Dune

Today, the rubber met the sand.  We hopped on a bus at 7AM and were whisked to a conference room in the Dubai International Finance Center.  There, we were given the chance to grill the head of the American Business Council in Dubai, the expat who heads Microsoft's Dubai regional office, and then bussed to the Dubai Internet City where we learned how cheap it was to start a new business here.  As exciting as all this must sound, I'll wait until we've visited Emirates Airlines and the Jumeirah Group tomorrow to comment on the virtues of Sheikh Mohammed's business acumen.  Instead, I'll focus on the biggest opportunity that Dubai's beloved monarch has identified to wean his kingdom from fossil fuels:  Tourism.  

Tax-free has its privileges!

It stands to reason that global corporations would set up shop in a relatively stable, tax-friendly local nation to do business across the Middle East.  But commerce alone doesn’t justify the massive investment that the monarchy has made in infrastructure.  The heart of the government’s intent is to grow the tourism trade to such a level that vacation-seekers, particularly from Europe, China and India and especially those in the upper net worth brackets, will find Dubai irresistible.

Low Rent

When Westerners think of Dubai, they think of oil barons wheeling around in Ferraris.  However, it is possible to enjoy the emirate without breaking the bank.  Bargain seekers can plumb the Gold Souk, comprised of hundreds of stores hawking jewelry, clothing and spices.  Although there are high-end shops to be found pretty much anywhere, one can just as easily pick up a knock-off Rolex or Ray Bans.  I did just that, and felt like a proper weekend millionaire.  

Entrance to the Souk

Nuts!

Spices Galore

We dropped our prizes at our hotel and ventured into the desert for some dune bashing.  What, you might wonder, is dune bashing?  A simple glance at a satellite photo of the Emirates will remind you that this place has as much sand as oxygen.  Dune bashing entails piloting a rugged SUV through the dunes as fast as possible.  Our hosts divided our group into teams of five, and we each climbed into a brand new Land Cruiser driven by a kandura-wearing local.  I wangled the shotgun seat and tried to strike up a conversation with our driver, but he seemed far more interested in fiddling with the music.  After about 30 minutes of driving southeast of the city, our line of Land Cruisers abruptly pulled off the highway and into a catchment area where the drivers got out to let air out of the tires.  Decreasing the air pressure increases the tire’s footprint on the sand, thus maximizing offroad traction on the dunes.  He instructed us to keep our hands at our sides and our fingers away from the roll cage that had been constructed inside the luxury vehicle.  This makes sense—if the car rolled, it would be easy to crush a finger or limb between the bar and the vehicle’s skin.

Land Cruiser convention?

Dune bashing may not sound like much fun, but there is something satisfying about powering sideways up a massive sand wall only to dive down the other side.  We bulled our way through the desert, stopping for a while to watch the sun setting over the massive sea of sand.  As night fell around us, our drivers used on-board compressors to re-inflate the tires.  We pulled into a makeshift oasis where aides-de-camp had set up low tables surrounding a raised platform.  We sipped sweet tea, nibbled on grape leaves and smelled the lamb and rice cooking as vendors hawked shishah and henna.  As we feasted, we were entertained by a belly dancer and whirling dervish.  Tomorrow, we'll hear from a Microsoft executive who expatriated from Seattle, then visit the Emirates Airlines training center.  In the mean time, see if you can watch this all the way through without getting dizzy.  

Dubai-ous honor

Bet you thought I'd forgotten about you!

Nope.  But when K and I kicked off this blog, one of our observations was that we simply didn't have anything of note to share.  Since our epic road adventure last year, that has largely been the case.  One could say that having our main floor flood with black water back in October would qualify as an event.  Or, my going back to school, a feat that amazed everyone (not least myself).  Or, our bringing home a delightful, if painfully high-maintenance, puppy, Pippa.

I don't look high-maintenance, do I?

All this is endlessly diverting to me and K, but they are events that very well could have taken place in one or many of your households.  I mean, whose house doesn't flood these days, right?  Given my crazy schedule, we haven't had much time for excursing ourselves somewhere nifty.  Until now.

Thanks to the forced-march curriculum of the Foster EMBA program, I am now spending the next few days in Dubai, UAE, then hopping down to Chennai, India for another five days.  All of this, I'm told, is intended to teach me that doing business in different cultures requires something called "cultural sensitivity" or the ability to "adapt".  I'm an American, however, and in my previous four years working overseas I've already learned that no matter how hard I try to blend, natives are going to follow me around trying to get me to buy worthless tchotchkes in the street.  I also know that I will be mocked (at least behind my back) for trying to speak the language no matter how many Rosetta Stone tapes through which I sleep.   No matter.  The trip is a program requirement, so here I am, endless hours of airplane food and subway stops later, ready to hit the ground running here in Dubai.

Now that I'm here, I've learned that Dubai is not a typical Arab country.  The mastermind behind Dubai's mushrooming success as a global financial and commercial hub is none other than its fearless leader, Sheikh Mohammed.  Unlike other emirs who used their vast oil resources to build themselves platinum-plated 747's or pave their palace grounds with diamonds, Sheikh Muhammad had a vision for turning Dubai into a "hub of hubs" under a policy of treating all economies equally.  Starting as head of security and police, he expanded his purview to become head of the Department of Oil.  He used his role, and his vast wealth, to grow his emirate.  Key in all Mohammed's investments was pulling Dubai away from oil dependency.  He established "free zones" where businesses could set up shop as 100% owners with 0% tax.  He established a real estate company to build man-made islands, expanding Dubai's "coastline" with over 600 miles of premium-priced real estate.  He funded the world's first "seven-star" hotel, the Burj al Arab.  And, as if that wasn't enough, he built the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, connected to the world's biggest shopping mall.  Culturally, he extended his open philosophy to all cultures and beliefs, resulting in a population that is over 80% expatriate.

There's THIS much opportunity here!

Starting to get the picture?

The result is a shining, clean metropolis in the desert.  The metro runs everywhere, on time all the time.  Highways are Texas-caliber, all the better to let the glitterati cruise around in their silly-expensive cars.  I intend to learn, as best I can, whether this is truly a shining example of capitalism done well, or if there isn't some sort of seamy underbelly making the whole thing fly.  Was the Burj built with the tears of 9 year olds?  Does Emirates carry trafficked children in its holds?  I hope not, but I intend to learn as much as I can in my short time here.  In the mean time, Day One went pretty well.  Witness my relaxing post-prandial hookah.

Ringside for belly dancing

Once I charge my phone, I'll share my video of dune racing in a tricked out Land Cruiser through the desert.  In the mean time, I bid you:

"Leyla Saida!"

That means "Good Night" in Arabic!