Job Discussion Forums

[Sunburnt Individual]

I've lived in Al Ain for two years and I'm really fond of it. The pace of life is slower, the scenery is greener, but you still have everything you need to live a comfortable life. I agree with the lack of watering holes and the shopping is comfortable but a bit limited. The thing is, I usually only feel like doing extensive shopping or self-watering on the weekends, and you can get most of those things in Dubai or Abu Dhabi conveniently. Abu Dhabi is a bit closer, but both are 1 1/2-2 hours depending on how you drive and traffic in the bigger cities.

The Hili border crossing is hit or miss. If you go via Hili, they don't even stamp your passport.

You WILL need a car, most likely, and yes, make sure they know about the dog well in advance. Regarding internet, Etisalat can be a bit laidback and "enshallah" about the whole installation thing, but after its installed its quite reliable. If you're coming in the fall expect to wait a few weeks before your internet can be installed because everyone comes and wants their internet installed at the same time.

I recommend Al Ain highly. I see myself here for the foreseeable future.

[bluecatbabe]

We cross frequently at Qattara (the wonderfully named Ndood Jham) for camping trips. You don't need a visa and it costs nothing if you are only going to the environs of Buraimi, and tell them so. By some quirk, you are leaving the UAE without crossing the border posts into Oman (for which you do need a visa). One hour from our door in Al Ain we can camp in an unspoilt and deserted valley where no electric lights are visible at night.

Crossing back in to Al Ain has been a bit slow at weekends recently, because the UAE frontier guards were looking inside every car (I think looking for people being smuggled), but the longest we have had to queue there has been 20 minutes, which is hardly excessive. We are usually crossing back on a Saturday morning (still a weekend day for us in the UAE, but a work day in Oman) when it is quick. Thursday night is apparently the slowest time for Oman - UAE crossings there.

If you want to go further into Oman - to Sohar, Nizwa or Muscat - you need to either get a renewable visa in Abu Dhabi, or cross the border at one of the posts where they issue visas on the spot - Hafit or Mezyad. This can be more hassle than it's worth for just a couple of days trip.

Returning from a longer trip via Hafit a few months ago, my friends had a bottle of nonalcoholic beer (purchased from Carrefour in Al Ain) confiscated, in spite of the words "non alcoholic" in English and Arabic on the label.

Quattara is a good crossing if you just want to shop in Buraimi - the fish souk there is excellent.

[knoxso]

Lots and lots of round-a-bouts