shopping Archives - Circles in the SandCircles in the Sand

My DH finally bought an iPhone the other day. I say “finally” because he’s held out for a very.long.time.

His five-year-old Nokia was, in his mind, perfectly adequate, but it started to show signs of ageing – and I (gently) suggested it was time it was euthanised.

“It’s got to go! It barely works!” I urged [okay, maybe I wasn’t very gentle]. “You need a smartphone. How about an iPhone for Christmas? I’ll buy you one.”

Which really means he’d buy it, because he pays the credit card bill, but he reluctantly agreed this was a good idea. He wasn’t sure what to opt for, though. An iPhone or the Samsung Galaxy?

While mine is practically attached to me, DH isn’t so sure

He went back and forth. Christmas passed. Every day, I’d ask: “Well, shall we buy your present today?” But he was still deciding, still weighing up the pros and cons of the iPhone versus its peer.

I’d raise my eyebrows, absolutely astonished that anyone could take so long to buy one of the most artfully polished gadgets anyone has ever designed (I’m an Apple kind-of gal).

The new year arrived and DH still didn’t have his Christmas present. Our shopping styles couldn’t be more different, like apples and pears, I realised (his, measured, restrained and thoughtful; mine impulsive, more like a hungry hyena – though, to be honest, I’ve known this for a decade).

At last, as the Dubai Shopping Festival started, I felt we were getting close. DH had read loads of reviews online, talked to a tech-savvy friend, visited several stores selling both rival phones, tried them out, and, finally, the stars had aligned.

He bought a gleaming black iPhone 4S, despite not being a convert to Apple at all. “You’ll love it,” I promised. “It’s worth the money.” [more than 2,000dhs, even though it’s not the latest model].

“I hope so,” he replied, yet to be won over. “The Samsung looked great.” [and must have looked even greater when DH discovered half his contacts had vanished].

Then, the very next day, the email arrived, on a community Yahoo group I belong to: “Brand-new Samsung Galaxy for sale. Won in a raffle and still in its box. 800dhs.”

I can’t tell him, can I? That if he’d waited just one more day…

Dubai is known for its swanky malls and shopping festivals, and over the past three weeks it’s even been possible to indulge the habit at 3am on weekends.

Shopaholics, insomniacs and jet-lagged tourists were treated to round-the-clock shopping at several malls across the city as part of the Eid celebrations – though I hear it was mainly the food outlets that visitors flocked to in the small hours rather than the stores.

I wasn’t one of them – NOTHING, not even a night shopping deal would drag me from my bed and to the mall in the middle of the night, but we did end up at Mirdif City Centre on Saturday, where I found myself browsing the shop windows with a mixture of frustration and envy.

The stores are crammed with swathes of winter clothes – jackets, sweaters, faux furs, scarves – of the Sherpa variety.

I mean, have I missed something over the past four years in Dubai?

Like a big snow.

Cutsie winter clothes that my children will never wear in Dubai. When I popped in to look for a UV sun top, the assistant told me, “Sorry Ma’am, the season’s over.” Over! It’s only just begun!

I’d love to be able to wear this jacket, but if I did I’d feel like a boil-in-the-bag dinner. I know items like this are targeted at the tourists (despite surely not being any cheaper), but couldn’t stores like Gap, H&M and M&S modify their winter collections for Dubai? Per-leez?