Jumper's Playground

A Renewed Life in the Sandpit

2011-05-22T04:31:00.000+04:00

Life in the sandpit

The other day, I dragged myself on a hot and humid day to an authorized centre for blood screening. It is a mandatory process for the renewal of residence visa in UAE. After a few days I got my passport attached with the new residence visa which allows me to have the legal right to play in this sandpit for another 3 years. So how's life in the sandpit after 3 years? Had I gained much from it? Was it worth it? Did I have fun? How many years more am I destined to be here? These are the introspective questions that hit me as I look at the new sticker nicely attached on my passport. I said to myself, only God knows, nothing is certain in this sandpit but all I know for now, I've had a good playtime. I could've played harder and that's exactly what I should be doing this new season. Have a sweet and sweaty summer!

Kullunna Khalifa

2010-12-04T17:56:00.004+04:00

It has been 39 years since the flag that represents the seven emirates was raised for the first time. It may not be that long compared to the historical emergence of other nations. But the emirates have gone through a rapid transformation over the years. Before 1971 the seven emirates were collectively known as the Trucial States, a name that originated from maritime agreements between the British and the leading sheikhs of the tribes. Today, the seven emirates benefit from the unity that has been solidified for 39 years and the prosperity that has come along with it. It was a long weekend for us here since we are celebrating the National Day on the 2nd December and also Maal Hijrah on the 5th December. I was on my road trip visiting the emirates to enjoy the present day of this beautiful and blessed country. It amazed me somehow when reflecting what I saw along the road trip with the old photos of UAE that I googled earlier. It is indeed a rapid transformation. Kullunna Khalifa means 'We are all for Khalifa', is a phrase which has been used for this year UAE's 39th National Day celebrations. It is written everywhere across the emirates to mark the respect and admiration for President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The day was 2nd December 1971

The Father and His Flag

The old photographs of the past

Paul took a snap of Eric, Robin and me on our road trip across the emirates on a long weekend

Lovely Jumeirah

2010-11-29T05:28:00.000+04:00

I visit Jumeirah so frequently in this mild November weather. Jumeirah is not my new girlfriend though I would like it very much to imagine that I have one. It is kind of sexy name, don't you think? The name is so feminine, seductive and ancient. I googled up and discovered that Jumeirah is indeed ancient. The name carries significant history of this region. This is what has been written about it, "This affluent suburb to the south of Dubai city is the location of an important archaeological site dating to the early Islamic period. Large houses built of beach rock (farush) covered with lime plaster have been excavated at Jumeirah by a team from the Dubai Museum. Based on a study of the pottery found at the site, Jumeirah seems to date to the first two or three centuries of the Islamic era. Thus, it is in part contemporary with the sequence at Kush in northern Ras al-Khaimah, and with Jazirat al-Hulaylah. Jumeirah is, however, the only complete settlement with well-preserved architecture yet excavated from this important period. A selection of the finds from Jumeirah can be seen in the Dubai Museum."

So it comes as no surprise that Jumeirah has always been a favourite place now and then. It is now an iconic place for beach goers. A place one can view the tallest building looming inland. A place to chill out, to just let go, to get half naked (sorry nudists, they can tolerate bikinis here but nothing less) and get soaked by the sun and seawater. A place that inspires people to come out and play.

These guys would probably said happily to each other, "Yalla, it's a beach day!" in Urdu

Burj Khalifa standing tall in the background. From here one can really tell how tall it is.

Me and my sundowning moment

These young Arabs were taking their wudhuk prior to Maghrib prayers

The water gets colder at night and soon it's going to be too cold for nightswimming

Staring At The Sky

2010-11-26T00:56:00.005+04:00

As I was driving absent-mindedly along the familiar street without congestion and the anxiety of being late on a fine lazy day, I looked up at the sky more than once, to catch the natural work of art. I didn't really look at it rather seriously until my Scottish pal, John, on the passenger's seat, gazed at the sky so intensely and said to me that God has saved him from the miserable rain and cold weather of Edinburgh this year. He is so glad that he is here and then he will spend several months in the exotic city called Chiang Mai in Thailand. He said the people in Scotland get so depressed in the winter up there, consumed piles of fries and fried stuffs including fried Snickers bars and they will die young of depression or on the unhealthy diet. I was laughing at his pathetic view of his own country and countrymen. That was when I looked at the sky again and the word mashallah popped out from my head. Indeed, the sky was so blue and beautiful with the uncommon white tinges and smudges. I smiled and said to myself, right now, there's no other place that I want to be other than this sunny city with the mild winter weather.

I have been deserting this playground for a long while and I just came to know two of my favourite bloggers are no longer here to share the same sky. The flamboyant young architect had left the emirates and so had the awesome mother of two. I have never met both but somehow it seemed like I knew them in person from just reading their stories. I wish them happiness in their new playground elsewhere. It also hits me that another virtual friend who makes magical mocha with her signature recipe, has come to stay close to the city, not sure where exactly, but close enough for her to stare at the same sky. I wish her bienvenue and all the best in making a wonderful living in this arid land.

The Best Thing in Life is Still Free

2010-08-16T02:07:00.001+04:00

This is me in my most superficial, shallow and basic being. When people bragged how Ramadhan has rebuilt their faith, cleansed their mind, heart and soul, I just want to tell the world that in this holy month, I appreciate food more than ever. And considering that the temperature out there during midday can soar as high as 47 degrees Celsius, I must say, I value water and my cups of coffee too.

Food and drinks comes in many form and style, but they serve only for just one purpose. Yesterday, I forked out AED200 to be served for food and drinks at a Ramadhan tent of Mina Salam, next to Madinat Jumeirah. It was a perfect setting, super service and wonderful ambiance but the food was below par in comparison to all other elements mentioned. Nevertheless, I finished everything on my plate. I was happy that it would fuel me well so as to keep me moving.

Today, I went to a mosque in my neighbourhood to observe human fuel in a different form and style. The food was handed from one hand to another in a line of men, it was then arranged like lights on parallel runways. It was a mélange of simple meals. I didn't pay a penny for my portion. Yet the food has satisfied my basic need. I felt a deluge of fuel fixing my weary and deprived body. It felt greater than the great ambiance and the super service of a chic place. When they say the best thing in life is free, believe it. It's no bullshit.

When A Chocolatier Meets A Winemaker

2010-08-06T12:58:00.011+04:00

I have the pleasure to meet Greg, the winemaker from Napa. We had series of interesting conversations. This guy is something else. He rejected medical school to pursue his aspiration of becoming a dreamer. I asked him why and he said he did that after realizing that physicians in America are becoming like puppets and they are ridiculed by the administration of the healthcare system. These were more and less the words I once heard coming from my wife when she complained about her work in Malaysia.

Greg hates milk and loves wines instead. Voila! He conjures a passion and that is, wine making. He worked in San Francisco, then a city of the south island of New Zealand and next, Sicily. Well, he knows his shit damn well. He narrated well on the types of grapes, their attributes and the variety of wine derived from the vineyard bunches. His articulation about his trade really delighted the chocolatier. I was really entertained and inspired to exchange similar story about cacao from the farm that we have in central Africa, the dwindling yearly crops and a little bit of chocolate making.

The tale of his trade is not exactly the most appealing part about him. We came to a moment when he uncorked the fact that he is an atheist. He believes that he is one of the billion consumers in the universe, who lives to consume whatever that comes along and then one day, will cease to exist. Period. No God, no angels, no devils, no heaven, no hell, no divine intervention, whatsoever. He is a non-believer but not out of ignorance. In fact, he has done a lot of reading and research to support his thinking. I guess he did that, more than I ever read and understood Quran. Meeting him, strikes me with one important realization in life. Having faith is not entirely our choice. I was born a Muslim and I didn't choose to become one. It is a gift I inherit with. A gift from God. Engaging in the delicate conversation with Greg about God, has made me look within to appreciate this dimensionless gift of faith, inexplainable by scientific and logical evidence. It is there in me as a congenital element. I just believe and grow with it. I couldn't be any luckier than this and I am thankful for it. Faith may have somehow eluded Greg's life so far. But anything is possible. He may find it later in his life. One who has it now, may even loose it along the way.

Back to the surface, Greg is an awesome guy. He is socially skilled. He engages in conversation very tactfully and interestingly. He really lives for the moment, enjoys his time being a so-called consumer of the universe. He is very appreciative. He is young, curious and adventurous and there's no doubt in my mind, that he would die saying 'I ve had the time of my life'. I thank him for shaking up my mind just a bit to make me realize about the little gift I have, which others may not have it in a million years. Indeed, the little gift needs a lot of polishing. Next week, the Ramadhan starts. How appropriate....

Greg pointed that the slim decanter is for champagne, the middle one is for white wine and the fat one is for the red wine and he explained the conceptual design for each.

For good life ahead, Greg. Cheers.

Melt Like Chocolate

2010-08-05T02:06:00.002+04:00

It has been a while since I last found myself reflecting life and zooming the depth of my being. I have been busy with the superficiality of life, moving around, getting things done and delayed. I have left this tranquil temple in the blogsphere that provides a stopover to fish my thought and reflect. I blame it on the Facebook addiction, my busy work, my laziness and perhaps the heat of the summer. I think I can blame it on everything else but that doesn't change the fact that I have been a bad blogger, a real bad one. So here I am, making another attempt to come back.

I was kind of sick for the past few days. I had thick phlegm stuck in my chest and I had been coughing them out every single chance I got. I enjoyed watching that yucky yellow stuff swimming away into the sinkhole. Now the congestion on my chest has been cleared but I am having a dreadful time holding back that glue-like juice that keeps sliding down my nose. I called my boss at 6AM that I couldn't make it to work. She said sleepily over the phone, 'take care of yourself'. So I did just that...taking care of myself.

I made myself bihun sup with chicken and tomatoes. I drank lots of warm water and peed a lot too. I took my medicine every 8 hours that really helped to dry up my nose. I cleaned my room, kept my washing machine busy with loads of smelly garments. When the sun was on the verge of setting down, I drove my Jeep, Lucky to a petrol kiosk. I had juicy Subway sandwiches while waiting for Lucky to get washed, wiped and vacuumed dry. I heard myself saying when I started the engine, 'Lucky, I love you, you're so handsome today'.

I went back to my room looking at things that I have been neglected for so long. My plants and my toys. I found myself talking to the plant in my room and toying with the stuffed kittens, the gifts from my kids. I called home to wish my wife and kids good night. They sounded sleepy and related briefly about the things that happened today in their lives. After they hung up, I was alone again looking back at the plant and the stuffed kittens. I just realized that when the plant talked to me earlier, it used my wife's voice and the stuffed kittens I played with, mimicked the voices of my kids. I cried and tried hard to hold back the unstoppable tears and the snots that came along. It was a mess. I tried to find the reason for this madness. I have somehow mustered the strength to get back and carry on.

I am thankful that I have had this moment. Being sick, being selfish, being me with the little things that mean nothing to others, but only matter to me. I have to admit I was a little lost lately and now I found myself again. I think I will get back to work tomorrow.

Jumper Goes Home

2010-05-06T21:55:00.114+04:00

It's the time of the year again to deliver one of the biggest duties as a daddy to my little girl Aimi. It's her 8th birthday and it's written on my calendar to drop whatever I do and fly home to be with her. I skipped my son's 5th and 6th birthdays, he grumbled but I can handle it by offering toys that his mother wouldn't allow him to have and he still thinks I'm the coolest dad. But it's kind of different with Aimi, who can be quite unpredictable. Just at the thought of her biting her lips and holding back tears in her eyes if I were not there on her big day, is enough to tear me apart. So dutifully, I took the flight home.

Her birthday was on Thursday. My wife took a day off and so we drove the kids to school. In the car for that morning trip and many other trips for the whole week, I was overdosed with the Glee Soundtrack, Volume 1. I have never watched these series of high school kids in their act of grouping, performing and outdoing the cheerleading squad. I thought it was lame. But now, ask me anything about Rachel, Mercedes, Finn, Artie and others in the Glee cast. I have been well informed about their characters, songs, love and life's issues. Thanks to my kids who supplied me, unconditionally, all the titbits as if they were written in their school's textbook. Aimi thought I was cool, when she noticed that I know the words in her favourite Glee songs like, 'Can't fight this feeling' and 'Alone'. She doesn't know yet those songs were originally sung by REO Speedwagon and Heart, the bunch of people whose songs I grew up with in the 80s.

The school bell rang at 8 AM to start the scene like in the Serengheti National Park. The school kids responded by making a stampede straight into their classes. The noisy kids were muted by the presence of the teachers. Once they all settled well to start another day of classroom adventure, I walked into the headmaster's office. I told Mr Headmaster that I just came back from the loneliest desert and after missing my daughter for 4 months, I would like to take her and her classmates hostage for an hour, to feed them with fried chicken, cakes and drinks. Mr Headmaster said, "Oh Well, go ahead.... feed 'em well and make 'em happy". Damn, why didn't I have headmaster like him when I was a kid?

I returned to the school to take charge of Aimi's class from 12:00 noon, just around lunchtime. The kids were happy to see me, probably because I dressed in an orange shirt, looking like Nemo's dad, Marlin, the clown fish. I distributed the party pack accessories for the kids to wear and made them rehearse the birthday song a cappella. My wife, at the other corner, was busy being a proper mother setting up the candles, cake, food and drinks. I thought of bringing lots of chocolates, but then I remembered, Chris, our Corporate Affairs advocating adamantly, as if her life depended on it, "We, at Mars, don't promote chocolates to school children.......".Consequently, no sweets and chocolates. I felt sorry for the kids. Yeah, go ahead and adore us...the most responsible and ethical chocolate maker.

Aimi's teachers were supervising us. They were easy going and friendly. It surprised me when one of them played Lady Gaga's, Bad Romance, to get the party started. Awesome. Damn, why didn't I have teachers like them when I was a kid? Sorry that I repeated myself unneccessarily. Well, the kids just had too much energy that towards the end of the hostage, they had become a little too hard to handle, asked too many questions and I decided it's time to hand them back to the talented teachers. They kids said together, almost like singing, a loud and long farewell and thank you. It's chaotic yet it sounded so sincere as it came straight from these young hearts. Very touchy, indeed. Later in the evening Aimi told me that her friends think it's the best birthday party they have had together. I asked her what she personally thinks. She smiled and looked away. That's her typical way of shielding her own emotion.

If only Aimi knew how nasty a ladybird is, she might not consider her cake to be made like one.

Nevertheless, it's a colourful and lovely cake. It couldn't be more perfect than this.

A busy day for the mother, escaping the hospital for a day to become a party maid.

Dressed in an orange shirt, I was Marlin, the not-so-funny clown fish.

The orange shirt is courtesy of Ploomer by The Last Resort. I have done my duty promoting to these kids. They are all excited to grow up to swing the world highest Canyon Swing in 10 years time.

She is now officially 8 years old, making a wish...

The teachers are very sporting, they are more than happy to be relieved by Marlin.

Another teacher striking a pose! I told you.... this kind of teacher rarely existed in the 80s.

Most of the kids in the class are 8 years old. Can you spot an underaged, 7 years old boy, sneaking into his sister's birthday party?

Marlin, giving support to the neurologist who got a little neurotic while conducting the procedure to dissect the ladybird into portions as an attempt to locate the nerve responsible for ladybird's cannibalism nature....

We had another round of celebration late in the evening at our house. The guests invited were among other, my grandma, mother, mother-in-law, aunt, brother, sister, sister-in-law and the kids' babysitter. So you can imagine Jumper has aged again, sitting in the tribal council, while his daughter unwrapping her presents, one after another. Loving home, how appropriate...

The Three Amigos' Night Out

2010-05-01T22:49:00.008+04:00

Jorge has got a new job in Mirdiff and he felt on top of the world. Erik wanted to feel extravagant and glamourous before he ended his first trip in the Middle East. I just wanted a different ambience after completing a 12-hour shift. So we were the three amigos on the loose and we found our way to the Burj Al Arab. Reluctantly, the security guard let the barrier down at the grand entrance of this self-proclaimed 7-star hotel to let us in, in a dirty navy blue Jeep. I heard myself said, "Damn, I should have it washed", when my Jeep was temporarily parked next to a shiny Maserati, infront of the glittering lobby.

When we entered the lobby, we were greeted well but our expectations were mountain high. We expected a garland of flowers fixed around the neck by beauty queens with a kiss as welcoming gestures. We hoped for a flying carpet instead of an elevator to go up to the mezzanine floor. We wished that we get to see things we have never seen before, like real rainbow inside the buiding and a pot of gold at the end of it. Then, we realized that we only pay 185 dirhams each for this event and so we stopped dreaming and being realistic. It worked wonder and we started having fun.

