In the city I'm from the tallest elevator stops at level 21. That's not even in the city center. In "downtown" Stavanger the elevators doesn't go beyond 14, which is why we all feel like little miniature LEGO people whenever gargantuan cruise ships like the one below, ports the inner dock. When "Queen Elisabeth II" visited Stavanger last year it was 4 times higher than the tallest building in the city. Seriously, it was like King Kong rolled up with his private yacht, and we're all gazing up in total awe.
Choo choo minions
Needless to say, I am not particularly attuned to the man-made wonders of the world, so when I was remote working in Dubai earlier this year - well, let's just say I've hardly pressed my face against the taxi window like that before. The 830 meter, 163 floor Burj Kalifa is striking, but what is really mind boggling is realizing this was all DESERT some 50-odd years. I was talking to Erika Illves (ex McKinsey consultant based in Dubai, now space entrepreneur), who put it into perspective brilliantly: "It's when you go to Dubai you realize that building a city on Mars wouldn't be that difficult". After having seen it for myself, I tend to agree. Not unlike Norway, Dubai has seen an extraordinary transformation since the emirate nation struck oil in the mid-sixties. In just a matter of decades, Dubai has become to the Middle-east, what Hong Kong is to China.
Just look at that transformation
*Dubai is a superficial, overly-ambitious, luxury-driven, under-construction mayhem where Brits go to tan."
That pretty much sums up the typical western attitude towards Dubai, and I guess, not far from my own. What struck me after spending some time there was this: They're all right, and at the same time, so hopelessly wrong. The beauty of traveling is realizing there's always a deeper story to be found underneath prejudice and shallow mindsets. So here's what I learned about Dubai:
#1 Democracy has a cost
On of the fundamental backdraws about a democracy is all the noise and bureaucracy that sometimes kill decisionsmaking processes and turn innovative projects into dismal solutions. Often, they are fragmented by political compromise, which certainly has been these case of numerous Norwegian infrastructure projects over the years. Now don't get me wrong, I believe in a democratic nation, and would never want it any other way. However, it's when you go to Dubai you see what happens when these issues are thrown out of the equation. Don't we have a state-of-the-art Formula 1 race track? Well, let's build it! Congestion you say? Nay, let's fix that with a interconnected, city wide tram system. Build an island? - screw it, let's do it. And the timeframe? Not decades. Not years. But months. Which brings me to the next point. Is there anything we, the democratic nations of the north, can learn from the Dubaien mentality, or are they simply reckless Sheiks throwing away their fortune?
#2 Dubai will stand on it's own legs long before it runs out of oil
Most of us up in the Nordics frown upon how the emirate Sheiks choose to spend their money - it's seen as risky, reckless, and pompous. That might be true. But consider this: Dubai is not just a city anymore. It's a destination. Remember those new Star Wars movies? You know, futuristic cities with skyscrapers and spaceships docking on top of buildings? Well, that's not terribly far from the view get in any hotel room in Dubai - add a couple of hovering x-wings, and presto! - It's a city getting ready for the future. In fact, Dubai is investing 4.5 billion in building an innovation community of buildings, incubators and investment funds over the next 10 years. A part of the new innovation hub is to be a massive new centre of communication and technology facilities, covering 150,000 square metres, approx the size of 21 fotball pitches. That's on top of their already established free zone cities - internet city, media city, knowledge village - vast areas where companies from all over the world can come to jump-start business, and serve the wider MENA region. Thus, when we all stops using fossile fuels to power the world - nobody is going to just pack up and leave. Dubai will be a global business hub, connecting Asia, Europa and Africa with a vast range of services. That makes me wonder - does the Nordics have a similar plan?
#3 Some things cannot be bought
The amount of money in circulation in Dubai is staggering. From what I saw, this is the place for dreamers and visionaries - where else in the world could you possible get a green light for a sales pitch, along the lines of: "hey, so we want create a solid island, shaped as a palm - using mud, sand and rocks, outside the shores of Dubai, and build small cities and luxury hotels on it." Wait, what?
Dubai has money to buy everything. Heck, they've even imported the birds that fly around in the city (Yes. They're not native. It's a desert, Camels are native). So, I was surprised to learn some things that Dubai lacks which, quite frankly, cannot be bought.
Dubai is missing content, meaning and culture. For instance - in coffee shops, cafés and resturants - they all have poor internet connection and you get a 1 hour free session. 1 hour, really? At first I thought it was a joke. I'm in global business hub, and they're charging me for wifi? The same goes with customers services, how they greet you, and how they handle customer relationships. It's very laid back, and not at all up to standards (except the top hotels, those are stellar). It's like there is a total disconnect between the physical (what's on the outside), and the customer experience (what's on the inside).
We don't always have lunch, but when we do...#Pierchic #dubai
What's next
Did I enjoy my stay? Yes, yes indeed. Dubai is a fascinating society in constant flux - one that is vastly different from the rest of its neighbouring countries. From an innovation standpoint, exciting things are happening in Dubai and I'm excited on it's behalf in the years to come.