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I am planning to purchase a property in UAE, I have 3 very young children. My oldest son will be in 1st grade, Inshallah, in Sept. 06 in Canada. I need some suggestions of moving my family to UAE. I.E. School, School fees, Area to buy a house etc.

Many Thanks in Advanse,
Javed

Javed, you should pick up a copy of Dubai Explorer because it has all kinds of great info for people moving to Dubai. http://www.the-explorer.com/indexie.htm Please be sure to buy the 10th edition, not the 9th edition. Things change quickly here, so the 10th is more up-to-date, and it makes a difference.

Kanelli is right and also by the same publishing company are the books "Family Explorer" and the "Off Road Explorer". They also do a street map book which I am sorry to say is cr@p but then again when all side streets are numbered like"street 8a" it doesn't help. The Dubai Explorer is available at any book store like McGrudy's or at Carrefour supermarket.
For schools I'll pm a link. Cheers!

A little tidbit, Until I found out streets number works from the centre of the community and then odds go in one direction even go in another I was so confused (i.e. street 50 would be ~100 blocks away from street 51), you'll quickly find out some very unique anomalies that exist in Dubai and why people give directions based on visuals rather than street address.

Also all the A's and B's are streets that were created after the original community was established, they didn't want to renumber the other streets.

Yeah, I realise there is a pattern but if someone says I live at Street 8a Umm Sequiem you can't actually look it up!! And don't get me started on landmarks - they are friggin stupid landmarks with stupid names!! Turn at the Habitat building??? WTF??? It used to be Habitat (like 5 years ago??) but now it is "the only drive through pharmacy in the Gulf...Life Pharmacy". Defence Roundabout...yep, those Army Barracks nearby are a dead give-away!!
I want a satellite navigation system!

GAB wrote:Yeah, I realise there is a pattern but if someone says I live at Street 8a Umm Sequiem you can't actually look it up!! And don't get me started on landmarks - they are friggin stupid landmarks with stupid names!! Turn at the Habitat building??? WTF??? It used to be Habitat (like 5 years ago??) but now it is "the only drive through pharmacy in the Gulf...Life Pharmacy". Defence Roundabout...yep, those Army Barracks nearby are a dead give-away!!
I want a satellite navigation system!

so true, actually one of my friends is just starting to market a GPS/GIS system that he developed for the UAE, I'll keep you posted, maybe I'll encourage him to give a Dubai Forums discount. I looked at the demo version I have and street 8a Umm Sequin exists.

Just what I need!!

Thank You so much guys, I am so thankfull to all of you. I will look for these books in Toronto.
I am still not sure if one area is any better then other(s)? Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Javed.

You can get a Sat Nav System pre installed on a "sd" card if your phone or pda has thet type of slot.

It is sold with the Acer N35 PDA with Int GPS at all the main malls for 1699 Dhs. You can buy the card on its own from Easy Nav PO Box 85740 Dubai Tel 04 283 0334, the office is in Garoud in/by the Al Tayer Buiding

or visit

www.myeasynav.com

Hope this help


I never get lost

Javed,

Before you think about buying you might want to read this thread - Don't Buy in Dubai.

http://www.dubaiforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=5267