The most natural thing to do at the lobby is to look up and then everyone can tell that it's your first time there.

That night the lightings inside the building were minimal to create the romantic and relaxed mood but it was enough to make the extravagance clear and visible.

The water works at the slope next to the elevator was brilliant. It jumped on air as if it has a life of its own.

The three amigos

We started sober having those juicy sushi, tempura and even satay.....

and then came the two rounds of drinks when the amigos got a little tipsy

Jorge belittled the famous MH, Malaysian Hospitality when his Mexican persona made him march to the kitchen to meet the chef who prepared our sushi. He thanked him wholeheartedly like it was better than Nobu's. I was then re-assessing my taste buds...was it really THAT good?

Check this out, the best offer at the spa, the one and only, Rose Rejuvenation Ritual, 1600 dirhams for 115 minutes...but we ain't no roses and we ain't that rich either, so thank you very much.

Nevertheless, curiosity took us to sneak into the spa and we made ourselves rejuvenated there....

The spa ritual ended with a sweat up session of floor mopping....awesome!

Erik has forgotten his room number and looking around for familiar sign to find his way back

Can't really blame Erik. Just look at all those rooms...they were so standardized and obsessively organized.

Erik didn't make it to his room, but we found our way out...

Burj Al Arab, near and far....

Arty Farty Me

2010-04-26T11:30:00.014+04:00

As a kid, I liked being in art classes. Well, I was no art genius, that's for sure, but good enough that Miss Rani, my class teacher had considered sending me, to accompany her favourite boy, Kumar, to some local competition downtown. We didn't win any prize but went home happy having painted something. Kumar continued to develop his talent and now an architect residing in UK. I, on the other hand, suppressed the little talent that I have in the name of science and now working in a factory making chocolates. Great.

Recently, I have decided to re-learn art, not to become a celebrated painter, but at least, learn to appreciate it. So off I went on a self-imposed mission to explore Art Dubai and to marvel at the contemporary work of art in the Middle East. Looking like an art collector representing Ah Keong's Kedai Tampal Tayar Basikal, I walked and wondered, stopped to flirt just a little bit with some promoters and snapped some photos of great creations that excite the remaining drops of creative juice in my head, which I try hard to preserve.

If you have been to a chocolate factory, this art piece looked like a block of cocoa butter waiting to be melted and mixed into the happy combo that makes a batch of chocolate base. I spend a fair amount of time staring at the piece while checking out that chic with a white belt. Marvellous!

This accentuates the hidden talent and the power of possibility. Who would have thought a mop in the bathroom can find its way to the international stardom. Susan Boyle came into my mind.

The extremes in the Middle East, the faithful believer and the dreamer and the riches surrounded by rubbles. The American bills there say a lot about the power of wealth that mutes the unspoken and covers the unseen. What a strong political flavour!

It's not a photographed cat. It's painted in an unusual match of black and blue that makes a pretty face of a pussycat. Lovely.

This forlorn looking oriental girl delicately painted on a piece of wood. She reminds me of someone special from the past.

This potrait from an unusual angle reveals an admirable beauty. I couldn't help touching her neck when no one was looking. Me..pervert? Sometimes..

When I was at this corner where the plants seem to defy gravity and grow in mid air, I felt dizzy, it's like I was having a supernatural episode of OBE (out of body experience). Weird...

To kill a mockingbird? A rather intriguing expression on canvas. I cracked my head hard trying to make sense of it. Any help on this?

A mother owl and her owlet having a good time hanging out and mimicking the bats in a starry, starry night. Very hynotizing, don't you think? I wish I have them framed in my bedroom.

The thumb tales. Fascinating! Would be wonderful if it can be read like a book?

The world is flat and foldable, but still, the sun rises from the same corner in Japan. A stubborn art. Period.

This is an amazing classic. It's simple and square, but I admire it the most.

This is it. The art collector posing with a proud purchase. Yeah, dream on....

So tell me which is your pick?

Ploomer, The Popular Playmate

2010-04-24T19:41:00.039+04:00

Ploomer has visited my playground for a few days. It is really an honour to have him around. He has travelled to many unpopular places on this planet that has made him popular. He has done so many awesome things that I wish I could have done in my life. He spent about 7 months travelling on a bike in the Indonesian archipelago. He went to Nepal twice and did bunjee jumping near the Tibet border. He blended well with the crowd of dark brown people in Bangladesh and the pale yellow people in Indochina. He flirted with the gorillas in Uganda, tried to track an elusive tiger in Sumatra, swam with a manatee and the list goes on. How I wish I have his freedom. Check out his cool blog, here.

One fine day when I was off duty, we drove to Al Ain to visit the oasis, museum and the breathtaking Jebel Hafeet. This is my second visit to the green grassland of Al Ain. We reached Jebel Hafeet about an hour before sunset. We parked Lucky on an elevated flat parking space, that's the furthest for things with wheels. We hiked further up to perch on the rocks which seem to be the highest accessible peak. Up there, I felt awesome. Looking up at the sky, I had my peaceful moment staring at some buzzards gliding majestically above us, while Ploomer was busy toying with his camera very skillfully and mimicking Borat aloud. Indeed, he is one great guy to travel with and quite entertaining too. He has taught me about living life for now, enjoying every minute of it, travelling light in the passage of life, leaving the counter-productive bags of worries behind. When I came down from Jebel Hafeet, I felt anew. I can now imagine why people keep on climbing up from one mountain to another, though such activity may seem silly, dangerous and gruelsome. Indeed, when one is up there, everything else is so small and this perspective makes us realize what really matters in our lives.

That's Ploomer, posing like a pro while photographing the rocks. I'll feign the same pose some day on top of Kili

Can you take me high enough? An old song that played in my mind seeing the mountains

Lucky looked like a tiny stuck up snail down there...

The sunset was gloomy instead of golden on the day we were up there

Ploomer has left Dubai and now wondering the less travelled place called Azerbaijan. He will continue his travel until one day when he decides to grow up. He thanked me well for my hospitality in hosting him and helping him out. What he may not realize is, how thankful I am for his presence that has sparked new determination in me to see the world as a big unlimited playground for those who dare to come out and play. He made me realize the things I have missed all this while. But hey, I still have time to catch up.

A few days after he left, I walked into a mall and brought home a new toy. It's a Nikon D90, to be tamed from now so that I can play with it later in my next climb up to Kilimanjaro in July. At this writing, I have no idea, who I will go there with, when exactly and how. Nevertheless, I have reserved 8 days from the my 30 days of holidays this year, to make it happen even if I have to scale it all by myself.

Hola! A new toy

I'm Back....

2010-04-19T04:41:00.003+04:00

I have finally braved my way back to this blog after a long trip to Wonderland. Looking back at this blog, I do think it needs a facelift. I wish that it was a little crazy and random from the beginning. But I guess it's never too late to add some fun, to be silly and stupid to shake things up and sustain that creative juice inside my aging skull. After all, I don't blog for medal or anything. So why be serious and so appropriate? Why do I really have to think what the hell to blog next? So here's the deal. That durian must go. It's not safe to play with spiky stuff and it's so uncool to snack on smelly thing. So I decide to discontinue the durian campaign. Working in a happy place that produces chocolate and chewing gum , I guess I should promote playground instead, where I can be happy jumping around and blogging along the way. So it's.......

Jumper's Playground!

I believe there is still plenty of time to play, amazing toys to grab and dream about and awesome playmates to play with. Generally, this blog is meant to be a happy playground, but then again, life it's not all about laughter and good times. Even without much care in the world, kids cry in the playground. Some day we have to play alone and be that lonely kid trying to figure how to get amused on the see-saw by himself. Some day we get bullied by pushing a**holes and some day we become that bullying bull. So this is my playground. It's a moveable playground from Dubai to Disneyland and anywhere in between and you are always welcomed.

This is me, 3 years to reach 40, in the dreamland of Dubai

The girl can be such a cry baby and the boy can be so noisy and pushy, but they are my best playmates

Me and my best toy, Lucky

Dubai-Fujairah-Oman-KL-Japan-Dubai (Part 2)

2010-01-23T11:13:00.000+04:00

Lucky and I had our longest drive in the Middle East with my family. We drove across the emirates to reach Dibba. We were supposed to meet our tour operator there and he would assist us in crossing the border to Oman.

Dibba in various colours and lights

The tour operator came when we were enjoying our packed nasi lemak. He waited for us and then he guided us to cross the border to enter Oman. It took us just a few minutes at the checkpoint. The Sultanate of Oman is a slower paced country much to the contrast of UAE.

Oman

The initial plan was for us to camp by the seaside. But we were just 2 adults and 2 kids; too small to make a camping group. So the tour operator took us to an old villa on a rocky hill surrounded by the sea and only accessible by boats.

The villa

As we climbed up the hill, we sensed that there was a strange cheesy smell in the air. Then we came to know the area we stayed for the night was also a home to about 200 goats of different sizes and colours. The villa was fenced and we were inside the parameter while the goats were scattered outside searching for the scarce vegetation in the dry and barren rocky hills.

The goat house for summer

The goats parade

The goats checking us out

We had BBQ dinner. It was a fusion of Arabic and Indian dish. There was nothing much to do at night. There was no TV and no internet. But the kids had fun toying with the little lambs. By that time the goaty smell had been well tuned with our noses and no one was complaining.

The next morning we woke up with a breathtaking view of the cliffs and the calm sea that reflected the pale colour of sunrise. We had simple breakfast while watching the landscape. One of the goats had come close to us to give a bleating cry of 'good morning'.

Then it was time to say good bye to this place with its great goaty experience. We got into a small boat that took us to a jetty where a bigger boat, 'dhow' was waiting for us and a few other groups of tourists.

One of the goats walked us down the hill. What a hospitality!

The villa was a small white spot as we waved good bye and sailed away

The boy was pretending to navigate the boat

The dhow took us about 25km north. It cruised along the coastal area of Musandam. After about 3 hours, we reached a lee shore which was sheltered by the majestic rock formation that dwarfed us down. We dived into the water and then jumped into a small boat to explore the coastal cave. We got back to the dhow and had lunch.

The journey in the dhow was very pleasant. I dozed off almost all the way.

The majestic view of Musandam

The dhow was moored and the people in it jumped into a small boat to explore the beach

The coastal cave

The kissing rocks

When it was almost sunset, the dhow took us to a deeper sea for us to fish. I hadn't done any fishing since my Pangkor trip, which was almost 12 years ago and I had never caught anything with the baited hook. But this time, I have had my first fish, a long barracuda, caught on the line using a little sardine as the bait. I guess there could have been a school of barracudas swimming underneath the dhow, that we were blessed with a bucketful of them on board.

My first barracuda

A bucketful of barracudas

The sunset

To be continued........

Dubai-Fujairah-Oman-KL-Japan-Dubai (Part 1)

2010-01-20T18:25:00.000+04:00

December has been eventful for me. My wife and my kids had come to visit me in Dubai. It was great having them warming the house while I was in the office and factory working hard to meet several deadlines before the year end. There were sessions of appraisals, report writings and meetings that occupied the days in December, that I was not able to be a really good host for them in their visit this year. Fortunately the beach is just a 5-minute drive from my apartment. I took them for a splash in the wavy sea and a slow camel ride along the beach of Jumeirah. We went to The Wild Wadi, the place they really enjoyed last year. This time around my son is above 1.1 meter. His height with his hair spiked upwards to add an extra inch, had granted him to take all the adrenaline rides and slides. He took them all. It was great watching them finding their balance as they had their brief surfing lessons there........

My wife has been a more seasoned shopper in Dubai. Last year she didn't buy anything from the Malls of the Emirates. She said the prices there were ridiculous and somehow made her felt like a pauper in the palace. This year she had a few bags of things to pose with, there.......

We checked out The Heritage House in the old Dubai area. It is the first museum the kids have ever entered and an eye opener for them about emirati culture and heritage which has many similar values with ours......

When my work was done, I bid farewell to the factory to start my vacation. We drove away from Dubai to Fujairah, another emirate at the east coast of UAE. We stayed in a nice resort, located at the Al-Aqah beach, near Dibba. The kids enjoyed swimming in the the warm pool. We had dinner and celebrated my wife's birthday which was a few days before Christmas. We sang her the birthday song and she made her wishes. The next day, I had an early morning run along the beach, leaving my shoe prints along the way. It was a refreshing run with the scenic view of sunrise and the fishermen hauling their catch. It was a good retreat for us especially my wife who woke up with a new age.......

To be continued.........

Tribute to Dubai, The Dreamer

2009-11-30T21:54:00.000+04:00

My mother-in-law once said to me before I left my home country to work in Dubai. She said, "Hujan emas di negeri orang, tapi tak akan sama di negeri sendiri". I am not sure whether I quote her right but it sounds something like that. I was so pre-occupied with the prospect of leaving my home country for new opportunities, still, I understood her message. She tried to remind me of who I am and where I really belong. A wise and conservative woman, she is.

I am always uneasy with my father-in-law. That man is full of hot air and I have to limit my time around him so that I don't reach to the point that I get pissed off with his cowboy's mentality. In my numbered and very brief conversation that I had with him, I recalled him saying, "Di situ bumi dipijak, di situlah langit dijunjung". I did not really pay much attention of what he was babbling about back then. But I only realized months later when I was already working in Dubai that he was tipping me off something valueable about living abroad. It is about an expatriate's obligation to respect the host country, the people and their way of life.

It is so convenient to condemn and criticize the things one sees in Dubai which can be perceived as politically and ethically inappropriate compared to how things are in other places around the world. I have many expatriate friends who complained about this and that. Hearing too much of the complaining and bad-mouthing, it seems to me these people are so unhappy but I wonder why they are still here. I thought of what my father-in-law had said and decided that I should make the best of my stay here and channel my energy positively by being appreciative and focussing on opportunities so that I have limited time to complain.

At this writing, it is reported globally, that Dubai is crumbling down after it has sought for a standstill in paying the debts of its major players until May next year. There are people reacting in a clumsy way, pushing the unnecessary panic buttons. There are critical people criticizing the inappropriate and untimely manner of how the communication of such financial distress was done. Well, I say Dubai is no ordinary dreamer. Unlike its big brother, Abu Dhabi, which is richer and more conservative, Dubai has less natural resources but is very ambitious and adventurous. It has made big plans and pushed the limit to make them happen. For such a fast-pacer, trend-setter and risk taker, there is a price to pay. The fact that Dubai has stumbled and faced financial difficulty, does not mean that Dubai is sinking like the mythical Atlantis, though ironically, Dubai has built one at the tip of Palm Jumeira. These hardships are like any other life issues that one has to overcome. It is like hiccups that require some time to recover after gulping a glass of desalinated water. But to say that Dubai is collapsing or crumbling down is sensationally driven, pre-mature and unfair. I have lived almost 2 years here to tell that there are many willful and extraordinary people in Dubai, who love and very much attached to this place, and who would do wonder to turn things around.

In the mean time, life is business as usual for many of us. We are having the double celebrations, the Eid al-Adha and 38th UAE National Day on the 2nd December. The cinemas are visited by the New Moon fanatics, the parks are packed with families, the beaches are littered with half-naked people and the mosques are patronized by believers.

November Rain

2009-11-27T11:12:00.000+04:00

A few days back I was running in my neighbourhood. I looked up at the sky and saw patches of grey clouds. I told myself that the rain would come. True enough, it rained a few hours later. But the much anticipated rain turned out to be a short and stingy sprinkle. It drizzled not more than 15 minutes, just enough to leave messy dots of water mark on our cars. We talked about it at length, longer than the actual time of the rain. We were excited as it was our first winter rain in Dubai. Back home when it rains, it usually means natural car wash, free of charge. But here, the rain had made a busy day for the men who wash our cars at the parking lot. They had wiped clean all the dotty water marks, the evidence of our first November rain.

I called home. My wife was in Hong Kong for a week. My kids was counting days for their mother to return home. I asked why they were not counting days for me to return home. My son said 'susah, nanti salah kira', admitting that he would lose count and his numbering skill is still poor. They also complained that it rained everyday. The rain has made them deprived of their outdoor playtime in the evening at the playground nearby.

It was in the news today, the rain claimed 83 lives in Saudi Arabia, our giant and holy neighbour. It was an unusual heavy downpour. Jeddah was showered with 7cm of rain last Wednesday, which was more than it would normally get in an entire year. Rain or no rain, there is nothing going to stop the massive flow of those faithful pilgrims, determined to complete the fifth pillar of their faith.

