Jump to content

dubai_phil

Members
  • Posts

    20,826
  • Joined

1 Follower

About dubai_phil

  • Birthday 19 October

Recent Profile Visitors

The recent visitors block is disabled and is not being shown to other users.

dubai_phil's Achievements

  1. Dubai re-invents itself every 6 or so years. In the 6 years to our leaving, the costs had risen to levels that unless you were at "elite" level life was a struggle. VAT had been introduced and retailers added "extras" so that hurt. For various reasons, the economy was hit - funding the war in Yemen, Trade Reductions due to the "issue" with Qatar and a general lack of confidence. Cash flows got hit, companies were not paid on time, staff had to miss a month's pay - yes there is legislation to protect salary payments, but simply put the banks would not make loans to cover cash flow and IF you took your employer to court for non-payment you would just liquidate the company. There is no criticism of regimes in that, it was simple commercial reality, but when a pint of beer is $15 and your food/utilities costs have risen by over 10% missing 3 months pay hurts you. Staying was not an option. Every White Western Ex Pat expects a living wage, but a flow of Kids with MBA's are available at 1/10th the cost. I was subject to racist abuse and one gentleman (NOT a Gulf Arab) tried to run me over for not filling my car quickly enough. (A lovely Emirati Lady saw everything and made sure I walked away. We should have left sooner. I am SO happy here. Big part of my work is learning about & taking guests to Auschwitz. Big event there today live stream from 14:30 your time https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHfUnhGMZWAHRIMp1EUOwyA
  2. Thanks for the nice words from a few of you. Yes I, like many over 26's found myself having to escape from a re-inventing itself again Dubai. I stayed way too long. I stopped posting because life got in the way and it was more about fighting to keep our head above water in the sandpit while people let us down or plain screwed us over time after time. Then Brexit. We had a choice, married to an EU citizen we had to choose one or the other to get residency status BEFORE the 1st "expected" Brexit date. Mrs Polski Phil doesn't take **** from anyone (inc John Boy Saint) and we knew that sooner or later (as has already happened to many of her Polish friends in the UK) something would be said, in a bar or a supermarket and she would react. So. We moved to the AMAZING City of Krakow 12 months ago next week, again a huge battle to get out and get a base here. Friends and family have been (apart from one ex friend) amazing. It took a while trying to get a job knowing only 6 swear words in Polish, but I started driving a Mercedes Van last July driving tourists (and VIP's). I have a great lad I work for/with. We are making a difference, growing like crazy, getting ridiculous reviews on Trip Advisor. After 25 years of sand and dust I now get to see the stunning beauty that is the state of Malopolska of which Krakow is the Capital. I stick the best stuff on Instagram same username. Old Nick is partly correct. I take tourist to Auschwitz on average twice a week. I went iniside for the 1st and ONLY time 10 years ago. Today I believe helping to spread the story is the single most important job I have ever done. I am no historian, I am a snapper, I provide my clients with images of what village life is like in Poland and prepare them for what they will see at the Museum. Equally I have great fun travelling to the Mountains, to Ski Resorts & Thermal Baths. To magical Fairy Tale Castles in deep dark forests to war memorials and village life home cooking restaurants. My work pays peanuts. I love it. 3am start, -13C? Blizzards? Black Ice? ANYTHING is better than those last months in Dubai. I've picked up a golf club once all year, watched about 4 tournaments on telly. But in 2018 I wrote a Golf Story Blog (now defunct) that had almost 1000 regular readers as I told the story of my journey to the 2018 Ryder Cup in Paris. That story is out there on Sotonians somewhere. Suffice to say, A Saints fan walked down the 14th fairway talking **** with an Arsenal fan on that fateful Sunday afternoon as me & Poulter tried to stop the emotion and the noise from getting to us. The downside? in 2018 was being photo-bombed at the end by John Rahm instead of dancing with Rory, but hey. Time moves on Oh and yeah. The 2022 story will (Health permitting) be told out there somewhere on the internet. I loved this forum and everyone on it.Hell I nearly had a beer with Glasgow Saint. I've even met Barry Sanchez in real life thanks to the Sotonians pre-match beers thing. I didn't leave over a row, or a banning. Life just got too damn real and I had to survive. Which I have. And if anyone is heading to Krakow for a weekend/stag do. Wodka Bar. It's on Google. Chocolate Chilli Vodka. Nothing else matters in life Live long and prosper guys I'd post a picture but then this ain't such an easy to use template so it won't work. Thanks gang. Ad what a ****ing brilliant last few weeks to be a #saintsfc fan!
