First Desert Camping Experience : Unforgettable!

under the stars in the velvety sky. surrounded by sand stretching forever. magnificent moon lights our way. juicy lamb chop grilling over a friendly fire. impromptu guitarist strumming lovesick songs through the night. children’s laughter reverberating in the air as they roll down sand dunes. taking a romantic stroll in his comforting arms as we’re snug together in that cold, cold night; in the company of good friends.

the location was Sweihan Desert, Abu Dhabi. it was our first time camping in the desert! an unforgettable 25th january!

it was SO cold that day, that I could just bury my bottle of mango juice and fresh milk in the desert sand to make it freshly cold by the time we want to take a sip! THAT cold!

 

me – camping! in the desert!

 

it took me some time to finally pen down my experience, as I can barely construct a proper sentence to describe the night and do ultimate justice to the beauty of my little adventure!

however, I just HAD to express it all in one simple facebook status on that very night. nothing could fully describe my feelings or what I could see, but this was essentially it :

 

 

* * *

 

10 interesting stuff on our FIRST camping trip at the desert :

 

my boys roll around the sand while mr. khairul set up tent in the distance

 

1. CHILDREN’S SANDBOX

it’s just the BEST place to let your kids loose and be wild and nuts – and to be – kids! the desert sand is freaking spacious. they can run everywhere and STILL be within eyesight. the really owned it; like it’s their natural habitat. like they were born to survive at the desert. run free. fall down. roll around on the ultra-soft desert sand and not feel hurt. roll down the sandy hill. on purpose.

my boys absolutely LOVE the desert. this is one of their many, many trips out. we went to sweihan desert, just off dubai-abu dhabi road.

 

sweihan desert : see how spacious the place is! and this is JUST what my small camera managed to capture!

 

* * *

 

2. 1st TIME DESERT CAMPING

i. have. never. slept. in. a. tent. before.

this was exciting, at the same time I was feeling anxious. and being a mom of 3 boys – all under the age of 7 – I was even more nervous and anxious! do we have enough blankets? do we have pillows to keep everyone comfortable? keep the tent clean! brush your feet before entering so that no sand gets in the tent!

or is it possible to sit your butt inside the tent while dangling your feet outside? that’d be great.

err hello? it’s camping. OUTDOOR. in the desert. you can be a mom at home, syigim but out here you just gotta get out of control! a little sand in the tent gives it character! right. eww. besides, be thankful that your king’s scout husband doesn’t drag you camping near the malaysian waterfall or in a malaysian forest – with leech, or mosquitoes, or lecah or, or, or orang minyak to worry about. heh.

mr. khairul (who is a proud king’s scout) prepared the tent, while I do absolutely nothing to help. haha.

 

my sexy king’s scout at work. lepas ni make fire pulak!

 

..and they’re all done. 4 families altogether; including one bachelor – on a desert camping, bbq night under the moonlight. we found a flat area, surrounded by sand dunes. perfect. the view, indescribable.

 

* * *

 

3. DINOSAURS CAMP TOO

my boys are crazy about dinosaurs. especially khaleef because now he can read many books and write-ups about dinosaurs. and kazim simply loves the ferocity of his favorite dino T-rex! and yes, they brought their best collection out here in ‘the wild’.

at one point, khaleef buried them, and dug them out again, pretending to discover fossils. what does he wanna be when he grows up? you guessed it – paleontologist!

 

 

* * *

 

4. CAMPFIRE!

through this experience, I truly understand the phrase ‘getting toasty by the fire’. it is SO incredibly cold (possibly 15-16 degrees) at the desert that sitting near the fire is the only way to be comfortable, even when your feet gets so hot that they feel ‘toasted’! hihi.

sitting there staring at the fire at times also made me think of those poor people who live in cold countries with no warm place to go – how important FIRE is that we take for granted! alhamdulillah we’re doing this for fun, and not for necessity to survive!

since I use electric stove in my kitchen, the only fire I need these days are for scented candles!

oh, the cold weather in the desert is incomparable to the cold in the city! no trees, no buildings – the cool wind just seep straight through to your bones! brr!

 

mr khairul and fellow king’s scout abg ezam starting the fire

 

* * *

 

5. DESERT ENTERTAINMENT

didn’t know bro helmey was a daymn good guitarist! he belted out many hits with his accompanying guitar – from bon jovi to hattan – entertaining us through the cold night. suara pun sedap! haha. bro manx later joined him for a short gig.

thanks for the entertainment!

 

our impromptu desert entertainers : manx in red, and helmey with guitar

 

6. MARSHMALLOW & CAMPING

first of all, whose bright idea was it to start roasting marshmallow during camp fire? because it DOES NOT taste good. at all. yech.

