MrsHaps

Writer - Brian Reade
At last Dubai's rich'd its limit

"At last some good news coming out of this global recession.

dubai, that gaudy theme park adored by ever loud, perma-tanned, bling-drenched Considerably-Richer-Than-You bore you've ever stood next to, is going bust.

The oil's run out, banks are going under, property prices are slashed, and thousands of ex-pats are doing midnight flits back to Britian, to avoid facing jail for defaulting on loans and mortgages. Wel hally-frickin-loo-yah.

I've never visited the place, mainly because, after speaking to the types who live and holiday there, I'd rather spend a month in Josef Fritzl's cellar.

You kow the ones: They'll put up with 50 degree heat, no freedom of speech or culture in the middle of a desert, so long as they pay little tax and have slaves bring chilled chardonnay while bragging down the phone to "the mugs back home" that Jordan's been spotted on the next man-made island.

A mate who's worked there described it as a 'grotesquely characterless hole, full of smog, cranes, soulless malls and smug ex-pats slagging off Britian for 'going to the dogs'. Well who's coming back to the land of the dogs now eh? Dubai could turn out ot be the saddest testament to the man-made greed which fuelled the worst depression for a century.

And its epitaph would read: "If a places sounds too good to be true it probably is. Especially if Jim Davidson lives there"".

commander

Absolutely agree with every word of that. I've never seen so many asshole stuck up scrubbers per square foot anywhere else in the world than Dubai, jumeriah, umm Sequim.

When people view a maid as an 'essentail' then they are either losing whatever grasp of reality they once may of had, or have unbelievable delusions of grandeour.

Or in laymans terms, become complete expat wife freaks.

Back to Croydon now missus, your tesco job awaits..

admon

Mrs Haps - I'm surprised you let him talk about you like that..

Brian Reade that is..

NorthernLad

I'm not disputing some of what he says, but admitting "I've never visited the place" puts him firmly onto the Dubai Bashing bandwagon.

commander

Na MrsHaps is a geordie. Practically a Scot

Nic1

I too agree with a lot of what he says, but I do also feel you can only slag off Dubai if have lived there or still do! It's a bit like 'I can call my sister an alcoholic loonie, but you can't cos she's not your sister".

Have to say tho, at the risk of being hung, that the long-term ex-pats as I see it are not returning to UK in their droves broke and in debt - they are getting new jobs, moving to an other Gulf country etc. I think it's the Johnnie come latelys who are scarpering.

Now going to hide in my bunker . . . .

N

littlejimmy

The Jim Davidson bit made me chuckle.

Jim Smith

Mr. Davidson appears to have gone to ground since some of his ex's done a dump on him?? Or was it the tax man?

commander

Agree nic

Hello.Kitty

I wonder if it gets to a stage in ex-pat-dom where you actually can't go back to Blighty - not physically can't, of course, but because it's so far removed from what you remember it to be that it'd do your head in... and you've got a bit too used to your new lifestyle!

I know my parents are like that - after 20 years in France, they have condensed into "more British than the British" ex-pats and can't help but be aghast every time they set foot back in GB.

coffindodger

But more to the point how many can Afford to move back to the UK.!!!!!

Nic1

quote [ I wonder if it gets to a stage in ex-pat-dom where you actually can't go back to Blighty - not physically can't, of course, but because it's so far removed from what you remember it to be that it'd do your head in... and you've got a bit too used to your new lifestyle!

I know my parents are like that - after 20 years in France, they have condensed into "more British than the British" ex-pats and can't help but be aghast every time they set foot back in GB.] quote


I think there is some of that about it - I don't think we will go back to UK after so long, not because we are aghast at the place but because I really can't bear the cold and wet!! We'll end up somehwere warm, probably in a small shack on a beach somewhere! It would be really hard to go back now - not because of the lifestyle here but because I actually like being an ex-pat. I've wanted to live 'abroad' since I was about 8 - always thought it would be hugely glamorous . . . . It has been for small moments of time I guess, but generally is pretty normal.

But, I also think that those who've been here a while have less debt, and have wider networks to call on if a new job is needed. This is a small place and the longer timers know more people perhaps? Or more people who are helpful ?

I think ex-patdom is a state of mind to some extent, some people come overseas knowing they will go back and so keep their head in that place, others leave without a backward glance and have their head in the not returning place. Not sure that makes sense ? But we know long termers (20 years plus) who are or have gone back and had always planned it that way.

Anyway, a bit of a ramble sorry, off to TGIF's for an alcoholic-free early dinner - nothiing remotely glamorous going on here just now!

N

MrsHaps

I wrote an email to that Brian saying that i do agree with some of what he wrote but he really should visit the place to make a real judgement.

I got a reply, they want to hear about my experience in Dubai.... hmmmmm sell my soul to pay my debts...... nah!

Blue Cat

do it !! you got nothing to loose! just don't use your surname and you should be fine !!

MrsHaps

hmmmmmm nah, somethings are just better left in your closet! Dont fancy having everyone we know what a financial mess we got into and still trying to get out of! Dont mind her quoting me but dont fancy my face splashed across the newspaper and more big headed people saying YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS, YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT bla bla bla.....