This is a review of the book One Year In Wonderland: A True Tale of Expat Life in Dubai

The book is based on a popular blog the author maintained during his time in Dubai between the summers of 2006 and 2007.

This is an interesting read. The author gives a detailed account of his experiences of moving, settling down, and living in Dubai. He freely expresses his frustrations, annoyances, peculiarities and contrasts associated with dealing with various departments and personnel that you come across while in Dubai. His writing style will keep you glued, subtly funny at times, and direct at others. Even though his stay in Dubai was short (only a year or so), he did a good job of exploring UAE and document the experiences in detail.

But what’s more important than writing style and humorous moments is how he saw Dubai and interpreted different experiences. During the time when he lived in Dubai, the city was at its peak. It had been growing rapidly over the last decade or so, to the point where the rate of growth was not sustainable. This is resulted in a number of issues that residents of Dubai faced at that time. Due to these large number of issues, the general impression of the author about Dubai is rather negative, which is understandable as he is coming from UK where most people don’t face any obstacles related to trivial things like they do in Dubai. So if you read this book from an Englishman’s perspective it will make sense to you. Like I said the author did a good job of honestly expressing himself.

But one consideration is that the events in the book took place almost five years ago, and Dubai has changed a lot during last five years.

Dubai is no longer growing at a rapid pace. So the infrastructure and utilities have been able to catch up. Organizations have learned the meaning of customer service (it’s not there yet, but much better than how it was 5 years ago), the traffic on the road is saner (though SZR is still choker blocked during rush hours, but not as bad as it was in 2007), and renting an apartment has become much more cheaper. Most of the construction work is complete so you don’t see the construction cranes like it used to be few years ago. All in all Dubai is a much better place to live right now. I’m not saying its perfect (no place is perfect for that matter), but it is a damn good place if you compare it with other cities in the region. I know a number of European expats living happily in Dubai for many years with absolutely no plans or intentions of moving back to their home countries. Obviously Dubai is offering something that they cannot get back there, despite all its shortcomings.

So this book, read it to know how it was like to live in Dubai in mid 2000s in the middle of all the hustle and bustle and rapid construction, but don’t make any judgment about Dubai based on this book as the place has changed a lot since then.

Originally posted at Book Review: One Year In Wonderland

when we were young…. 5 years ago around this time we were on our way to Maldives for honeymoon

I have been married for 5 years. That’s more than 16% of my entire life, or 38% of my adult life.

I can easily say that these have been the best 5 years of my life. I feel like the luckiest person in the world being married to such a wonderful wife, who has transformed my life and home into a paradise. The five years with her passed so quickly that it feels like yesterday when we got married and started our life together. And still I treasure every moment spent with her and always look forward to be with her. Nothing gives me more joy than the pleasure of her company. She is the source of inspiration and motivation to be whatever I am today and whatever I aspire to become tomorrow.

Here’s to another 50 years of companionship, joy, fun, and everlasting bond.

Originally posted at The bond of five years

The place is called Manohra Cozy Village and it’s situated in a town called Kata. It’s a lovely place to say the least. The hotel is small, with no more than 15 rooms. This enables the staff to give personal attention to each guest staying at the hotel. It’s privately owned so you don’t feel like you are in a big chain of hotels.  The deluxe rooms are in front of the swimming pool which gives a nice view from the room. The swimming pool is actually major highlight of the hotel. Not that other hotels don’t have swimming pools, but since Manohra is so small, with the swimming pool in the middle, it automatically gets highlighted.

The hotel is near to commercial areas like restaurants, bars, shops etc. Not to mention we loved the Thai food from a restaurant near the hotel, where we ate almost daily.

Below are some pictures of the hotel. Not all of them are taken by me. Thanks to internet community.

This photo of Manohra Cozy Village is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Originally posted at Manohra Cozy Village Phuket – Honorable Mention

Dubai is the gem in the crown of the UAE and is considered to be one of the most popular tourist destinations. The city of Dubai is constructed in a manner that it caters to all the needs of tourists. For years, Dubai government has taken some steps which have now resulted in attracting hordes of tourists who are magnetized because of its perfect infrastructure with wide beautiful roads, exquisite spas and hotels, fascinating parks and much more. If you are planning a trip to Dubai but do not know much about it then following are some of the things you need to keep in mind before visiting Dubai.