As I watched AlJazeera Live to witness the sea of pilgrims climbing up the Mountain of Mercy at Arafat and praying for forgiveness, I couldn't help wondering, would I ever get the call to savour the spiritual high point of the pilgrimage before the rain or anything else claim the life of mine?

Eid Mubarak.

Siput And Serunding

2009-11-17T22:09:00.000+04:00

I will have a long run tomorrow morning. I plan to have a 20km run around the neighbourhood and therefore I am really eating tonight to load the carb needed for the task. There was a plate of spaghetti and sardines on the kitchen counter, accompanied by special appearance from the far east, a bowl of siput and serunding.

This morning at 6AM, I met an old friend, my ex-course mate in our engineering school. She was in transit at Terminal 3 Dubai Airport, and she had 10 hours to kill, before she got into her connecting flight to Dusseldorf. It was really a last minute arrangement. She dropped me an email a day earlier to check whether we would have a chance to meet after such a long time. It's Tuesday, a working day, a hump day in the Middle East, and I had a meeting scheduled at 9AM that I couldn't postpone or cancel. I did it last week, but not this time. Yet, I agreed to meet her early in the morning. She came with her boss and the boss's wife.

Years back in the campus, whenever I skipped or slept through the lecture, her notes had been a great help to fill in the blanks and holes in my head about enthropy, thermodynamics, the laws of kinetics and some other scary stuffs. I guess the blank and holes are still there but at least the notes had helped me passed and graduated.

I waited for her at the meeting point. We met. She has not changed much. Thankfully, her buddies are friendly. I drove them around Dubai. It was exciting to exchange each other's story while I was driving Lucky, along the Emirates Road, crossing the Sheikh Zayed Road near the Malls of the Emirates, waving at the Burj Al Arab, showing off the Atlantis and the Palm Jumeira and finally, entering Jebel Ali Free Zone. Since I had to attend the meeting at 9AM, I had made an arrangement with our company driver to take my visitors to the Gold Souk and Burj Dubai until lunch time. I told her that I wished I could spend more time with them. She was flattered with the hospitality I was able to extend, given such a short notice. I told her that I was happy and honoured having her though it was just for less than 3 hours. I gave her pouches of chocolates to add the weight of her luggage. She was tactful enough to remove packs of the siput and serunding from her backpack and passed them to me, in return.

Back to my carbo loading session, I really can't stop crunching the siput and chewing it with the serunding. They are really good. Good enough to make me miss home, already.

Definition:

Siput is technically made of dough mixed with some spices and flavourings, rolled, cut and shaped like the shell of a snail and fried to perfection. It may contained trans fats but it is one hell of great tasting titbits.

Serunding is shredded piece of meat, fried with spices. It gets very dried after a long process of heating, I think.

The United Germany and My Mollies

2009-11-09T23:52:00.000+04:00

Today is a special day. If I were to rule the world, I would declare today as the world's most celebrated public holiday. It is the day to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall that took place 2 decades ago. But I don't rule the world, not even a chocolate factory. Hence, it's business as usual.

When I woke up this morning, I was struck with the the wisdom that I have recently embraced. It sounds something like this, 'You may not change the world but you can change yourself, your own life and emotion'. So I lingered on the bed and then dialled a number in the office to cancel the arranged meeting that I was supposed to have. It was a day nicely spent at home.

I don't remember this united Germany night of glory back on the November 9th, 1989. I was probably sleeping in the dormitory of my boarding school. Back then, I couldn't be bothered, there was too much pressure at school and too many pimples to pop. I couldn't really open up my young mind. But today, it is on our face that the human race is splitting in many ways. People are fighting for too many reasons. So such rare and real case of unification of a great country and its people is a joy worth sharing. In the near future, it is unlikely that there will be another great historical event in the name of unification, but we can learn from this special one and hope for another.

To commemorate this special day, I have united a pair of mollies, one black and the other white, in square jar filled with an exotic plant that I bought last weekend. They are such a lovely couple. I feel love radiated from the jar each time I look at it.

Home Of The Mollies

Lovely Mollies

The New Running Shoes and Style

2009-11-03T10:13:00.000+04:00

It took a great courage to let go off my old pair of running shoes. They have been my great buddies for more than 2 years and they have had signs of wearing out. I have about 2.5 months before the next marathon. It is time to get a new pair so that the new shoes could develop and match the contour with my feet.

The pair of antiques

It took a greater courage to let go off my old way of running. I have been running and believing in 'Just do it, just run'. I have had my inspiring moments by just running, feeling free and connecting with my inner self in the old way of running. Now I have turned to the new nano way of running in order to get better results. In this new way of running, I have to program the run, stay focussed on maintaining the consistent pace, keep track of the distance and review the performance.

The new wonder

My new running shoes are the white Nike Lunarglide with Nike iPod sensor receiver. I had my first run with them last Saturday. It was a 13km run. I could feel a better foot grip. The new shoes felt heavier but I guess after a couple of runs I will get used to them. There is a pocket under the insole of the left shoe where I have placed a sensor before I started the run. The run started and ended with a click on the iPod which I carried along in the run. Throughout the run, I was constantly checking on my pace on the iPod screen. There are also options to set the running music and voice feedback which I have yet tried during the last run. The details about the run were uploaded to nikeplus.com in which I have opened an account to track my running progress on-line. It was a fun running experience and I am really looking forward for the next run......

The running report

The satellite view of the running track around my neighbourhood, Discovery Gardens-Ibn Battuta-The Gardens

It Has Been A While

2009-09-30T08:58:00.000+04:00

It has been a while since I did my last posting in this blog. Since then I had gone home twice. It was great to see my wife receiving her scroll in her graduation day in August. The last time in Tasmania, she had no one waiting for her outside as she marched out of the convocation hall. This time around, she had bouquets of flowers, hugs and kisses from me, the kids, the parents, her brother and sisters. It was one of her happy days. She has now decided to further her neurology studies. She is considering to make another big decision whether to pursue that in France or Australia in a couple of years to come. At the same time, she knows that I am hoping that she would live with me and work in Dubai. Well, there will be a time we will have to talk about it, but not now.

I went home again in September to be with my family on the last few days of Ramadhan and also to celebrate the first week of Syawal. It was a great Syawal. Great food, great time. But the time was short. I just had enough time to spend with family members in Johor and Singapore. I wish I could have more time so that I could meet some great friends in this great Syawal.

"Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir Batin - ingatan tulus ikhlas dari kami sekeluarga"

On the 6th Syawal, the day we returned from Johor Bahru, we discovered that a desperado had broken into our house in Klang and taken tit bits like Astro decoder, DVD player, digital camera, 14kg cooking gas cylinder (I'm not kidding!) and some other insignificant things. We are lucky that we carried all our cash money and jewelleries with us during the holidays. But we are not lucky that the burglar got hold of our house spare keys and my wife's bank account books. So I was busy making police report and fixing things up, before I got into the plane back to Dubai. I told my wife that in Dubai, I sometimes left my car unlocked in the parking lot, my balcony door is left ajar for fresh air and there is no need to have a great grilled door equipped with super-security locks and she can walk in Dubai streets with a sparkling bling-bling Gucci hand bag without worries of being victimized by the street snatcher..........

Now, I am back in my safe but lonely den in Dubai, looking forward for my family to come and visit me in December. Being alone now after being surrounded by the loved ones just a week before, is really depressive. I am hoping the transition can be geared up quickly so that I can move on. Thank God, summer has come to an end. We are now blessed with days of pleasant weather. We are seeing more and more blue sky. I am hoping to fill up the vacuum from now until December with some happy thoughts of things to do. I am hoping for the peaceful moment by the beach, reading some good books with the sound of the waves and the blue horizon to zoom out the tiring eyes. I am hoping to meet up with Malaysian friends over dinner and talk in Malay with coffee taste in the mouth that waters down the hot and spicy Asian meals. I am hoping to hit the gym to shred the excess accumulated from the raya treat. I am hoping to run, run and run to prepare my feet for the next marathon. I am hoping to do more at work to meet the year end with a style and satisfaction. Thank God, there are plenty of hopes to drag me out of the depression. So excuse me, I need to get myself out there......

The Best Of Their Kind

2009-07-30T03:26:00.000+04:00

A group of Emiratis came to visit our factory. They are young officials and trainees. At the moment, there is no Emirati working as an associate in our company. Working in a factory is not a popular choice for these privileged nationals of the UAE. I don't have much contact with these people as much I have worked with the Egyptians, Lebanese, Jordanians, Syrians and Palestinians. So when this group came to visit us, I took them for a plant tour. I had the opportunity to interact and understand them better.

These Emiratis are humble. Compared to the other kinds of Arab, they are less agitated and more liberal in their thinking yet they hold on dearly to their values and national identity. They are overly concerned about their look though they dress conservatively. They are peaceful and united. They respect their leaders and they are blessed with good visionary leaders to ensure their well-being and protected future. They are the lucky lots. Looking back, who would have thought that these once nomadic people who relied on camels for milk, falcon to find their meat and lungful of air to dive for pearl, could pin superlative achievements in today's map.

Sadness

2009-07-27T13:34:00.000+04:00

I don't get sad easily. In life I try hard to find the goodness and the greatness of things even for those that hurt. But sometimes when there are just too much sorrow displayed on the screen, I just have to let it be. Today I let myself be low and restless with sadness.

It started last night when I switched on the laptop to hook on the FB, I found myself muttering Al-Fathihah to the departure of two souls. First was the death of a storyteller whose work I really admire. It is such a big loss among Malaysian dwindling talents. Next, was the death of a university friend. He worked with primates and studied them in Sabah and he had earned a PhD for doing that. I just feel sad thinking that their deaths are sudden and untimely. There must have been many things left undone and unsaid. Anyway who am I to complain in the matter of life and death. I might be next on the list, one can never tell.

Also in the FB, today, an ex-colleague left a farewell message that is really touching. He was sacked for being himself, an abrasive Egyptian. There are other terminations before. But this one is sudden and untimely. He just got married. He has brought his wife weeks before, from Egypt to Dubai. Now he is jobless and in a month time they have to leave Dubai. Isn't it ironic? He might have his ego. He might be careless. He might struggle to fit into the template of associate profile the company prefers. But I think his termination is not justified. He can be warned and given feedback to improve. I am planning to talk this matter to my superior since it affects my sense of job security and peace of mind at work, apart from being sad and sympathetic for the dismissed friend. I'm sure they are prepared to give all the politically right reasons for the decision, but at least they will see the sign that many of us are not happy with the way it was handled and the inhumane outcome.

Of all the above, the one that really makes me sad the most is to see the photo of my little boy on my mobile phone screen, who is now down with fever. This is the boy who fell down from the bed just weeks before I came home in my last homecoming in April. Now when I only have less than 2 weeks before I return home, he's unwell. How I wish I could be there to hug him, kiss him and take away his heat and misery. And also the sad look of his lonely sister waiting for him to get well soon, to play with, just adds another pinch of salt into the already salty sadness........

An Inspiring Death

2009-07-19T23:57:00.000+04:00

There is a source of inspiration, even in death. My grandmother's uncle passed away recently at the age of 91. He succumbed to a complication in the intestines. There is no epic nor heroic tales that I could narrate about this old man. I hardly knew him. I didn't even know his name. We were kind of distant since I only met and exchanged very few words with him when I visited my mother's hometown in Serkam for weddings and funerals. I couldn't recall what he did for living when he was young. But I knew he worked in his farm. He was an ordinary man living a simple life, fulfilling his duties as a husband, a father, a grandfather and a member of the jemaah in the village mosque. The last duty is worth elaborated. The people in the village knew him as he had always been the man who walked to the mosque to perform the 5 prayers daily. Even on the days before his death with his deteriorating physical conditions, he was able to muster all his might and did not miss the jemaah. Old habit just dies hard. He stopped only on the day when he could not walk anymore and that was the day he died.

I came to know about his death when I last called my mother. This was what she said.
"Pagi tu bila dia tak boleh nak bangun, dia orang bawak dia pergi hospital. Tapi belum sempat sampai kat hospital, dia dah takde dah. Orang kampung pun buat pengumuman, orang yang paling tua kat kampung dah meninggal. Murah betul rezeki arwah Atuk Yang (Moyang) kau, penuh masjid orang datang sembahyang jenazah untuk dia..."

And my mother would not let me go without saying, "kau tu sembahyang jangan tinggal....."

We are all blessed with the seed of faith as newborns. As we grow and age, some of us are blessed with the strength to hold the faith above anything else. Some of us have just enough strength to juggle faith with everything else in life. Some of us have diminishing faith that can be fit in our pocket as we play and concentrate on other cards that seem to matter more in life. Faith may get greater or smaller; but it will not be lost, I think. Some of us may have misplaced the faith, as it may have been getting small and forgotten for a while.

It never occurs to me that the death of a simple old man who I hardly knew, as told by my nagging mother over the phone in a short long distance call, open my stubborn and dark heart to regain the faith.

Al Fathihah. Alhamdullillah.

Like Dates For Rambutans

2009-07-10T15:00:00.000+04:00

Many years ago, I walked out of my boarding school, located in a sleepy place called Simpang Kerayong on Friday afternoons to go the mosque. Instead of making a bee line to the mosque dutifully and religiously, I found myself reaching for the bunch of rambutans and plucking them from the trees lined along the road between the school and the mosque. Damn it, those rambutans, freshly plucked and peeled in that sunny afternoon, were simply one of the juiciest things ever tasted in my younger years. It was the taste which was sweetened with the sins of stealing the fruits from their rightful owner and skipping the Friday sermon. Those days I reasoned that there was no point listening to the sermon delivered by somebody who just read the text and didn't understand what was delivered. One day we had a good laugh when the preacher mouthed the word Aedes, when it was supposed to be AIDS. So that was my excuse not to listen to him anymore and instead I took my time sucking the juice, nipping the sweet flesh of the rambutans and spitting off the seeds to the ground.

x x x x x x x x x x

Over a decade later, I was under the shade of cherry trees in Nagano. I had been better then. I paid to enter the cherry farm. I plucked the red cherries from the trees and feasted on them. They were fresh and juicy, but they were not as great as the stolen rambutans.

x x x x x x x x x x

Today is Friday, the off day for most working people in Dubai. I found myself at work on this Friday morning and thinking what to have for breakfast. An adventurous colleague of mine, who once worked in the tall oil rig in the middle of the Indian Ocean, climbed up a date tree in our factory compound and snatched down a bunch of ripe dates. The dates were washed and served on my desk. They were so sweet and soft that I had nothing else for breakfast. While feeding on the fleshy dates, I couldn't help thinking of the stolen rambutans. Some experiences are mentally framed forever.

The Other

2009-07-07T11:00:00.000+04:00

A friend that I met months back, asked about my wife. I said she is in Malaysia taking care of my kids and many others. I told him that she's a doctor. The friend that I met, then commented that doctors are not really up to date with the IT , gadgets and stuffs. Though I was reluctant to agree in general, I said, yes, my wife is not really into those IT stuffs. Well, she goes online in search for medical journals, occasionally she checks on my blog and others, but she doesn't trust online banking, she doesn't own a credit card and she doesn't give a damn about iPod, Blackberry, etc. She has been loyal to her Nokia hand phone, the basic model, until the day the phone failed her after years of service. She has bought a new Nokia now. I'm not sure what model, but it's definitely an upgrade from her old one since she can now send me photos. So now, though being miles apart, I am happy to see my kids blew the seven candles that signify the seven years of me being a father on the recent Father's Day, I can close up on Hadiff's medal on his Sport's Day and keep track of the growth of Aimi's front tooth which she had lost months back. My wife has also given me visual update on the renovation work of our house. Perhaps, she is not updating herself with the IT, up to the pace like some of us, but she's getting there when there's a need. It's just a matter of choice, definitely not an issue of capability. After all, an apple remains merely a fruit to at least half of the people on earth or even more.

Now that I have mentioned 'apple', I was having one for breakfast. I was thinking, if life in a year is like the red juicy apple, I have had the better half now and I'm looking at the other remaining half, which is turning brown so quickly. It's just a thought that crosses my mind, 'eat your apple quick or else it'll be badly brown, aged and wasted'. From now to year end, it's like a race against time to get things done and more things done. In between the bites of the half apple, I wish I will remember how sweet it is from the skin all the way to the core.

