You've moved to Dubai! It's a new place! A new beginning! A new adventure! Yadda, yadda, yadda. Okay, here is the lowdown on what you need to expect before you come to Dubai.
It's both exciting and a bit scary. Here are 9 things that only make sense to people living in Dubai.
1. No taxes
If you're an expat, chances are you were enticed to work here in the UAE when you learned that there is no income tax. It has always been a popular destination to move to for a tax-free life — for now.
2. A friendship assembly of United Nations
You will miss home, but once you are accustomed to the Dubai life you will develop new friendships from people all over the world. No matter the ethnicity, language, customs and traditions, every single time you meet your friends, it would feel like an assembly in the United Nations.
3. Evening brunch. Yes. It's normal.
Most other cities in the world do brunch during the early portion of the day (because they are normal). Over here in Dubai, we love brunch so much, that we also make time for it at night. Enter the evening brunch.
Instead of getting out of bed early on the weekend, you will most likely do a brunch at a fabulous rooftop venue with 180 degree views over Dubai's twinkling skyline. That includes bottomless food and beverages.
4. Underwater zoo and shark diving inside the mall
Where else can you dive into a giant 10 million litre aquarium and swim with Sand Tiger Sharks? Only inside The Dubai Mall, my friend. This once-in-a-lifetime experience is totally safe with a Dive Master and instructors in each group of up to four visitors. You don’t have to be certified and can be as young as 10 years old to explore the collection of fish inside.
5. Blooming flowers in Miracle Garden
The whole place is a massive garden in the middle of the desert. Its beauty and grandeur is breath taking enough but to think of how all those flowers bloom to perfection in this kind of weather is another mystery. You will see flowers everywhere growing on bicycles, trains, carriages, and now on an Emirates Airplane. The place is such pure bliss.
Season 5 of the Miracle garden is now closed for the summer.
6. People go nuts when it rains
Rain in the desert makes everyone go wild. Everyone would get so excited that you’d think there’s a street party. Some jump in puddles, others just walk to get wet under the rain, drivers would stop to appreciate each drop, and Dubai’s skyline becomes even more spectacular.
7. You can't just use addresses
Unlike back home, where you definitely have a specific address in a uniform order, its different here. Street numbers are a cause of confusion. As such, every building is marked with a description, and landmarks are relative to reaching a destination.
The same goes if you wish to have something delivered to your doorstep. “Do you see the green building near the metro station, my friend? Okay, my building is behind that building.”
8. Lost items are returned
FACT: The UAE is the second safest country in the world. You can literally walk the streets of Dubai in the middle of the night without any fear of being mugged.
Lost cash is bad enough, but losing your mobile, cards and IDs is a disaster. Usually, if you leave any of these items in a cab or store, expect the driver or the staff to almost always return it. You can find it right where you left it or at least retrieve it easily with the help of the Dubai Police – yes, with all the cards intact.
9. Ordering food at past 3:00 in the morning
24-hour food delivery is a concept which was inspired by Dubai’s night owls. Just call or order online with hundreds of menu items that will satisfy your cravings even in the middle of the night.
Source: via GIPHY