Dubai encourages travellers and tourists

The UAE, especially Dubai is a perfect place to spend a family vacation. Some hotels even have special menus for children. If you want to get a hotel room on rent in Dubai and need baby sitting services then contact hotel management as they have all kinds of services. In Dubai, you will find many activities for children in almost all 5 star and other popular hotels. There are amusement parks, play land, and open playgrounds for children. Children under 12 years also get discounted tickets for almost all rides.

Must-see tourist attractions

Dubai is choking full of tourist attractions and offers various spots, which catch the eye of every tourist in Dubai. Dubai is known to be the city of gold with massive markets of retail jewellery. Dubai Gold Souk is one such example. This market is full of shops which sell pure and high karat gold which makes it the best for gold lovers as Dubai is cheapest place in the world as far as gold rates are concerned. This market is a tax-free haven for gold buyers and is the hub of the Middle Eastern jewellery market. Global Village Dubai is located in Dubailand and is the largest place for tourists, offering loads of opportunities for leisure and entertainment. It is one of the few places offering a unique mix of cultures, arts, theatres, commerce and cuisines from around the world.

Apart from the hustle and bustle of Dubai, the city also caters to those looking for the magnificence of desert with its Desert Safari. There are action-packed trips available for half, full day and/or night. In these trips, tourists can fully enjoy the varying topography ranging from mountains to deserts on dirt jeeps and camel. There is everything for tourist in Dubai, as the Sky Dubai has up to 400 meters long skiing area with various difficulty levels. Wild Wadi Water Theme Park is really the wildest park ever. The park has a total are of 12 acres full of adrenalin pumping rides and pure fun.

Pleasant ambiance

One of the main concerns of every tourist is cleanliness of the environment, while in Dubai you do not have to worry at all as buildings, institutes, hotels and beaches are clean and sanitized. If you are on a recreational or short visit then it is a wise idea to get a room on rent in Dubai in advance. However, if you have plans to stay there for more than a month then getting a studio or an apartment will be more suitable and affordable.

This is a guest post by William King, director of Dubai real estate, Abu Dhabi Properties and Dubai Rentals. Being an entrepreneur and a businessman, he likes to share his extensive knowledge of real estate industry and frequently writes for various related blogs.

Originally posted at What makes Dubai a must-visit city

Finally, after waiting for what seemed like forever, I have purchased an android tablet.

So what took me so long? Well, basically I was waiting for android platform to become mature enough for tablets, and secondly I was waiting for the right kind of tablet to suite my needs.

So which model I went for? I got myself an Acer Iconia A100, 7 inch tablet with android 3.2.

So why did i choose a 7 inch model when 10.1 inch is pretty much industry standard? well because i wanted ultra portability and ten inchers are a little too big for my taste.

and finally the million dollar question. Why did I choose an android tablet when the entire world seems to be crazy about the iPad? Well, before I answer that question let me say that I like the iPad and believe it to be a very good tablet. What I don’t like is the eco system around iPad, and all the Apple devices for that matter. I just don’t want to use itunes to transfer any data to my tablet. I want to be able to connect my tablet to my laptop and access its storage like an external disk. If iPad offered a painless method to transfer data to and from the device without being a slave to itunes I probably would have bought one. But it doesn’t and android does. Plus iPad doesn’t have memory slot so you are stuck with the internal memory for the rest of your life. And of course I don’t have to import my music files into itunes to be able to sync it with my tab. But I already covered it didn’t I?

So how has my experience been so far?

I’m loving it, to say the least. I hardly touch my laptop these days and its small size means I can use it anywhere at home, office, while commuting (not driving of course), during a flight, and so on. It starts up with a push of a button with no boot up time. One of the reasons I wanted a tab was to be able to read lots of books. I considered Amazon kindle for a while but then decided against it because I wanted one device for book reading, web browsing, listening to music etc etc. I have collected lots of books in digital format but never got a chance to read because reading books on a laptop is not the most comfortable experience. Now that my tab is not bigger than a book, I can carry my entire library with me. I am looking forward to reading much more books now.

