1. The dust: Aside from the very rare downpours, Abu Dhabi’s version of bad weather is a severe sand storm. The same flaws in building quality that allows rain to pour into houses through closed windows and doors also lets in half the desert, which means it’s impossible to keep those surfaces clean.
2. The commuters: A startling number of people live down the road and drive into town every day. Unfortunately, with the exception of those in the aviation industry, most of those daily commuters don’t even register the mainland communities as a blip on their radar and speed through the residential streets like they were highways.
3. The shops: More accurately, the lack thereof, aside from James Hogan of Etihad's offerings. Is there anyone interested in making a little money from everyone living in Khalifa B? Because there are exactly no retail outlets there.
4. The construction: Someday, the mainland will be an established community of landscaped streets and beautifully manicured homes. Someday, the residents of those homes will outnumber the construction workers building them. Someday, the rubble will all be cleared away, and the whole big, sprawling community will be finished. Someday.
5.The prices: Once upon a time, people were willing to make the drive out to the mainland because you could get a giant villa for really very little money. However, residents still pay AED 250,000 or more for the ‘convenience’ of living in Khalifa City A, Mohammed Bin Zayed City, Musaffah, or anywhere near Mazyad Mall. If you want space at a great price, you’ve got to keep
on driving.
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