Try and avoid Dieria on Friday afternoons.  Workers are in town!!

On Fridays, there are typically hundreds and hundreds of men, wandering around.  Buying all sorts of household goods and toys to send home.  Crowding around the money exchange offices for the best rate to send their money home.

Advice for those traveling on a modest budget and looking for more exploring-plus-relaxation than pure luxury:

- Stay in Diera at one of the mid-market hotels near the Creek.  You'll be able to walk to the Gold Souk and Spice Souk, as well as to the dhow station to cross the Creek, where you can walk around Bur Dubai.  If you walk up the Creek there are some lovely cafes where you can grab lunch to break up your day in Bur Dubai.

- Don't worry too much about needing to take a taxi to the beach or the other places further down the coast towards Abu Dhabi - it's fairly cheap ($10 - $15 depending on where you are in Diera), and it's better to be near the city center and souks for eating, shopping, etc.

 - Get your hands on the map put out by the tour bus company (the double-decker deal), instead of the official Dubai City Map...it's much better.  The bus trip/ticket itself may not be worth the money (something like $50 for the day?), because unless you're going to hit all that Dubai has to do in 24 hrs, you're probably better off taking taxis and walking.  The service may be great if you need it, but don't assume it's necessary.  If you're traveling with a big group or children, or you plan on going to a lot of the sites where you get free admission or a discount with your tickets, then consider it - just check to make sure that it will really be worth it to you, and know that a typical day of hopping around Dubai does not cost $50 in transportation.

- Don't hesitate to go!  Dubai is extremely easy to navigate around, almost everyone speaks great English and it's a very unique place - totally worth seeing.  It is a GREAT destination if you're either a first-time traveler who is a bit nervous about leaving the U.S./Europe or (on the other end of the spectrum) an expat living in the developing world in Africa/Central Asia/South Asia and you could use and escape to what you will recognize as 'civilization'...the fact that Dubai caters to both of these is telling - it truly is a unique place where you can feel like you're both at home and on vacation at the same time! 

And one more sidenote, for a slightly different crowd: Though this isn't a first-hand experience, Dubai would be a great place to bring children.  It's safe and clean in comparison to the vast majority of the world outside of the U.S./Europe, and there are lots of families around that all seemed to be having a lovely time.  Kids get to be sensitized to a culture they may not be exposed to otherwise (speaking from a U.S. perspective), with all the comforts of being able to order French fries and a milkshake at almost any restaurant!