Dubai....Dubai....Dubai...that’s the word that was revolving around
my head before I actually visited the city last January.I went to
Dubai in Emirates which is indeed the world’s best Airliner....well
that’s another review in itself!! On time always....sometimes even
before time YES indeed you read it right!!! Before time( approx 30
mins at one occasion!!! unbelievable isn’t it?)
Before I comment something on Dubai, I would like to say it’s a good
place for Holidays.I found it okay okay as we say....satisfactory but
not overwhelmed as I was expecting prior to my visit!!!
Reason: Indians & Pakistanis everywhere to such an extent that it can
be regarded as little-India or little Pak!!
Dubai is a clean place in general but there are places, such as Meena
Bazaar which might make you doubt whether you are in Dubai or in an
Indian ’Muhalla’....
Dubai Airport is so vast & extended that you just don’t know where
to go when you arrive there for the first time.You have to follow
lots of sign boards & walk tons of miles before reaching the customs.
Dubai Duty free(esp electronics Dept)is not at all cheap as I was
expecting!!!In fact most of the products available there are cheaper
in India!!! YES you won’t beleive me so I’ll give you examples.
Mobile phone Motorola C115 avaiable in India for Rs 2400 with Airtel
connection.Dubai Duty free price: 220 Dirhams- INR 2650 without con.
Digital camera, starting price 1000Dhs while you can easily obtain them
in India at cheaper rates!!The same items may however be purchased at
a little lower prices outside, fo e.g at Meena Bazaar but guarantee
remains an issue!! I’ve even heard that sometimes shopkeepers sell
second hand products re-packed as new.....so be careful.....!!!!!
Remaining with the Dubai Airport, I was surprised to see most of the
floor area of the airport covered with very high quality red carpets
which give you the sense of obtaining a royal welcome upon arrival...
The airport has been exremely well-maintained & you see cleaners
spread over all the place & cleaning/maintenance an ongoing process
of 24/7!!!! The toilets, so clean & shiny with cleaners present 24/7
in each toilet area, seems has just been inaugrated for u!!!
The restaurants & waiting lounges, so clean & with such a ’magnifique’
view of airlines landing & taking-off that u’ll simply be bowled over..
Also you’ll find the entire world in front of you at the airport, just
imagine people from France, Indonesia, the Americans, the Indonesians,
the Afghanis, the Pakistanis, the Africans, the Russians.....YES I saw
them all & many others at Dubai Airport....
There are lots of Hypermarkets in Dubai(which are at least 100 times
& go into thousands of square feet bigger than a typical Indian
supermarket.They offer everyting in all varities from food products
to electronics & from cosmetics to toys.Once you enter a hypermarket,
so don’t expect to come out before atleast 2 hours!!!
As far as the infrastructure is concerned(e.g roads, lightenings &
buildings, shopping malls, cleanliness) all deserve to be rated A1.
Dubai in general, I’ll rate it 8/10.
I’ll end this review here, maybe there is so much to write that it
seems never-ending....
Places visited :
-Meena Bazaar, Deira City Centre(Deira), Burjuman Shopping Mall,
Carrefour hypermarket( 2 branches-Deira Centre & near Meena Bazaar)
Advise: Do drink special elaichi-tea available through-out the city
prepared with special evaporated milk from Holland...it tastes simply
superb..... & be careful with yr luggages at the airport.
Thanks for reading the review & do cooment!