More ayes than nays for UAE teenagers

Dubai: He probably doesn't mean it because there are many who would disagree. Remember that famous Bryan Adams rendition: "I couldn't care less if time flies by, 18 till I die ... ."?

Well, he definitely couldn't be singing that about teenagers in the UAE. According to the law, you need to be at least 21 years old to be able to obtain a heavy-vehicle driving licence.

So if you are a teenager in the UAE, really interested in driving a truck, you are a bit out of luck.

Also, if you are into the clubbing scene, you will have to wait for a few years. It does not get much better, for if you are ambitious and planning to open a company, you need to postpone that plan for three years, till you are allowed to be a legal business partner.

There is hope

A tad disappointing, especially all this discrimination against the 18-year-olds? Well, hold on. There is hope, because you could still lead a full life.

For example, you can legally marry your true love, drive light vehicles and even work.

If you are a sports fan, you have a variety of options, including basketball, cricket, cycling, golf, football, tennis and ice-skating.

If you are more into the arts, you can try one of the many drama, photography, music and dance classes offered around Dubai.

Adventurous type

For the adventurous, there is horse riding, paintball and bowling.

If you like desert activities, you can always try camel riding, dune bashing and sand boarding.

If you are a fan of aquatic activities, you can enjoy it by swimming, scuba diving and sailing. Do you find all of this a bit tame? Well, you can go-kart or go wall-climbing.

And for those who are too lazy for all of the above and just want to relax, there are a large number of restaurants and movie theatres to unwind.

Finally, that ultimate panacea - there is no minimum age for shopping, that's for sure. You can shop till you drop!