Chris Saul's Blog

Sunday November 30, 2008

Nurses can't drive

I was a bit surprised by this article in the Gulf News.

Are there any other countries out there that restrict driving licences to certain professions?

Doubtless the authorities have done a full study into the implications of this move. I would be particularly interested to hear why nurses and bakers can no longer drive cars.

Service

I don't want anyone to lose their jobs, but if the current economic slowdown forces some Dubai based companies to improve the level of service they offer, there'll be a silver lining to the cloud of financial disaster.

Take one of the dealers for one of our cars. This place sells luxury cars worth hundreds of thousands of dollars (although ours is worth rather less than that). Currently they are unable to answer a phone or book a car in for service in a simple and easy way. Turn the taps off a little and maybe they'll actually have to start treating their customers a bit better.

I expect similar carnage in car showrooms as the 'sales' staff realise that selling cars suddenly requires more effort than looking up in irritation as potential customers walk in, followed by handing them an order form.

Saturday November 29, 2008

Chris misses out on history

Mrs Saul and I missed the largest fireworks display the world has ever seen, last week. We went home just before it started, losing our place in history.

The Atlantis hotel on the Palm Jumeirah spent several million dollars for its launch party, a few months after its 'soft' opening. A friend of mine from school happened to be working on the launch, handling the sound for the event. His latest claim to fame is narrowly avoiding being thrown out of the event after Sol Kerzner, the Atlantis' billionaire owner, objected to seeing my friend's laundry hanging out to dry on a balcony.

Various stars were in attendance, apparently. Kylie performed during dinner.

Personally I'm not a big fan of the Atlantis. Its aquarium is fun, but very expensive to get into. The hotel's pink walls and interior decor aren't to my particular taste. It had lots of problems with its plumbing when it opened, but I'm sure that these problems have been solved and that the building has been constructed to the highest standards.

Here's a video from YouTube of the fireworks.

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Thursday November 27, 2008

Dubai property grumps

I am feeling grumpy. This may have something to do with flying home over night from Zurich with no sleep, but the core reasons for the grumps remain the same.

The quiet area I used to live in seems to have been ruined by the developer deciding it would be a good idea to have a four lane motorway, with no traffic calming, filled with idiots driving too fast, run through the middle of the area. It's noisy too.

I come home to hear my next door neighbours' every word in the room next door. They're not being anti-social - it's just that the developer appears not to have built walls with the proper sound proofing or thickness, despite the fact that this is supposed to be one of their more up market projects.

It rained last night and there are wet patches on the ceiling in exactly the same places they occurred last time it rained, despite the fact that we were told that the area above had been checked for waterproofing and fixed where necessary.

I feel an intense need for a quiet week at home with no noise, no traffic, no fixing fixing.

Tuesday November 25, 2008

More Spam

Number of times I have removed myself from a local media publishing company's spam email list? Five.

Number of spam emails they send me a week, despite the fact I have removed myself from their list? Five.

Come on guys, start being a bit more professional. I buy your weekly listings mag every week - you get plenty of cash from me. Keep filling my inbox with nonsense and lying to me about whether I can remove myself from your email list or not and you'll simply lose a customer. You probably wouldn't care about that 6 months ago, you should do now.

Sunday November 23, 2008

Businesses you should tell your children to be in

As the revenue taps are turned off in IT, it seems chocolate is the long term stable business to be in.

A friend of Mrs Saul's visited us recently. She works as a brand manager for a popular, chocolate bar in the UK. In good times, people buy lots of chocolate bars. In bad times, they buy more of them. Apparently, the lipstick business sees similar statistics.

My personal belief is that the same should go for thin client computing. It saves you money during good times and makes IT managers look like heroes during bad times. Sadly, I don't have Mars' marketing budget to spread the word.

Friday November 21, 2008

Driving through Dubai

Dubaijazz has done what I've been meaning to do for ages - video the sights, or rather (building) sites when driving down the Sheikh Zayed Road.

