I have spent the past seven-and-a-half years commuting between my home in Dubai and my office in Abu Dhabi. Every landmark, every tree, every signpost and every petrol station along that long, hard road has been irreversibly etched into my memory. Here are some of the lessons I have learnt along the way:
Make your peace with it. I chose to take a job in Abu Dhabi and live in Dubai, so, as the adage goes, I made my bed and must now lie in it. When colleagues who are new to the commute ask how I have done it for so many years, I tell them to accept their fate in as Zen-like a way possible. Otherwise, you end up starting and ending every day of your life in a fit of rage. I'm no great spiritualist, but if you kick-start your morning with a feeling of dread, it's probably going to go downhill from there. A bit of perspective can also help here. In any other big city in the world, an hour-and-15-minute commute is seen as pretty average. If you lived in London, you would be happy with those numbers. And at least here, I am commuting in the comfort of my air-conditioned car, bopping along to 2Pac's All Eyez on Me – rather than standing on a crowded tube with my face nestled in someone's armpit.
Don't do the maths. Every now and again, when I'm extra-tired and unable to take the advice doled out so nonchalantly above, I try to work out how many hours of my life I have spent on the road. Thankfully, I'm not very good at maths, so end up confounded after a quick "two-and-a-half times five, times 52 times … where was I again?" I do know that it's a whole lot of hours. Thousands of them. Hours that I could have spent with friends or working out or learning a skill or getting a long-distance learning degree. As I said, in this case, it doesn't pay to focus too much on the maths.
There's no room for complacency. No one knows better than me how long, straight, flat and utterly boring the road from Dubai to Abu Dhabi is. But it is also a road steeped in dichotomy. My commute is basically extended stretches of extreme boredom interspersed with moments of sheer terror, with the threat of death looming at any point. The secret, I think, is to give everyone around you as much space as possible, stay out of the fast lane if you can and, if there's a white four-wheel drive coming up behind you, move out of the way immediately, no questions asked.
Kris Fade is not your friend. I have spent countless hours listening to local radio stations during my many hours in the car. But there is nothing to be gained from a 37-year-old woman knowing every word to every Justin Bieber song ever made. I could have learnt a language by now. I could have learnt two. Instead, I am the world's least cool teenybopper.
True-crime podcasts aren't the answer. They are entertaining, to be sure. I know because I have listened to them all. But for the most part, you end up spending 10 hours listening to pure speculation about a murder case and, by the end of it, are no closer to knowing whodunnit. It's the audio equivalent of a Netflix binge. It feels good at the time, but you will invariably end up wondering what else you could have done with those hours of your life that you are never getting back.
Buy a car in which you feel safe. There is much vehicular bullying to be endured on the drive between our nation's capital and its neighbouring emirate. And it is a truth universally acknowledged that the smaller your car, the more you can expect to be tailgated, flashed and generally disregarded. Buy or rent a car that is reliable, roomy, sturdy and gives you a good vantage point of the road, with some mod cons (such as Bluetooth, so you can play those true-crime podcasts without fiddling with your phone). But also be prepared to effectively write it off once you're done. Invest just enough to feel secure, but not so much that it will sting when you realise four years on that nobody wants to buy a second-hand car with 250,000 kilometres on the clock.
Carpool if you can, but choose your companions wisely. If you are going to be stuck in a confined space with someone for two-and-a-half hours a day, make sure you like them. There needs to be an unspoken understanding.
After a long day in the office, you might want to spend an hour in silence. You might want to vent or bask in a job well done; you might want to talk about work or you might want to talk about anything other than work. Your co-driver needs to know all this, intuitively.
_______________________
Read more of Selina's thoughts:
Let’s not be blasé about the range of opportunities Dubai has to offer
Missing out on family milestone events. Is this the real expat tax?
Beach holidays: a major bore or the ultimate escape? I'm about to find out
Bluntness in the UAE: 'No children ma'am, but you are not young?!'
_______________________
RESULTS
6.30pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,600m
Winner: Superior, Connor Beasley (jockey), Ahmad bin Harmash (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap Dh 185,000 2,000m
Winner: Tried And True, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
7.40pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,600m
Winner: Roy Orbison, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
8.15pm
Handicap Dh 190,000 1,400m
Winner: Taamol, Dane O’Neill, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
8.50pm
Handicap Dh 175,000 1,600m
Winner: Welford, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
9.25pm: Handicap Dh 175,000 1,200m
Winner: Lavaspin, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
10pm: Handicap Dh 165,000 1,600m
Winner: Untold Secret, Xavier Ziani, Sandeep Jadhav
The Specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 118hp
Torque: 149Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Price: From Dh61,500
On sale: Now
Your Guide to the Home
- Level 1 has a valet service if you choose not to park in the basement level. This level houses all the kitchenware, including covetable brand French Bull, along with a wide array of outdoor furnishings, lamps and lighting solutions, textiles like curtains, towels, cushions and bedding, and plenty of other home accessories.
- Level 2 features curated inspiration zones and solutions for bedrooms, living rooms and dining spaces. This is also where you’d go to customise your sofas and beds, and pick and choose from more than a dozen mattress options.
- Level 3 features The Home’s “man cave” set-up and a display of industrial and rustic furnishings. This level also has a mother’s room, a play area for children with staff to watch over the kids, furniture for nurseries and children’s rooms, and the store’s design studio.
