Hey you guys,

I arrived in Dubai about 6 hours ago, and my driver wasn't at the airport to pick me up.
My company had the day of my arrival mixed up)

Anyways, I'm standing on the street outside the airport, and I offer some stranger $20 if I could use his cell phone for 2 minutes.

This guy would not take my money, and even offered to drive me to Abu Dhabi for free.

Talk about helpful!

I'm like "Don't be silly", He's like "I don't mind, I'll drive you if you want, do you need money? I can give you some money too"

HAHA

Anyways, his generosity just floored me and I had to tell you guys about it.

Dubai to Abu Dhabi is a 90 minute drive.

So I thanked the guy for the use of his phone and took a taxi to my hotel, He was very offended when I tried to give him the $20.

I've been coming here 2x a year since 99, and I still can't get over how friendly and helpful the people are.

Yes, I know, I'm a chronic, it's 3am, and here I am typing on this forum from the business centre, hahaha.

When I left my house it was -27, when I hit the street, it was +30, ahh warmth, it feels so good!!!

Tomorrow I am sleeping in, and then gorging on umbrella drinks while I lounge by the pool.

Later amigos

Habibi

 

sounds good, more people should be like that.
wish it was like that here....

 

I don't know about Dubai but I've been told in Saudi Arabia if you left your wallet on a bench, it would still be there a week later.... untouched.

Have you been to the Burj al-Arab??

 

I had nothing but positive experiences in Dubai & Abu Dhabi, UAE as well even as a US service member. The patience and friendliness of the business owners made the visit memorable. Taxi drivers used the meters and didn't try to scalp the naive like some did in Bahrain.

Not much scenery between Dubai & Abu Dhabi is there?

 

See there still are good people in this world
Don't know what you are doing there Habibi, but be safe and get your *** home quick!

 

See there still are good people in this world
Don't know what you are doing there Habibi, but be safe and get your *** home quick



i second that!! be safe

 

Whiskey Tango said,

I don't know about Dubai but I've been told in Saudi Arabia if you left your wallet on a bench, it would still be there a week later.... untouched.

It might have something to do with that annoying cut off the hand thing

 

dbarbee, you are right,

There's not much to see between Dubai and AD, however, the highways here are perfect. If I lived here, I would own a L, perfect roads for it.

Fast Gator, my mom said the same thing to me.
As a matter of fact, 2 days before I left, I had dinner at her place.
When I was leaving, she practicly grabbed me by a leg as I was leaving, and begged me not to go. It was an awful site.

I told her, don't watch too much CNN, you will get brain damage.

Today is a beatiful day, I'm well rested, and ready to go have some lunch (breakfast)

Maybe after I will go down to the market and haggle for some fake Rolex's.

I'll snap some photos and put em up when I return.

Later fellas and thanks for the concern.

Habibi

 

Dubai? What were you doing in Dubai?
Haggling at a market?
The human shields flew directly to Bagdad.
First you miss the flight, now this.

I'm beginning to think your heart isn't in it, Habibi.

 

MMMMM,nnaahh, could be...........

 

My son in the Navy (nuclear attack subs) got me a HardRock Cafe/Dubai T-Shirt when he was there...not everyone has one of THOSE, I can tell you.

RE: Human Shields. Read a news story saying many of the human shields are coming home because instead of being sent by those jolly Iraqis to stand in fron of hospitals and schools, were sent to oil wells and radar bases. What's the saying...fool me once....

 

If Fake Rolex's is all your after, you could have saved some flying time and money and gone to New York City. Hell you might even be able to get some "real" gold chains for $5.00

 

Human Shield? Me? Ahaha
Everyone know Habibi lacks the moral fortitude to be a human shield.

I really am a selfish sumbich at times (especially when it comes to my precious life)
If I was driving somewhere with my wife, and we were hijacked, I would be pleading "take her, please don't hurt meeeee!"

Haggling for goods in the market is not an event, it is a sport. I enjoy it.

It does get annoying getting constantly harassed by the sellers in the market, but it can be a lot of fun.

"My friend, my friend, come come come, you like to buy Rolex, or Cucci? What you like?" (said with a Pakistani accent)

I normally offer these guys 10% of their asking price, and then work up a little from there.
I bought my wife some beautiful gold ear rings in the shape of an elephant, practically got them for nothing.

Gold is plentiful and cheap here (if you haggle properly)

I saw some tourists from NZ go about it all wrong.
They ask "How much for this bracelet?" The dude says "$850 USD"

SO the guy from NZ says "that seems a little high"
Goldseller says "Ok my friend, for you, I make special price, only $800 today"

Right away the guy buys it and winks at his wife.

Doh!!!

I'm staying here:
http://www.millenniumhotels.com/mc/h...sp?hotelId=130

Cheers
Habibi

 

Haha, I was gonna offer that advice, but ya know when i started to think about it, most people would rather take their chances in the middle east on the eve of war than venture into The City....... I know cus most of my friends (and family ) would have rather gone for a root canal than visit me when i lived there.

Oh well...

 

My friend, My friend, please, please, pictures of Burj al-Arab hotel......