Greetings..
I have been to Abu Dhabi a few times.. My parents still live there and so do my sister and brother in law.. So I do travel to Abu Dhabi from New Zealand quite often..
let me try and describe the place.. The best time of the year to visit would be sometime between October / November to March. The summers are very very hot.. Believe me temperatures soaring to the high (very high) 40’C. and humidity at about 80%.
Anyway.. the Airport is very simple and elegant. Similar to the Dubai International Airport they have the raffle for about 130 odd US $.. which gets you cash for about 0.5 million Dirhams.. which is a lot of money my friends.. and tax free!!!
The main places to live will be right across the marina (a.k.a Corniche).. the views are great.. the rental price get lower and lower the more away you are from the corniche.. Most are apartments with tall metallic coated glass building from about 16 - 30 floors..
Abu Dhabi is a very rich Oil producing state.. infact it produces more than 50% of the oil in the UAE.. so most industries are linked to the oil Industry.. Unlike Dubai which is a trading city..
Abu Dhabi tends to be always behind the 8 ball ..with Dubai.. When Dubai started the Jebal Ali Free Zone.. it took Abu Dhabi atleast 6 -7 years to start a similar one Sadiyat Free Zone.. but the last I heard is that is still hasn’t taken off!! and Dubai has already got over three free trade zones!!!
The Shopping is great.. The Abu Dhabi Marina Mall is an experience.. it is right in the middle of the cornice.. Infact they were planning to build a nature reserve there.. But the project went bust and then decided to build a Mall.. !!
The night life is real kool.. But you need to be in the right circle of friends to get to know the right place to be..
The Top Clubs could be Galousious at the Meridian, El Paso at the Inter Continental. There is a fantastic Filipino Band who plays there. Even though I visit Abu Dhabi one a year.. and go to El Paso at least once in every visit.. the Band has a fantastic PR skills and remember my name!! Excellent.. A nice Wild West Bar is the 49ers which has lost its charm that it had in the mid 90’s.. but it is still good.. It is opposite the Abu DHabi co-op in Tourist Club...Apart from that there is another club at the Rotana Grand (used to be called the Forte Grande).. which is popular with the Airline Crew..
The transport in Abu Dhabi is quite bad actually with cabs stinking.. Unlike Dubai.. The Cabbies chew tobacco and smoke.. But if you want to pay a premium look for the Al-Ghazal Taxi which is really well maintained.. But still some of them smell of cigarette..
All the events stage shows concerts are usually come to Abu Dhabi after they are played in Dubai.. As Abu Dhabi is hopeless in marketing..
But enough of this critical comments..
It is real laid back.. you do your own thing at your own pace.. people are more sincere and friendly and you don’t see this cut throat attitude as you see in Dubai.. There are more Arabs (Palestinian, Egyptians etc) in Abu Dhabi than Dubai..
Cheers.. Looking forward to comments..
Till then.. I live peacefully in New Zealand..!!!
Ta
Srikanth Murthi