  3. Lee was the second of my friends taken by Cancer this year. I had got to know Lee from a distance and last met him in May of 2016 when he was working hard to get a business off the ground with a good friend in Eastliegh. He made the decision to forgo Chemo in order to have a better quality of life, and boy did he do that and how he fought so so hard. His posts and updates of his good and bad days on Facebook were a source of inspiration to me and many others. A great friend stood by him and his family through all of that and I am heartbroken I cannot be at his funeral tomorrow. Europe celebrates a Public Holiday for All Saints Day, and it was on that day that Lee was taken from us, and nothing could be more apt. Lee was a true Saint, many will miss him. I am very lucky to have known him. RIP Lee
  4. Did someone mention golf? Like everyone else all of us down here have had a good laugh at Koeman, Lovren & Liverpool this weekend. As others have said, there were enough "rumours" about ass-hat and our lack of "fight" to keep him. I have no doubt that he won't be coming back anytime soon, nor for that matter will Lovren. Mane with Pelle gave Koeman the option of a long ball, Pelle to hold it and Mane to run onto. Nether of those options have been available to either Puel or MP with the players that "Les" has bought in. Maybe after Saturday we finally have a new option other than being Jim Magiltonesque. Like most Dutch people I have worked with (except those at Golf) Koeman was self opinionated and arrogant and clearly not a good listener. Maybe with Holland he will still be able to get their youngsters to respect him. Everton have found him out to be clueless, but will have the same problems with whoever they recruit UNTIL they find a striker. Perhaps we can sell them Shane Long in January and finish the job off?
  5. Bugger. That's his worldy for the season then. Meanwhile. Anyone mentioned Golf lately? I know Old Nick is absolutely dying for updates about being called up for Team Europe for the Ryder Cup. Nah don't worry I'll sod off back to papsweb now & just annoy Granty with it on Twitter
  6. You're surprised? Lot of the lads came over for Arnhem - we had lads from Greece Holland Germany & 9 of us from down here meeting up next to the fan zone. In Milan, Travel Mush flew in for a day trip from Cambodia, met two Thai Fans from Bangkok who'd had to do the whole Shengen Visa thing. Currently 6 of us from Dubai coming home for the weekend pulling every stunt on the planet to blag tickets and time off work AussieSaint20 is more than a list of Pubs - every name on that list has a decent turnout every week of idiots like us We are just 1 ticket short of a full load and he had 4 Aways this season including Everton (and Milan), so fingers crossed #globalsfc - WE spread the word, not sure the club values us so much at times though
  7. http://www.ticketmaster.ae Legitimate local branch of Ticketmaster. Have used them widely for events & concerts. Ticketmaster Middle East have no Employee by the name of Joanna Hutchings. Ticketmaster Offices are ONLY permitted to sell tickets for events in their own Country. Ticketmaster Middle East have NO EFL final tickets available nor have they EVER sold tickets for an event outside this region. If you are contacted then Ticketmaster recommend you immediately report that contact to the Police as some desperate fan further down the line may get ripped off. Note: There ARE some Corporate Tickets in this region, Emirates Airline for example as FA Cup Sponsor, some Digital Media Companies with operations here, as well as the Official Middle East Manc Supporters group. Some of our Krew have also been able to obtain Corporate and I can assure you none of those are for sale at ANY price - NONE of the Dubai Krew have come across ANY of those being sold locally (and trust me we have some members who are trying VERY hard to get tickets) HTH Enjoy the OS Ticketline queue later today
  8. Had been to Milan once before for work and found it boring over rated and expensive. This time was so different. Day 1 we ate in Brera at the "Two Restaurant Streets" nice part of town, great Pizza, 5 Euro for a beer (cheap compared to here) but the Wine was expensive BUT superb. Day Tow we wandered round the City looked at the Well Dressed Ladies, some of our crew even got in to see the Last Supper & Museums. For Lunch we found "A Wine Shop" located on Via Dante near the Duomo. Everything about it screamed tourist rip off and yet... It sold 1500 Italian Wines at Supermarket Prices that you could take away or have served at your table. The food was superb The Lamb Chops plate for 15 Euros were awesome. In fact once we discovered the Special Promotion we were drinking a great 2012 Valpollicella at 9 Euros a BOTTLE (While FF drank his 35 Euro