Sandier Pastures

The not-so-little-one is going to the movies. For the first time!! Sadly, she will not be going with us. No, she will not be going alone too, of course. I had to say that before you have me arrested for child abandonment.

Pristine’s KG1 class along with three teachers are going to Deira City Center to watch Shrek 3 next Tuesday. Hubby and I stared at the letter of consent that we have to sign, lovely daughter waiting impatiently in front of us, as if she understood what the letter meant.

Last year, Shrek was shown in TV (during those times that we actually had a TV in the house). Our daughter freaked out. Shrek did not have any appeal at all and Pristine kept referring him as the “green monster”! But she was only 2 at that time.

Neewayz, moms out there…do you think Shrek 3 is suitable for children under 5?

…and do you really think 3.5 year olds can last a full two hours in their movie seats without making toilet trips in the middle, sleeping, fighting with each other, etc, etc…oh, that should really be a challenge for the accompanying teachers!

Seriously now…

World’s first airconditioned bus shelters — in Jumeirah, Dubai

For bus travellers like me, this is just plain irony and mockery to the real people using the bus everyday. Why put up these airconditioned bus waiting sheds in areas like Jumeirah where the rich and famous are? What made them think that someone is actually going to use this structure? Everyone I know in Jumeirah owns a car. I would not be surprised if all the expats there have not taken a bus since day one.

On the other hand, the bus stop where I wait in the morning has no roof, just a bench hot enough to fry your ass cheeks for just 5 seconds. The bus stop also faces true EAST, meaning the sun’s vicious rays will directly burn every skin cell I have in my face. And the afternoon bus stop? Well, it faces WEST. The sun loves me!!

I had been whining about my bus stories so maybe it’s time I introduce the bus system. The bus system is the cheapest way of travelling around Dubai — just 1.50 Dhs (US$0.40/0.30 Euros) per one-way trip. If you have forgotten, petrol is very cheap here, only 1/3 of what we would pay when we were in Japan!!

• The quality of these buses are fairly good — airconditioned Mercedes, mind you. But!
• The stops are difficult to find for first time travellers and there is no indication on the street that there is a bus stop there.
• The bus stop names are written in too small letters, the electronic sign in the bus indicating the bus number and route is so not clear, a telescope would come in handy.
• The schedules mentioned on their website and/or the bus stations are far from being accurate, since the buses are almost always late.
• The intervals between the bus stops are too long which causes overcrowded busses especially during rush hours.
• There are no bus lanes, so you are stuck in the traffic jam like everyone else.
• Dubai is a multi-culture melting pot. But do not expect to find tourists or locals (Emiratis) in the bus. Most people inside it are Indians or Filipinos, that’s it.
• Women have their own seating, separate with men.  Convenient setup to prevent some case of sexual harrassment usually in overcrowded buses but a pain because it means my husband had to go all the way to the end section, among the standing crowd. I need to call him in his mobile phone to tell him our stop is next.

This is a sticky post, scroll down for newer blog entries. 

HOW TO VOTE FOR ME:  Click this ->>>>Karen’s page. Check the box beside your favorite entry contestant — that’s, ahem, ME (Sandier Pastures - A Photo Contest). Lastly, click on the Vote button. READY, SET, VOTE!!

Remember: Even non-bloggers can vote!

Write from Karen is hosting a photo contest with the theme: HUMOR. Voting opens from 5:00 p.m. of June 15th and closes at 8:00 p.m. on the 18th of June(U.S. Central Time).

Since my kid always make me smile, laugh and never fail to humor me every single day, I am posting this picture:

The above photo is one of the series of continuous shots taken while Pristine (3.5 yo) is jumping onto our bed. Other shots would include her suspended in air halfway, then down, down and finally landing with that FACE! If this was taken inside a space shuttle, you might actually believe she is the first three-year old to be taken outer space, judging from her hair!!

I don’t know the exact number of readers in this blog but if you think this is funny, then go vote for me. This is my first time joining and would love to see the results, win or lose!

In case you’re reading this on a feed reader, you will not notice the change, minimal however, that I made on my page. I replaced the old banner with a new one that screams, “Dubai, not your ordinary desert!!”

Just look at the lights in the picture. Who would have ever thought some 30 years ago that the discovery of  black gold (oil) in this no man’s land could change everything forever!!??

