Car Wash convention in Dubai

[pitzerwm]

After 30+ hours I arrived in Dubai safe and sound. Processed through customs no problems, they do xray your luggage.

Looks like most cabs are owned and run by the government. The place is bigger than you think based on the maps. The haze is a surprise, its worse than Mexico City or LA polution. On a good day you can only see clearly maybe a 1/4 mile.

The automechanika convention is at the World Trade Center. Its hard to judge the square footage used but there are 7 halls that are open to each other. I'd say 500K sq ft. Its a lot like SEMA as mostly car parts. The Chinese and India presence is impressive. PDQ is the with a nice booth.

 

[rph9168]

Don't get caught getting romantic in public. They jail people for that there and we want you back.

 

[Whale of a Wash]

How did you happen to go that far for a convention-Is it worth it??

 

[pitzerwm]

Well, I wanted to see the tallest building in the world, so when I saw that automachincal was putting on a car wash convention here, I thought, how great. It is a big show but not a lot of car wash stuff. I was hoping to make some connections, but that hasn't really happened at the convention, but I am also talking with locals about opportunities here.

 

[pitzerwm]

Well, after a 48 hour day returning, and a broken bottle of booze from Duty Free, I'm home. Pictures are here: http://autocareforum.biz/photogallery/thumbnails.php?album=40

It was an interesting trip. I don't think that I want to live there, but probably worth a trip, to visit.

When the world's economy hit, it here too. Real estate is about half of its peak. Construction almost stopped but is about 50% back to normal. A lot of stopped construction, a lot of empty buildings. You do need to see their Malls, some of the largest in the world. They weren't packed but they had a lot of traffic. I wouldn't say that it is real expensive to live there other than housing is still expensive, but like I said about half of what it was. A real small studio apartment is $1500 a month.

But, when you work there the company must supply you with a house or a housing allowance. No income tax.

 

[Dean Taylor]

Very interesting Bill, thanks for sharing. How much was round trip airfare? How much was your hotel room? Just wondering.

 

[pitzerwm]

The airline ticket through Delta was $1800, I met a travel agent in Bangkok, that got me a $600 room at the Ritz Carlson in Singapore with breakfast for $200, so I emailed him and he got me a $400 room at the Dusit Thani for $100 without breakfast.

Anyone wants to use this guy, let me know.

 

[pitzerwm]

Here is a video of the Fountain below the tallest building in the world. This is the music they played too.

http://www.wimp.com/dubaifountain/