I actually found an article on the net ‘you can’t go camping without roasting a few marshmallows’. say what? (err, yes you should go camping without!) the egyptians were the first to discover the ‘marshmallow’ plant as early as 2000BC, but around 19th century, it’s the french’s fault that it became that spongy pinkish treat as we know them today. hihi.

however, the ‘real culprit’ of roasting these marshmallows during campfire AND thinking this was a good idea are the american boy scouts. so apparently, I need to blame them for this gross invention.

click here to read more.

 

 

as a kid, I too am exposed to americanized camping with burning marshmallow at the end of a stick (through many, many cartoons and movies), and then eating it. so naturally, I was curious, even now as a grown-up.

so I picked up a stick, stuck a marshmallow at the end of it, and shoved it into the fire for a few secs. and then took a bite. sebab dah camping kan kena la camping betul-betul siap ngan marshmallow kan. adoi menyesal. *shakes head*

taste?

it was like sickeningly sweet melted plastic inside a very thin, crispy layer of hardened sugar. ugh. the taste and texture were just weird. I am NOT doing that again!

 

 

however, the boys absolutely enjoyed roasting marshmallow – they did it over and over again – sometimes to eat, sometimes just to watch the marshmallow burn and melted onto the firewood.

I can agree with the fact that it has entertainment value especially for the kids – but provide no tasty result. just my opinion.

the next time we go camping, just leave the marshmallows ok. you want to roast something on a stick, let’s just bring some hotdogs instead.

 

* * *

 

7. CHICKEN, LAMB & SEAFOOD BBQ

I’d like to thank bro razali and bro ezam who kept the bbq pit going. there were juicy lamb chops, marinated chicken, seafood – all so delightfully delicious.

sitting there in the cold, anything freshly hot from the grill just made the night so much better. zira and I brought bihun and keropok – there were also unlimited supply of potato chips that the kids just munch away.

delicious. just, delicious. memang tak pernah lapar sepanjang camping!

 

 

* * *

 

8. SLEEP IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

so, camping for the first time. sleeping in a tent for the first time. how did it go?

1. we didn’t sleep till late at night – the boys slept first after a tiring day of rolling and running around aimlessly haha.
2. it was REALLY cold possibly as low as 14 degrees! they boys wore thick socks, sweaters and snow caps as they sleep.
3. it was SO cold that at one point, in the middle of the night (2 am actually) I woke up, took off their damp socks (kena dew from sides of tent) dry it near the campfire until ‘toasty’ and put them back on their sleeping feet. lega mak, mesti sedap je panas-panas camtu!
4. the early morning dew was invading our tent, making it wet, making it even more cold. I made sure the boys stay away from the sides.
5. no matter how thick your mattress is, sleeping on the hard (you thought leveled) part of the desert is NOT comfy. there, I’ve said it. sakit belakang aku!
6. well, speaking as a married woman, I don’t need to tell you how incredibly romantic it is actually to sleep in a small tent with your other half. it’s extremely cold, in tight space – you just HAD to hug tight when you sleep to keep warm. hihi. *wink wink*

 

snug like a bug in a rug

 

* * *

 

9. THE MOON in THE DESERT SKY. at 2am

ok stay with me now. this is the BEST story ever of my camping trip.

like I wrote earlier, it was so, so cold. and I actually woke up in the middle of the night. didn’t know what time it was. I woke up alone, so cold, wanting to ‘reheat’ myself out in the campfire. I unzipped my tent, and took a peek.

OMG. what time was it? is it already subuh?

because the sky was unbelievably BRIGHT. (ok I’m trying to type and at the same time describing in my head what I saw but it was too beautiful, like in a dream). I looked at my watch. it was only 2am. 2am? lookin THIS bright?

the sky was so bright, that it could’ve easily been 6am already. and you know how a night sky can be bright with the moon, right? like a big torchlight in the dark sky – but this is NOT that kind of bright. the sky was NOT dark – it was bright. at 2 am.

all I can see was a misty brightness across the desert. and the moon was SO round, SO big, SO gorgeous right on top of my head – literally lighting up the world in front of me. it was a miracle that I was privileged to have seen this scenery – I kept repeating ya Allah ya Allah, Allahuakbar Allahuakbar – it was too beautiful.

there’s something about the moon shining upon the earth unobstructed by any man-made constructions – it shines through and through on the sandy wave – resulting in that beautiful picturesque scene.