A nice little vid. Three years ago, most of this stuff wasn't here and most if it is still under construction. The drive is heading towards Dubai from Abu Dhabi, at around 120Kph.

The Sun office is behind the buildings you see at 2.34. Before, we were in a nice little area, separate from the hustle and bustle and you could see our logo from the motorway. Now we're behind these three blocks of skyscrapers, each of which looks ok in itself, but which clash somewhat when placed side by side. Parking is getting increasingly difficult. I used to love our little corner, but I'm not so keen on it now!

Thursday November 20, 2008

Watching the Dubai property market via spam

I've complained many times in the past about the number of spam sms and emails I get from estate agents in the UAE. Currently, though, I'm taking a morbid interest in what they have to say.

One month ago I was still being offered the chance to live an iconic life of iconic luxury in an iconic apartment on the iconic 800th floor with no parking space and a service fee that would feed and house a family of 8 for a year in central London. Well almost. The price was always amazing value, with the property guaranteed to triple in value every time I circled around it trying to find somewhere to park.

These days phrases like 'amazing investment opportunity' or 'almost sold out' are being replaced with 'distress sale', 'forty percent below market price' and 'owner has to sell to make payments on other properties'.

All of this obviously means that my own property will decrease in value. Since I'm not planning to sell up or leave any time soon, that's fine by me. If the long awaited correction means that buying becomes vaguely affordable again, I don't mind. If the current crazy levels of rental prices drop, allowing people to be able to afford to live here again and for companies to be able to afford to bring in the staff they need and plan their budgets properly, I'm just as happy.

Wednesday November 19, 2008

Surrounded

Mrs Saul's journey to and from work is now lined with new speed cameras.

Although I've complained about speeding and bad driving in Dubai on numerous occasions, I'm not sure if speeding cameras are the answer.

In the UK, as an 'ordinary' driver, I feel constantly watched and monitored, worried that I'll be fined for a momentary lapse of concentration. They allow no room for discretion. It feels a bit oppressive for someone who started driving when cameras were relatively rare - and who drove within the speed limit, safely.

I would prefer to see more police patrols that monitor bad driving at any speed, rather than rely simply on cameras. We've been fined a substantial amount for driving at 10Kph over the speed limit on an empty straight road in the middle of the desert, which I feel is a touch unfair. A lot of the bad driving at busy times occurs at way under the speed limit - people weaving in and out of lanes, tailgating, etc.

Hopefully we'll see a stop to new cameras catching people out and more patrols out catching the real culprits.

Tuesday November 18, 2008

My quick thoughts on the US election

I know that the world has been waitiing for my input on this topic.

Speaking as a Brit who lives in the Middle East and works for an American company...

- I would like to see Obama change, as much as is possible, the image the US has abroad.

I am tired of the US' image abroad being that of a wealthy, bullying, ignorant, irritating older cousin that you can't get rid of, whether you want to or not. Let's see something positive.

- I can't believe 55 million people effectively voted for Palin.

George Bush can't really be stupid - you can't become president, surely, by being stupid. So why does George Bush come across as such as twit to many people? The same goes for Palin. How could this woman even get near being vice-president, let along a potential president? It's tragic that a woman like this is seen across the world as someone the American people want to have in a position of power.

Sunday November 16, 2008

Unusual lodgings

I've been put up in the Korston hotel for my three nights in drizzly Moscow.

Unlike the dull and pricey Marriott, where I've been in the past, the Korston has a stunning view of the Moscow skyline. From my room, in what I presume was a block of flats or offices in Soviet times, I can see several new skyscrapers going up, as well as the rooftops of various Moscow institutions. It makes a real change to have something interesting to see out of the window, particularly after last week's derelict building and rubbish tip, courtesy of the Sheraton Casablanca.

Unlike other hotels I usually stay in for Sun, the Korston has a large casino and numerous restaurants, as well as a 'gentlemen's club'. The leaflet in my room tells me that this particular leisure choice is conveniently open every day until 6am. I promise Sun's shareholders that no dodgy handwritten receipts for 'food and beverage' will be submitted after my trip.

