aftershavedave
Well-known member
something i read in the observer:
oman = for travellers
dubai = for chav-ellers
oman = for travellers
dubai = for chav-ellers
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Dubai, why do people go on holiday there?
- Thread starter Herr Tubthumper
- Start date
I lived in Dubai for 6 years. It's very hot.
Mrs Coach said:
Lots of interesting things to see in Tunisia: did the trip to where Star wars was filmed, fascinating place.
Best bit was the dawn camel ride in the Sahara - one of the best experiences of my life. I wore an Arab head-dress, wrapped the scarf around my face and watched the sun rise of the dunes and felt like Lawrence of Arabia...without the buggering afterwards.
Gully
Monkey in a seagull suit.
I spent some time in Qatar in 2004, sounds a bit like Dubai but on a far smaller scale, it was fairly pleasant but on the whole had the appearance of a large building site. The capital is Doha, this is spread out over a massive area, plenty of good restaurants, souqs for shopping...but that was about it. Think the country rose out of the desert in the last 20 years, built on the back of the oil industry, will probably recede back into it when the reserves run out.
Nibble
New member
- Jan 3, 2007
- 19,238
I spent two weeks in Dubai a few years ago, stayed with friends, visited animal breeding centre in desert, camped in desert, great beaches, alcohol available. I thought it was better with friends but if you have lots of money you can stay in Luxury, tasteless luxury though, everything is made from gold.
Mtoto
Well-known member
- Sep 28, 2003
- 1,858
Haven't been for a few years but will be back there in a couple of weeks so I'd better try to be positive...
I'd say Dubai is a great place to go for a week if you fancy something different, but any longer than that it and it starts to grate. The weather's fantastic (in late March, anyway, which is the only time I've been there), the desert scenery is fairly spectacular if you get a chance to get out there, some of the architecture along the creek is also pretty striking.
Oh, and the Wild Wadi Water Park is bloody great.
I'd say Dubai is a great place to go for a week if you fancy something different, but any longer than that it and it starts to grate. The weather's fantastic (in late March, anyway, which is the only time I've been there), the desert scenery is fairly spectacular if you get a chance to get out there, some of the architecture along the creek is also pretty striking.
Oh, and the Wild Wadi Water Park is bloody great.
Lush
Mods' Pet
Sounds like a shallow minded place for shallow minded people. Depends what you look for in a holiday though I suppose.
Gully
Monkey in a seagull suit.
Exactly, every man to his own, if you are into lying around on a sun-lounger by the pool, being brought your drinks by an underpaid third national (as people from the Indian Sub-Continent are referred to in the Gulf region) and a hotel where opulence is seen as the by-word for taste then that is fine, not really my preference.
- Jul 7, 2003
- 47,645
I went there about six years ago, before the major building explosion.
It was nice enough, but if you're looking for an authetic taste of the Middle East, then you're in the wrong place. Very commercialised, and I think the shopping is MASSIVELY overhyped- there's nothing there that you can't get here for a vastly different price, except gold.
The beaches are lovely, although I gather a lot of Jumeirah beach is now roped off privately for the hotels.
It's nice if you go inland a bit. Go on a desert safari, a bit of dune bashing in a Toyota Landcruiser followed by dinner in a camp. When you're miles out in the desert, the complete darkness and sheer number of stars visible is awesome.
Overall it was quite entertaining, the scale and vision of some of the architecture projects is incredible. Probably wouldn't go back though (1) you can see everything there is to see in a few days and (2) the huge number of footballers apparently making it their second home is becoming ever more offputting
It was nice enough, but if you're looking for an authetic taste of the Middle East, then you're in the wrong place. Very commercialised, and I think the shopping is MASSIVELY overhyped- there's nothing there that you can't get here for a vastly different price, except gold.
The beaches are lovely, although I gather a lot of Jumeirah beach is now roped off privately for the hotels.
It's nice if you go inland a bit. Go on a desert safari, a bit of dune bashing in a Toyota Landcruiser followed by dinner in a camp. When you're miles out in the desert, the complete darkness and sheer number of stars visible is awesome.
Overall it was quite entertaining, the scale and vision of some of the architecture projects is incredible. Probably wouldn't go back though (1) you can see everything there is to see in a few days and (2) the huge number of footballers apparently making it their second home is becoming ever more offputting
Mendoza
NSC's Most Stalked
I stayed there for 10 days, really liked the place. Its not as expensive and exclusive and they want to make out it is.
Its really cheap for food, accomodation was pretty good for a cheap price.
Where else in the world has a massive indoor ski slope attached to the side of a shopping mall, you can go to debenhams to shop, then step outside and go skiing in the snow, whilst outside its 40 degrees
If you go you have to go 4by4 jeeping across the desert. Everywhere is miles apart form each other, but taxis are cheap.
Its really cheap for food, accomodation was pretty good for a cheap price.
Where else in the world has a massive indoor ski slope attached to the side of a shopping mall, you can go to debenhams to shop, then step outside and go skiing in the snow, whilst outside its 40 degrees
If you go you have to go 4by4 jeeping across the desert. Everywhere is miles apart form each other, but taxis are cheap.
- Jul 7, 2003
- 47,645
Gwylan said:No ambitions of snaring one to become a footballer's wife then, Edna?
I'd fail the WAG Induction Test.
I have a brain and a job.
Tom Hark Preston Park
Will Post For Cash
- Jul 6, 2003
- 72,380
edna krabappel said:I went there about six years ago, before the major building explosion.
It was nice enough, but if you're looking for an authetic taste of the Middle East, then you're in the wrong place. Very commercialised, and I think the shopping is MASSIVELY overhyped- there's nothing there that you can't get here for a vastly different price, except gold.
The beaches are lovely, although I gather a lot of Jumeirah beach is now roped off privately for the hotels.
It's nice if you go inland a bit. Go on a desert safari, a bit of dune bashing in a Toyota Landcruiser followed by dinner in a camp. When you're miles out in the desert, the complete darkness and sheer number of stars visible is awesome.
Overall it was quite entertaining, the scale and vision of some of the architecture projects is incredible. Probably wouldn't go back though (1) you can see everything there is to see in a few days and (2) the huge number of footballers apparently making it their second home is becoming ever more offputting
I suppose Dubai does serve a purpose in that it relieves trashy footballers and traders of their unearned income and has a trickle-down effect into the third world in that those Asian workers who don't actually die due to a complete lack of safety standards can send money home to their families.
Wouldn't want to go there tho, other than as an Emirates stopover on the way to somewhere decent.
- Jul 7, 2003
- 47,645
Lethargic said:
Not much fun if you're a woman either. Women aren't even allowed to drive.
Shut it. All of you
Gully
Monkey in a seagull suit.
Qatar was OK, fairly liberal by Gulf standards, but the whole country was being built up by Indians/Sri Lankans/Bangladeshis and as mentioned above the building sites did appear to lack any real attempts at health and safety. I had great respect for the blokes working out there, for a pittance, and in temperatures that could be over 50C in the middle of summer.