| Kippreport.com

How you will be celebrating

December 29, 2010 12:34 by Samuel Potter

When I first arrived on the sandy shores of Dubai, washed up along with some driftwood and industrial waste, I asked what people did to celebrate New Year’s Eve. A few of my colleagues looked at me blankly for a long time, and said: “Nothing. There is nothing to do here. This place is the worst for New Year’s.”

As it transpired, the people I had asked were hardened Dubaians who had been here long enough to reach that cynical stage where getting a taxi driver who doesn’t know the way is not funny anymore. So, they were evidently disillusioned with the place, but surely even they could find something fun to do on New Year’s Eve?

“Look,” said one. “If you’re going to be here for New Year’s Eve, you basically have three choices: Stay at home, pay a fortune to go out, or go to a house party.”

“Or go camping,” offered another.

Now, years later, I can tell you from experience that they were and still are absolutely right. New Year’s Eve in this part of the world basically boils down to those four choices.

So, which is it to be? Will you disappear into the desert with a sleeping bag and pen knife? Or will you pay a massively inflated price to go to a hotel or restaurant? Kipp used last week’s poll to find out, and we can tell you one thing: most of you are shunning the profiteering hospitality industry. Just 12.5 percent of Kipp readers will be shelling out the wedge of cash expected by the extortionate hotels and bars of this town.

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