Annoyingly, there is no gym. I've been doing quite well in recent weeks, making sure I get regular exercise when at home and when on the road. I will have to do some of the moves I've learnt off my Wii Fit rather than spend my usual 45 minutes of watching American nonsense-TV on my iPod whilst pounding away on the cross trainer or exercise bike.

Off to Moscow

Sun to Weds in Moscow this week, meeting Sun people, partners and customers.

My previous visits to Moscow always happened to find me in the middle of reading a Le Carre novel - it was always strange touching down quite happily at Domededevo and whizzing through immgration, when the characters in the book I'd been reading on the plane, set only twenty or so years earlier, had to take rather more elaborate steps to get in.

This Moscow trip also poses the Dubai traveller's dilemma - squeeze all your warm clothes into your suitcase and risk not being able to take it on as hand luggage, or walk around the terminal wearing them? I've compromised on this trip - warm jumper under my arm, hat, scarf and gloves in my laptop bag, but no overcoat, so I don't look too out of place next to the tourists in shorts and t-shirt. Given the average temperature the AC is set to in Dubai, wearing a hat, coat and scarf might be more comfortable...

Wednesday November 12, 2008

More Casa taxi

Today's cab drive in Casablanca was even more exciting than yesterday's. The driver cut up a motorcyclist, who then got off his bike at the next light, started a screaming argument with my driver and punched him in the face. Not knowing what to do, I continued to look blankly out of the window, while the two followed each other at breakneck speed down the road for 200 metres or so.

My driver recovered his humour quite quickly though, happily discussing how Casablanca has lots of bad drivers, whilst he jumped a red light.

Beep beep, give me kebab

This article describes how people in Sharjah will no longer be able to be served by shops and restaurants whilst waiting outside in their cars.

It's a shame that businesses that don't have much parking nearby might lose customers, but the municipality must maintain Sharjah's clean image and traffic flow.

One thing I wouldn't miss, if this came to Dubai, is having people blasting their horns every two minutes when we go to eat at the indescribably excellent Chicken Tikka Inn.

It's quite normal to be sitting outside, enjoying a particularly succulent mutton seekh kebab, only to have a huge 4x4 roll up, park right next to the restaurant and then blast its horn continually until one of the waiters rushes out to take an order. Should the order not miraculously appear instantly, more horn tooting occurs. Mrs Saul stays calm while I get cross and a teacher look is often needed to stop me walking up to the 4x4 in question to discuss the driver's behaviour with whoever's at the wheel.

It's also quite common to see people drive up right next to cafes in the small towns outside of Dubai, blast their horn and sit in their cars, just to have a can of Coke delivered. Think of it as a drive through, a la McDonald's, with exceptional levels of noise and laziness.

Mind you, considering I was saying how little I was looking forward to self-service petrol stations a few posts ago, I am probably on shaky ground here...

Monday November 10, 2008

Casa Taxi

If I'd known that the partner I'm visiting this week had a hotel next door, I would have stayed there.

This would have been a better option, not simply due to the fact that I wouldn't have had to put up with the awful service and food at the Sheraton last night, followed by not being able to shave and shower this morning as the water wasn't working.

The main advantage would have been to miss spending 45 minutes driving each way with my life in the hands of 'petit taxi' drivers.

Although I haven't experienced a taxi held together with metal bars and with holes in the floor, as on previous visits, I have experienced driving at high speed down the wrong side of the road, coupled with more near misses than is healthy.

This morning's taxi had working seatbelts at least, although they did leave a dirty stripe down my shirt, which matched my general unwashed and unshaven appearance. We also stopped three times to pick up other passengers who happened to be on my route.

The petit taxis here are not much fun. Smelly, dirty, held together with string, pumping out diesel fumes into the inside of the car via the windows that don't close, racing around like Michael Schumacher.

This evening's taxi conversation was a classic.

'Le Sheraton, s'll vous plait'.

'Insh'allah...'.

I made it back in one piece, alhamdillulah.