Put your hands up and your lips where I can see them!

There is much talk recently about the expats being caught kissing in public and the sexual text messages. OK insinuating circumstances and we mustn't take these expats cases to reflect our own lives but how do you date when you know you might be caught at any time by the police.

There has always been this view that we are living in a liberal country compared to places like Saudi Arabia, but with the hiring of a Saudi man to be the "Moral minister" last year are we destined to go the same way?

I have met couples who have walked down the streets of Satwa and Bur Dubai with their other half, been stopped by the police and asked if they are a couple. Of course these people being honest have said yes and ended up in jail for a few days. They are not doing anything immoral or indecent just walking down the streets, maybe looking for a bite to eat or just walking and chatting but they have been arrested!

How can you advertise yourself as a liberal free thinking city and then turn on expats who help build your economy for something like this? If they are half naked and humping on a beach, then yes these people should be put in jail and then kicked out of the country.

We are already subjected to guidelines now when we enter malls on how to dress appropriately (not that the Russians are taking the slight bit of notice to the posters). But what next? Guidelines on going out at night with members of the opposite sex. And what will happen if you go on a date?

It's a problem when you go on dates. You might not want to go back to his/your place after the first date to show you are a lady and not an easy shag but still want to kiss him. But you can't peck on the lips let alone have the first proper kiss in this town. You could get a lift home with your date and kiss him in the car, but if you are dating a local and its obvious from his number plate, for sure there will be cops following you to your house (trust me it has happened to me a few times).

So the next option is getting a taxi back to his place, but if your hormones are as wild as mine of course one thing is going to lead to another. Not a good start if you want this man to be more than a one night stand.

Then the next worry is leaving his place. There seems to be a new fad with men kicking the woman out of his pad after a few hours, as they want to have a good night’s sleep without you snuggling up to them. So you walk out at sunrise and try and get a taxi. Who knows if someone is watching you in your clubbing gear looking a bit dishevelled?

I could say that maybe we should go back to courting, but in the age of real time information via twitter and multiple phones to access anyone and everyone globally; can we really be expected to be patient when dating? Maybe it's the way to go though. No holding hands, no kissing, just good conversation, good wine, and a friendly wave goodbye after a wonderful date. It might mean he will call you back sooner...