And by the way, I have booked my ticket home in the August. Indeed, I am busy pushing and being pushed at work during this high chocolate season, crunching my ab at the gym to shape out the 6-pack, running to get the engine started for the next marathon (how I wish I could be there running in the recent SC KL Marathon), yet I never miss counting the days to get home. Exactly, 32 days to go....

An Ode of Shifting Space

2009-07-04T23:07:00.000+04:00

As I packed my belongings

I tried hard to breathe in the memories

I left nothing but the dried roses

I hired a small pick-up to take away the little that I own

x x x x x x

As I locked the door

I experienced the emotion

I made a promise to cherish the humble space

That was a home of mine since the last summer

x x x x x x

I drove ahead

Heading to a new space

I was tired and sweaty on that humid summer day

Yet I felt fresh in my new found kingdom

Seeing the welcoming white weeds

x x x x x x

In my new space

I felt the emptiness

I could hear the echo

I bought a TV, a washing machine and a fridge

So my new space is now vibrating

Then I bought a sofa set and a coffee table

So it is filled and stuffed

Later I will get a bed, an electric stove and a play station

So it will be a place to dream, dine and dodge

In my new space

I felt naked and exposed

The curtain man promised to come

But he missed his appointment

In the meantime, the bed cover keeps my privacy

x x x x x x

In my new space

I waited for days

For the cable guy to come and get me connected

Now I have had the Internet and the cable TV

So the new drama begins.....

A Little Talk To The Little One

2009-06-14T02:21:00.000+04:00

Inspired by a book that I hooked up in my recent reading, I looked at an old photograph of a younger me. According to the book, in order to ignite the genius within, one needs to sharpen his sense of visualization by connecting the stimulus in front of him with his inner resources and experiences. So here, I have the stimulating object - the old photograph that one of my old friend had posted in the FB. It was taken in 1985, when we were twelve years old. The book instructed me to have a good look at the photograph, then close my eyes and visualize myself in the current state talking to that younger me. So I had this little talk....

The man : "Hi there! I'm YOU when you're old. How are you?"

The boy : "Good. But I'm expecting a better look of a man when I'm old. You're just too plain and ordinary."

The man : "Listen boy. Let me give you a few lessons in life. First, you're not going to be any supermodel, that's for sure. So let's just face it from now, physically you're going to be plain and ordinary. So start working out other ways to make the difference. It starts with the head. The head up here. At school, wake up and ask a lot of questions. That's the fast way to get smarter. Don't simply memorize what is written and regurgitate it in the exams. It's OK if you don't get all the right answers and you don't score an A, so long you understand the principles of the subject and able to think, to defend what you believe in and to challenge the doubt. And stay away from that plump boy who brings porn stuff to school. Porn is a hazard to intelligence. Get it?

The boy : "It's a little too late. He'd shown me stuff already..."

The man : "Never mind. A little porn won't kill. So what do you think you want to become when you're old?"

The boy : "A doctor"

The man : "Forget it, boy. You'll never become one and that's a good thing. Life as a doctor sucks, you get stuck with sick people for the rest of your hospitalized life. Someone special has told me that. You'd better believe her. Engineering is a better option to explore. But you need to pay more attention in your Physics and Chemistry classes later in your secondary school. Do your homework. You must be strong, fundamentally. Life is a journey, boy. Enjoy yourself and have fun every single day. Don't take yourself too seriously. For every single thing that makes you upset and frustrated, learn from it. Believe me, it happens for your own good. God has been very kind to you all the way long. Keep the faith and never keep Him out of your mind."

The Anchor

2009-06-05T12:08:00.000+04:00

This morning I woke up and remained motionless on my bed. With my face pressed deep into my pillow, I was in my own world, manning a fishing boat in the middle of a calm bay, protected from the rolling waves of the open sea. It is the day to check my anchor.

It has been a year since I work here. There is no contract to review. I am an associate, employed as long as I want to and as long as they don't find a reason to terminate me. As I breathed through my pillow, I fished for 3 good reasons to stay after spending a year here.

I start my work with a fresh clean white uniform, nicely pressed and perfectly fit my form. The company treats the associate rightly as individual. A tailor came to our premise last year to take my measurement for the uniform. So I start my work everyday feeling special and unique. And it's not just about the uniform, it is about how the company treats the associates in just about everything else. I don't feel cheated, overused and underpaid.

I like what I deal with at work. I am here to make chocolate. I am able to taste the fruit of my labour. It is rich, smooth and sweet. It makes me happy. Well, I do curse some machines, shake some people, raise my voice a bit, get disturbed with some remarks and all, but the chocolate calms me down.

I just have to be myself. I don't have to be a hero. I don't have to put on a big wig to become a drama queen or a drag queen. I don't have to kiss any one's ass or lick any body's balls. It is made clear from the beginning, I am here to do the right thing for the consumers and for the business. The right things are based on the principles which are believed in and lived by. Of course, there are occasional Egyptian ego, Indian idiosyncrasies, French connection and other office politics that some people play, but these are the insignificant noises. I'm happy to work by the principles, along with many others tuning in the same frequency with the right magnitude.

Satisfied, I laid down the anchor for it to meet the ocean bed again. I'm settled in the right place. Well, I got up to face the day. It's time to undress the pillow and toss the pillow case with other smelly garments right into the washing machine for a good Friday wash.

Fish Sandwich and Onion Rings

2009-06-03T00:18:00.000+04:00

It was an unprecedented experience in my 8 years of marriage that I have to celebrate my wedding anniversary alone on the first day of June. To begin with, I am so proud of myself that I didn't forget the date. On that day there was no fancy dinner and no red roses to offer to my significant other. For my own consolation, I hold on to the cliche, 'it's the thought that matters'.

I called home to wish my wife the 8th wedding anniversary wish. Believe it or not, she didn't even think of the anniversary until I called her. Her excuse was she had a busy day with a list of thing to do on a Monday morning and also she hadn't fully recovered from the weekend trip to Genting with my kids and my relatives from Singapore. I told her that I just woke up at noon and had cereals for lunch with lots of milk. She urged me to treat myself a fancy meal for dinner.

We talked again in the evening. She just had a juicy seafood platter at Manhattan Fish Market with my kids. Then they had a chocolate cake with 8 candles.

A few hours later, on the other side of the world, I walked into Burger King to pack my favourite fish sandwich and onion rings.

It was a tasteless anniversary, missing out the right ingredients. But looking at the big picture, a good marriage is not all about counting and celebrating the milestones. Though it is nice to do, the heart of the matter is about re-visiting the pledge, fulfilling it and maintaining the connection between the two souls. The soul doesn't recognise border and physical distance but it needs the on-going connection. Before the end of the day, I wish that I will be faithful to my marital pledge and my soul has a lifetime connection to my soul mate. With the will of God, as long as I am able to keep the flame, I don't mind the solitary anniversary dinner of fish sandwich and onion rings, this year, next year and the years to come.

Summer of 09 (This is not a new song)

2009-05-28T22:02:00.000+04:00

May is ending for a new beginning.

It's a little too early to announce officially the arrival of summer for this year. But it's summer anyway. What else can it be when you're out there in the day, the temperature is as high as 49 degrees Celsius? A friend told me that it could be higher; but they would never highlight it as above 50 degrees or else they have to declare a holiday. Outdoor workers have started their siesta from 12:30 to 15:00 or else their employer will be fined up to Dh30,000 and banned from getting the permit to work. The sky is totally bare and blue. The clouds have gone away. Humidity is still bearable now but it is said that the monsoon in Mumbai will bring moisture that will push humidity to the uncomfortable zone in Dubai soon.

The AC runs the ultra-marathon daily. Thank God it's a centralised AC in my building. For summer's sake, it's not Haier.

Drinking water business should reach its peak as people are advised to drink more regularly. But it is the ice-cream that has been the popular craving.

Thin and skimpy clothes are popular summer wear. Some people really dress for it.

As the skirts get shorter, the days get longer. The sun is up as early as 05:30 and set as late as 19:00. Thank God, it's not a fasting month just yet.

Night time is a short retreat. Parks are merrier after sunset with families and friends having dinner picnic during weekend.

Runners like me, eat early dinner to have the night running, sometimes midnight running too.

And by the way, I have a pimple up there at the centre of my forehead. A pimple at the age of 36?? Strange. I thought of blame it on the weather. But on second thought, I like to believe that the summer makes me feel young again, like a beach boy of 17, carefree and footloose.

For all those staring at the sun at about the same angle from where I see it, have a happy summer....

Many Happy Returns

2009-05-19T15:16:00.000+04:00

Aimi is now seven. It is still clear in my mind that seven years back, I was sobbing shamelessly when I was alone at the hospital corridor. I lost all the ego and pride after going through an intense experience in one of the labour rooms in Putrajaya Hospital, after watching Aimi's head stuck on her way out and my wife kept pushing for hours. When my wife did the pushing, she squeezed my arms so I can imagine how painful it was. Aimi had somehow made a wrong turn just before her delivery. That had caused the complication. She was kind of hesitated to be with us. At one point in the labour room, I had thought of losing her. Eventually, with God's blessing she is now here with us in this world. Aimi's birthday is one of the most important event in my life. It is the day I have had the best gift from God which I have no words to express how thankful I am. So I travelled from the Middle East to Malaysia to be reunited with my girl. I was with my family, isolated and off lined to get the best out of the little time we had.

The simple celebration

She's not into any kind of dolls because they're not alive. Instead she loves animals.

She loves almost all sort of animals, including the slimy cold-blooded creature.

We're in our little hut seeing the rain

Indeed we had seen enough of the rain and when it stopped, we're thankful.

The girl and her father, messing with the sand.

At the floating edge feeling the wind and the waves

x x x x x x x x x

In one hot and humid afternoon, I dropped by at my son's school to see him in his Tae Kwando class. He was very happy to see me. He is a new kid in the arena. He just joined the class a couple of months back and has a white belt wrapped around his waist. In that class I can tell that in my presence, he has done his level best to show off all he's got. On our way home we had a little chat.

Me : Why is it so important that you must have the yellow belt, Dif Dif?
Hadiff : Neshan has a green belt. Kak Aimi has yellow. So I want to get the yellow and green belt too.
Me : I can see that you did great in there but did you do that because of your friend, your sister or me?
Hadiff : I told you that I want that yellow and green belt. My teacher says I 'm good.
Me : Of course you are. Then let's agree on something now. You want to get the yellow belt, then green and all the way to the black because you want to improve yourself, not because of your friend or Aimi or your teacher or me...
Hadiff : Papa, what's 'improve'?
Me : To do better la. And get better and better than who and what you're now. Your friend might go to a different school. Kak Aimi might find other interest. I might not be there to see all the great things you do. But if you do it because you want to improve yourself for the good reasons, then you'll always find yourself feeling good doing it. Got it?
Hadiff : Got it.

I am not sure how much of the idea of self-drive to self-improvement has really sunk in his head. I am not sure how much he has understood the depth of our little conversation. My point is that I will not be there to motivate him in all his future undertakings. I wish he is aware that within himself, there is a source of inspiration and motivation and this will make him mentally strong to survive even when he is alone in the barren desert. He did not say ' fifty, fifty ' this time. I'm sure one day he will get it.

x x x x x x x x x x

My wife has finally made her decision to sub-specialize in neurology, despite her initial intention to be a cardiologist. This has a lot to do with me being away and the kids' well being. Being a neurologist, she can spend more time with the kids since there will be less time in the hospital doing the on-calls and etcetera. I respect her decision which is purely a mother's sacrifice. She has put aside her own interest. Her decision has somehow disappointed her boss and the team in cardiology. Anyhow, she will be graduating with masters in internal medicine in August. Insyallah, I will be there to see her walk the stage to receive her masters. I still feel bad for not attending her graduation in Tasmania, years back.

It is going to be a while for me before my next home trip in August. This beautiful image of home is a magnetized milestone that keeps pulling me back.

Missed Calls of Misery

2009-04-22T00:17:00.000+04:00

We have this machine, named ML1, in the chocolate factory. It has the lowest reliability performance in the last week report. And the week before. And weeks before. The reliability team for this machine has been under a lot of pressure to get the machine up and running, from the current 57% reliability to the target 80%. The expert for this machine from the reliability team was Gordon.

I was with Gordon in the office last night. We had a long trouble shooting and adjustment work at ML1. The cooling tunnel got stuck very frequently of late. There were mechanical misalignments at many critical points. Each time it happened, the chocolate got too cold due to the long storage and formed cracked lines. We had big time downtime to remove all the chocolate and to rework it. Gordon was our man to lead the corrective work. He has done all the precise alignments and new settings adjustment of the cooling tunnel. So we had this little talk in the office at 11PM last night.

Gordon : I'm leaving after 11PM. Since 7PM we don't have any carriage jam.
Myself : Tell me what you've done today.

My tone was a little sarcastic since I have heard the same assurance since few weeks but the problem kept coming back. He sensed that I was not convinced. So he took the trouble to take a piece of fresh paper and illustrate all his work today. In order not to discourage him, I was patiently listening to his explanation. It seemed endless, then I cut him.

Myself : Hey Gordon, we bought KFCs for the contractors working extra hours today. There are a few packs extra. Grab one before you go home, will you?

Gordon smiled at my thoughtfulness. He ended his explanation and headed to the cafeteria.
I was minding my own affair in the office. The server has been down. My work has been slowed. After about half an hour, Gordon came back with a happy full stomach. I signed off his late night transport arrangement.

Myself : Thank you for tonight. But stay tuned. I might call you up if we face a problem again.
Gordon : Ok.

He left the factory close to midnight. I left hours later. The next morning I woke up late. When I woke up my phone battery was low. So I charged it by my bedside. I left my apartment to pay some bills and did a little shopping at the Mall of Emirates. I'm flying home this Friday and I haven't bought anything to pack along. I spent hours there without carrying my mobile phone. When I got home, I had 7 missed calls. I noticed one of the numbers was my wife's. So I dialled.

My son Hadiff fell down from bed this morning. He has bruises on his cheek. He is in paediatric ward for further monitoring after he vomitted twice. My wife said there is nothing to worry. It's just a formality in paediatric practice just to be certain. It is a huge relief but the thought of my little boy sleeping in the hospital gives me some kind of uneasiness. Next, I dialled the other missed call. It was my counterpart, Harry's. Harry answered my call.

Harry : Man, we called you many many times. Have you heard?
Myself : What's wrong?
Harry : Gordon passed away.

It was hard for me to swallow. The man was with me last night. He was very much alive - no sign of dying, not at all.

Gordon has been with the company for a good 10 years. He died today of heart failure at the age close to 40. Life is short. Death seizes us without warning. I was one of those who occasionally pushed him to get results. He tried hard to prove himself. It might as well be that damn f***ing old machine and it's stupid design that stressed him up and killed him. It is a depressive thought that I was also playing a part when I was thinking of the possibilities of factors that push him to his early exit, leaving his wife alone in this world to raise his three young daughters. What a misery.

Lost

2009-04-16T23:42:00.000+04:00

I was lost in the real world for a while and had difficulty to find my way back to the blog sphere. Thankfully, I'm not dead and gone. Indeed, I have friends who held the torch high. They have guided and encouraged me to come back into this virtual space. So here I am. During the stint of my disappearance, I have been busy with a couple of things.....

The Home Search
My tenancy contract is expiring this June. It's the time of the year to check various sites in the net in search for a spot to live in from hundreds of options available. It makes no sense for me to continue renting in my current apartment when there are better and cheaper options available in abundance now. It's kind of nomadic when I really come to think about it. There is no permanence and no sense of belonging. I found myself checking out from one apartment to another, to see if I can fit in. One day I found this nice place in Dubai Marina, affordable (since the rental rate has gone down now and my accommodation allowance has been increased by 40%) but relatively pricey and deadly tempting. It's got a view to die for, from the balcony on the 9th floor. It was really a boastful view of the chic Marina Walk with the nicely moored yachts and the tamed green waterways which narrowly open to the Arabian Sea. A yearly rent for this apartment is equivalent to the full ownership of a single storey terrace house in Malaysia. Luckily, I'm 36, old enough to resist the temptations that are so rife in Dubai.