I’m happy with my investment and hoping to get the most out of it.

Originally posted at Tab is what I have

I returned from Thailand few weeks ago after spending almost two weeks there. Those were probably the best vacations ever.

I will write in detail about the trip but here are the highlights:

1. Elephant Trekking in Bang Pae Phuket
2. Phi Phi Islands trip in Phuket
3. FantaSea show in Phuket
4. Jungceylon Shopping mall in Phuket
5. Karon Temple Market Phuket
6. Bangkok city and temples tour
7. Safari World Bangkok
8. Chatuchak Weekend Market
9. MBK Mall
10. Madam Tussauds Bangkok

Stay tuned for detailed reviews about each of these experiences.

Originally posted at Thai Experience

Dubai, a beauteous city with its lavish and magnificent hotels, is no less than heaven. Dubai hotels are known for pampering guest with delicious foods, gorgeously comfortable living style and extra ordinary facilities that are beyond your imaginations.

When you enter Dubai, you are surrounded by the tranquility and calmness of amazing Dubai. This is the main reason why tourists from all over the world like to spend their vacations in Dubai over and over again.

The whole of Dubai real estate is studded with luxury hotels and resorts and it is difficult to choose one hotel and declare it the best. If you are planning to spend your holidays in Dubai, be sure to stay at some luxurious hot spots otherwise you will be confused in picking up the right accommodation among several other best ones.

I often visit Dubai and so I would like to list my top five favorite hotels that offer complete lifestyle and are really wonderful places to live in.

1. Al Murooj Rotana

Hotel Website
It is a new addition to Dubai hotel industry and is a master piece of modern art work in itself. It is an extreme classy and dynamic hotel that offers unending elegance, ambiance and hospitality. It offers the most delicious and trendy dining options from seafood combination of waterside to the sub-continental spicy food from Zaika. Al Murooj has the style and elegance of offering luxury vacations to everyone, ranging from business executives to families.

2. Park Hyatt Dubai

Hotel Website
This hotel is also less than a year old but has quickly become an eye catching spot for the tourists due to its unique and luxurious lifestyle. It is located at a 5 minutes drive from the airport. It is adjacent to the world famous Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club and has 225 luxurious suites or rooms. It has 8 spa rooms which are all spacious and very well can show you the true meaning of comfort. It also has a swimming pool, conference rooms and club. In short, it is a luxurious waterfront treat that is a true luxury in itself.

3. JW Marriott Dubai

Hotel Website
It is one of the most lavish hotels in Dubai and provides exclusive comfort and top class services with its variety of meeting rooms, restaurants, and posh accommodations. This is located at Abu Baker, just a few minutes of drive from the airport. All of its rooms are spacious and their internal décor is designed by world renowned architects. It has a total 11 restaurants which offer foods from various regions of the world including German, Italian, Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine. Besides that, it also has recreational centers, swimming pools, kid’s activity areas, fitness centers and coffee shops.

4. Shangri-La Hotel

Hotel Website
This is an outclass luxurious hotel that has 302 guest rooms in total and each offers luxuries lifestyle complete with deep soaking tubs, rain showers, warm décor and creative artwork. This hotel is located alongside Sheikh Zayed Hotel that marks the center of Dubai, allowing its residents to enjoy close proximity to shopping, entertainment and educational centers. It also has exclusive restaurants that offer Cantonese specialties and Moroccan Cuisine. It also contains fitness centers and swimming pools where guests can relax and refresh their mind and bodies.

5. Taj Palace Hotel Dubai

Hotel Website
It is a five star deluxe hotel that was honored with the World Hotel Business Award. It is located in Deira and has excellent facilities like airport transportation, health spa, hair salon, health club, laundry services, wedding services and many more. This hotel has fine interior décor in its 10 deluxe executive suites, 2 royal suits and 147 executive rooms. It is located at a drive of just a few minutes from shopping markets, museums and cultural centers.

The next time you schedule a trip to Dubai, make sure to stay any of the above mentioned hotels to get a good feel of the luxury the city has to offer.

This is a guest post by William King, director of Dubai real estate, Abu Dhabi Properties and Dubai Rentals. Being an entrepreneur and a businessman, he likes to share his extensive knowledge of real estate industry and frequently writes for various related blogs.

