Bus travels

Mid week - It's extremely hot here and sticky. I've just rinsed out two shirts as they are wet by the time I walk home from the bus stop to the apartment. My ride's mother is over here so she doesn't come home after work and drops me at a bus stop. I have my new umbrella out to protect me from the sun but nothing protects you from the heat reflecting up from the road. The heat is unbelievable.  It’s been over 40 for a few weeks now.

Using the buses again has reminded me of what the women here are like.  I have observed that the men are very respectful (this is Indian & Pakistani men) while the women are often rude and bolshy, especially when riding the bus.  One example of this occurred this week.  While riding home after work there were two young Pakistani boys in the woman’s section.  The older (teenager) stood up when I boarded so I’d be able to have four seats to myself (they wouldn’t dare sit in the same area) while the younger boy (around 7 years old) stayed seated in the opposite section.  Opposite him sat a Phillipino woman and child.  When the boys reached their stop the older one alighted while the younger one tried to get off.  The woman opposite had her legs resting on his seat so he had to clambour over them.  At no stage did she move her legs or herself.  Then another woman at the front of the bus barred his way completely.  By now the driver is beginning to pull out from the curb while the older boy is frantically banging on the door to get his little bro off.  Finally the younger boy manages to push his way through the women and get off.

The women absolutely refuse to move or let others past them once they are on.  They particularly favour standing at the front which means no-one can get past.  Yesterday when I rode the bus, I had to elbow my way past four women to get to the usually empty zone in the women’s section.  Once there, I had the aisle to myself as no-one else here can reach the handholds.  Also it is too close to the men for them! 

Heaven help any poor man who pays his dirham at the front of the bus then tries to make his way through to the back.  You have to witness this to believe it.  Sometimes these men are trapped in no-man’s land and can’t get off as the bus has left the stop and can’t move forward as their way is blocked by these women.  Often they get a tongue lashing to go with their unthinkable behaviour.  I am continually surprised by how meek and unassuming these men are.  In public at least.

I had a humourous taxi driver on Thursday as I had to get home to take my son to another dental appointment.  We got talking and after the obligatory questions (work, country, cricket, husband, family) I asked if he had a wife back in Pakistan.  No wife!  But looking.  My fictitious husband became this amazing house husband who’d have my hot meal ready for me when I got home.  Anyway, he tells me that he is looking for a Phillipino wife.  Why?  I ask.  Pakistani wife ring up all the time and say more baby, more money.  When you come home?  Phillipino wife allowed to work in Abu Dhabi.  PLUS they get accommodation.  So not only would he have a wife handy (many men here marry quickly so they won’t be breaking the law re relationships, then leave the women when they return home) but he’d also have two incomes plus somewhere to live for free.  He wasn’t silly! 

The Phillipino people are very hard working, as are the taxi drivers.  The lady who did my nails yesterday was saying that they work for two years then go home for one month.  Most taxi drivers work a year with no days off.

I’ve had a great weekend relaxing with my friend who came in from the Western Region where she works.  We did the girly things that one does here.  Manicure, pedicure, eyebrows threaded then coloured, plus a massage.  Time for a wee shop for a new work dress to match my nails, then out for dinner.

You’d laugh at our cost saving measures.  After spending all that money on the above we didn’t want to splurge on a meal.  So we checked out a handy restaurant but decided the prices were more than we wanted to pay, 45-60 AED for a main ($15-20NZ).  So we wander next door to the Starbucks Coffee shop and decide to have a 15AED quiche.  We add a salad to share, 22AED then decide we’ll go halves in two yummy cakes (after all we’d had a stressful day) plus a coffee each to wash them down.  133AED later, we’re laughing our heads off at the cost as it was more than the meal next door.  Win some, lose some.

The weather over the weekend has been mild, only around 33-38 degrees.  We sat outside last night to eat and walked home the long way as it was so pleasant.  This is due to the sand storm weather system which is covering the country at the moment.  The sky is hazy and you can’t see far out of our apartment.  Amazing how I am acclimatising already.

Today we had a fantastic time out jet skiing on the water behind Khalidiya Palace.  We were next door to the hotel with its private beach and all the bikini clad sunbathers.  If they could have seen what we saw on the opposite side of their wee beach they’d think twice about lazing around in that water.  The rubbish washed up on the sand was disgusting.  If I wasn’t already out on the water I don’t think I’d have got in at all.  We certainly didn’t swim afterwards due to the pollution.

Anyway the jet skiing was awesome fun.  I’d bought a Groupon Voucher for 99AED for an hour and it was well worth every cent or dirham.  Never mind the fact that we were half an hour late as we were lost in the road works and went past the exit 5 times.  We stopped at two Palaces for directions (I know, two Palaces!) and drove around in circles.  We finally arrived into another building site full of trucks to find our four men sitting in a car.  One took our ID then wouldn’t return it.  250 AED if we were a minute late back in so we made sure we weren’t!  I was pleased to get that ID back I can tell you. 

We zipped into the local shipping lane and dodged barges, fishing dhows, other crazy male jet skiiers, water skiiers and various other craft.  I’m not sure if they have any maritime rules here, if it’s like the road I’m sure they don’t.  So it was all eyes out at all times.  We cruised up the front beach of the Presidential Palace but no one seemed to be at home.  Then we nipped in and out of various little bays and man-made islands.  How the other half live.  The mansions had me slowing down for a good old-fashioned gawk.

Then home for a shower and a cuppa and some lunch.  Now it’s time to do my weekly plan for school and relax before work tomorrow.  I may have time to watch a movie as well.

Oh, did I mention that I’ve booked my first (of many I hope) trip?  No?  Well it’s a spring cruise from Basel in Switzerland to Amsterdam in The Netherlands.  8 days and my lovely sister is flying over from NZ to join me.  I’m so excited.

                                         Ready for action.

Khalidiya Palace Rotana Hotel from the water.