I was too mesmerized by the beauty of Allah’s creation that I had to wake mr. khairul up – and share with him this secret meeting between me and nature.

it was incredibly COLD, but I had to take off my sons’ socks and dry them over the fire so we sat there – him and me – by the fire – and talk of stuff, in the silent bright night. then mr. khairul made hot tea. just me and him in the middle of 2 am, enjoying the beautiful view – other tents surrounding us enveloped in their own sweet dreams.

(this experience was so amazing, that I had actually NOT thought of taking a picture. haha makes sense tak? lain la kamera beso-beso bole zoom tu kan hihi) it exists only in my memory now…

 

* * *

 

10. NATURE REFRIDGERATOR

like I wrote earlier, I actually buried the cans of juice and fresh milk overnight in the desert sand. by morning, drink away as the drinks were all freshly cold!

 

 

* * *

 

GOOD MORNING, DESERT!

 

 

the boys had a good night sleep, and the morning after in the desert felt just as good. it was still cold, but we welcomed the bright ,morning sun to keep us ‘toasty’.

while the moms did the packing, the kids took one last trip around the desert – walking, running, rolling, tumbling – just about anything you can do in a big sandbox!

 

 

we heated up the left-overs bbq-ed chicken and had a delicious filling breakfast with arabic bread, and curry. hot meal for breakfast, in the cold, with the rising sun. what a morning.

 

 

soon after that, we packed up everything, folded the tent, put sand over our camp fire, cleared the rubbish, and left sweihan desert. the boys are so lucky to have this experience so early in their life. one they will always remember with fondness!

I know I left a piece of me back there. in the night. at 2am. the moment when I saw the beauty of the moon-lit night sky upon God’s glorious earth, as it should’ve been.

I will be back.

Raining Camels & Cats in Dubai

as november moves out to give way to december, it rained in dubai last weekend, after many-many months. and that’s really rare around here. it rained all through morning, and it was pretty cool and mendung for the rest of the day. it was really calming.

 

flooded dubai!

 

it rained so much that some parts of dubai is flooded – as it’s notoriously known that there’s no affective drainage system in dubai, since it doesn’t rain much here.

a friend of mr. khairul had his apartment flooded ankle-deep, and his unit is in the 3rd floor! how is that even possible? bad plumbing sistem? leaking? dubai is just not well-prepared against the element of rain!

no matter – I will just say ALHAMDULILLAH for this blessing – hujan itu rahmat – and just rejoice and enjoy the cool weather that we’re currently having!

 

 

my boys were super excited to see the wet roads (after the rain had stopped for awhile, before it rained again a few hours after that). sigh, this is what I get living in the padang pasir! haha.

but I see it in a positive light – my boys appreciate the rain so much, and this helps them appreciate the little thing that we malaysians may take for granted, or even complained about (you know, “alaaaa hujan lagi! tak boleh buat itu ini!”)

how much do they REALLY appreciate rainy days? mr. khairul took us around the neighbourhood in the car after the rain stopped – to nowhere – but just to look for PUDDLES! he would drive across the biggest, deepest puddle we can spot, and just drove through it so fast purposely make a huge splash. (no passerby was wet in the making of this activity ok haha) the boys enjoyed this SO MUCH – laughing and just enjoying the view of the splashing water.

so simple lah to make them happy kan? hihi. my eldest boy khaleef even called it ‘an adventure’ to spot for puddles, and to go through it, like he was in a jungle expedition or something.

imagination is really the one TOY that does not cost anything, and something we can never take away from the kids.

 

 

* * *

 

the climate in dubai is mostly warm and sunny, and it’s scorching hot during the summer which starts around june up to august. come november, days get cooler with more wind which is the start of winter that goes on till march. I would say that december and january are the best times to visit dubai as the weather is excellent, and the awesome DSF (dubai sales festival) usually starts around january.

I’m fine if it rains again soon. drip drip drip!

How Hot is Dubai in Ramadhan?

alhamdulillah i am celebrating ramadhan in malaysia. however, my other half is struggling in the heat of the summer in dubai. how hot can it get in dubai? let the picture speaks for itself!

laporan oleh encik khairul, lintas lansung dari dubai!

 

this is taken by mr. khairul in the daytime. temperature was a scorching 55 degrees! according to UAE labor law, anyone working outdoors will be banned from working outside between 12.30pm-3.00pm between 15 june to 15 september. companies found to be breaking the regulation will be fined 15,000 dirham (RM12,800).

 

…and if you think that THAT is hot enough, perhaps you’d also think that the night would be gentler to the people and gets colder – NOT! this was taken by mr. khairul just last few nights, and the temperature shown was 49 degrees.

49 degrees. at night! ouch, that’s pretty darn HOT!