The view from an apartment that I almost signed an annual deal

My search has been quite extensive that my final decision has gone beyond my expectation. I have linked up with this desperate banker who offers me to own an apartment. It's a mutuality business deal given the current situation in Dubai where supply is exceeding the demand, people are losing their jobs and leaving Dubai and properties values have touched the bottom. The bank need buyers and cash. I need an affordable home. After a tedious scrutiny of my financial statements, my application has been approved. So now I can skip the annual home search and I have a place I own. I'm buying at almost the lowest price. If the property value bounces back and the rental rates goes high again in years to come, I am unaffected. The unit that I own is an apartment, not as breathtaking as the one in Dubai Marina, but it has a peaceful view from the balcony on the fourth floor. Looking down there is a courtyard, a square garden and close to a small swimming pool. I will have my hands dirty cleaning the apartment and probably I will be doing wall painting too. There will be furnishing work to be done next. By the way, the apartment is numbered 408. I really hope it's not going to be a freaky lost chamber in a wild and out-of-track time as shown in the movie 1408.

The view from the apartment that I finally signed an ownership deal

The bedroom window which I plan to fix a built-in settee for the daylight reading

The empty living room of my new apartment.

Joining the Club

My running has caused me to loose a lot of essential muscles. It freaks me out thinking that my mother, my mother-in-law, my grandma, my aunties and all, would nag me the next time they meet me. They would say repeatedly either " kau tak makan ke apa? " or " kau sakit ke? ". So I join this fitness club. They have assigned me a personal trainer to look into my needs, make a plan and assist me in the execution. My trainer is called Ren. He has trained many marathoners in Dubai. In our first session, Ren asked me, "So what do you want to achieve?". Really, I like this question as I am a dreamer and it has led me to endless happy dreams. But I only remembered telling Ren, "I want to clock in below 4 hours 30 minutes in my next marathon. In doing so, I want to maintain my ideal weight. I want overall good muscle tone with good flexibility. Mind you, I am 36 now. And I want that six packs too on my ab". Ren said, "Well, considered done". After that happy scoping session, life has been really tough for me. I am working out with Ren 3 times a week and he has really worked me out. It's regimental and dreadful. There are days when I wake up and can't have my limbs straightened. But it makes me feel good. No pain, no gain.

Back to the Desert
Amer, an extreme sport enthusiast and my other office mates had organized a marvellous desert trip for our team building and bonding last weekend. This has been my second outing in the desert. The desert setting was somewhat different from what I remembered in my first trip. We were there after series of rain that hit Dubai lately. The sand was moist and hard as our 4x4 traversed through it. It was not as barren as before. The rain has brought about patches of vegetation in the desert landscape. We had fun. The weirdest thing we did was taking turn to drive on the 4x4 blind-folded, while others gave direction. But kids, don't try it on your own.

The lost people in the desert and the green patches that grow after the frequent rain

The sightless lady boss driving in the desert - she's a natural cool driver

Coco Cola tastes better in the desert

Back Home
I have booked my ticket home on the 24th April to spend time with my daughter on her birthday. She is a Taurean, a really hard type to figure out. I am pondering on ways to reach her core in the nick of time. Another tough task that I'm also strategizing at the back of my mind. Lately my wife has informed that my daughter has displayed an early sign of unpleasant negativity, which worries me. In order to leave the chocolate factory for 11 days, I found myself soaked in my work trying to get things done well in advance.

So there you have them. My excuses for not blogging for the past 2 weeks.

Press Cutting

2009-03-30T12:38:00.000+04:00

The Earth Hour is over now. What is left now is the conscience at the back of the minds for those who support this initiation and also the commitment to do our bits. As for me, I have my words heard and printed in today's Gulf News.

The reporter decided to put on the print the photograph in which I was backing the camera. I was chatting with a friend, Ahmed who came with his gorgeous girlfriend to join the crowd. So I was not on the spotlight. Ahmed's girlfriend (the girl standing between the A and R) and my Karrimor grey backpack are the ones shine in the limelight.

Reading on, I saw my details and words being printed. It is kind of weird feeling. I was a little shy, a little honoured and a little disbelief. Overall, I consider Kevin, the reporter, came out with about 80% accuracy in his story telling. It's a good job considering hardly any story is 100% accurate. If I were given a chance to amend a bit, I would remove the word 'extremely' since I have no recollection at all of using that word that night and also to replace the sentence 'my wife and children attended the similar event in Kuala Lumpur' with 'my wife and children switched off the lights and watched a movie in Klang'. That's the truth though it's a lot less favourable. Anyway, the man has to do with what he has to do in that nick of time, in the darkness, with the crowd and all the noises.

The full report can be read by clicking here.

Lastly, Kevin made a small error in his report. They were not candles that spelled EARTH HOUR. They were battery-operated miniature lights. Luckily, they didn't use candles, otherwise when it rained, the aliens would laugh at our snuffed candles.

Earth Hour

2009-03-29T00:37:00.000+04:00

I called home at about 4:30PM (Dubai time) to check on my wife and kids. I was imagining that they would in the dark in our home in Klang and I thought it would be good for story telling in their dark hour. Well, the story telling in the dark is a thing in the past, I guess. Not for my wife and kids as they were waiting outside the cinema for a movie show. They participated the Earth Hour by simply not being at home. Nevertheless, I did get a story from my son, Hadiff. This is how the story goes.

" Once upon a time, there was a cowboy. That's me! The cowboy lives with the king, that's papa and the queen, that's mama. The cowboy found a chicken (not hen, mind you) that lays egg. The egg becomes golden egg. So the king and the queen live happily ever after, thanks to the cowboy. The end. "

We asked him why his sister Aimi did not play any part of the story. He said cheekily, " Oh, she's just a cow ".

* * * * * * * * * *

A friend of mine thinks Earth Hour is nothing more than a cheap, feel good gimmick. He speaks his mind clearly in the FB. I guess he has seen enough to see another coming.

* * * * * * * * * *

Another friend of mine was too eager to get the Earth Hour started that she got herself ahead of time by 24 hours and thought she had missed it. Luckily, she expressed herself in FB and someone else pointed out to save her Earth Hour.

* * * * * * * * * *

We all have our different take over this matter. I was there at The Walk watching the event. A reporter from Gulf News asked me what I think about the event. I said, "it's for a good cause. It may be a gimmick, but it's a world wide gimmick that unites all those who are concerned in conserving the Earth. There are many children coming here tonight and this gives the parents something positive to talk about to their children". I am not sure what may come out if they ever decide to put my quote and photo on the paper tomorrow. We'll see.

So, Earth, if you're reading this, I hope you enjoy your happy hour as much as the people who love you.

By the way it rained in Dubai during the Earth Hour, at around 9PM.

Preparation before the Earth Hour - The big words 'EARTH HOUR' being laid on the beach

The sitting arrangement for some important earthlings during the Earth Hour

The sitting arrangement for the little earthlings who would be doing the colouring work

Voila! The big words 'EARTH HOUR' glow in the dark for aliens to see

Moments before the Earth Hour at The Walk

During the Earth Hour at The Walk - can you see the aliens living above us? Ha ha ha

Before the Earth Hour at Dubai Marina

During the Earth Hour at Dubai Marina - Any difference? You tell me...

The Emaratis sing in the dark

Others eat with and without the lights

It's better to be hopeful rather than be hopelessly ignorant, I think.

They don't give free things in Dubai that often but tonight I get free T-shirt and refreshments too.

The Super-sized Sea and Its Colour

2009-03-27T11:40:00.000+04:00

I am supposed to do my usual evening swim today. As I look out at the horizon and assess the water, I decide to skip swimming today. The water is too rough and the weather is just too windy and cloudy. It is not bright enough to allow good visibility in the water. So I climb up Lucky and sit on it to watch the sea instead.

The sea is a fascinating and an intriguing scene to see. It gives me the chance to zoom out and see the big picture out of life. I scan through my mind to spot on the things that stir of late. At work, there is this loud Egyptian engineer who challenged my authority after I challenged his way of work. The confrontation was unpleasant and he really pissed me off. At home, my apartment is a mess. There is a pile of laundry waiting. There are so many things to be picked up on the floor and there is so much sand on my balcony after the last sand storm. I hate it when I have to tip toe in my own living quarter. There are my dying orchids. My age, how I have aged and the many undone items in the mental list. With the sea is in front of me and its vastness, my issues are now becoming too tiny to be mentioned.

In the mood of seeing the big picture with the sea in front of me, I have down-sized all the above issues and thought about the report I read recently in the news. The 'red tide' has hit the northern coast of UAE. It has been reported that a desalination plant in Ras Al Khaimah has been sealed off as a result of the spread of the 'red tide'. In this arid desert land, if we can't have water from the desalination plants over a long period of time, it can be a threat to life sustainability. Of course, the red tide is over now in Ras Al Khaimah and I see no sign of it from the waterfront of Dubai. It is a blessing but there is a need to know more and be aware of what might come to revisit our shore in the future. So I google for the answers for some questions that I have.

No matter how big you think are and how big your problems seem to be, you're still small next to the sea.

What is 'red tide'?
It is a naturally-occurring, higher-than-normal concentration of the microscopic algae Karenia brevis (formerly Gymnodinium breve). This organism produces a toxin that affects the central nervous system of fish so that they are paralyzed and cannot breathe. As a result, red tide blooms often result in dead fish washing up on Gulf beaches. When red tide algae reproduce in dense concentrations or "blooms," they are visible as discolored patches of ocean water, often reddish in color. "Red tide" is a colloquial term used to refer to a natural phenomenon known as a "harmful algal bloom" or "HAB". The term "red tide" is being phased out among researchers for the following reasons. The red tides are not necessarily red and many have no discolouration at all. They are unrelated to movements of the tides and a wide variety of algal species are known bloom-formers.

What can cause it?
Red tide is a natural phenomenon not caused by human beings. When temperature, salinity, and nutrients reach certain levels, a massive increase in Karenia brevis algae occurs. No one knows the exact combination of factors that causes red tide, but some experts believe high temperatures combined with a lack of wind and rainfall are usually at the root of red tide blooms.

Can we control it?
There are no known ways that humans can control it, but many scientists around the world are studying red tide at present.

How does it affect mankind?
It can cause eye and throat irritation due to the high concentrations of the algae. It's usually okay to eat fish, crabs and shrimp during a red tide bloom because the toxin is not absorbed into the fleshy tissues of these animals. Oysters and other shellfish such as clams, mussels, whelks and scallops can accumulate red tide toxins in their tissues. People that eat oysters or other shellfish containing red tide toxins may become seriously ill with neurotoxic shellfish poisoning (NSP). Once a red tide appears to be over, toxins can remain in the oysters for weeks to months. It has the potential to destroy the corals, reduce the fish population and cause losses to the fishermen.

Image from Google : An aeriel view of 'Red Tide' approaching the coastline

Image from Google : Another aeriel view of the 'Red Tide' attack

Image from Google : The red sea caused by the 'Red Tide' phenomenon

"No phenomenon is a phenomenon until it is an observed phenomenon" Niels Bohr.

Merci Beaucoup

2009-03-26T11:00:00.000+04:00

I thought about today, weeks back. I made a simple plan. It is supposed to be special but I know it can be painful too. It is a special day since it has meaning and history. It is somewhat painful because I am expecting the annual burst of emotion and this time, I have to deal with it alone. There is no mother, siblings, wife and kids to take some loads off. The plan is to get busy and get back home tired. Being spent and drained, the ejaculated emotion should not get messy and should be somewhat manageable, I think.

So today I get myself a busy day at work. It's not difficult to get one these days. I call for a team meeting after work. Hence, it's not only busy but also a long day. There isn't much on the agenda actually. It is just that I, as self-centred as I can be, need the team to be with me. I smile shamelessly that I have the team with me, to sing for me and to slice and share the feel-good, candle less cake that is simply scribbled with "Just 36, a small number".

It's my birthday today. I am happy for the song and wishes. I am thankful that the Tiramisu tastes good. I am appreciative of the past and present. I am hopeful for the future. I owe it all to the Maker. Yet, I feel lonely in this crowd and so faraway. It feels faraway from where it all begins. It feels faraway from those I wish that they were to be here with me.

Nevertheless, thank you for this gift. With your will, I will try to be a better man in this given life.

Sunset in Springtime

2009-03-22T22:03:00.000+04:00

The water is warmer now. The beach is revisited by the reckless residents. I am one of them with Lucky by my side. It has been my regimen on the days I am not working.

I swim in the open sea for about 30 minutes, braving the mild waves and stroking to cover the planned distance. I have to alter my head positioning in the freestyle stroke. Unlike swimming in a standard pool where there is a black line at the bottom for me to follow, I have to tilt my head higher to occasionally spot my marks. In this open water swimming, my marks are the tall buildings of Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) on my left. The water is very salty. It is clear. Once I have seen a fish about 12 inches long that looks like a barracuda, supposedly a lonely barracuda, an outcast of its school. Most of the time there are small fish swimming away as I get closer. The sea bed is not as even as I thought. For safety reason, I always ensure that I see a clear bottom; but there are some parts that sink in almost suddenly, where I don't see the clear bottom. The clue to this, is the sudden creepy coldness that I feel before I realize being in this zone which I called the 'bed of bottomlessness'. My Nike goggle has been a great help. So far it hasn't allow a drop of water to seep in, so I can see and navigate better during the swim. Still, I am at the stage of seizing the contour of the sea bed of Jumeirah (in front of JBR) and familiarizing with the water conditions and its tidal timing, before I can proceed safely with 1 hour swim.

After the short swim, I change into my running short for 1 hour beach run. I run bare-footed. It beats all other running experience. The sand is so soft that the knees and ankles don't complain. Landing my feet on the sand over and over again, leaves my feet with the same sensation after a good feet massage. There is no blister, no damage to the nails and when I touch my heels, I am proud to tell that the callous is gone now. The only setback is at certain some part of the beach, there are scattered shells with sharp edges that sting, but it is not too bad.

It takes some time to dry myself up from the sweating after the run and to get rid of the sticking sand on my feet. It is the time to sit and see the sunset. The best sight of the sunset is brief but beautiful. Ca fait mon affaire.

Lucky is parked next to the red Jeep Wrangler - the meeting of the Jeeps in front of JBR

The sunset as reflected by Lucky

The sunset and its admirers

The sun is out of sight, hidden in the pocket of the peaceful horizon

2 in 1

2009-03-17T21:54:00.000+04:00

I was tagged twice. The first time was on February 02 by an old friend and secondly on March 17 by a new friend. So this entry is about 16 dalil about Jumper which include his dreams in his life journey.

No 1 - The worth of 50 cents
I was born in Singapore and at the age of 6, I was supposed to die there. It was early in the morning. My father walked me to school. He tied a 50 cents coin at the edge of my handkerchief. He kissed me on the cheek and left to work. I had to wait for about 2 hours before the school started. So I was left alone to entertain myself in the school compound. I did the helicopter swing with my handkerchief. The knot loosened and the 50 cents coin took off. It was no where to be found. I panicked. I ran out of the school compound to get my father. I hoped he was still there waiting for the bus. I hoped that I could get another coin. Without the coin, there would be no Bubblegum after school (these were the days before Singapore banned on chewing gum). I ran across the street. I couldn't find him so I turned back. A car at high speed was supposed to ran over me but it stopped. I felt the wind at the back of my ears. I heard shouting and screeching. I continued running to reach the school compound. I didn't look back. I cried. It was not because of the serious near miss. I cried because I would miss the afternoon treat of Bubblegum. In the evening, a neighbour came to our house. She saw what happened in the morning and reported the details to my mother. She made a big deal of the whole thing. I psyched myself up for a good spank from my mother. After that nosy neighbour left, instead of getting the cane from the top of the cabinet, my mother went to the kitchen to make pulut kuning. As a child, I thought an angel had taken my 50 cents as a charge to protect me from the car and the cane.

No 2 - The temple
I love my mother. She taught me to read and write. I love my father. He taught me to ride a bicycle. I was a happy child thinking that I would always have them together for they have affected my life in different ways. But it was not meant to be for them to be together forever for me. The happiness in my childhood was gradually eroded with my parents' struggle to sustain their marriage. When they had their series of serious adults' disagreement and misalignment, I had my silence and sadness, mapped by the tears on my wet pillow. Then I started to realize that despite the love and shelter they provided, I couldn't count on them or anyone else for my own happiness. Overtime I have created a temple and a shield around it. This is my own happiness. The happiness may radiate beyond the shield but nothing can come in to ruin in. It is the core of my mental strength that has made me thick. By the way, my parents divorced when I was 15.

No 3 - The unforgettable moments
My worst living experience was when I had to look into my father's eyes to tell him that I would follow my mother on the day my parents split their way. I saw the hollow man who had lost everything. My younger brother and sister were too young to be asked. By default, they were with my mother. I knew my father had hoped that I would choose to live with him. But I didn't want to be separated from my siblings. It was a decision I have to make at the age of 15. Now I am blessed with intuition which allows me to be courageous in making any decision. It seems that there is nothing worse than the one I had made at the age of 15. My best living experience was when I cried thankfully when my daughter Aimi was born. She got stuck for nearly an hour and I was already thinking of losing her. She made it eventually and I was blessed to witness such turbulent and intense moment in the peaceful slow-paced Hospital Putrajaya.

