Saturday - Again, I got up later than I should and sauntered in just before breakfast finished (as is becoming usual.) I planned to go off to the beach today and was almost waylaid by Larry King (gotta be the ugliest man on TV) interviewing John Travolta on CNN.
I asked the staff of the YHA what the easiest way to the 'other' beach (Saturday is ladies only at Jumeirah Beach.) I was given a pretty good description of the route I should take but when on the bus I was told by the driver to get off just a little too early and take another bus, as opposed to continuing further and walking as advised by the YHA crew. I walked after all, as it didn't seem so far - but I really should have learnt my lesson by now as to how deceptive distances can be. It took a really long toime to get to the beach, although I realised in now time at all that I really need to buy new shoes. The distances I've walked this past couple of weeks, especially in my first few days in Dubai, is something else. My feet ache each night like never before.
I eventually got to the beach, although not to the beach park. Off with my troosers (trunks already underneath) and on with the snorkel and I'm as happy as a... fish in water?
I must have been in the water at least two hours, but while down there I found a stone, purple and white swirls, which I'm pretty sure is an amethyst. Next time I do this I really need to get a waterproof camera just to shoot myself playing with fish. I floundered for a while and after getting out and drying off naturally, I headed for the Gold Souhks then took an Abra to Bur Dubai. As was becoming customary I walked (no surprise there) around, following the crowds and looking at shop windows, resisting the less than tempting offers to 'come in and look around' and by some 'come on, come on!'
On the Abra back to the East bank I met tow South Africans, Garth and Darren, working over here in IT, developing web based Java systems. They were out on a mission - to find a chessboard for something to do in the evenings. After sitting at computers for the working day they find they don't have the energy to get out and about. I had to find a bank to draw out some money, so the guys came along for the walk - and as usual it was a long one.
While on the search we chatted about life here in Dubai, out in Taiwan, and funnily enough we found common ground in Ali G. "Is it 'cos I is black or somet'ing?" "But you're white?" "Ah, now you is being racist!"---
After eventually finding an ATM at the Hyatt we stopped off in a sidestreet cafe and supped on juice. Well, it's not as if beer is easy to come by in this part of the world. We exchanged numbers before parting ways so we could catch up later in the week and we all took a taxi together to Gharouda Bridge where I got out and took another taxi to the hostel.
Sunday
Woke up fairly early for once, intent on going to the West bank and getting online ( but I'm not addicted - I could give it up anytime.) At breakfast I chatted with Mehdi from France who converted to Islam some years ago and came here to study Arabic. Now as I've already observed that's really hard as the 'native' Dubaivians are in the the minority against all the Ideian and pakistani workers who come here to work. I think Urdu whould be a better choice of a language to learn here. Yet most people speak English to some degree. Anyway, after telling Mehdi my plan to come use the internet for 5Dhirams per hour he wanted to come along, although he hadn't planned to go out so early. He did however want to know where this place was so he came along. Another long haul trek by bus and foot. There are two internet centres next door to each other on *** Road near the Dragon's Castle store and Jumbo Electrics. We used one cafe for an hour, had lunch in a great Indian Restaurant,- and then used the other cafe.
After using the second place for an hour or so we moved on. Mehdi decided to head back to the hostel to check out and head for one of the smaller villages. I, on the other hand, called Garth and arranged to meet him outside the Mercedez showroom at Bur Juman shopping centre. I got there a little early and sat outide the mall at the outside cafe bar next door. Just to make sure that the Merc showroom was only on one side of the buiilding (I'd been waiting for a while) I took a short walk down the block. To my surprise I chanced on the East German couple I'd met ahte other day. We tchatted and i explained that I was on the lookout for my friend then I wnet back tot ht Merc Shorwoom. Hey, there he was.
The original plan was to use a Pizza + movie promotion to do just that - have a pizza and watch a movie but Darren was still at work so we got somethign to eat and hung out for a while at the guys apartment, watiing for Darren to call. Darren didn't call and Garth was beat anyway, so after reading through a couple of Darren's 'Mad' magazines I decided to hit the road... and so to bed.