Originally posted at Top 5 Dubai hotels that offer luxury beyond dreams

The founder of Apple and the person who changed the world has died.

I first knew about Steve Jobs when I watched the movie Pirates of Silicon Valley back in 2001 (almost exactly 10 years ago). I liked the film so much that since then I have watched it again countless times. I was immediately deeply inspired by the personality of Steve Jobs and since then I have followed any news related to Steve Jobs closely.

Needless to say, it’s a big loss for the world. People like Steve Jobs are rare and we were lucky to have such a visionary person living among us. It’s fascinating to read his story, specially the part when he returned to Apple when it was in a really bad shape and transformed it into one of the top companies in the world, to the extent that Apple products got out of its small niche status to mainstream and became one of the most desirable products ever. I mean seriously, who doesn’t want an iPAD, or Macbook Air, or iPhone?

And then when Apple was at its peak, he left the world quietly, as if his job was complete and it was time to move on.

Goodbye Steve Jobs. You will be remembered for what you did, and what you stood for.

Originally posted at Goodbye Steve Jobs

Why Amazon Did This

The first question one might ask is that why Amazon, primarily known for selling books, has entered the world of tablet devices, in the presence of giants like Apple and Samsung.

To answer that, let me clarify that Amazon is no more just a book selling company. It has slowly turned into a company that sells all forms of content, from books to music to videos to e-books and audio books to mobile (android) applications and cloud-based applications. Currently Amazon is offering streaming videos, mp3 store, kindle books, electronic magazines and newspapers, android applications and games through their website, all within Amazon boundaries. Plus they are offer cloud based storage to store all your digital content.

Not to mention the huge inventory of other electronic devices, apparel, and pretty much everything that amazon sells on their website.

Like all other media companies, Amazon has to ensure maximum people are using Amazon products and buying their stuff from Amazon, in order to maximize their profits. With so much content in the offerings, it’s only natural to need so many customers to access all that content.

To best way to achieve that is to come up with a media consumption device which makes it easy and painless to integrate everything amazon has to offer, along with other standard features that are common on mobile devices.

And that’s how Amazon came up with Kindle Fire.

Kindle Fire is the one-stop device to access all-things-amazon, from e-books to movies, in a seamless fashion. Add a fully functional web browser and you don’t need any other device to access the internet. It gets even better by availability of plethora of applications through Amazon Android App Store. This is all backed up by Amazon Cloud Storage so you have practically unlimited storage to keep your books, music and videos collection. You really don’t need to go elsewhere for most of your content related needs.

So that’s the motivation behind Kindle Fire and why Amazon jumped into the tablet race.

Why It Will Sell

And the reason why Amazon will be successful in selling this device is because of its price.

The launch price of Kindle Fire is $199. Now that’s a killer price. In the long run this might go down but even now there is no other device in the market which is even close to this price. And it make sense for Amazon to sell Kindle Fire at this price because they want to sell as many of these as possible. Every Kindle Fire sold will result in hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars of additional revenue to Amazon by giving people access to other Amazon services which of course cost extra. One small example is Amazon Prime. If you are a loyal Amazon customer there is no reason you shouldn’t subscribe to Amazon Prime. Some of the benefits include free 2-day shipping (which is charged extra for non-prime customers), and unlimited streaming videos. So if buying a Kindle Fire means you submit to Amazon ecosystem then first thing Amazon would expect from you is to become Amazon Prime member. That’s $79 a year. If half of Kindle Fire users buy Amazon Prime and if Amazon ends up selling many millions of these then just imagine the additional revenue it will bring.

So the introductory price of $199 makes perfect sense. At that price Kindle Fire will take the tablet market by storm. And Amazon content delivery system is mature enough to provide a complete experience to the users without looking outside of Amazon Ecosystem.

I am very excited about Kindle Fire. I might even buy it, after figuring out how to access Amazon content from UAE.

Originally posted at Amazon lights up the fire with Kindle Fire

Thailand is a place I always wanted to visit for a long long time and finally I got a chance now. The itinerary includes 1 week in Phuket and 1 week in Bangkok.

Already pretty excited about it.

Originally posted at Off to Thailand