Whos leaving soon
 

I'v noticed a few people mention they are leaving soon :( - Hello Kitty, Spugsy- anyone else? and can I ask why and what your plan is?

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

how strange! was going to post this as well! I am here for the foreseeable :)

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

great minds bluecat!

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

well, I'm not sure that 18 months is "soon"!

It was always our plan to go back for DD's (our eldest's) schooling, with a bit of a hiccup along the way when, after jumping through the redundancy hurdles and emerging the other end, we considered staying for longer... a case of "just one more wafer-thin year"... but no, we both feel going back is right.

We will have been here 4 years by then!

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

I am staying in Sana'a:blink:

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

April probably. Just need to sort out the final contract negotiations this afternoon.

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

I'm staying!

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Tonight. But only for a week. Then for 2-3 years, after which I'm trying to engineer things to work in China.

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

I'm off......... to Spinneys for nibbles for lads night tonight

crisps

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

Probably 18 months time (end June 2012).

Can't keep 'topping up' the contract every year.

Looking forward to going back to UK (yes that is what I said), but am sure there are things I will miss, particularly the sunshine, oh yes and the money

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

I'm the same - looking forward to going back... but in a funny way, it's also made me consider everything that we still haven't done here! Better get my skates on!

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What kind of things do you still want to do?

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Ethos, I'm gutted - I thought we were going out for a beer in July? Anyway, good luck - is this for the job you don't really want?

As for me... I think, like Bhataboy, I'll be going somewhere else before I go back the UK.

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

Gosh... there's still so much to see in the region!

We're quietly ticking off various things from our list, but I'd still like to visit:
- Jordan (Petra, especially)
- go back to Syria (but I don't think that's going to happen)
- Muscat and Salalah
- Liwa
- Hatta Pools
- camp in the dunes (the Kittymobile is too rubbish for sand)
- Bani Yas
- the various waterparks (kids have been to young up until now)
- a boozy Dubai brunch (So far, I've either been pregnant or have had babies in tow, which just isn't done!)
- set foot inside Rattlesnake.

What else would you (collective) suggest as being the Must Do Before You Go?

So far, we've gone to
- Al Ain zoo
- Fujeirah
- Mussandam and the dolphins
- Damascus
- Burj Khalifa
- Dubai Fountains (of course)
- lots of lovely restaurants
- yacht cruise around the palm (shortly)
- beaches and parks (of course)
- the Cultural Breakfast (very good)
- dhow cruise,
- Bastikiya (sp?!) and the abras
- the textile souk in Karama, gold & spice souk (of course)
- Big Bus Tour
- cheesy but fun dinner and entertainment in Al Hadheera (Bab al Shams)
... there must be more, but hey...

So, what's missing?!

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

We'll be off as soon as we can get our Oman visas sorted out. Dubai has been fun but Muscat suits us better.

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

Were you going to spell 'who's' correctly though?

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

Lease runs out in October so probably leave around then, looking like Singapore is an option but we shall see.

Certainly not back home.

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

I was just testing to see if anyone would notice smartarse!

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

:p

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A night in Diggers, just let the dust settle here in Bahrain first though. Highly recomendable!! :cool:

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

The only place in the UAE I would even vaguely class as "memorable" has to be Jebel Hafeet. The views near the top are even better than those from Taif in Saudi Arabia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jebel_Hafeet

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

Christ - My only memory of that place was how rubbish it was (including that fly covered crappy hotel!)

Go to Liwa if you want to see something truly breathtaking.

I know I am 'the idiot abroad' but I'd also give the Hatta Pools a miss too. Unless you like swimming in green water with litter.

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

The Grand Mosque in AD
Kids Park in Sharhma

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

Oh yes, I forgot about that... done it! Such a shame about the graffiti though.

EM, yes, the Grand Mosque is also on my list... have never heard of the kids' park though. Duly noted.

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

http://kidsparkuae.com/en/info.aspx?id=1

the kids love it as they get to touch and feed the animals... mostly baby goats, weird chickens, camels etc but there is also a tiger cub you can torment too.

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

Prob in a few months.

Don't want to leave after 6ish years here. My projects are coming to an end and although I can get other jobs in the UAE no bother with other companies, I have a good job and career with my company who is the market leader in what we do.

If we leave, it will be either for singapore or home..

Hopefully we can stay, there has been enough 'change' lately for us.

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

:(

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

Everyone leaves eventually , it's quite easy for me as i work in an industry which is project based so it isn't difficult .

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

Definitely leaving now. Agreed on a package...er...salary much better than originally offered. Will report to work on the first working day of May.

Now I only need to sort out closing down my life in the UAE. Get rid of the car, close out the bank accounts, empty out the flat, arrange a carrier to take my cat to London, book the farewell brunch, say goodbye to my friends and all that.

Oh, and yeah, tell the company I'm handing in a month's notice. Tomorrow should be fun.

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

Ethos- What car have you got and do you do a special deal fro BE members?

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The big mama Pajero, Arabian Ranches housewife model. But it doesn't come with the baby spit stains and a gazillion biscuit crumbs.

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

So what brought this on?

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

Long story short - quasiheadhunted for a position at a company in London. One of those anonymous outfits with a corporate office in the city and a bunch of subsidiary companies elsewhere. At first wasn't appealing but the salary was attractive. Series of interviews - position grows more interesting and additional responsibilities are added to it. Negotiated a much higher base salary. Next thing I know - I'm off to London.

It's been three years in the Sandpit for me. I wouldn't mind doing another expat gig someday, preferably in Asia, but it's time to return to reality and get a grip on life, settle down, find a girl and get all that sorted out first.

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

So youll be leaving in one month Ethos? :( You will be missed-we shall have to find someone else to take the piss out of! I am sure Millhouse will come and wave you off at the airport!

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we should rope everyone in to a Farewell Ethos booze-up! Well, in moderation. It'd be nice to say a "hello-goodbye"...

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we should Kitty- fab idea- but I dont know if Ethos would grace us with his presence? we could have it fancy dress- dress as posh as possible ;)

Ethos will you come out to play before you leave us? pretty please?

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

well, maybe he would if the farewell party was entirely in his honour... and I'm sure we could find a red carpet...

Re: Whos leaving soon
 

Congratulations, everything happens for a reason :)