I mean yeah, I mean no, I mean yeah but no
I hopped into a taxi yesterday and asked the driver to take me to the Emirates building on Sheik Zayed Road. The guy nodded "Yes of course madam".
As we seemed to be driving for a long time I ask "Are we nearly there yet?"
"Ah, madam...I'm not sure...let me ask my cousin". He then makes a call on his mobile while driving. "Ok, sorry we go the wrong way".
When we get to the Emirates building I find out that I'm at the wrong place and hop in another cab. "Do you know the Emirates Travel Hub?". "Yes, uh huh..yes...I think....madam".
"Are you sure you know where it is?"
There is a slight nod of the head and a smile "I'll just call my uncle madam".
People here seem to have an issue with saying no. No one says no. And it's very confronting and frustrating for Westerners.
"Will the drycleaning be ready by 5pm?" " Yes madam"
At 5pm the drycleaning is still not ready and there's no point in asking when it will be done because the response is always the same. "Sorry madam, there's been a delay". "There's been a problem with machines". "Our driver is on our way to you".
As I discovered yesterday patience is a virtue and one that I'm working on. Everything seems to take twice as long to get things done. Something that appears to be a simple task can become a major pain and only when you accept that there is a "delay" and always will be, that you find it's all ok.
As we seemed to be driving for a long time I ask "Are we nearly there yet?"
"Ah, madam...I'm not sure...let me ask my cousin". He then makes a call on his mobile while driving. "Ok, sorry we go the wrong way".
When we get to the Emirates building I find out that I'm at the wrong place and hop in another cab. "Do you know the Emirates Travel Hub?". "Yes, uh huh..yes...I think....madam".
"Are you sure you know where it is?"
There is a slight nod of the head and a smile "I'll just call my uncle madam".
People here seem to have an issue with saying no. No one says no. And it's very confronting and frustrating for Westerners.
"Will the drycleaning be ready by 5pm?" " Yes madam"
At 5pm the drycleaning is still not ready and there's no point in asking when it will be done because the response is always the same. "Sorry madam, there's been a delay". "There's been a problem with machines". "Our driver is on our way to you".
As I discovered yesterday patience is a virtue and one that I'm working on. Everything seems to take twice as long to get things done. Something that appears to be a simple task can become a major pain and only when you accept that there is a "delay" and always will be, that you find it's all ok.
posted by kookie at
5:32 pm
2 Comments:
I learned patience the first time I got one hour photos developed in Australia and they told to come back in 3 hours.
Had a similar experience with a mini-cab driver in London recently. He told me knew where we were going. I didn't believe him so I asked to point it out ot him on the A-Z map he had. Then he said he definitely knew. Half an hour later he was driving along with the A-Z open on his lap, reaching across to the GPS system that was giving him wrongs turns and on the phone to his mate simultaneously.
By
Mr E, at 3:34 pm
Desert Safari in Dubai is a place of peace i like its beauty.
By
Johan Silver, at 3:22 pm
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