 

* * *

 

may Allah grant patience and perseverance to my mr. khairul and all our malaysian buddies in dubai in facing the summer ramadhan in such hot temperature. amin!

(time sahur minum air banyak dan jangan lupa kurma ok! pemberi tenaga!)

Full Fuel Tank Can Burst During Dubai Summer?

summer is here in dubai. it’s hot. it’s scorching. it’s sticky. it’s sweaty. and between it all, there’s an email that has been circulating the middle east community – a warning about bursting fuel tanks :

“UAE - The Defence Ministry has advised all the car owners in the UAE not to fill the fuel tank full because for the next few weeks temperature will shoot up to 53-54 degrees and this can cause the fuel tank to burst. Please pass this message to all and off course to your nearest and dearest ones, as all of us here are habitual of filling our car tanks full.”

yesterday in gulfnews, the officials from the civil defence in dubai has issued a statement that this message is NOT TRUE and just a RUMOUR. 

 

 

i was really taken by the warning, and for once did not think that it might be a hoax. i even reminded mr. khairul about it. however, it turned out to be UNTRUE, and these are the FACTS :

• despite temperatures reaching into the high 40C, gasoline in a car’s fuel tank cannot be heated to the point of self-combustion
• and even when temperature reaches that high, fuel turns to vapour (gas) and the fuel tanks has vapour valves or vents which can release the vapour out when the pressure builds up
• cars have their own safety systems when it comes to petrol tanks
• so, it’s NOT dangerous to fill up the car’s tank no matter what the temperature is

also – in dubai, fuel is pumped by the staff at the gas station (bukan self-service macam kat malaysia, pak arab taknak kotorkan kandoora putih tu kot! hihi) so instead of a warning to the public, shouldn’t the warning go to the gas stations instead? anyhow, the warning is a hoax, so no worries!

click here to read full report at gulfnews.

 

* * *

 

forget the fake email, let’s just focus on the precautions that we can take with our vehicle during this hot summer time!

1. i know this might quite difficult, especially when you’re around deira-bur dubai-karama area, but try to park in the shade whenever possible. it will keep your car cooler
2. when there is no shade available, try to park so that the sun will be shining on the car’s rear window or passenger side for the majority of the time it is parked
3. use a sunshade that goes on the inside of your car’s windshield. you know how hot a steering wheel can get!
4. we often read about children being left in the car accidentally, at times with deadly consequence. (may Allah protect our young ones, and protect us from being forgetful!) be sure to put your child's diaper bag or other belongings on the FRONT SEAT WITH YOU so you will be reminded that your child is in the car
5. frequent oil changes and belt checks are a must. make sure fluids are full
6. try filling up at night to save money, because hot fuel turns to vapor and when you’re filling up during hot afternoon, you might actually refilling vapor!
7. after shopping, check your trunk carefully to make sure nothing has fallen out of the grocery bags. you really don't want to find the bottle of fresh milk or that bag of prawns a week later...

be safe, people!

Worst Sandstorm in Dubai in Years

dubai sandstorm attacked my kitchen this morning.




waking up, i was greeted with SAND in kitchen. the washed plates left to dry by my sink is dusty, the jam jars on the kitchen counter is dusty, the tikar felt really dusty under my feet, and you could really see small particles of sand everywhere, it's scary.


i definitely have to wipe, wash, clean everything from scratch. but not before i draw smiley faces on everything!


looking out the window, the sight was scarier - the sky painted dirty grey with sand and dust that i could hardly even see the building closest to mine. low visibility out there for those driving out - careful! even without opening the window i could hear the wailings of the winds, and it's really loud. i could see trees swaying fiercely against the wind.


sand and wind - not a good combo. sand was in my eyes as i stepped out to send khaleef to his school bus this morning. also, i could see sand on the outside floor - desert sand literally piling on the floor. cars are also covered with a thick coat of dust.


a friend of mine didn't send her kids to school this morning because of the sandstorm, as her kids had just recovered from fever - and i was thinking of khaleef too after he had gotten on the bus.


may Allah protect him from harm!





a friend of mine wrote in his facebook status, that this day "...reminds him that we are living in the desert," and another one calling it a 'sandday' instead of sunday! having desert sand in my coffee mugs and window panes of my living room - we ARE in the desert!


the sandstorm has been making its comeback in the UAE around this time of the year with the change of weather. last week, the dubai global village even closed its doors due to worsening weather.


at the time of writing - 12.30pm - the wind still hasn't subsided from morning, blowing ever strongly the sand and dust of ages right up to our homes. visibility seemed improved, though i can vaguely see the buildings on the far back.


with sand blowing right into my eyes, strong winds, my kitchen all dusty, dark skies and desert sand on the floor beneath my feet - it was by far the worst sandstorm i've experienced of my 3+ years here in dubai.


school-going kiddos, those out and about - be safe! click here to read more about today's sandstorm in gulfnews. aku nak kena lap-lap barang-barang dapur ni...