No 4 - The magnet
I am inspired by others who push themselves to the extreme in difficult times. I am so easily attracted to them. On the other end, I am pissed off by ungrateful people who complain so loud and fashionably but never get things done. These are the people I repel.

No 5 - The love of unity

I like Geography. It made me realize we are all living in one big home - our home, no matter how different we can be. It is the strongest aspiration for unity. I hate politics. There is no sincerity in the games played by most politicians. It is a subject of manipulation. It's the leading devil that divides us.

No 6 - The phobia
I have never trusted anybody and anything on the road. I keep my distance and drive at a comfortable speed. I am not a risk taker when it comes to speed. I drive in full throttle only during emergencies and when I was late to work.

No 7 - The pet
I love cats. In my life I had lived with 3 cats, Baby, Belle and Bien. All of them had died and perhaps gone to heaven. I believe having a cat in the house brings good luck and protection. Would I have a cat in Dubai? Yes, I'd love to but at the moment I live in a furnished apartment. I worry that the cat would damage the things which are not mine. So currently I'm petless.

No 8 - The addiction

I drink milk every day. It is not only healthy, it is therapeutic too. I can feel it in my stomach. But I will suffer the symptoms of lactose intolerance if I consume more than 2 glasses (500ml) of milk in one go. I am addicted to the combination of coffee and milk.

No 9 - The music
I watch MTV at the age of 35! No I don't rewind much to the 80s and 90s though I am a big fan of REM and U2. I am well tuned to the current frequency that soaks me with the sound and music by Coldplay, Nickelback, Snow Patrol, Jason Mraz and even that gorgeous Katy Perry! I stay away from the music that is too loud and too trashy.

No 10 - The weather
I am cool under the hot sun. I can run, I can march, I can swim, I can simply do nothing for hours under the scorching sun. My body will sweat to cool me down like a reliable AC. I wouldn't mind getting my skin darker too. But anything below 20 degrees Celsius, will drive me crazy. There is no heating coil inside my body to generate internal heat to sustain low temperatures.

No 11 - The first few loves
My first love was the girl who liked to sit next to me in my kindergarten. She was the one who gave me the Bubblegum on the day I lost the 50 cents and almost lost my life. She was assigned as my dancing partner in our school concert. But it was a puppy love. When I was in primary school, I wrote to a girl a raya card which contained love at the elementary level. That was another puppy love that ended after she moved to another school. My first real love was when I was in the boarding school. I wrote my feelings for her in a series of love letter and got a series of reply. I like her smile and her innocent view of life. Then she became religious and started to rewrite her past. She changed and matured at the rate I was not able to cope and understand. She had become a woman and I was still a boy. One day she wrote asking me to decide on our affair as I had apparently become cold and distant. She didn't want me to keep her hanging on. This shook my shielded temple of happiness. My instinct decided to let her go, it's not meant to be.....

No 12 - The soul mate
My best friend is my wife. She has been a true friend before I actually fall in love with her. My shielded temple of happiness opened its gate and welcomed her. It's my destiny and it's written (ala the tale in Slumdog Millionaire) in my book that she's the one and it's meant to be, even though before we got married, we had lost contact and were apart for 7 years.

No 13 - The childhood dream
My childhood dream.....to live in a tropical isolated island and live with a mermaid. This is inspired by the combination of Gulliver's Travel, Robinson Crusoe and Little Mermaid.

No 14 - Another dream
My teenage dream....to write like Ernest Hemingway.

No 15 - More dreams
My young man dreams....to become a marathoner and a triathlete.

No 16 - The latest list
My young-at-heart dreams....to scale up Mount Kilimanjaro and to witness the wildebeest migration in Africa, to dive in the Mediterranean, to run in Boston Marathon, to complete the Ironman race, to trek in Tasmania, to tour across North Africa from Egypt to Morocco, to retire in a small tropical island and hopefully, to die in Mecca.

Next, I am supposed to tag 16 people. I would like to tag the seven dwarfs, Snow White, Prince Charming, The Little Mermaid, Pinocchio, Cinderella, The Fairy God Mother, Aladdin, Peter Pan and Captain Hook. So please guys, list the 16 things we ought to know about you..or else you might be cursed or something.....I guess.

A Conference in Bangalore

2009-03-16T00:06:00.000+04:00

Some of you might have heard or read this joke. I thought I have heard it before. But hearing my colleague, Sanjay telling it in his version with his Indian slang and spices, tilting head and enlarged eyeballs was as good as hearing it the first time. So this was how Sanjay presented the joke as I recalled it, more and less...

There was a conference in Bangalore, attended by all kinds of top engineers in the whole India. They discussed a hypothetical topic which is, if God is an engineer, what kind of engineer he could have been when he created human beings.

An electrical engineer was the first to say, "He must be an electrical engineer. Just look at the veins all over our body. They are like the electrical wires, which only electrical engineer could understand. So he must be an electrical engineer". His fellow electrical engineers clapped their hands to support.

One electronics engineer was next to add, "He must be an electrical engineer with good knowledge in electronics. Otherwise we are all blind and deaf without sensory and control devices to see, to hear, to smell, to feel and to react accordingly". This remark created a huge applause. The mutual respect among the electrical and electronics engineers was visible.

A mechanical engineer was all out to disagree. He reasoned that, "Human beings are active, reactive and can be pro-active. The human anatomy is supported by excellent motors work, powered by strong and complex structures of bones, joints and muscles. This is definitely the work of a mechanical engineer!!". The team of mechanical engineers were on their feet with their hands up in the air and making the wave of supporting sounds.

A chemical engineer got up from his seat and started his argument. "Ladies and gentlemen, this morning, we all had great breakfast of paratha, puri and masala dossey, veg and non veg, as we like. The food and water we consumed are all processed and converted to energy to make us do our things physically and mentally. Now tell me, who can handle a process better than we do?". There was a soundless moment of reflection. The chemical engineer sat down, satisfied.

It was not long enough that a civil engineer stood up to break the silence. He first mimicked the chemical engineer's word. "Ladies and gentlemen, this morning, I had 4 pieces of paratha with egg masala. The breakfast has been processed and now must find its way out. Now tell me, who can handle the drainage system and solid waste pipeline all the way to my manhole, as well as we do. So God is a civil engineer. Anyone has problem to deal with this?". Apparently, nobody.

When I was in the college filling up the enrolment form that required me to list my selection of engineering school. My first choice was chemical engineering, followed by electrical & electronics and material engineering. Civil Engineering was not in my list. I enrolled to the school of my first choice and did all my things. All this while I was rather ignorant about civil engineering. It is only when I set my feet in Dubai, I see the powerful contribution of civil engineering work that makes the right first impression, creates opportunities, accommodates the mass community and ensures sustainability. If only the prospect of their career can be as strong as what they have built and as sustainable as what they have contributed.

I dedicate this entry to the civil engineers and their constructions workers who had left Dubai after the completion of their projects. Some of them have to leave unexpectedly and unwillingly as their projects were cancelled or pushed back due to the lack of funding. Some of the lucky ones are here to stay and continue the legacy of their civil work in Dubai.

Image from Google - The aerial view around Burj Dubai under construction months ago

Image from Google - One of a civil engineer's duties is to ensure safety at sites

Image from Google - The less happening sight of a construction site now

The unhappy face of a construction worker probably worrying about the future of his family

(Photographed by Paul Keller in Flickr)

Less is More

2009-03-10T10:55:00.000+04:00

Lately, there is less colour in the early morning. The thick fog is the new variant of air that I breathe in for breakfast. I have to try harder to sniff the aroma of my coffee in such damp air. I have to contract my eyes trying to see more when the visibility is less and more people are at risk on the road. It is on the news that more lives are lost in the recent road accidents. The weather and the road with their sombre morning mood are less hyper when Lucky and I are both eager experiencing the road in Dubai.

Less colour, more white

In the afternoon there is less white in the sky. The clouds are fanned away from us. Dubai is progressing to regain its bright blue sky. There are still some white form in the sky, holding on, struggling against the current and turbulence above. They are thin but strong. I wonder for how long they are able to hold on. I am sure that soon I will see an absolute blue in the sky. But other things may come along. The morning fog, the sand storm and other spectacular surprises could change the colour of our days. There is no more certainty in anything. And by the way, I can't be so sure that I will not get dengue in Dubai. The mosquitoes are here, as Nyonya in Dubai has nagged her neighbours.

Less white, more blue

There is an exaggerated exodus reported in Dubai. It may not be literally true. But we have less people in Dubai now. At least I can tell that from the movers' activities at the lobby of my apartment. In two weeks time I have seen the piles of belongings in two separate occasions . The piles are signs of neighbours leaving the building and movers making money. The neighbours might leave Dubai to their home countries. Or they might just move to another building nearby available at lower rent. I didn't ask to be certain because they were not as nice as the neighbour who gave me Orked. The rent has gone down. The landlord gets less return from his property. The tenant gets more options. The table has turned. Life is fair.

Another neighbour leaving

Lucky

2009-03-05T00:05:00.000+04:00

I have started the new season of my running. I have rested for almost 2 months and now I am back on my feet again, running. I have set to improve my training and diet. My target now is not to finish my next marathon; but to finish it below 4.5 hours. My next marathon will be the Dubai Marathon 2010. Yesterday, I was running the usual route in my neighbourhood. I stumbled upon the access block which has been gated and cordoned off due to construction work. Annoyed and irritated, I ran off track and found myself running on a pathway that led to the backyard of an apartment building. Surprisingly, the winding and shaded pathway is a pleasant detour. I will not run on it if they don't block my usual route.

No entry

A pleasant new found way

Since the first few weeks of my stay in Dubai, I have been dreaming of driving a Toyota FJ Cruiser. My neighbour has one, majestically white and elegantly parked. At one point I was almost certain that it would be the chosen one, my first option, my coveted prize.

The frontal view of my neighbour's Toyota FJ Cruiser

The rear view of my neighbour's Toyota FJ Cruiser

Today, I have come to my deadline to decide on the purchase of my car. Toyota FJ Cruiser has been my first option. However when I finalize my financial budget it turns out that if I were to own a brand new or even the 2007 make of it, I will exceed my budget on transportation. It is possible but with the shrinking of my savings and cutting of other expenses. The lesson that I learnt yesterday in my running sheds a ray of light into my decision making. Forget FJ and stick to the budget. That is the final verdict. So now, I have my affordable second best coming into my life, the Jeep Liberty Sport, 2007 make, V6, 3.7 liters, 6 cylinders, automatic, driven 29,000km and blue. I name it 'Lucky'. I hope Lucky will bring the pleasant surprise, to provide me with safe and joyful ride, to take me to places, on the road and off-road.

Side frontal view of Lucky

Lucky's rear view

We all have our eroding episodes of stumbling onto closed doors. We may have lost our hopes and dreams to get want we want. We have missed our chance to get our first option. We have lost and have to let go the coveted first prize. We have failed and got hurt in our first love. We have our many times of tears. But we are still here, no more crying but trying to let go and move on. So this is my running and driving stories, tied up together by the life's experience of losing an opportunity and finding another......

All Associates' Day (1920s version)

2009-02-28T22:44:00.000+04:00

Our chocolate factory was closed on the 26th February 2009. On this day when the sky was blue like any other days in Dubai, instead of following our usual route to work, we took a different road to Jumeirah Beach Hotel and gathered there for our All Associates' Day.

There were 2 parts of the whole day event. In the first part, we watched video shows and listened to presentations made by our senior managers. There was this calculative French man talking about money. An Italian man presenting our supply and stock in the pipelines. An Iraqi man presenting the latest statistics and strength of the army of our associates. A Pakistani man explaining about our sales engines ready to respond to any impulse. A Brazilian lady presenting our new innovative work and weapons of mass attraction. Then these senior managers and their team were at their respective booth to disclose the 5 must win battle in their functions. All other associates visited the booths were given the insight of the 2009 invasion plan of the market. Some of us challenged the plan. Others just listened. No doubt our company had moved on the opposite side of road, when some other companies were in a march towards hitting their bottom. Our strengths have been our readiness to be different from the beginning of our existence and our ability to maintain the difference. Yet we are aware that we are not recession-proof. We might get pinched soon as the result of the chain reaction. There was much talk about doing what is right, growing but feeling small, saving and becoming lean, having positive outlook amidst the gloomy setting. We are ready for any possibilities so long we stay strong together.

One of the many style of displays to illustrate the 5 must win battle in Talent Management

Our outdoor lunch

The second part of the event was the dinner. A week ago an email was sent with the following invitation. An invitation to get us back to the 1920s, the theme for the dinner.

On that night the guys dressed up, but with little effect to reflect the 1920s. The ladies were over the top to spice up the atmosphere. The food was great though served rather late. There was no professional entertainers' show, no diva singing . We cut unnecessary cost. Instead we can tell for sure Mars got talent and full of it. So we entertained ourselves with our own singing, dancing, acting, poem reciting and piano playing. In between the talent shows, we also had slides show of great photography showing images captured by associates in exotic places on earth. We had judges to award top 3 entertainers. At the end of all the shows, the tables and chairs were left cold and unoccupied as most of us transferred the heat to the dance floor. Some left early. Some danced shamelessly till midnight.

Mars opening dance

The Bedouin folks dance

The entertaining gypsies

The Bollywood singer

The Kenyan poet

The Russian ballerina

The Mars Masala Ensemble

The loud Arabs singing

The winning entertainer

The Malay and the Pinoys - same same but different

The dance floor warmers

The shy guys' parade to the dance floor

The crowded floor

"That's it....I'm out of here"

Outdoors in Oman

2009-02-25T14:00:00.000+04:00

I am proud to tell that I work for Mars. It is a humble family-owned company. It has no string attached to any ridiculous banks that have caused all the world-wide financial havoc. There is no share holders to dictate how the business should be run which boldly means, not so many asses to kiss. The company's existence is to delight its customers, their pets and its associates. The employees are called associates for we like to be associated with one another like a big family. Our chocolates are branded as Mars, Galaxy, Snickers, Bounty, m&m's, Ripple, Twix, Jewels ..well the list is long actually. Our pet food brands are Pedigree, Whiskas and Sheba. We also produce food products like Uncle Ben's, Abu Syayef, Dolmio and Nutro. Our beverage brand is Flavia. Our chewy and sugar products are the Skittles, Starbust, and recently Wrigley's products have been a part of our business. We have all the right reasons to be proud of the products. One reason for sure, we like them so much and we eat them a lot (err...but not the pet food).. and you should too :-)

* * * * * * * * * *

Last weekend our company had organized and sponsored the following event......

I was hoping to join the event. I was also thinking of taking home one of the homeless cats staged in the show, as there are many expatriates had left Dubai and their pets behind. But on the same day, I had another important event sponsored by Mars, which is of higher priority for me.

* * * * * * * * * *

I feel obligated to promote Mars, its products and its business event as above, in return to the AED15,000 granted to our production team excursion to Musandam, Oman. The trip expenses amounted to exactly AED11,000 after negotiation with the tour operator. We thought of driving in a convoy to cut cost. But our Safety Manager has his valid concern about the associates driving before and after their shift and the team activities. He also has his worst case scenario in his head. What if something happened to the one bus we provided and the whole production shift in it? The operations would be affected and so we made other plan.

* * * * * * * * * *

My production team consists of 32 associates including myself. So we chartered two 15-seaters coasters. Two of our associates drove in a car. This cost of the transportation added another AED4,000. The Safety Manager emailed me a report from our unit in India that covers an incident happened on a company-sponsored trip there last year. Along with that, he attached the company policy on outdoor team activities. We spent a few hours in the office to do the risk assessment of our activities 2 days before the trip. We had a checklist. All were ticked satisfactorily. After understanding and owning the responsibilities, I have the freedom to take my production team to roam the coast of Musandam, Oman in search for the natural beauty and the essence within ourselves to build a stronger team for future challenges.

The car that led our way

One of the two coasters that followed....

Inside the coaster on our 2 hours journey from Dubai to Oman

At the meeting point close to Sharjah-Oman border as the day darkened

Settling down as we reached our campsite in Oman

I presented and led the discussion on our 2009 objectives, goals, strategies & measures

The camp fire was one of the best treat before we retreated into our tent

The breathtaking view to wake up with.

