interviews in dubai

[kjames]

well my emigration plans are slowly taking shape. i've booked my flights to dubai and have lines up my first couple interviews.

its all very exciting, although going to have to sell my bike before i go and i'm not sure if its a good idea getting one once i'm out there.. i keep reading forums about mad drivers in dubai, jumping redlights seems to be the norm.

in my mind, i quite fancy either another SV or a BMW 650 dakar for a little of desert fun.

has anyone got any advice on either dubai or emigrating... theres loads going through my mind at the mo... renting out my house, do i use an agency? do i get a buy to let mortgage or leave as it is.. what about mr tax man. storage of stuff.

then all the dubai based stuff,.. finding a house / flat out there. buying a car / bike.

anyway, any emigrating based advice or dubai based experience would be great.

[x5uds]

You don't want a bike over there mate. Driving is fast and they don't care.

Buy a Quad and have some serious fun off-road. :twisted: :lol:

Are you going for work or just moving for the hell of it?

[kjames]

for work and just for the hell of it... so that means i've got to find a job out there, rather than being transferred with y company (who don't have offices out there)

it seems pretty busy out there at the moment (i'm an architect so will throwing up shopping malls, apartments and villa) so feeling pretty hopeful

i must admit i've heard some horry stories about the driving out there, but i will really miss my bike if i dont get one out there.

i might get one just for social rides rather than trying to commute on it everyday... although a quad sounds a good idea.

k

[Stig]

I really wouldn't think of buying a normal road bike out there. There just is not anywhere that you would be able to ride it. All the main roads out of town are covered in sand dust. The inner area's are not much better and they are indeed lunatic drivers. As has been said, get yourself an off/on road bike.

[kjames]

yeah beginning to think that myself. bmw 65o dakar??

tried one for size at alley pally, and it felt quite tall definitly sit on it and rather than in it.

k

[TC3]

In your shoes i would definatly have done my research and already have answers to the questions u have asked which are not bike related, before booking the flights!
I am an Architectual Technician while my wifey is an Architect and the firm we work for has designed several schools and hospitals out there. Good move mate as there is plenty of work out there for you and good pay as u prob know cos they need good Architects out there.

[philipMac]

A mate in work is Egyptian... which is not Dubai, but, according to him you dont want a bike out there. Really not a good idea for all sorts of reasons, one of which is that everything gets abraided and worn to bits by the cts dirt and sand.

I was talking to him a lot about living there. Its wierd... it sort of seems vigilantism is normal and reasonable. The cops are ... emm, not completely straight up. If you are driving a Merc or similar you are fine to do whatever you like. (Not Lexuses though :? )
The whole deal with women is odd. People can just decide you are looking at a woman inappropriately, and beat you down.

For some reason, there are very differant rules for westerners...
Then there is he deal with drink.

Shudder. Yeah.

Good luck mate. What are you doing out there anyway?

[kjames]

i've done most of the research but was after more of a personal view.. like i know technically i should change my mortgage to a buy to let... but in reality does anyone bother (if its there only house).

same with an agency, had quotes and it works out about £150 a month, again i know its a good idea as i'll be a long way away if things go wrong.. but thats a lot of money for doing nowt :) anyone got good \ bad experiences of letting agencies

tax man is a bit of a grey area, and i need to look more into that.. as far as i can tell. as i going to be out of the uk more than 6 months of the year (will be 11months) i dont pay income tax,.. not sure about what happens when i try to bring savings back into the country.

The flights are just for the interviews and a bit of a look around.. i figure you need to show your face before they'll take you seriously.

and then the most importany bit... what bike do i get when i get out there :D

[Stig]

Then there is he deal with drink.



The drink thing is really not THAT much of an issue. You can, as a westerner, drink. However you are not allowed to consume or be under the influence of alcohol in public.

Hotels have bars and things. But you wont find any pubs or communal drinking holes.

[philipMac]

"Dubai's Palm Project Boom town
Dubai is the fastest-growing city on earth. Could it become the most important place on the planet?"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1708287,00.html

might be worth a read...

[kjames]

Buy a Quad and have some serious fun off-road. :twisted: :lol:

Are you going for work or just moving for the hell of it?

was chatting things through with the missus last night and i said, "oh i wouldn't mind a quad bike while i'm out there, that'll keep me out of trouble"

missus," oh yeah, like the one rick mail and ozzy osbourne had..... NO!"

end of that idea then.

Thanks for the attachment phil, i'll have a read of that.

k

[kjames]

Fly out on thursday night... manage to line up 10 interviews, with various sized american, uk and aussie architects practises... 3 days of interviews and one day on the beach. its all looking good.

only downside, after being knocked off my bike, the first words out of the missus mouth 'thats it, your not getting a bike in dubai'

watch this space, so we'll have to see if i wangle one..

k

[Stig]

Best of luck :thumbsup:

[TC3]

Good luck with the interviews and am sure you will have a pick of the jobs!

[wheelnut]

There was a job advertised in MCN to work in a bike shop in Dubai, sounds like the best of both worlds. :P

saddles sand and shariya law :D

[kjames]

There was a job advertised in MCN to work in a bike shop in Dubai,

i'd be in heaps of trouble if i came back from dubai with a job in a motorbike shop... although it would solve my 'missus wont let me a have a bike problem' as i think i'd be single again :shock:

[will]

well....how did you get on karl?
i'm getting excited by my dubai thing as well....