Beer about 150 metres away. Navigli & the Canals were fun until the bottles started to fly and while I never usually do it, we went back to Via Dante Thursday and drank it dry after the game. Even after midnight, OWTS rolled from Restaurant to Restaurant along that street These guys are well worth a light lunch & bottle of decent wine next time you find yourself stuck in a City Centre http://www.signorvino.com/en Was so great to meet Travel Mush from Cambodia, Bahrain Saint, Romanian, Bulgarian and Polish Saints, 2 native born Thai Girls who'd travelled over, the London Saints crew and the old Salisbury Massive on one trip. Best bit was when I went to take a photo of the inside of the San Siro a voice belted out "**** me you look just like your brother" - another old friend I hadn't seen in some 25 years or so
  9. At the moment looks like we may get 7 of the Dubai Saints crew to the game. We tried REALLY hard to get our **** together and come en masse but the late news of the extra tickets getting down to us mere members put paid to that. Add in about 6 "Casual Members" who come down our way & join us to watch games we've got a pretty decent turn out. We've a mixture arriving from tomorrow lunchtime through to Thursday morning. Biggest bunch of us flying on Emirates but also some (including Eric) trying out our new "potential sponsor" Oman Air via Muscat and as far as we know, one daft bugger coming on Alitalia. Two more were refused vacation days so not a bad effort. We'll be in Brera? & Navilgi Wed & Thursday and we'll be all flagged up, I'll be talking Golf & Eric will be moaning about the lack of Real Ale. Just off to find a fire certificate now for the flags (FFS)
  10. http://www.trenord.it/en/discovery-train/special-tickets/milanocard.aspx MILANOCARD With MilanoCard you are entitled to travel free of charge on all public transports for 24, 48 or 72 hours in the city of Milan and to get the free access to 3 museums and discounts from 10% to 85% provided at monuments, restaurants and in all services under agreement with the MilanoCard as well. Moreover you have a free medical assistance h24 during your trip. MilanoCard gives special and exclusive facilities to visit the Duomo of Milan, the symbol of the city. Do you ever have a personal driver for free? This will be possible in Milan thanks to MilanoCard and Uber. With MilanoCard: 2 rides (up to 15€ each) for free. Discover Milan with Malpensa Express and Milanocard, the first tourist card of the city of Milan. OUR SPECIAL OFFER! Malpensa Express Ticket + MilanoCard 24h: €18,30 Malpensa Express Ticket + MilanoCard 48h: €22,90 Malpensa Express Ticket + MilanoCard 72h: €31
  11. Is it time to return to here and mention Golf?
  12. I am very disturbed to read that Ronald is doping the team. Clearly statements like this prove the age old Southampton fan ethos that something will go wrong. 6th placed team in the EPL get there by Doping. With the current global focus on Drugs use in sport, I am not sure we should even be considering negotiating anything but a severance and possible lifetime ban.
  13. Our tater commented that "Long is currently up there with the very best of the Premier League Strikers. If he can improve his Goal Stats he could become THE best" A fantastic performance, totally unexpected on my part, JRod looked fine if short on awareness until the tackle (on Nasri was it) then seemed to be stuck in glue, I really hope that wasn't a knock or something. Loved all the pictures on my timeline & Twitter of the 40th Anniversary Celebrations, at least the TV showed Lawrie Mac (and Leon) a few times, A great day
  14. I still have the original DVD from that first game. and a copy of the programme somewhere! I don't think the Ref sent Nick off for his attitude, think it was more for the affront of wearing a shiny Silver Made in China Suit. At least mine was handmade in a sweat shop in Thailand. Did anyone else notice how we got a bigger crowd than that lot down the M27? And yes, Granty was right, the Ref was a complete dork (in the first game) awarding a Carrollesque penalty against my Nipper ffs. But of course Karma (rather than any ability or tactical nous) ensured that Nick won the second game. I still laugh now at OldNick not seeing the ref wave the sub on in that first game - in the same way he missed my tactical switch from Mike Bassett to a False The9 - a move which actually changed the game. Yeah, gotta save some airmiles. We NEED the decider.
  15. That is true. However there are and always will be Two LEGENDARY Managers. Perhaps THE only time a Manager at SMS will ever be spotted slurping Magners in the Technical Area. (And no, it wasn't the one who nearly got sent to the stands) It was a brilliant event, and yes, everyone rolls their eyes up as the tale is retold.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

View Terms of service (Terms of Use) and Privacy Policy (Privacy Policy) and Forum Guidelines ({Guidelines})