What not to do when in Dubai

Ok ! this one was inspired by a headline in The National today - about a british woman in her 30s arrested for having sex on Jumeirah Beach. While this is not something that happens everyday, tourists and expats living in Dubai do end up doing things which offend the "cultural and moral sensitivities" of the emiratis. And trust me, they are pretty strict in this part of the world.

Though Dubai is positioned as a melting pot of the east and west, UAE is still a very conservative society. It is ruled by Islamic moral ethos, which respect modesty, personal space and perfect civil behaviour when in public. One can be jailed for three months for drunken driving. Public Display of affection ( PDA) can earn you a slight reprimand to begin with, but if it involves sex in public like the british woman mentioned earlier, it could be a jail term upto six years.

Based on my experience of living in Dubai for nearly six months now, here is a list of things one must absolutely NOT do in Dubai.

1) Drunken driving - forget about driving if you want to go out for a drink. Even if it is just a pint of Beer, take a taxi back home. jail terms of upto 3-6 months are common for drunken driving

2) Public Display of Affection - ( PDA) - definitely not on. While it is ok to hug and kiss ( not smooch really :) discreetly, it is definitely not good to bring attention to yourself.

3) Walking out in the sun without sunglasses - This is an innocent one. But the first few weeks i was here and thought i didnt need them, i was punished for being too brave and audacious. The sun in UAE can be harsh !

4) Pick a fight - For those with a short temper, i would highly recommend an "anger management course" before you come to dubai. I know of a french girl, who lost her job, was almost jailed and deported. Her crime : punching the security guard who refused to let her get into an office.

There are still others who routinely get into brawls with the taxi drivers ( who are an unruly lot).

5) Go out for long without water at your disposal - Imagine 50 degrees centigrade and extremely high humidity in the summer.