Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

After visiting a few months ago it looks like next spring my wife and I will be relocating to Dubai, exciting stuff but now trying to get a feel for it too, so a few questions.

I want to sell our UK property but the other half is reluctant to loose our place on the UK property ladder (especially as the move is not intended to be permanent) and wants to buy rather than rent in Dubai. I realise property is quite high in Dubai but is it the 'safe' investment it is in the UK? I'm a bit worried that with the levels of construction, certain properties won't hold or maybe even loose their equity.

Driving: When we were visiting I was quite alarmed at how people drive in Dubai. While I'm quite used to the UK's motorways and big cities, I've never driven on the right before but people assure me you get used to it quickly, but do you get used to the speeding and cutting in etc without getting too involved yourself?

Im quite a film buff but want to respect local laws. While in Dubai I saw a couple of films I'd seen before and both were cut, one to the point it made the both the plot and ending incomprensable. Is it illegal to buy DVD's from the uk versions of amazon, play etc and get them sent to Dubai? And would it be illegal to get someone to send DVD's privately?

I assume big US series like Lost or The Simpsons is available on Dubai telly but are these cut too? If so is it illegal to have uk box sets sent over, either through a retailer or privately?

Finally on films, are torrent sites available on Dubai's ISP's

How come you are moving to a new country and the thing that worries you most is TV?

What about the heat, paying bills, driving, phones, drinking beer?

Just come and see. There are ways around everything. Living here is a risk in every way, be it property or driving, but the rewards are there if you make it work.

jobs123.com wrote:How come you are moving to a new country and the thing that worries you most is TV?

Haha, no but I like to watch it and don't see the point if it's censored beyond reason. At the same time I don't really want to get into trouble for buying The Sopranos or something off the web.

jobs123.com wrote:drinking beer?

All doubts covered when the move was back in pondering stage, sorted out the essentials first!

I can suggest on two of ur queries.

Since ur move here is not slated to be permanent, i would say keep ur house back in UK rent it out. will work as a source of additional income. Buying property and construction status, other experts in these fields will update u i am nowhere close to even thinking of buying property here.

Driving- yes driving can be a problem. Even i was used to drive on left of the road, initially i was so confused ended up entering lanes which were supposed for oncoming traffic. Once u get used to it though its not much of a problem. When driving u play ur part, try to keep ur car safe and as others do the same 90% of the times u can avoid fender benders. Imagine urself in a game of roadrage

TV- there are other resident experts who can take care of it

Cheers,

J

FTD - we are moving at the beginning of September - we have decided to sell up and invest the money - there are just to many complications with letting your property unless you have someone in your family near by to keep an eye on it.

Speak to a financial advisor - it really depends on whether you intend going back to the UK in the future. We have had enough - sick and tired of rip off Britain and all the money we give to our government for what.

We do not have any family and so Dubai here we come if we are not happy then we will move again further east though.

Driving in Dubai now is better than it was 15 years ago we went on the Jumairah road when it was a single dirt track and travelled the roads from Al-Ain and Abu Dhabi - believe me it is better now than it was then. mainly because there is so much traffic and regular traffic jams. Any way they are building the underground system and unlike any where else in the world if the government their says that they are going to do something they do.

My advice is if you have got a job opportunity, no family then you have not got anything to loose - we shopuld have done it 10 years ago when we had the opportunity.

Buying from amazon is not problem. One or two DVDs will usually go straight through. More than that in one box might mean a trip to customs at the post office to collect it. Shouldn't be a problem unless it's obviously blue or otherwise offensive. Stuff sent by friends might be scrutinized more closely.

Rental DVDs here aren't cut.