Five things I cannot buy in Dubai

For a town in which the premier city-wide celebration is a shopping festival, you would think you could easily buy anything you like here.

But no, there are a few things for which I have searched fruitlessly. For Dubai readers, any tips will be gratefully received.

1. String. The other day I trawled the Mall of the Emirates looking for a ball of string. This is a shopping centre that tourists visit with their cameras. You can buy a pair of Jimmy Choos, a Persian rug, or a phone charger shaped like an old-fashioned rotary dial phone, made of silicon. (What?) It has a ski field. It has a supermarket the size of a football stadium. It has nearly 500 stores. None of them sell string.

This was not the first time I had tried to find string. I had kept my eye out for it at several other supermarkets and stores in general. When I ask a shop assistant, this is the response I get...

“Excuse me, do you sell string?”

Puzzled frown.

“You mean for sewing, ma’am?”

“No, not thread. String. For tying things.”

“We have some gift wrapping ribbon?” (This last sentence is not actually a question, but I added a question mark to indicate the confused rising inflection on the end of the statement.)

“No, not ribbon. Just string. You know... string.”

“Ah, yes. Aisle 29.”

When I go to aisle 29, I find tape, I find rope, but no string.

Now, thread, ribbon, tape and rope all do some of the things that string do, but they can’t do all of the things that string does. String is a uniquely useful tool, and I would like to have some.

Now, there is probably a craft store or a hardware store somewhere in Dubai that sells string. I certainly see enough bits and pieces held together with it as I go about the place, so it does exist here. But I don’t think I should have to make a special trip to an obscure location just to buy a ball of string. I think I should be able to buy it at my local supermarket or newsagent. (But wait, there are no newsagencies here. Another nail in the coffin of newspapers.)

Maybe I haven’t asked the right people. But once again, I shouldn’t have to ask the right people. I’m not buying opium here, folks. I just want a ball of string.

2. Sultanas. Currants are not sultanas. Nor are raisins. Well, according to Wikipedia, they actually are, but I haven't seen anything that looks the same as the ones at home.      

3. Twinings Chai and Vanilla Tea. Miss it. Please send.

4. Sheets of cardboard. Three children at school means sheets of cardboard have been a staple product in our household for years, like bread or milk. Useful for assignments of all kinds, or just for rolling up and bopping your sister on the head, they are as much a part of primary school as paint and glitter glue. Not any more.

And finally...

5. Pearl cous cous. You know that extra-big kind of cous cous? Delicious. It’s also called Israeli or Jerusalem cous cous. Now, the UAE is a participant in the Arab League boycott of Israel, but I think this is taking things too far.

What have you found hard to buy when you have been away from home?