots at least three to five times a year.... and from past three years I find visiting Dubai as sickening!

DUBAI to SHARJAH to visit my neice near Buhaira Corniche...took me 2 hours to reach of which only an hour and fifteen minutes from Clock Tower to Ramada and AL Mulla Plaza and then Sharjah Road......took the time which in our days took 10 minutes on cruise of 120 by car.

Within DUBAI....going from Deira to Bur Dubai is a journey like Karachi to Hyderabad :)

The prices have skyrocketed and BURJUMAN is a killer....with huge profit margins....plus everyone in Dubai seems runnng....like in UK..and on the contrary....ABU DHABI is still mellow and quiet and sailing smoothly.

DUBAI has also adopted to certain "traits" to promote economy which is astonishing!!

KINDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA......I have never lived there but have visited umpteenth times on business, Umrahs and Hajj (I did Hajj in 1977 from Bahrain) and i find that place most convenient to live, learn and yearn. It has set standards and has rules which are made to follow....not only on books that is...!

Price hike has been in KSA too but what you earn balances it and still leaves a good cash in your pocket. That's not in Bahrain, UAE and QATAR.

All in all........the GULF countries of yesteryears with their traits and open opportunities...do not exsist for ASIANS any more......and quite distinctly the BRITISHERS, GERMANS, AUSSIES, and AMERICANS have an upper hand....as first class citizens while we are back to the struggling stage...after having enjoyed the FIRST CLASS CITIZEN status and NOT MAINTAINING IT DUE TO OUR OWN ATROCITIES!!!!!!!

Khush Rahein.........

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