Dubai is Cold!

it was not THIS cold last year. i remember because during winter last year, i didn’t need socks to walk around the house. this year, the winter hit dubai hard, and it’s windy everyday! REALLY WINDY. i look out the window, and see the trees swaying like mad each morning and evening.

when i send khaleef down to his bus daily, we had to stand by the wall – if not, we’d feel the full blow of the winter wind. really cold!

yes, it’s WINTER in dubai, and it’s a really COLD one these days!

 

too bad i didn’t capture the one with 10 degrees once!

 

but hey, this is not a complain posting ok. this is just a report hihi.

because, alhamdulilah, windy or too windy – i’m enjoying the cold dubai winter. this is the short time of year where we can go out for a walk in dubai, and feel like we’re somewhere in europe – with our thick jackets, snow caps and pashmina wrapped around our neck. also, by next month, temperature will start to rise again… enjoy the cool weather while we can!

boleh la berangan kejap!

 

 

i hear malaysia is enjoying HOT weather, no? i miss you, malaysia!

(our own paper thestar actually wrote about winter in dubai in this 2011 article. click here. however the last line of the article about booking MAS flights to dubai – not happening anymore! what, didn’t you hear? MAS does not fly to dubai anymore…)

Tonight : Moon Will Glow Red

in a rare, long eclipse, the moon will turn into a glowing red ball, tonight. it is the century’s longest total lunar eclipse – 3 hours and 40 minutes.

i love looking at the sky. the fluff of the clouds, the velvety night sky. i LOVE looking at the moon and the stars, especially on a clear night where the moon is so visibly huge, round and glowing. i will be in awe, and i will not be able to keep my eyes away from the moon. as a child, it always fascinates me that the moon ‘follows’ my abah’s car! hihi.

also, on a clear night, i will never miss looking for the orion’s belt constellation of stars. amazing. simply beautiful and amazing. a string of 3 stars that are forever constant and aligned together. Allahuakbar.

so this lunar eclipse thing is something interesting that i will look into!

 

a lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes behind the earth so that the earth blocks the sun's rays from striking the moon. this can occur only when the sun, earth, and moon are aligned exactly, or very closely so, with the earth in the middle. hence, there is always a full moon the night of a lunar eclipse.

 

 

in UAE (united arab emirates) the moon will start turning grey at 9:23pm when it will enter the penumbra (the early shadow of the earth). the earth's core shadow called umbra will start covering the moon exactly an hour later at 10:23pm.

the shadow will completely cover the moon at 11:22pm. the eclipse will end at 1:03am UAE time after a whopping three hours and 40 minutes. it will be visible almost everywhere in the world except north america.

 

 

we learned this in school, but i honestly have forgotten! all the umbras and penumbras! it’s good to polish up. i’ll impress khaleef later. hihi.

 

 

read this. wow. and imagine you’re flying off into space, and looking at earth during the lunar eclipse!

What makes the eclipsed moon turn red? The answer lies inside Earth's shadow:

Our planet casts a long shadow. It starts on the ground--Step outside at night. You're in Earth's shadow. Think about it!--and it stretches almost a million miles into space, far enough to reach the moon.

Suppose you had a personal spaceship. Here's your mission: Tonight, at midnight, blast off and fly down the middle of Earth's shadow. Keep going until you're about 200,000 miles above Earth, almost to the moon. Now turn around and look down. The view from your cockpit window is Earth's nightside, the dark half of our planet opposite the sun. But it's not completely dark! All around Earth's limb, the atmosphere glows red.

What you're seeing is every sunrise and sunset on Earth--all at once. This ring of light shines into Earth's shadow, breaking the utter darkness you might expect to find there. Turn off the cockpit lights. There's a lovely red glow.

source : nasa.

 

this picture describes how it would look like if you were standing on the moon, looking at earth during a lunar eclipse. woah.

