Think you know your city? Abu Dhabi Week sniffs out some lesser known facts.

Yas, please! Knowing that there’s a public service in town headed straight for Yas Island that costs a mere AED 2 has completely banished any future ideas of shelling out AED 50+ for a taxi there again. If time is on your side, why not take the scenic route? Take the bus – the number 290 leaves from Khalifa Street.

Good call: In return for cash payment, Zonzoo – a mobile phone recycling company – sells working used and new mobile phones to developing countries, and is now operational in the UAE. What’s more, they’ve teamed up with Enviroserve so that anyone who donates a phone to be recycled, a percentage of the profits will be donated to UAE charity GULF FOR GOOD. That’s two good deeds in one small act.

Lending a helping hand: Have a heap of clothes in need of sorting? Or a bookcase so dusty it gets you sneezing just looking at it? An obvious option would be to hire some help but where to begin looking a maid in Abu Dhabi? Let helper sourcing service Helpers handle all the dirty work. Contact: 02 643 1294.

Spread the word: While most libraries in town charge you membership and/or entrance, a little birdie told us about the quaint Al Shaheen Library – a shop tucked away behind Electra Street stocking cool comics, the latest mainstream reads and a smorgasbord of public donations to borrow and/or buy really cheap. It’s situated a couple of streets behind the European Exhibition Building on Electra Street. Contact: 02 676 8995

Food for thought: Fancying a quiet night in and craving your favourite takeaway? Lost the menu behind the sofa and haven’t yet learnt their number by heart? Times like this call for handy websites like www.eatingabudhabi.com. It has more than 175 restaurant listings, reviews and online menus from all your favourite food joints no matter
the budget.  

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