Another crazy week. Friends visiting from the UK, brunch culture explained, gym tours, and a PSA about medications that I wish I'd known earlier.
UFC Gym Dubai: Pricing & Tour
Kicked off the week with a fitness session at a UFC gym with Kev (one of the guys who flew out).
Quick tour: there's an octagon, cardio, weights – everything you'd expect. Multiple locations across Dubai.
UFC Gym Membership Costs
| Membership | Cost (AED) | Per Month (GBP) |
|---|---|---|
| 12-month pass | 3,600 | ~£62/month |
| 3-month pass | 2,000 | ~£138/month |
Significant saving if you sign up annually. But we didn't pay – there's a free 3-day pass option via the website. Definitely try before you commit.
⚠️ Medication Warning: My Melatonin Experience
Real talk. I want to share something important.
In the UK, you can't easily buy melatonin over the counter. Here in Dubai, you can't trip down the street without falling into a pharmacy. They're everywhere, and you can access medications you couldn't back home.
What Happened
I was struggling to sleep – heat, work, not enough hours in the day. So I turned to melatonin to help me switch off and maximize quality sleep time.
I was taking it every night for nearly a week. Sara didn't even know – she was asleep before I took it.
Then yesterday: felt terrible. Ill. Stomach cramps. Floaty. Couldn't work out what was wrong.
Quick Google of "melatonin side effects" – hit the nail on the head of exactly how I was feeling.
The PSA
If you come out here and can access medications you couldn't normally get over the counter wherever you're from: double-check the side effects before taking them.
Just because you can buy it easily doesn't mean it's harmless. I'm not a doctor, but I felt awful – mentally and physically – from something I assumed was fine.
I've stopped taking it. Going to look after myself properly instead.
Rugby Update: Reggie's First Try!
Saturday morning means rugby with the boys at Exiles.
The jury was out on whether Reggie would enjoy it, but he's had an absolute blast. After training, he had a little shiner on his side – caught an elbow. But as he said:
"I got hit. Few tears. Got straight back up. Scored a try. And tackled the person who elbowed me really hard."
That fire! He chases the ball with absolute tenacity. Super proud.
After rugby, the kids jump in the pool for half an hour. This is our new community outside of school – it's becoming a real home for us.
Hosting Friends from the UK
Bit of background: Sara and I co-founded a company back in 2013. I stepped away a couple years back to an advisory role, and Sara runs it full-time now. The senior leadership team had a meeting this week, so we flew a few of them out.
One of them (Harry) has been my best mate for 10 years before he even joined the company. Having them here has been amazing.
JBR Beach Evening
Took the guys to JBR to show them the beach strip. Had beers together – managed to find a reasonably priced deal:
3 pints for 109 AED (~£22)
That's the best price we could find. Then headed to Zuzu for a meat feast.
The "Soul" Question
Danny made an interesting observation:
"I feel like the one thing that's missing is the soul of the country. There's no old-town stuff – just the new, showy, glitz and glamour. Normally in an older city you get the old school stuff and the new built on top. Here it's completely separate."
He's right – it's one of the critiques of Dubai. It's such a new place. We need to take them to the gold souk and spice markets next time to see the cultural heritage side.
Taxi Tip
Quick tip the guys learned: get a local taxi (yellow with coloured roof), not the black ones. Black ones are nicer but way more expensive.
Dubai Brunch Culture Explained
If you're watching this for the first time, you might not know what a Dubai brunch actually is.
What Is It?
Think of it as a release valve for Western expats once a week.
Throughout Dubai, between roughly 12-4pm or 1-5pm on Fridays/Saturdays, restaurants offer brunches: unlimited food, unlimited drinks, for a set period (usually 3-4 hours).
The Packages
| Package | What's Included |
|---|---|
| Soft drinks | Food + non-alcoholic drinks |
| Standard drinks | Food + beer, wine, house spirits |
| Premium drinks | Food + spirits, cocktails, premium selection |
Our Experience
We went for the premium package at Maison Mathis:
- Price: 450 AED per person (~£90)
- Duration: 3 hours
- Includes: Unlimited food + spirits/cocktails
You might think: that's expensive. And you'd be right.
But here's the trick...
The Entertainer App Hack
We use the Entertainer app to find brunches with 2-for-1 deals. All of a sudden:
- 450 AED becomes 225 AED per person
- That's about £45-50 per person
- For 3 hours of unlimited food and premium drinks
Unbelievable value.
Just that one brunch saved us more than the Entertainer app subscription costs for the entire year. If you're coming to Dubai – even just for a couple of weeks – get the app.
How We Use Brunches
We don't do them often (maybe twice in 2.5 months), but when we have guests:
- Take them to brunch
- Come back, chill by the pool
- Great way to socialize without alcohol costing the earth
Quick Cost Summary
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| UFC Gym (annual) | ~£62/month |
| UFC Gym (3-month) | ~£138/month |
| 3 pints at JBR | 109 AED (~£22) |
| Premium brunch (full price) | 450 AED (~£90) |
| Premium brunch (with Entertainer) | 225 AED (~£45) |
What's Coming Up
Next week is going to be interesting:
- I'm flying back to the UK for work
- Sara's holding the fort alone in Dubai
- Getting some dental work done (teeth have been on my bucket list for years)
- Podcast with the guys about their first impressions
Nervous about being away from the family – they live here now, and I'll be going back while they stay. Sara's super strong though.
Key Takeaways This Week
| Topic | Lesson |
|---|---|
| Medications | Check side effects – just because you can buy it doesn't mean it's harmless |
| Gyms | Try before you buy – free passes available |
| Brunches | Great value with Entertainer app – the expat hack |
| Taxis | Local taxis (yellow) way cheaper than black cars |
| Rugby | Exiles is becoming our community outside school |
| Dubai's "soul" | Valid critique – need to explore cultural heritage areas too |
Questions?
Anything specific you want to see more or less of? Let us know in the comments. We're still figuring out how to tell better stories rather than just pieces to camera throughout the week!
- Take the neighbourhood quiz – Find the right area for your family
- 100 Days in Dubai – More on family life
- Relocation Package – Get hands-on help
Stay well, speak soon! 🇦🇪