 

* * *

in Islam, there should be no superstition associated with the eclipse. muslims offer prayer at the time of the eclipse.

apakah hukum solat sunat gerhana?

hukumnya adalah sunat muakkadah atau pun sunat yang digalakkan.

ini berdasarkan daripada hadis yang diriwayatkan oleh Imam Muslim yang bermakna, Rasulullah SAW bersabda : sesungguhnya matahari dan bulan merupakan dua tanda daripada tanda-tanda (kebesaran) Allah, tidak berlaku gerhana pada kedua-duanya kerana kematiaan seseorang dan tidak pula kerana kelahirannya. maka apabila kamu melihat perkara itu maka sembahyanglah dan berdoalah sehingga kembali terang (hilang gerhana) apa dengan kamu.

lafaz niat solat sunat gerhana bulan

أُصَلِّى سُنَّةَ الخُسُوفِ رَكْعَتَينِ للهِ تَعَالَى

ertinya : “sahaja aku solat sunat gerhana bulan dua rakaat kerana Allah Taala.”

cara dilakukan solat gerhana :

i. solat gerhana dilakukan sekurang-kurangnya 2 rakaat seperti solat sunat biasa. ia adalah yang sekurang-kurangnya. yang akmalnya dilakukan dengan dua kali ruku’ dan 2 kali qiyam, pada tiap-tiap satu rakaat dengan tidak dipanjangkan bacaan pada kedua-dua rakaat.

ii. yang terlebih akmal ialah dengan 2 rakaat, dengan 2 ruku dan qiyam bagi tiap-tiap satu rakaat dengan dipanjangkan bacaan pada kedua-dua rakaat.

bila boleh dilakukan? waktunya bermula ketika berlakunya gerhana dan berakhir dengan hilangnya gerhana tersebut dan keadaan menjadi seperti sedia kala.

untuk lebih lanjut, klik sini. takpun korang tengok video ni, penerangan dari ustaz rasul dahri tentang solat sunat gerhana ni. ade lagi 3 clip, korang bole sambung je la kat youtube ok. hihi.

 

 

Allah knows best.

* * *

 

the next lunar eclipse with this length will only occur in 2141. so grab this chance to witness this rare phenomena.

(*images taken from wikipedia & google)

Hot Summer : Air-Cond in Dubai Bus Stops

it’s summer again in dubai, which means hot, scorching hot, blazing hot and can-fry-eggs-on-the-tar-road hot. i remember a dubai friend of mine adzlin described dubai summer in her blog as, (i’m paraphrasing) heating up an oven, opening the door, and peering your head inside the oven. yes, THAT hot.

well, NOW it’s not THAT hot yet – but it’s going to be! presently, i would assume it’s just as hot as a regular noon in malaysia.

 

a bus stop in dubai

 

thankfully, dubai is considerate of its people who takes the bus day in day out, and the bus stops here are equipped with air-conditioned all season long. best kan?

i think i’ve written about this before, but i just want to share it again since 1) i found an interesting picture of how the bus stops look like in the ‘olden’ days of dubai, and 2) it’s that time again when i’m really grateful for the invention of air-cond!

 

the back part of the bus stops 

 

 

now back to the bus stops –

open the door and the whiff of chilly air will welcome you into a soothing, cooling exterior. it’s really great – especially during summer! the inside is designed simple but sleek, with metal chairs, clear glass panels, and bus route and other information on the board behind the seats.

aku dah try dah, memang seronok tau tunggu bas sambil menikmati air-cond. kalau masa sekolah dulu ade bus-stop macam ni kan best. gile berjam-jam tunggu bas rapat setia tu!

 

* * *

 

…but dubai hasn’t always been this awesome when it comes to bus stops! the picture below shows how the old dubai bus stops look like. it’s just by accident that i came by this picture. the old dubai bus stop is rather a small enclosure, isn’t it? which doesn’t help when there’s a large crowd waiting for the bus on a hot day.

i wonder whether these bus stops are still around… i’ve never seen one myself!

 

 

…and even dubai has this classic stand-alone metal post with the ‘bus’ symbol. you know, in school, when the teacher asks us to draw a bus stop – this is what we will draw right?

 

 

well, as of today, it still reads 40 celcius or so here in dubai, so *ENJOY* it while you can before it goes up to 49 and 50 celcius! and hey, i’m grateful that the days are still accompanied by cool winds, so the heat is not so bad.

well, look on the bright side (pun not intended!) – dubai summer sale is starting 22nd june till 31st july! get your shades out, your umbrella untied and *enjoy* the sun, people! or err, just head on straight to the malls and shop! hihi…

(all images : google)

First Shower in Dubai for 2011

it finally rained in dubai!

well, actually there was a drizzle of rain one morning as i sent khaleef to his school bus, but that doesn’t really count because it’s just for few minutes and it’s just drizzling.

but that day – it REALLY rained. cats and dogs and camels!

 

 kahfi : mongolian sesat? haha

 

it was a weekend, and we were heading towards mall of emirates when it rained. and when we walked out, it was still raining – heavily. and from noon till the middle of the night, the rain did not look like it’s subsiding.

as usual, when it rains, certain parts of dubai will SURELY be flooded. dubai takde sistem perparitan tau! since they only receive rain about few days a year!

