Travel on the Cheap
Abu Dhabi is the biggest of the seven Emirates that make up the UAE, and also the richest. The Middle East is famous for its oil reserves, but in fact, countries like Dubai have almost run out of oil. This is why that although Abu Dhabi is the richest Emirate, Dubai is the most well known, because Dubai has had to promote itself as a tourist destination due to its dwindling oil supply.
Abu Dhabi is a threefold name, that of the Emirate, the city, and the island. Most of the city is based on the island, with a narrow creek separating it from the mainland. Although the city looks like it has always existed here, it is all very new – in the 1960’s, the skyscrapers that you can see today would have been only fishermen’s huts. This is part of the culture of Abu Dhabi that is so different from the one that we in England are used to. England is full of heritage organisations, and the National Trust, and the emphasis is on preserving the history of our nation. Not so in the United Arab Emirates. On each occasion that I have been to Abu Dhabi I have encountered buildings that have been built on a site where previously there was nothing, or buildings that at only three or four years old have been deemed worthy of replacement. As a result, Abu Dhabi can resemble one large building site, with different buildings in various stages of being demolished or being built.
I have found that Abu Dhabi contrasts between the comfortably familiar and the incredibly different. Familiar because the expatriate community is huge – making up something like 73% of the population. 75% of the expat community comes from India, Pakistan or the Philippines. There are job advertisements specifically requesting an Indian office boy, or a Filipino maid, a practise that would definitely not be politically correct in the UK.
Despite the large numbers of Asian expats, a significant number come from the English-speaking Western world. As such, a range of amenities has been provided to cater for Western residents. There are two main supermarkets in which you can find plenty of imports from the UK: Tesco own brand goods, Muller light yoghurts and Heinz pickle, to name but a few. Both are complete with separate pork sections – which make buying a packet of Frazzles feel illicit. These supermarkets also have secret alcohol rooms. Residents get an alcohol licence dependant on how much they earn. The prices in the supermarket alcohol shops are not much more than in the UK, about 30 Dihrams, or 6 pounds for a drinkable bottle of wine. Tourists though, are not allowed to buy alcohol.
In the hotels anyone can drink, but at a price. A pint of lager will cost between three and four pounds. The majority of the bars are situated in the big hotel chains on the island. Of these, my favourite is Le Meridien – shaped like a doughnut with all the bars and restaurants on the inside, so that in the winter, when the temperature drops to 23 degrees Celsius you can sit outside and drink alcohol without breaking any law. But beware. Although it is perfectly legal to drink on the private land of a hotel, once you step outside onto the street you can be arrested. On the odd occasion when I have been suitably refreshed, the friend I have been staying with has had to hire a limo to take me home, because the more orthodox taxi drivers will drive you straight to the police station if they suspect you are drunk.
Also, forget about getting any action unless it’s strictly behind closed doors. You can just about get away with holding hands under the table, but kissing in public is definitely out. The police go undercover in Western venues to make sure everyone is behaving properly. Earlier this year a couple in Dubai (which is a more liberal Emirate than Abu Dhabi) were arrested for kissing each other goodnight on her doorstep. A police car happened to be driving past, and the two each got six months in prison.
The restrictive Islamic laws, however, are more flexible than you would imagine. There are concessions that must be made, but in general these do not prove to be a problem. In fact, with the large number British expats and the characteristically British pubs and clubs, a night out in Abu Dhabi is not dissimilar to a night out at the Nags Head or Ikon. Just don’t snog anyone when you’re pissed.
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