Umar Pirzada a.k.a UTP: Dubai

Qualified UAE Driver...

Sun, 22 Jul 2007 17:13:46 GMT

Yes people...its done...the Dubai Blessing...the hurdle...the money extracting sponge is DONE and OVER WITH...I have passed the driving test....

It is one of the most desirable and most difficult to achieve thing in Dubai these days...not to mention the money involved... I have cleared the test in my second attempt...Alhumdulillah and what a relieved guy I am...only I know...

For the benefit of everyone...I ll summarize...the process and money involved...

For people holding a license of their country...they have to get it attested...from the respective consulate of their country here...and they will have compulsory 20 classes for training....if no license then 40 classes...before u get a test.....date

Each class costs from 50 to 60 AED....and if you like own timings classes..it can go up to 80AED....so you can see its no small deal financially...

for first timers..u hve to give a parking test, a signal test...and a road test....for old timers...only a signal and road....each test costs its own fees....

If you fail the test....extra 7 classes and the test fees...around 500AED everytime ufail...and a one month's wait...also...

But not to worry....with confidence and a few pointers from your trainer...anybody can clear the test...it takes dedication thats all...

Anyway....not planning to jump towards buying a car...have to weigh my options...budgeting etc...lots to think about...but at least ONE STEP AHEAD now...Alhumdulillah...

VVrrooom!!! Vvrrooom!!

Dubai ETC

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 17:34:58 GMT

SALIK ....anybody who is DUBAI or in the thereabouts would know what this means....

This is the new TOLL that has been introduced in Dubai which will charge AED 4.00 for every time you cross a specific place...these have been installed at 2 places at the moment and only God knows how many they would install. So much for being a tax free zone ...they are heading towards extracting as much money as possible from the people...

Considering 80% population is Ex-Pat a lot of the money earned is taken outside the country...not good...they ve realized now...so up go the rents...and license for anything is difficult to get and you spend a certain amount before something is achieved....its not the same Dubai as it was a few years back....

But anyway....i am sure no one is going to name their kids SALIK for a while in DUBAI heheh...cos it has only increased the traffic problems in Dubai... Iam still in the process of getting a driving license...after failing once...still wondering...whether i m doing the right thing...I guess I am...as my manager said today...if you plan to stay for a longer period...you need a car...and hence the license...

Anyway...hadnt blogged for a while...cos have become part of the routine...enjoying work a lot so that keeps me busy with late sittings hence tired...when i get home...

Have got TV installed that is...dish installed...we get 300 ARAB channels hehhe....7-8 are watchable and understandable...but its better than nothing....i ll get cable installed once I move to a more settled place...this place is quite temporary ....all is dependent on the car it seems...

The next post will be on the state of the art NEW HQ that is being made...for our company...ITS AMAZING...deserves a seperate post...

thats its for now...more later...

Dubai

Tue, 01 May 2007 18:00:29 GMT

I just had to start somewhere about Dubai and how it has been for me over the last two months so here I name this post as DUBAI.

The last time I came before moving to Dubai was in September last year when I came for a few days for the interview. It was HOT then, it is HOT now so not a lot has changed...heheh...Although when I came here this time for good, the weather was fabulous. Its only these last few weeks that its getting hotter getting closer to the TRUE climate of this region.

Anyway, weather has never been an issue for me...so I ll move on from the stereotypical stuff hehhe...

Alright so a valid question being asked by pretty much everyone I talk to these days....How is LIFE in DUBAI?

If there was one word for me to define life in DUBAI I would say ummm....ITS-ON-YOU (hehhe....smartie...)

Yes thats how it is. I have met different people with different approaches to their life. It depends on priorities. Some people have priorities back home and hence earn the big buck here and send it home. Others enjoy the high standard of living (read spending) and they have their handsome salary packages to back that up. I see a lot of people other than from India, Pakistan and Philipines who enjoy the tax free mode of living here. They are able to save more than living back home as there are no taxes.

But overall its usually some plan. I dont see a lot of people who are here to settle for life. Majority are here to make the big buck either for a few years or lots of years. Not many plan to stay here forever. Its a good region to work especially if you join a good company. The economy is booming and lots of roads being developed. Every industry is booming starting from real estate to IT to automotive and manufacturing etc. Even microbiology and other specific fields are developing. The best indicator is the banking industry which is going crazy with competition. So overall its a good place to invest in for your future.

You see people from all over the world here but mostly India, Pakistan, Philipines. Everything in Dubai has to have a "-EST" in it. Be if biggest, largest, first, fastest etc etc. Its a trend to be the next guy who did the FINEST....in whatever field. For example Emirates Group is creating their new head office which will be the biggest office in the UAE, the highest 7 star hotel, the highest business tower etc etc.

One has to really appreciate the vision of the leaders here. The history of Dubai and hwo it has grown from a desert with a business scope for pearls has a lot to do with the vision the then leaders had. This has been carried forward by teh family. Although there is no real culture aspect over here. Its not possible to have a unique culture with 85% of the population being expats. The locals do have their way and lot of them are fluent with urdu/hindi other than Arabic. Its amazing how they have let people come in and adjust/settle.

Majority of your expenditure goes to housing. Its going crazy with the rents here. A studio apt can cost from anywhere between 2500 AED to 4000 AED and that is just a hall. More rooms can go up to 8000 AED and I havent even touched the posh areas. Its just going crazy. Other than that the expense is not that much. It also depends on what standard of living you want to live but one can manage in decent salary once the accomodation is taken care of. People usually share rooms, apartments etc especially bachelors. I have also heard families sharing apartments although doesnt settle well with me. In worst cases I have heard of 32 people living in one big hall also. Thats the worst case that I heard. Lots of people live in Sharjah and drive each day to work in Dubai. Thats a popular strategy even though that means a lot of the day is spent driving. That is actually read as spent stuck in traffic.

Traffic is a big issue here. There are more and more cars coming on the road everyday. Getting a car here is real easy and the loan rates are great as well. So the government has made the driving license process more difficult and costly as well. It can cost 2500 AED easy to get one but that is only if you clear it in the first attempt which usually doesnt happen. For every next attempt add 500AED more. You have to take 40 classes compulsory from a driving institute and then you go for a test. Luck counts and of course the tester's wife's mood also for the day heheheh....

Life without a car in Dubai is difficult but not impossible. There is a lot of walk involved and of course public buses arent bad. Taxis get real expensive for regular travel. The Dubai metro is going to be big development. With the train going all around Dubai, it should solve a lot of traffic problems but this materializes by 2009. By then no one knows how the traffic will be controlled. There are planning to increase something or the other for maintenance of a car to stop people from maintaining 2 or 3 cars.

I will post more on the good things next time. It aint all that bad really hehhe....