 

khaleef with his ateh

 

alhamdulillah, it was a smooth ride for us all the way from the mall to our home. it can be dangerous driving in dubai on a rainy day – because most of the locals are not used to driving on wet, slippery roads thus may be inept compared to normal days.

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if you notice, there’s a new addition to our family starting last week. on the day we sent abah and umi to the airport for their flight back to malaysia, mr. khairul’s sister arrived from cairo, egypt. she’s spending her winter holiday here, and i’m sure look forward to have countless slumber parties with her nephews.

me? i’m counting the days when i can finally go out shopping by myself or watching movies at the cinema while leaving the kiddos with this bibik from cairo…

Earthquake in Dubai!

it was nearly 3am when mr. khairul read the super-latest news : tremors of earthquake was felt in the entire UAE (united arab emirates). a rush of mild panic swept me. an earthquake? in the country that i’m currently staying in?

and then i read the news. it wasn’t so bad after all. at least in dubai.

actually there was a strong earthquake in pakistan, and the gegaran were felt so far wide, including the UAE. 7.2 on the richter scale tu. that’s one powerful quake! poor pakistan. they’re still recovering from the devastating flood that hit the nation last year – 1/5 of the land covered in water, losing thousands of lives and about 20 millions left homeless. kesian, now gempa bumi pulak.

apparently, people living in al-ain felt the earthquake the most. dubai is about an hour and a half away from al-ain.

during the said earthquake, we were actually on the road from the airport after sending abah and umi, and picking up mr. khairul’s sister teh, who had just arrived from cairo, egypt. we didn’t feel anything. i immediately called abah who was still waiting for his flight back to malaysia. they were both okay, and didn’t even know about the tremors. alhamdulillah.

 

 

Al Ain: Strong tremors caused by a powerful earthquake in Pakistan were felt in most parts of the UAE at around 12:27am on Wednesday, sending waves of panic among people who rushed out of their homes.

Pakistan's earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale struck some 566km in the northwest of Karachi, said the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology.

The NCMS confirmed that the tremors were felt deep inside the UAE. In a report issued at 2:10am, the centre said it has caused no harm in the UAE.

The US Geological Survey said the quake was more than 84km underground, close to the town of Dalbandin in Baluchistan province, near the Afghan and Iranian frontiers.

The tremors were felt by people living even in Al Ain. Police and Civil Defence department has not reported any material damage or causalities.

The quake, however, sent a wave of panic among residents in Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Sharjah, Ajman, Dubai, Al Ain, and parts of Abu Dhabi. Many of them rushed out into the open.

Doneet Lobo, an Indian resident in Al Ain, said he was reading a book at his bed when the tremors were felt. He immediately realised that it’s an earthquake and got out of the room. "The things around me rattled for a few seconds and I was horrified,” said Lobo. He said he immediately contacted his friends in the city and they also felt the same.

click here for full story.

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2.5 on richter scale, or 7.2 on richter scale – what is this actually?

HOW AN EARTHQUAKE IS MEASURED

• in 1935, an American seismologist, Charles F Richter, made use of a logarithmic scale to measure the magnitude (the size and strength) of an earthquake
• it’s known as Richter scale
• it was based on the amplitude of the waves, measured by a seismograph
• Italian scientist Giuseppe Mercalli invented Mercalli scale in 1902, used to measure the intensity of an earthquake, based upon the observation of destruction caused by the calamity at a particular location.
• the seismographs near the epicenter of the earthquake measure its intensity, ranging from 1 to 9
• the lowest intensity, number 1, is not felt at the surface
• little damage is caused, when the intensity is recorded as 4
• the number 6 corresponds to a strong earthquake, clearly felt over a wide area
• the intensity of earthquake, noted as 7 and 8 on the richter scale, is considered as highly destructive, damaging the buildings and life up to 100 km from epicenter
• te intensity of 9 has not been recorded till date. such a high intensity is regarded as an earthquake that can devastate life up to 1000 km from the epicenter

 

the earthquake that hit pakistan last night was 7.2 on the richter scale!

