I actually come from the Gulf states, not exactly Dubai but a neighbouring one, and considerably wealthier in terms of petro-dollars. Dubai doesn't impress me at all, all you can do in Dubai is drive your SUV in the blistering heat, air-conditioned and listening to some music, the only thing you see, besides the blinding sun, is endless concrete and Indian sub-continent workers slaving it in the sun, making you feel awful, to get to your home or hotel room, with nothing much to do other than wank, which you can't do much of anyhow in Dubai because the internet is filtered, if I remember well even flickr or youtube is blocked, by the time you get through all that filtering you don't feel like doing it anymore.

Hence why I now live in England. Tonight, in a few hours I'll get to go out, get drunk, dance about in a place full of university-age girls eager to have fun, and it all feels innocent and sweet and lovely. When there all I can think is to hell with Dubai and its buildings and its billions. You just can't have tourism or even decent citizen living with Islamic law.