I love this picture and will be using this for a while. What do you think of the night view of Dubai? Is it the same as you have envisioned it to be?

Yesterday, he did it again.

I was waiting for him yesterday and he didn’t come. This is the second time he left me waiting for nothing, without notice, without reason. The hot afternoon sun was starting to set in the west. In just a few minutes it will be dark. He promised to come and meet me, take me somewhere where my heart is but I guess he was too preoccupied with something else that he totally forgot about me.

Never mind that I was profusely sweating, waiting there for almost an hour, craning my neck looking at the end of the road of the sign of him. Being so disappointed to know that the traffic light on the other end has turned red and no sign of him still.

What happened? These past months, our relationship has greatly improved from good to better. He was keeping his promise every single day, coming on time, taking me home. What made yesterday unique enough for things to mess up?

He promised if he could not come, he will send backups so that I will not be alone. But the backups did not even show up too.

The discomfort factor (read: humidity reaching to peak levels plus nearing 40C temperature) was slowly killing me but my hopes was still up that at least he’ll come before I die…hahaha. Great expectations will only lead to magnanimous disappointment! I should have known better.

As it started to get dark, I hear a familiar sound. A car was honking, blinking its indicators and driver waving at me. I stepped in, sqeezing myself against all the others inside her car and closed my eyes feeling the great relief that airconditioned box gave. A very generous female friend V came to fetch me from the bus station I was standing for more than an hour in the hot summer sun.

Dubai’s buses sucked big time, again. 

This will be a regular post every 13th of the month (unless I forget!) marking the day we stepped into desert land.

So far  after 5 months I learned and discovered that in Dubai…

• the bus timetables at bus stops don’t have any meaning at all. If the bus comes, shutup, smile and hop on.

• If you are mistaken for a hooker, it doesn’t mean that you actually look like one! You are perfectly normal, the overly sexually deprived guys aren’t. They would bang anything with a skirt.

• Put on your earphones and listen to fine music when the bus  packed with labourers who toiled under the heat of the sun who by the way, could not afford a deodorant stinks to the max. If the fine music won’t distract you, put the earphones in your nostrils.

• keep your bus ticket with you at all times until you leave the bus, the bearded Arab inspector sometimes come like a thief in the night and you wouldn’t want to provoke him. I am not kidding!!

• You must remember these two words for the rest of your arabian life: Habibi and Alibaba. Habibi translated loosely as “my love”…everyone uses it here. It is especially useful when you want to calm down a storm or get out of a sticky situation. Example, “Habibi, don’t be angry. Habibi, blah, blah, blah…”. For ladies, say with your most sexy voice just like when you just woke up. For guys, make it loud and exagerrated. Alibaba, you use it on those who talk big and don’t deliver. E.g., “You stupid alibaba…Talk only no action!” However, I think this word is only popularly used on Indians…who have the tendency to talk above what they can deliver…oh this is deserving of another loong post, Habibi!!

• Don’t bother yourself learning Arabic. Tamil language would get you to places more than authentic arabic does. Look around you…this country is fast becoming the second India…

• as an urban dweller, take up meditation and stay calm in all situations…able to laugh things off not only will make you stay pleasant, it will prolong your dear life as well!!

• be prepared for road diversions along your way. Remember that Dubai is evolving and seriously if you are from New York, London or Tokyo etc, don’t expect things to run with clockwork efficiency! It will only increase the number of sun-caused wrinkles you already have!!

• be prepared to know the directions going back to your home. Some taxi driver are proud to tell you “Sorry madam, this is my first day…”

• If you want to get some administrative work done (i.e., reimbursement, etc) call that unconcerned guy more than three times every single day.

• Don’t be shocked if you meet an expat who has lived here for more than 5 years and don’t have any idea where Deira is. They have lived all their life in the plush part of Dubai that is Jumeirah, thriving on Starbucks coffees, shopping at the Mall of the Emirates and frolicking at Jumeirah Beach Park since Day One.

• Don’t fret also if they tell you “Wow, you must be brave enough to ride on a bus!”…although these expats deserve a big “DUH!!” in the face.

• Give thanks to whoever you perceive to be greater than all else when that pitiful laborer, obviously tired, hungry and underpaid inside the transport bus looks at you straight in the eye.

So how’s my list? Are you ready to embark on this same adventure I have? For more desert life discoveries, see you next month.