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WHAT TO DO DURING AN EARTHQUAKE

• if you're indoors, stay there. get under -- and hold onto --a desk or table, or stand against an interior wall. stay clear of exterior walls, glass, heavy furniture, fireplaces and appliances. the kitchen is a particularly dangerous spot. if you’re in an office building, stay away from windows and outside walls and do not use the elevator.
• if you're outside, get into the open. stay clear of buildings, power lines or anything else that could fall on you.
• if you're driving, move the car out of traffic and stop. avoid parking under or on bridges or overpasses. try to get clear of trees, light posts, signs and power lines. when you resume driving, watch out for road hazards.
• if you're in a mountainous area, beware of the potential for landslides. likewise, if you're near the ocean, be aware that tsunamis are associated with large earthquakes. get to high ground.
• if you’re in a crowded public place, avoid panicking and do not rush for the exit. stay low and cover your head and neck with your hands and arms.

 

we were in the car, on the move when it happened. why didn’t we feel anything ya? and i wonder was it better to be stuck inside the house during an earthquake, or be caught outside?

all in all, alhamdulillah nothing bad happened to us, and abah and umi…

Heat Stroke : Beware!

it's summer again in dubai, and temperature is soaring by the minute. just the other day when we went out it already shoot up to 52 degrees. open the window and you can feel the bahang - the extreme heat wave.

the kitchen is the only room in my apartment with opened window, and i always kept the door close. once opened, wooosh - you can really feel the surge of heat enveloping.

wear sun block! picture with models khaleef & kahfi hihi

in this scorching heat, you must be aware of the ever-present and very real danger - the heat stroke.

“the classic definition of heatstroke includes the presence of inner body (core) temperature higher than 40°C, central nervous system dysfunction, and (the) absence of sweating. anyone with high temperature above 40°C and experiencing confusion, lethargy or even falling into a coma should be considered to have suffered heatstroke.”

~ dr. abdul majid wani, a consultant in the emergency department at hera general hospital, makkah.

causes :

• exposed to hot weather for too long without drinking water
• the body dehydrate so no more liquid for sweating
• body's temperature rises rapidly, the body goes into shock

symptoms of heat stroke include

• a rise in core temperature
• lack of sweating
• flushed skin color and dry skin
• rapid pulse
• breathing difficulties
• abnormal behavior
• hallucinations
• agitation
• disorientation
• seizures
• fainting
  
• sometimes even coma

if not properly, quickly treated, can be fatal!


what to do in case of emergency :

1. removal of clothing
2. spraying the victim with water
3. apply cold, wet towel to the skin, especially near armpit
   
4. provide sufficient air to him or her
5. get medical help
   

prevent heat stroke!

• reduce exercise or excess activity in hot weather - save the bbq at the park for winter okay!
  
• wear loose-fitting and light-colored thin clothes - my kiddos memang tak pakai lansung long sleeve!
  
• drinking lots of water - make sure there's a water bottle for each kid, one in your bag or a big one in your stroller
  
• those working outside and under a hot sun should understand that as soon as they stop perspiring while working, they are in danger of heat stroke
• drink water freely to provide moisture for perspiration, even when you do not feel thirsty! (kalau dah dahaga tu tandanya dah dehydrate sket kan?)
  
• infants, young children and people above the age of 65 are very sensitive to the effects of high temperatures
• do not leave children alone in cars, even for a moment - even with the windows open!
  

in a nutshell, just drink lotsa water, and don't be out in the sun too long. be safe out there, people!

Khaleef Photographing a Lamborghini

like me, my eldest son khaleef love to have his picture taken, and love to take pictures. when he gets hold of either my yellow olympus or his bapak's canon, he'll snap away - anything from what's on tv, the pillow or the insides of his mouth.

click here to see some of his earlier works!


on our way to a makan place or the mall, he'll be holding on to the camera - ready to snap at anything interesting - under bapak's strict supervision.

mr. khairul wants khaleef to have a focus - an actual object before taking any shots. so for example when khaleef spots a nice flower bed, he'll ask his son to wait, and gives the cue to snap when the car stops at a traffic light junction.

khaleef in action

flowers, birds and buildings - yes. but khaleef's favorite shot while on the road are fast cars. in dubai, it's easy to spot a ferrari and its adik beradik on the road.

when we went out the other day, khaleef spotted an orange car, and it was a lamborghini. like ferrari, it's one of those sleek type of cars that has become symbols of wealth.

the lamborghini story is interesting because this italian guy - ferruccio lamborghini is already rich from his tractor business, and owns a lot of expensive cars from ferrari to maserati. since he has this passion for fast cars, he decided to come up with his own!

while ferrari's emblem has the horse, lamborghini chose the fighting bull on his emblem. personally, i prefer ferrari - a yellow one!


"bapak, hurry up!" as the lamborghini sped between traffic. and when the timing and distance were right - snap! snap!

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dubai is a hot zone now. 51 degree when we went out, which turned 52 soon after - and it's still may! bahang! around june last year, it did go up to 53 - click here for evidence!