Sunday 22 March 2020

One Daily Positive - Week 12 How we're managing in Dubai with the Covid-19 virus

Wasn't sure how this week would pan out with the spread of the Virus. All schools were closed on March 8th for 4 weeks. Over the weekend, all theme parks and cinemas were closed and twitter informed me, that after Tuesday there would be no further visas issued. Malls reduced their opening hours, bars and nightclubs closed, restaurants remain open as do supermarkets. I've never seen Dubai so empty.

The roads at rush hour are empty as people are now encouraged to work from home, I've never seen it so quiet even at 2am on an airport run, there's usually a lot of traffic, I never venture into the Marina or onto the Palm by car outside of 10am- 2pm as it's chaotic and a 15 minute trip can often take over an hour at peak times. As all the tourist spots are closed or closing down, I'm taking our visitors for a drive around Dubai to show them the size of the City and the various building projects that are going on.

Airports are empty and I've been able to park right by the door at the malls. My flight was cancelled but rebooked for the afternoon flight on the same day at no charge. They're condensing flights from 3 to 1 a day, makes sense not to fly half empty planes. All flights into Dubai are now cancelled.

Spirits are high from the people I meet out, but the workers are worried about their jobs if the few remaining places left open were to close and after dinner out on Tuesday we received a text message from the restaurant to say a big Thank you for our custom at this difficult time.

Thankfully we're still in winter so spending a lot of time outside, walking, sitting in the garden and enjoying the peace and quiet, whilst still enjoying the views and maintaining social distancing.

Our son phoned from Australia, his visa expires in April. He's decided to stay put as he's already applied for a new one and his home is there, the shops are advertising for staff to help keep up with the demands for goods and he works were a transport company which will guarantee an income during this time. If the government advise foreign nationals are to leave, he will take this advice.

75 Sunday Stayed in bed till midday then a food shop, no one is panic buying and shelves are fully stocked, hand sanitisers every where for the pubic and workers and not chained down. Home to finish the cleaning and washing ready for Peter's sister and her friends arrival tomorrow morning. The weather is warming up and storms are forecast.

76 Monday An early start to the airport, we went out to the Marina and beach area for coffee, walk and lunch and had a BBQ in the garden in the evening. T1 Dubai.

77 Tuesday Peter with his sister and friend took the Ferry to the Creek, I drove up to meet them as I'd done the trip last week and after lunch on the waterfront we explored the souks. home to change then out to the Souk Madinat for dinner, it was like a ghost town. The Burj Al Arab was lit up green for St Patricks Day but the Irish bar was closed, so no celebrating. I finished the evening with a migraine, probably sun exposure and lack of fluids, I don't normally spend this much time outdoors.

78 Wednesday The medication killed the migraine, but I opted to go to the coffee shop while our visitors spent the morning on the beach, we then went off to Dubai Mall, Peter joined us in the evening for dinner. All our coffee shop and restaurant visits have been outdoors with no other customers.

79 Thursday Was supposed to be visiting the Burj Khalifa today but it's closed until the end of March, so we drove out to the markets in Masafi, Fujeriah and had lunch at the Radisson Blu, home for a quick shower and change then out for dinner on the Palm.

80 Friday Up early to take Peter's sister and her friend to the airport, flight took off on time. I rebooked my flight. Home to sort paperwork, plan for move in May, just in case I can't get back and pack my suitcase. Until these places close, or we develop any symptoms, we will continue to visit, however we are choosing places with outdoor seating, using contactless to pay and if there are too many people were walking away.

81 Saturday Spent the day rearranging the house, deciding what stays in Dubai, what is going to the UK and what we are disposing of. We went to the Marina for a walk outside and chose a coffee shop with outdoor seating that was empty. There is far more work than I thought to sort the house so will be doing downstairs tomorrow.

On the blog this week:

Why is no one applying logic to wearing masks and gloves when out? They're still spreading the virus unless they're changing their gloves as often as we are advised to wash our hands.

How complicated is your life? As an expat it is complicated by it's very nature, the Covid-19 virus has slowed us down and still have no idea if I'll be able to travel to the UK next week or not.


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26 comments:

  1. I'm pleasantly surprised by how "normal" your life sounds at the moment - make the most of it while you can, in case you need to go into confinement! It's good that you can eat outside without too many people being around. I feel like we're in limbo at the moment, with nobody really knowing what will happen next :-/

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    1. we were very careful with social distancing and a lot of the trips out we did were by car and didn't see anyone

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  2. It is interesting to read how other countries are dealing with the Coronavirus.
    We're staying in now. My fella found out this afternoon he's not needed at work but thankfully will still be getting paid something thanks to the government scheme.
    I am so done with trying to shop for food & loo rolls here. lol My dad is dropping off a few industrial sized rolls for us tomorrow which should keep us going for a couple of months.
    It sounds like you had fun on Tuesday, apart from the migraine. x

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    1. thankfully i did a big shop back in feb as i knew i wouldn't have a car on my return last month

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  3. It is lovely to see it so quiet, I don't think the news has sunk in here and people seem to be carrying on as normal

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    1. We were practising social distancing a week before the Uk started theirs, pleased to see people are now following the rules

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  4. It's sounds like another busy week for you. It's good that there is a safe way of going out for dinner etc in Dubai. Hope you manage to get your flight back OK.

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    1. Thankfully it was the right time of year for being outside and easier to practice social distancing

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  5. I'm glad that you are still managing to get out and about and maintain some social distancing. It does look so very quiet though. Good luck with sorting out your house and with trying to get back this week. #project366

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    1. thank you, most of the work is done now in the house

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  6. Sounds like a busy week again even though things are quiet there!

    Glad Peter's sisters flight went off on time..been hearing of a lot of cancellations!

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    1. all flights grounded after I left on Tuesday and Dubai closed it's borders

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  7. Nice that Peters sister got over for a quick visit
    We are like you have been out but steered clear of other people.
    I have had gloves on when out and binned them when I took them off. Used about 8 pairs the other day between shops and diesel.
    I have been surprised here how well people seem to be heading the lockdown

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    1. We were keeping a constant eye on the flights, shame everything was closed when they got here but we got to see an awful lot from the car and drive places we usually avoid due to traffic

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  8. It sounds like Dubai has much better behaved people than here where panic buying is still going on! Lovely that you could still have visitors and that they got to see so much even if some of it is shutting down. Hope you manage to get the house sorted out.

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    1. Almost finished with the house now with all this time on my hands

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  9. Considering how much activity there is in Dubai, it would be very surprising what lockdown did to it. It's quite early for lockdown. I took the virus seriously from 15th March onwards. Lovely sights. I think nowadays, it's better to avoid places you don't need to go to, the virus is unpredictable. Considering how much you travel, it must be disappointing that they'll be cut short

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    1. My travel is usually just to visit the kids and my husband and I won't be able to see them for quite some time now

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  10. It all sounds fairly normal and calm too. Nice that Peter's sister was able to see some of the sights.

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  11. It is interesting to hear how normal your life is. I really hope it stays that way. It was nice you got to see Peter's sister and she got to see some of the sights. Sounds very different to hear at the minute anyway xx

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    1. we went into lockdown very quickly after this post

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  12. It sounds so different to what the life was here last week. And also so hot. I was going out in a coat today, and still felt cold, as the wind was very fresh.
    Such a busy week, with your SIl visiting.

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    1. schools closed back on 8th march and social distancing was enforced much earlier than the uk

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  13. So interesting to read how Dubai was dealing with the virus, I wish the UK had started to take it seriously earlier #project366

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    1. I think it was a tough decision to make for everyone around the world

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