A perfect early morning combo - the sunrise, the sea, the sand & the dhow.

One "m" was all set for a new day infront of our tent

More "m"s posed as if the red M&M's team had won the Olympics relay...

....and the whole bunch posed while waiting for our breakfast

The search for a perfect isolated beach that we could call ours for the day

Our mini expedition into one of the coastal caves of Musandam

The isolated beach surrounded by only rocks and hills

Our safety co-ordinator standing infront of the water edge while I made a quick check on the depth and the presence of any hazards. No jelly fish, no sea urchin, no glasses, few metal cans and no swimming beyond this point. So I said, '"OK boys .... the sea is yours!" .

The water was not that clear, a disappointment for those hoping for a good snorkeling.

A lonely crab annoyed by our presence on its private beach

The rocks with their many faces shaping the coast of Musandam

The team discussion continued on the dhow on our way back.

The wharf with moored boats and dhows.

The fishy smell and the setting sun marked the end of our trip.

The Plants' Protest and The Promises

2009-02-20T02:54:00.000+04:00

When I returned from my recent oriental trip, I was sad to see the state of neglect that I had caused to my orchids and the green brothers at my balcony. They have clearly displayed their desire and deprivation of water, nutrients, attention and love that I promised the day I took them home. One of the green brothers had died. The other 3 are surviving and holding on to the few green and yellowish leaves. My orchid Ning has stopped singing and now barely supporting her dried thin structure that used to be the flourishing yellow petals. The great Violet has lost all her glory that once made her firm and proud. Orked has been in the same state - flowerless; but upon a closer check, I was on top of the world again. Orked is expecting! A few green buds are getting greener and visible at the end of her stems. Soon Orked is flowering her white petals again and I am renewing my promises to be a better custodian for the members of my balcony.

* * * * * * * * * *

Last year I was assigned to lead a workshop on project handover. The workshop has a great importance since our factory is now expanding. By September 2009, our operational capacity will be increased by 200% to support the forecast utilization and production. There are many kinds of work going on parallelly. We have the recruitment of new associates, learning of new technology, starting the new process, toying with new ingredients and recipe, installing new facilities and equipments, commissioning them and so forth. So this workshop is intended to incorporate all elements, the existing, revised and new, and formulate our own way of managing the change and executing the way forward seamlessly. I have a team members from Engineering, Maintenance, Logistics, Production, Site R&D and New Product Development. It is a team with complex kind of people. The 4-day- workshop started well, then there were arguments over arguments, disagreements, confrontations and finally we found peace and sort out our differences and interests. It was hard for me at certain points as the team leader and being new to the business. I will have to stick with this team even after the workshop to ensure the implementation of the action plan until the end of 2009. Miss Operation Manager commented after our workshop presentation, "the team has shown great maturity in forming, storming and norming their differences in creating a great template for greater results. Well done!". It was great hearing it, a spot-on comment. It was a great feeling that I have the control of the complexities and ambiguities and I am on top of it. I guess it must have been the same feeling a lone ranger must have felt when he is able to tame the wild powerful horses and riding his way to the wild wild west.

* * * * * * * * * *

Last Wednesday I read through a work permit. It was a busy day at work and I was trying hard to make sense of the content. Then I signed on a dotted line and put the date under my signature - an ISO compliance in signing on a paper that has been part of my subconsciousness. The date that came by default from my subconscious mind was 17/2/2008. It struck me that my mind still thinks that 2008 is the year it is, when in reality, 2009 is reaching the end of February! Then I realized that the speed of time in the life I'm living now is greater than that of my mental system which is struggling to synchronize. Oh No! Is it an early sign of mental deterioration or plainly, let's face it, mental ageing? I read in an article some time back, when one's mind is busy with new thoughts and experiences, it slows down its natural ageing process. So right now I am seriously thinking of ways to keep my mind busy. I am optimistic about this. This is another promise.

48 Hours

2009-02-13T13:56:00.000+04:00

This is one thing that I like about the people in Dubai. They are fast. On my last evening in Saigon,I made a long distance call to our travel co-ordinator in our office in Dubai.

Me : "Mallesh, I need you to change my flight. So listen..I'm in Saigon now. I need to get into the first flight to Kuala Lumpur tomorrow afternoon. You must make sure I have 48 hours in transit in Kuala Lumpur and then change my return flight to Dubai from Kuala Lumpur. Clear?"

Mallesh : "I need to check. Give me half an hour."

Me : "Fine, thank you"

* * * * * * * * * *

Within 10 minutes, Mallesh called me.

Mallesh : "There's Malaysian Airlines at 16:30 tomorrow and Emirates flight to Dubai at 00:30 on 7th Feb from Kuala Lumpur. But there is differential cost, who will pay?

Me : "How much?"

Mallesh : "AED 1,560"
Not that much, but I can really buy many stuffs with that (cheap-skate thinking).

Me : "Can't you put me into Economy class so we don't have that differential cost?"

It's the instant thought that came from creative accounting.

Mallesh : "No. You'll NOT be covered by insurance if you board an economy class. Company policies don't allow you to travel for business without insurance coverage"

Now he talked like a smart a**.

Me : "Ok. I'll pay"

Mallesh : "We'll send the e-ticket to your e-mail, which e-mail?"

Me : "Yahoo"

Mallesh : "OK"

Me : "Thank you, Mallesh"

In less than an hour, I received the e-mail and my mind had already reached home.

* * * * * * * * * *

Saigon is indeed a nice place that I wish to come back. No, definitely not for shopping. I had enough this time. There is this Cu Chi tunnel that I want to crawl into. It was a network of underground tunnels used by the Viet Kongs in their war against the Americans. It was located about 70km north of Saigon. It never occur to me that I could convince Madam Personnel Manager or Miss Operation Manager, the shopping queens, to come along. So I passed the idea. Further north of Saigon there is a coastal area which is claimed to be one of the most beautiful bay in the world. Far from the coastal area, there is waterfall and lake of Da Lat. The night before I left Saigon to KLIA, I was only able to google at the photos of the places that I missed this time around.

Well, perhaps someday I'll be there. In the mean time, so long Saigon...

* * * * * * * * * *

The flight from Saigon to KLIA was only 1 hour 55 minutes. We touched down around 7PM and I left the airport after half an hour. I didn't call my wife to inform about my 48 hours transit in KL. I planned it to be a surprise. So she would probably still be at the hospital or in her car in the long traffic queue on the Federal Highway. So I went to my mother's house, had dinner there and took my car, a 7-year-old Waja which is now driven by my mother. Then I went home. It was about 10PM. My wife was watching TV (She's not a typical medical specialist who reads medical journals and stuffs at home. At home she watches American Idols, Akademi Fantasia, Macam Macam Aznil and the likes). My daughter was struggling with her homework and my son was arranging his Power Rangers toys on the coffee table. When I came in.... it was a good surprise!

* * * * * * * * * *

So the next day, I bought a sushi set for two and a bento set from Subang Parade and brought them to UMMC. I had them as lunch with my wife in her late lunch break. Then I drove back to fetch my son from his school. After that he suggested that we went to a new playground that he has never been and I agreed. So he was a happy boy playing in the playground and I was the sleepy dad trying to catch a short afternoon nap. My daughter was happy to see us waiting for her at her school gate. In my Waja, we had this little conversation.

Hadiff : "Papa, are you quitting your job in Dubai?"

Me : "No. Why? You want me to?"

He nodded.

Me : "But I like my work there. You've been there, don't you like Dubai?"

Hadiff : "I like.... but I miss you"

Me : "You really miss me? Or you just want to have me to take you to the playground"

Hadiff : "Mmmmm. Fifty, fifty...."

He heard the word 'fifty, fifty' from the animated movie Madagascar 2 and he uses it frequently whenever he gets confused. Funny little fella. Aimi didn't say much. She seemed to have some words choked in her throat.

Some valuable hours out of the 48 hours were wasted in the traffic jam. The traffic in Klang and part of the Federal Highway had been worse than I last remembered. My wife took half day off on the second day but we had wasted the hours at the bank and on the phone talking to silly bank officer to sort out the problem with my credit card from a Malaysian bank. Anyway, the transit was short but it was worth it. I was happy to be with my family, even for a while. My flight back to Dubai was emotionally painful, after having to say good bye to my wife, my mom and my kids. Hadiff's word kept echoing in my mind....fifty, fifty.

Saigon Surprises

2009-02-04T12:59:00.000+04:00

Now they call it officially as Ho Chi Minh City, but it has always been Saigon to me. Having heard the word Saigon, the mental gate opened and oozed out dark memories of grim image of a war-torn city. But as we touched down, we were surprised. After having the bitter past experience and cherishing reunification and peace, the Saigonese never look back. They are looking ahead and they have achieved so much. First, we were impressed with their new airport, open about one or two years back. The airport is 10 times better than Manila Airport (KLIA is still the best, though). Having a Malaysian passport, I need no visa, the fact that I only came to know 2 weeks before the trip. The immigration officer was not really friendly, but to my surprise I was given a booklet of places of interest in Vietnam and numerous suggestions on how to spend my money here. Madam Personnel Manager having a dual nationalities and one of them is Canada, had the same treatment. Miss Operation Manager having an Arabic look and an Egyptian passport got stuck for 15 minutes of unnecessary questioning. She grumbled on our way out, "They must've never got to see many Arabs in this part of the world....."

On our way to our hotel we were surprised to see that the streets and buildings on each side were so clean. I am really impressed that they are able to retain tall trees along the streets. Those trees are the left over from once a primary forest and have survived the bombings during their war in the 70s. The limo driver said there are traffic jam but not at the hour we were on the street. But I bet the traffic jam is not as disastrous as Federal Highway in KL and as unpredictable as Dubai's Sheikh Zayed Road. The advantage that these roads in Saigon have is there are more motorcycles and scooters on the roads compared to cars. These two-wheelers hit the road like a swarm of bees. The streets look busy but the traffic moves.

We are also surprised with the effort made by the Saigonese to retain the colonial buildings. This makes Saigon sentimentally historical. I like some part of Penang for the same attribute but Saigon is way better. The craze of having hypermarkets escapes the fancy of the city planner and therefore we were surprised to see many thriving small street shops selling not just their goods and services, but also promoting their local identity in the midst of modern Saigon.

The Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica

We stayed at Park Hyatt Hotel. As we got out of the limo, three ladies in their ao dai (Vietnamese dress) greeted us at the lobby and each took us to our respective room. There was no front desk check-in. The check-in was done in our room in a brief and personalized manner. I was only asked for my credit card number and I was left alone in the a colonial-themed room with elevated bed and the 2 tall pillars and the view of Saigon streets from the wooden windows. Surprisingly, the bathroom instead of retaining the conservative colonial concept, it has a transparent glass panel on one side that would again serve the sexy ambience as what had been said by this future top architect.

The sexy ambience, but not as sexy as in Manila Shangri-La

The view from the wooden windows

All the surprises we had on our first day were delightful. However, the surprises on the following day pissed us off. The room rate was USD290++ (It's the love-hate thing that the people in Saigon have with the Americans, they hated them and ousted them out of their land but now they adore their dollars and business transaction in USD is very common) and I got moody the next morning knowing that breakfast was not included. Madam Personnel raised her thick eyebrows learning that the meeting room rate is USD400++ for office hours only and coffee and lunch are charged separately. We bitched about the ridiculous charge of USD0.20 per minute for the internet connection in our rooms. So here the Saigonese in their clean, humble and smiley nature, are pretty nasty at ripping off foreigners. Our duty in Saigon went as planned. We met the local recruitment consultants and interviewed 6 candidates. We accepted only one applicant. Language is a great barrier for these young Vietnamese, though they may be very skillful with their hands. There are more meetings with other consultants to strategize the next recruitment plan. Unlike in Philippines, in Vietnam, there are certain red-tape, unique labour export policy and contract terms that we need to get familiar with. After work we went out of the hotel to explore the streets and to shop. Shopping in Saigon was a good experience. Things were bought at very good prices after we had surveyed many different shops and we bargained madly.

A Saigon woman in her china hat selling petty stuffs by the roadside

Miss Operation Manager posing like a Miss Saigon at Ben Thanh Market

A kapcai parked proudly by the roadside. Louis Vuitton arcade stood majestically aross the junction

The pigeon hole houses that tell thousands of stories over the years of sadness, hopes and happiness

The best landmark sculpture I saw in Saigon - the boy playing his flute

Another sculture of a political figure and his propaganda

There are many artists and painters in Saigon. There are many small art galleries displaying and selling paintings along the streets. The hotel itself is a gallery with many exciting paintings. The one below has been my favourite, the faceless Miss Saigon in her white ao dai.

"Dear Miss Saigon, will I meet you again?"

Our work was done. We were one day ahead of schedule. Madam Personnel Manager and Miss Operation Manager called our office in Dubai to reschedule the flight to Bangkok and then they looked at me. I was really tired doing all the shopping with them in Saigon and I could not stand another day of shopping with these ladies in Bangkok. So I asked myself, "What is better than Bangkok?". The answer is home.

Mission in Manila

2009-02-01T19:58:00.000+04:00

On the 29th January 2009, the Emirates limo arrived on time in front of my building. It was a very foggy day. I was doubtful that our plane could take off from the airport under such poor visibility, less than 50m!

It was my first time departing from Terminal 3 Dubai. They said it is huge and one needs to be athletic to cover the walking distance. I did online check-in the night before so I wasted no time at the counter. I tried to get the E-gate pass so that I would not get stuck in the long queue at the immigration check point. I paid 200 dirham but it was returned because my thumb prints, both left and right, were not readable. They tried on my other fingers - all negative. So I took back my money and threw a thought that I should have been a professional criminal, for I have the advantage of doing my things and leaving no fingerprints that could be traced. I met my colleagues at the business lounge and had breakfast.

We walked to the departure gate and there was a huge crowd waiting to board the Boeing 777 to Manila. There were so many Pinoys in the crowd and my appearance allowed me to blend well with the crowd. The big crowd was then dispersed as we came to know that the flight as well as other flights scheduled this morning were all delayed due to the thick fog. Great! So we headed back to the lounge. I surfed the net and then after a few hours, I got bored.

Our 10:30 AM flight was delayed for about 4 hours. We got into our plane after 2PM. I was happy to get the window seat and next to my seat was vacant. The best priviledge one gets having to be in the business class is the ample space to stretch the legs; which I really appreciated in our 9 hours flight.

The stewardess addressed me by my name, pronounced correctly. Food was served in glassware on a white cloth. As the plane took off and steadied its way eastward, I peeked outside occasionally, to witness the magnificent earth contours. The one below was the bird's eye view of a spot along the Persian coast.

I ate and then tried to read but I slept after a few pages. It was a good sleep, interrupted only by a soft call for late night snack and a couple of nature's calls. The 9 hours didn't seem to be that long having the comfort to doze off most of the hours.

We landed the Manila Ninoy Aquino Airport at about 2 AM. I read through the entry regulations on the handouts. One thing that strikes me was that the Philippines has rather strict rules on intellectual properties and copyright enforcement. No pirated VCDs and DVDs are allowed to be brought into the country, as stated on the handouts. This prohibition appears about the same way they view the illegal trafficking of drugs and other serious stuffs. Their airport was not as modern, brightly-lit and polished as KLIA. Things are there for functional reasons, little has been done to impress the first timer like myself. We reached our hotel at the wee hour. We agreed to delay our schedule the next day by 1 hour. I hurried to crawl under the blanket to end the day.

The room was neat and comfortable except that it was kind of awkward to take shower in a glass panelled bathroom, visible from many angles. Taking the shower there, I felt like on a porn star on display. The interior designer for this room must have been a frequent patron to the red light district in Amsterdam and inspired by this strange concept of private openness.

We started our first day with a list of 16 shortlisted candidates to be assessed and interviewed. The candidates were divided into 2 groups and we gave them a group task and observed the group discussion. In between the sessions, we assessed their written electrical and mechanical competency tests. Then we had individual interviews. The same routine was repeated on the next day when we had another 16 shortlisted candidates. We were drained by the end of the days and barely had the energy to do other night activities other than just to dine and sleep. The only sight seeing of Manila that we had was the view from the 17th floor of the hotel building that presented part of the central Manila and Makati.

The economic situation in the Philippines is affected especially in the semiconductor and electronics industries which have retrenched many workers. The local newspapers reported that due to the global financial crisis more Pinoys would get poorer. We finalized our selection and brought hopes for promising future in Dubai for 9 of the selected candidates. To some other especially those who came with over-confidence and the attitude of I-know-everything, they had been intimidated in return and none of these guys fit into our company's associate's profile. We thanked them for coming and wished them good luck.