Wow, I am starting to get addicted to memes. Got this from An Island Life. I want to know other blogger’s stories too. Just answer the following question and leave your link here.

Kailani, I can’t leave my link!! Another of those banned pages in the UAE uurrgghh…would be happy if you can leave the link for me. Thanks!

Here is my story:

1. How did you start blogging? One day in summer of 2004 when I was dead bored with work, I considered accepting the suggestion of my dear friend Ginee to start my own blog instead of being warped over her writings. 

2. Did you intend it to be a blog with a following? If so, how did you go about it? No, I did not think anyone would be interested to read my stuff, except Ginee. My old blog was mostly marital woes and rants and nothing really interesting. Now, I am surprised I have more than 6,000 visits in just 5 months!!

3. What do you hope to achieve or accomplish with your blog? Have you been successful? If not, do you have a plan to achieve those goals? Hmm…too many questions!!

Want to accomplish: to present a clear, honest view of desert life, in the new center of the world that is Dubai. To inform people that this place is no ordinary place in the Middle East; to tell the world that there are other things to explore and do other than running from one airconditioned environment to the next!

Successful?: Well, even with all the negative things I wrote, I think I am not successful as the number of people entering DXB continues to rise…haha

Plan to achieve this goal? No plans, really. Just honest to goodness writing about my everyday here.

4. Has the focus on your blog changed since you started blogging? How? YES. Very big change. Started as a main family/marriage blog to family life in Dubai and work — now, I focus mainly on the positive side of life. Less rant if possible.

5.  What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you started? I wish I found out earlier how cool wordpress is. Blogdrive just sucked. Blogger takes very long time to load.

6. Do you make money with your blog? No, but that’s the next on my list.

7. Does your immediate or extended family know about your blog? If so, do they read it? If not, why? As far as I know, my father reads my blog and comments once in a while. 3 of my other 5 siblings do. Only the girl sib is actively commenting. My mother, no. My husband, no. My in-laws, NO…lest I wipe out all the English writings here and change it to Nihongo.

8. What two pieces of advice would you give to a new blogger? One, start right — with Wordpress if you want something free (too good to be free, really!). Two, write everyday when you can. I don’t know if it works for all but the more I skip writing, the more I dread to write again…not making any sense? It’s like skipping a piano practice…I’ve known lots of piano students who stopped pouncing the black and white keys because they don’t train themselves to practice everyday.

First, there were shark sightings over Mamzar Beach Park. Now that cyclone gonu is gone, several reports of jellyfish influx at Jumeirah beach prompted lifeguards to ban swimmers last Sunday.

Red flags were hoisted at the beach park yesterday due to a large number of jellyfish spotted in the morning. The jellyfish caught in the waters are quite common in the Indian ocean where the cyclone originated. Especially when the seas are rough in summer, they are carried by the ocean current and most probably via the cyclone.

The specimens photographed looked like juveniles but adults can reach a kilogram in weight. Babies usually eject a miniature torpedo to paralyse their prey or coil their tentacle around it. Bathers would feel a prick like an electric shock if they brushed against them in the sea. Sounds so nasty to me for a baby!!

Above picture I took 2 months ago in Jumeirah Beach Park. I don’t know if it’s alive or not. I am just glad I did not step on it!!

I just skipped work for a day and came back shocked to find that my blogline feed reader has some 600+ feeds waiting to be attended! CNN feeds alone drives me crazy and it will make me crazier if I don’t read it all!! I am:

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

So I was out of the office yesterday. I missed lots of internet time and blogging! I am definitely addicted to this stuff as I am organizing the words in my mind at any given moment.

I had the terrible need to be home and be with my daughter. Woke up perfectly fine but as I looked at my clothes hanging ready to be worn to report to work and at my daughter sleeping and listened to my body saying no one will miss you at the office anyway!  ”a one day rest would not hurt ya” was all it took for me to phone THE BOSS that they will not see my beauty in the office for today. I’t Saturday anyway, most of the people from countries outside UAE are out playing tennis…or something!

I acted like a real mom today — that doesn’t imply though that on most days I am a fake mom, LOL! I am very happy to be able to play with my daughter, read her books, wrestle in bed and give her a bath. She was asking me for a bath in the tub, says she is missing the bathing style we have in Japan.

We had a great family time yesterday, complete with aww moments. I couldn’t ask for a better weekend.

Sweet with mom; P smiling happily!; goofing with dad