Smart planning turns UAE holiday into 9-day escape
Other UAE citizens have turned their four-day National Day holiday into a nine-day one by taking three more leave days. That gave them a holiday from Saturday, November 30 to Sunday, December 8.
Some workers used the long holiday to travel, visit family and catch up with those they loved, with planning.
For the Jordanian expat Mohammed Abu Nael, the long break was attending his cousin’s wedding in his native Amman. The wedding was on December 5-7, the day after the public holiday closed.
"I didn’t initially want to go travelling on National Day and at the wedding," Mohammed said. "But after they announced the four-day leave, and with my cousin pleading with me to come back, I came to see my old city. I needed to have everything that I needed to get done with work before I left. I even wiped tasks for 4 to 6 December so I was sure no one needed me and I could be remote should something arise."
Mohammed flew to Amman for November 29 and is coming back on December 8, so he could fully participate in the wedding. "The flights were pricy, I spent more than Dh3,200 round-trip. But this was a big thing for me as I don’t have another opportunity to come in four months because I have work deadlines in the UAE in the busy winter season," the marketing manager said.
Extended vacation in Georgia
The long break was an extended vacation in Georgia to see friends studying medicine in Tbilisi for Dubai’s Ramazan H.
"When the break of four days was announced, I just knew that I needed to take a vacation to rest and recharge," Ramazan said. "Three extra days of leave turned the holiday into a nine-day vacation and I was with my friends who I never see much. We’re telling each other stories, we’re walking the city, we’re just hanging out".
"The tickets cost a lot because of the demand and on the last minute, but the quality time with my friends and seeing Georgia in winter was worth every penny," he continued.
Family time
For Jonathan Smith, a 45-year-old communications professional in Dubai, it was his turn to visit his family in Bangalore, where the long vacation was an opportunity to return home.
"I figured that four days of vacation was the best time to go visit my family in Bangalore,’ Jonathan said when the holiday schedule was announced. ‘I’ve been home not even a year. By having a few more leave days I gave myself more time to take a rest, and spend time with my family and not feel rushed." "By adding in extra leave days, I made it an extended vacation and I was able to take my time with my family and loved ones.
Jonathan, a resident of Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC), said the trip is personal because abroad often means losing small things. ‘It’s been just about the food, re-visiting old times and being here for my parents and siblings,’ Jonathan said, who will be back on Dec. 8.
Comments