The UAE's journey to space
Result
UAE (S. Tagliabue 90+1') 1-2 Uzbekistan (Shokhruz Norkhonov 48', 86')
Non-oil trade
Non-oil trade between the UAE and Japan grew by 34 per cent over the past two years, according to data from the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre.
In 10 years, it has reached a total of Dh524.4 billion.
Cars topped the list of the top five commodities re-exported to Japan in 2022, with a value of Dh1.3 billion.
Jewellery and ornaments amounted to Dh150 million while precious metal scraps amounted to Dh105 million.
Raw aluminium was ranked first among the top five commodities exported to Japan.
Top of the list of commodities imported from Japan in 2022 was cars, with a value of Dh20.08 billion.
Teams
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
RIVER SPIRIT
Author: Leila Aboulela
Publisher: Saqi Books
Pages: 320
Available: Now
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs
Powertrain: Single electric motor
Power: 201hp
Torque: 310Nm
Transmission: Single-speed auto
Battery: 53kWh lithium-ion battery pack (GS base model); 70kWh battery pack (GF)
Touring range: 350km (GS); 480km (GF)
Price: From Dh129,900 (GS); Dh149,000 (GF)
On sale: Now
ANDROID VERSION NAMES, IN ORDER
Android Alpha
Android Beta
Android Cupcake
Android Donut
Android Eclair
Android Froyo
Android Gingerbread
Android Honeycomb
Android Ice Cream Sandwich
Android Jelly Bean
Android KitKat
Android Lollipop
Android Marshmallow
Android Nougat
Android Oreo
Android Pie
Android 10 (Quince Tart*)
Android 11 (Red Velvet Cake*)
Android 12 (Snow Cone*)
Android 13 (Tiramisu*)
Android 14 (Upside Down Cake*)
Android 15 (Vanilla Ice Cream*)
* internal codenames
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE (+4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
'Skin'
Dir: Guy Nattiv
Starring: Jamie Bell, Danielle McDonald, Bill Camp, Vera Farmiga
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Revibe
Started: 2022
Founders: Hamza Iraqui and Abdessamad Ben Zakour
Based: UAE
Industry: Refurbished electronics
Funds raised so far: $10m
Investors: Flat6Labs, Resonance and various others
Pros and cons of BNPL
Pros
- Easy to use and require less rigorous credit checks than traditional credit options
- Offers the ability to spread the cost of purchases over time, often interest-free
- Convenient and can be integrated directly into the checkout process, useful for online shopping
- Helps facilitate cash flow planning when used wisely
Cons
- The ease of making purchases can lead to overspending and accumulation of debt
- Missing payments can result in hefty fees and, in some cases, high interest rates after an initial interest-free period
- Failure to make payments can impact credit score negatively
- Refunds can be complicated and delayed
Courtesy: Carol Glynn
What is the Supreme Petroleum Council?
The Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council was established in 1988 and is the highest governing body in Abu Dhabi’s oil and gas industry. The council formulates, oversees and executes the emirate’s petroleum-related policies. It also approves the allocation of capital spending across state-owned Adnoc’s upstream, downstream and midstream operations and functions as the company’s board of directors. The SPC’s mandate is also required for auctioning oil and gas concessions in Abu Dhabi and for awarding blocks to international oil companies. The council is chaired by Sheikh Khalifa, the President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi while Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, is the vice chairman.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: DarDoc
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founders: Samer Masri, Keswin Suresh
Sector: HealthTech
Total funding: $800,000
Investors: Flat6Labs, angel investors + Incubated by Hub71, Abu Dhabi's Department of Health
Number of employees: 10
Types of policy
Term life insurance: this is the cheapest and most-popular form of life cover. You pay a regular monthly premium for a pre-agreed period, typically anything between five and 25 years, or possibly longer. If you die within that time, the policy will pay a cash lump sum, which is typically tax-free even outside the UAE. If you die after the policy ends, you do not get anything in return. There is no cash-in value at any time. Once you stop paying premiums, cover stops.
Whole-of-life insurance: as its name suggests, this type of life cover is designed to run for the rest of your life. You pay regular monthly premiums and in return, get a guaranteed cash lump sum whenever you die. As a result, premiums are typically much higher than one term life insurance, although they do not usually increase with age. In some cases, you have to keep up premiums for as long as you live, although there may be a cut-off period, say, at age 80 but it can go as high as 95. There are penalties if you don’t last the course and you may get a lot less than you paid in.
Critical illness cover: this pays a cash lump sum if you suffer from a serious illness such as cancer, heart disease or stroke. Some policies cover as many as 50 different illnesses, although cancer triggers by far the most claims. The payout is designed to cover major financial responsibilities such as a mortgage or children’s education fees if you fall ill and are unable to work. It is cost effective to combine it with life insurance, with the policy paying out once if you either die or suffer a serious illness.
Income protection: this pays a replacement income if you fall ill and are unable to continue working. On the best policies, this will continue either until you recover, or reach retirement age. Unlike critical illness cover, policies will typically pay out for stress and musculoskeletal problems such as back trouble.
Ultra processed foods
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
THE SPECS
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: Automatic
Power: 530bhp
Torque: 750Nm
Price: Dh535,000
On sale: Now