We had just the Sunday for fun. Having lived in a safe and blessed places in Malaysia and Dubai, the idea to visit the smallest active volcano in the world really thrilled us. So we went off to a place called the Tagaytay where the Taal volcano is erected from the Taal lake. It was about 1.5 hour drive from Central Manila. We drove up to a vantage point and enjoyed the splendid view.

There was an option to get closer to the volcano and we were adventurous enough to go for it. We drove down to the water edge and rented a bangka, which is a boat with the side extensions that spread like wings. We headed to the other side of the lake to get a closer look at Taal volcano.

It took us about half an hour to get there. Initially, it was fun but half way through, we had too much of water splashed on us. The ladies just had it when the Gucci bag got wet and they got too soaked. So when we reached the other edge of the lake, they got themselves a well covered rain-coat and wasted no time to head back. The complete package for this tour included a 5km horse-back riding to the volcano crate which I would like to complete it one day when I travelled with more compatible companions.

The Philippines is an archipelago, proned to typhoon, volcano eruptions, landslides, mudslides, earthquake and flood. It is highly populated and a big portion of the population live below the poverty line. The common aspiration of most of the poor little boys and girls in this country is to find their way one day to work outside their country and bring back wealth to support their roots. The majority of poor people here live simply, work hard and are forced to be resourceful. Yet when you meet most of them, they are happy and hopeful. They give me a good insight of being optimist in a hard life. I am sure I have another good insight, the Vietnamese version, next.

Quite Unexpectedly....

2009-01-25T22:27:00.000+04:00

Quite unexpectedly, it snows, well, not in Dubai, but close. It was reported in the news that snow covers and carpets the mountains of Ras Al Khaimah as the temperature dips to -3 degrees Celsius. We need a helicopter to reach the snowing spots. Many kiasu dwellers in Dubai drove all the way to witness the unprecedented event, but they were disappointed with the road inaccessibility. It will not be a lasting event as the snow starts to melt as I speak [blog] now. The photos are sourced from the Gulf News for us to witness the outcome of one of the many weird ways our world is behaving now.

Last night, when the snow fell and landed on the mountain top, I sms-ed my boss, the Operation Manager to book 30 minutes of her time. I have 3 points to discuss, my project, my team-building program and my business trip to Philippines and Vietnam. She sms-ed in reply, "Sure, morning before 10 or around lunch". I had my thumb texting, "Lunch ~1PM".

Before I went on narrating about the 30-minute meeting, let me shed some details that describe her. She is an Egyptian with sharp features, smooth and creamy complexion, beautiful lips and hazel eyes. She makes a close resemblance of modern day Cleopatra. She is only 33 years and has been in the business for 10 years. So she knows the operations inside out. I mean, almost no single pipeline could escape her mental layout and no single miscalculated operational figures could pass her scrutiny. Well, I could have exaggerated and over-rated her, but she is like that. There is no point going around the bush with her. There is no point not telling what she should know. From the day she interviewed me, I have trusted my instinct to adapt a straight-forward policy with her, strictly business, less words and more actions. I still hold on to the approach despite in the my last appraisal she commented that I need to be more outspoken as she requires more of my fresh eyes' views being delivered on various matters.

So we had our 30 minutes talk. I had prepared my presentation about my project last night and I presented to her. It's well on track. She was so focused on the presentation materials that she was able to give inputs that tie up a couple of loose ends. Then I presented my production team's proposal to have a team-building excursion in Musandom, Oman. She studied the budget figures. She highlighted some safety considerations since it will be a corporate-sponsored overnight affair. With all her concern and considerations turned into action in my to-do list, she said, "Go ahead". The last point discussed was my trip to Philippines and Vietnam. I would be travelling with her and our Personnel Manager to these countries to conduct assessments and interviews as part of our new talents recruitment to fulfil about 10 posts for electrical and mechanical technicians required for our factory expansion. We talked very briefly about our expectation and preparation. My to-do list gets longer and we are done for today.

In those 30 minutes, I have my oriental trip confirmed with a clear mission. On the 29th January I will be flying Emirates in the business class to Manila, and then to Ho Chi Minh City on the 2nd February and will be spending one night in Bangkok on the 5th February. When I return to Dubai, I have to deal with the most delicate part of my project in which we have gone through the process mentally in this meeting. Also, I have secured that my production team, all 30 of us to head to Musandom, Oman on the 20th February to enjoy the sea, sunset and the stars we wish to see above the sky in our night camping. From this meeting, in less than a month, quite unexpectedly, I will have my passport stamped in 3 countries or even 4 if I am able to sneak out of Bangkok airport!

Lifeless

2009-01-22T23:42:00.000+04:00

Part I (morning)

I was lifeless for about one minute, when I woke up this morning, went out to my door to pick up the newspapers, walked back to my bed, screened through the newspapers and gagged at the news in front of my eyes. No, it's not about the sorry sights of massacre in Gaza, there's a temporary truce now. Well, it's about our Malaysian football team losing to UAE in the Asian Cup qualifiers held in Kuala Lumpur. For someone being somewhat kaki bangku or main bola curi ayam, rightfully, I shouldn't be bothered. But losing with no goal on our own field and letting the UAE team won gloriously with 5 goals, come on, it's unthinkable. What's the logic in it? (I think it's my first time using the word 'logic' in my blog, influenced very much by this Dude in Amsterdam in his narration about logical thinking). What happen to Malaysia Boleh? It's just a game, I know. But when the headlines says "UAE crush Malaysia in qualifiers", indeed, I felt crushed for one minute, lifeless. Now I'm OK. Here you go the photo of the page. Anyone with any justifications?

Part II (afternoon)

I was chairing a meeting at the Met Club. In the meeting there was this French woman, Gren, who likes to argue and talk endlessly. When she talked for almost like forever, I was lifeless. The other members in the meeting were looking at me sharply to indicate that I needed to step in to cut her short or cut her throat for good. Finally, I mustered all my inner strengths and the remaining wisdom to snap and interrupt her sentences. Initially the snapping was very dramatic but then it got better in time. So let me share with you some of the snapping sentences I used today.

"Good, let's take 5-minute coffee break"

[This was the simplest one after about 1 or 2 hours from the start of the meeting]

"Well, we'll cover that point later, so now let's move on to ..."

[The truth was that point was never covered later, dismissed and forgotten. Gren having too many words produced in the meeting, didn't notice it]

"Fantastic. I'm impressed. Any other thoughts, anyone else?"

[The truth, I wasn't impressed and I've had it from Gren's long articulation]

"But, really we should focus on..."

[This was my overused snapping sentence whenever there was a very short pause in Gren's trails of words]

"Let me add to that, by saying ............"

[Seriously there's nothing to add, she had covered everything and we had enough already]

"If I understood you clearly, you're saying ....."

[I was like a parrot repeating her points briefly so when she listened to her own word, she shut her up]

"Your point is?"

[This was a nasty one, I guess. Gren gave me a serious look]

We finished the meeting on time. Everyone was happy to leave the meeting room, including Gren. I might have put a limit, just a little bit, on her number of words today in the meeting. She would then have to bug someone else at some other place to achieve her words daily quota.

Dubai Marathon 2009 Part II

2009-01-16T15:01:00.000+04:00

I did it! I have achieved what what I have set to do. I completed the marathon the whole 42km 195m in 5 hours 33 mins (From the Starting Mat to the Finishing Mat tracked by the Mika chip tied on my shoe) or 5 hours 38 mins (From the gun fire to the Finishing Mat). The difference was because I started at the back of the eager swarm of runners. We started at 6:40 AM when the temperature was around 16 degrees Celsius. I had to take a leak before the race and the queue was too long. This is something the organizer of the World's Richest Marathon has to improve. The following are the phases that I had gone through to complete the race.

1-25Km
I ran like a stallion. I was in the middle of the pack. My breathing was good and my pace was consistent. It rained in my 7Km. The rain was refreshing. Running in the rain was awesome. Later the winner for last year and this year Dubai Marathon, Haile Gebrselassie from Ethiopia, who clocked 2 hours 5 mins, commented that the rain has slowed him down and thus causing him to miss breaking the new world record and getting the US$ 1 million jackpot.

26-32Km
I started to feel some sensation on my left thigh and then my right thigh started to complain. I had to walk and run, walk and run so that I could control the ache. My breathing was still good, my body temperature was OK but my thighs had started to fail me. They started to ache and get heaty. I told myself, "kan bagus kalau ade air-cond kat peha" as I thought of Eja's line in Sepi. My pace started to become irregular and slower. The weather has been very kind to us. The sun only started to sting in my 30Km. Other runners started to overtake me. I was devastated and started cursing all the oily and salty stuffs I had been consuming of late.

33-41Km
I started to realize if I kept on running I would get a serious cramp on my thigh muscles and would be picked up by the ambulance by the road side and my hope to complete the race would be shattered. I told myself that I have to change my plan. I started brisk walking, meaning my thighs remained straight and the muscles remained relaxed. I timed my brisk walking, it took me 7 minutes of brisk walking like lipas kudung to complete 1 km. I made simple calculations and I was convinced that I would still meet my personal target by just brisk walking till the end. So I did just that in a very unfashionable way to complete the race.

The last 1 km
There were so many photographers taking photo shoots at the runners nearing the finishing mat. Realizing that I wasn't technically running, I decided to switch my brisk walking to muster a little run to the finishing mat while I was photographed by many. So I did it, running and walking and running again till the end. Having completed the race within 6 hours, I was given a medal straight away after passing through the finishing mat.

The long queue to pee before the race

The start - when it was dark and cold

The results available online right after the race as it is supported by an efficient tracking mechanism

I could have made a better time. I am embarrassed that some old runners, overweight runners and even a blind lady runner (accompanied by a running guide) were all ahead of me. This proves that anyone can complete a marathon. Where there is a will, there is a way. Right now I am looking for ways to get recuperated soon enough since I have to get to work tomorrow.

Dubai Marathon 2009 Part I

2009-01-15T17:26:00.000+04:00

Two days before the event, I went to Westin Dubai Mena Seyahi Beach Resort and Marina to collect my run number and a bag of goodies. This new hotel resort is recently open and is located at the opposite of Dubai Media City. This is where the marathon will start and finish. My run number is 670 and inside the bag there are a yellow Puma T-shirt, a sleeveless Puma shirt, a bottle of Pokka energized carbonated drinks, the marathon map & guides, a Mika chip (a cool tracking device to be tied on the shoe and is supposed to track the timing for the runner) and commercial pamphlets. I begin to understand why the event has been claimed as World's Richest Marathon, judging from the preparation made by the international organizer as well as the US1 million prize-money as well as further US$1 million for a new record holder. The exact distance for this classic marathon is 42km 195m.

Having all the preparations ready, I was a bit worried about my own preparation physically and mentally. I was with my family in Dubai for 2 weeks and followed by my homecoming visit from 2nd to 9th January 2009. In those wonderful 3 weeks I had indeed neglected my last leg of my training plan. Back home there were a couple of times that I was out to train at Tasik Shah Alam but it rained so I drove home and continued eating cekodok, goreng pisang and keropok lekor. So I have this whisper in my head, "Come on, forget the running madness and let's eat more of the mee goreng, roti canai and nasi lemak". Somehow my mental strength has been able to fix my mind to just do it, just run till the end to finish what I have started, but still I had a good portion of that home-made mee goreng. Yummy. Well, let's see what happen on the 16th of January, the D-day for Dubai Marathon 2009. For this maiden marathon of mine, I hope I will make it to the end and finish the whole 42km in a less time than that of the last year English finisher at 7 hours 31minutes.

Home Sweet Home

2009-01-15T00:45:00.000+04:00

I was with my family in the home bound flight. We arrived KLIA on Saturday morning, 2 days before the school started. The Saturday was a recovery day. So I only had one Sunday to spend outdoor with my family. My grandmother, my mother and my mother-in-law joined us on a half day trip to Melaka, the place in this planet where both my maternal and paternal ancestors once lived. It was also a place where I used to be kept in a boarding school in a little town called Jasin. It was the place I used to cycle from Jasin to Ayer Keroh with my fellow team mates of Kelab Kembara. It was the place I met my first love. It was also the same place this old friend of mine met hers. We went to a river cruise and then witnessed the sunset and got stuffed with so much seafood at Restoran Terapung Umbai.

The day has come for my daughter, Aimi to begin her schooling adventure. She is attending a religious school in the morning and a primary school in the afternoon as a standard one pupil. From here it will be a long journey of discovery of her intellectual, emotional, social and physical capabilities. She will have to learn, make mistakes, relearn and continuously learn to live up to her own expectations as well as others. Along the way she will meet and mix with others who will bring her laughter, smiles, joy as well as tears. As a parent I can only pray that she will have a life well-lived with limitless education.

My son, Hadiff is a senior now in his pre-school. At school he is as jovial as ever. But he is the happiest, the moment he is on his way out of the school gate. And when he returns home to play, he gets lonely and is missing his sister, his playmate for years. His mood is lifted again as his sister returns from school in the evening. With school from morning to evening, Aimi gets tired and gets to sleep between 9 and 10PM. Hadiff is left alone again and there is little to distract him from focusing on his school work. A good development for this hyper-active boy.

My wife was busy sorting our photos in Dubai and arranging them in 2 albums. In doing so I know part of her mind is planning ahead the work to be done after her long 3 weeks leave from her hectic work at UMMC. She has completed her masters and specialization in internal medicine. I am determined to be back in August 2009 to see her on her graduation day, for I still feel bad to miss her last MBBS graduation in Tasmania some 9 years ago. Insyallah. She has a big decision to make on whether to sub-specialize in cardiology or neurology. I hope she makes the right choice.

I had been with my loved ones for 3 great weeks. I was soaked with their presence that the moment I left them at the airport I felt a sudden vacuum and emptiness that took me to recover longer than the jet-lag. But life goes on.....

Reunion in Dubai Part II

2008-12-28T13:42:00.000+04:00

In this ironic world, the days that I reunited with my family were also the days some Gazan families were destroyed and separated. It is a revelation that life is short. When you have the moments, seize them to frame the best of memories. So I did just that. I have had the time of my life with the loved ones by my sides. My son, Hadiff has the natural talent to seize the moments of his life. When he has his favourite sugared donut in his hands, he takes his time enjoying every part of it, nothing else matters.

We went out of Dubai to visit Al Ain, a green town in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The drive along Al Ain streets was pleasant. There are trees and more trees along the way. The growth and the development of this town is not as exponential as Dubai city. There are hardly any massive constructions. It is a peaceful little town but yet, driving in this town has its challenges for Al Ain has so many roundabouts.

I had come to know the meaning of an 'oasis' when I was a little boy. The word sounds like a heaven on earth, a blessed piece of land in a vast and arid desert. In this trip to Al Ain I have finally been to an oasis. This Al Ain oasis owned by the Sheikh, has a long history of early civilisation and has now become a huge dates plantation. There is a network of narrow driveway to allow visitors in their cars to pass through the oasis to enjoy the healthy air, the sounds of the birds and the thin ray of lights passing through the dense green shades. The best time to visit this oasis would be in August, when the riping dates are hanging on top of the palm trunks waiting to be harvested.

We wanted to visit Al Ain National Museum. It is renowned for its interesting display for many significant archaeological collections. But we were there on Monday and I didn't know it was closed on Monday. So we could only took a peek from the outside.

Our trip to Al Ain has reached its climax when we took the road up to Jebel Hafeed, the range of rocky hills with breathtaking views. Wind corrosion over the years had made the rocks in the strange shapes they are today.

There is a palace under construction on top of one of the hills, belonged to the Sheikh. It might be scary for those who have seen the sight of highland landslide. But for some others, having to live above everything else is a symbol of supremacy.

We dropped by at a camel souk, a marketplace for selling and buying camels from different breeds and purposes. Some camels are on sale for their meat, some for racing and riding.

Al Ain has been one of the best memories we had together. When we got back to Dubai, there is a list of places of interest we visited next.

The Wild Wadi And The Great Splash

The SkiDubai And The Torturing -4 Degree Celcius

The Jumeirah Beach And The Foggy Evening Walk

Ibn Battuta Mall And Its Majestic Displays

The Extravagant Mall Of The Emirates

The Dubai Mall And Its Mammoth Debut

Souk Medinat Jumeirah And Its Exclusive Ambience

Gold Souk And Naif - The Proud And Humble Parts of Dubai

The End