Sorry for the very late update. I touched down in Dubai airport on Monday evening - or to be precise, 7:35 pm Dubai time. I later discovered to my horror that my laptop is unable to connect to the wireless LAN at the lobby of my apartment. I have been reduced to logging on via a crappy PC in the Business Centre of the apartment where we're staying. The connection is SLOW and I have to wait my turn to use it with the other guests here. Just yesterday there was a nosy Malaysian guy who kept looking over my shoulder while I was trying to check my personal email. He also kept asking me very detailed personal questions, none of which I wanted to answer - because I was already pissed at the lack of wireless.
Some people just do not understand the concept of personal space.
I am alive, thank you very much to everyone for their well-wishes. I had a safe flight, though they did screw up my vegetarian meal. *sigh*
Everyone who has been to Dubai talks about how the hot air just gushes at your face. They are right. Every time I walk out of an air-conditioned building, or even just out of the car - the hot Dubai air just hits me.
I'm wilting. And on top of that, most of the food and drink establishments are closed in the afternoon because it's the fasting month. So if you're outside - like I was yesterday - you're not going to be able to eat or drink. Hah!
I'm wilting. Only 3 days in Dubai and I'm down with a sore throat and a slight fever.
Until later.
20 comments:
I'm glad you had a safe trip. And that's too bad about the wireless thing. Any chance it will be solved or is it a permanent issue?
And I know just what you mean about some people totally lacking the concept of personal space.
STAY INSIDE!
Serious. I'm a hot weather guy from southern california. high temps are about 105 f right now here. stay inside until the high gets down to the high 80s/low 90s. i understand you have to commute. stay inside as much as you can.
also. a wet longsleeved overshirt (and a plastic bag to put it in) will be your best friend for when you do have to go outside. instant evaporative cooler.
hug the shade. even if you have to cross the street to do so.
keep hydrated. heat stroke is a bitch and it keeps coming back if you get it. heat exhaustion is worse... thats heat stroke when you're dehydrated.
did i say stay inside? i mean it. don't let yer pasty butt see the light of day until the high is about 90 f. i've lived in the heat for over 30 years. i watch people get sick and miserable and skin cancer from it all the time.
that said. glad you're finally there. hope you get your own router set up soon.
Cheers!
Doc
p.s. sopping wet bucket hat. what it lacks in style... it makes up for in cool. even more fun if you fill it up with water and dump it all over yourself. you'll probably be dry by the time you get there.
Snooping can be annoying, really.
I'm glad you made your way to Dubai fine. Give it a week or so you'll be snapping into the routine. Stay in shade and drink lots of water. Do you have to buy bottled water?
I wasn't feeling well when I arrived in Kuala Lumpur last December, after 18 hours flight from San Francisco via HK. It was the fatigue from flying and sweltering heat.
Glad you made it safely. And what doc martin said, stay inside in the heat and drink lots and lots of water.
Glad to hear that you have arrived safely. Do give it a little while to settle yourself in the new place, meanwhile stay hydrated and cool. take care. quietletters.
so glad you're safely in Dubai! & a sore throat--I'm having one too but would REALLY not the best thing to have in common.
get well, stay safe, have fun!
You made it! Yay!
You're probably sick from the AC, or rather, going from the outside air to the overly cool insides of buildings. It's hard to adjust to the heat but I think it's harder to get used to that hot/cold thing. Also, you're probably going to feel awful from jet lag for a few weeks.
But it's all temporary, and the temps should be bearable in a few weeks. Really, this is the best time of year to arrive. Ramadan is already halfway over - by the time you're feeling better it will be possible to eat in public again.
How's the new job? Where did the company put you?
Nymeth - The wireless issue seems to be my laptop issue. Well, I had it for 5 years. I might have to shop for a new laptop over here - which will be expensive. So I might wait until we move into a more long term apartment and try to get some internet access set up.
Which will probably happen around early October.
I need space - which is what Dubai has a lot of. Really - I was astonished at the amount of space here, coming from a tiny island like Singapore.
Doc - I'm trying to stay indoors. I feel very much like a vampire these days though.
Matt - There's bottled water, but the water is safe to drink from the tap. It's just that if you're out and about in public, you will have to drink discreet - like in the toilet - because it's the fasting season.
Oh god, the heat here.
Actually, I was just remarking to a colleague that some parts of Dubai reminds me of Kuala Lumpur.
Stefanie - will definitely do that. But there's the curiosity to want to wander the streets of a new city too. Which I can only do at night.
Hence, the whole sensation of being a vampire: Fair skin, hide from the sun, wear sunglasses all the time, go out only at night.
quietletters - I would like to rest a bit more too, but have meetings to attend, work to do, and a city to explore! :)
Ovidia - I will try to take care. You take care of your sore throat too.
One good thing is, I have managed to practice yoga every morning since I reached here. It's one of the more grounding aspects of moving here.
Ella - Yes, isn't it cool? Now I just need to survive Dubai.
I suspected it's the heavy AC too. But with the heat outside, I can't imagine a life without AC. Need to hydrate, and get more fruits and vegetables into my diet. Been shopping at the nearby Spinney's every day to get the fresh veggies.
I'm putting up at an apartment within walking distance of Burjuman Centre at the moment. But I haven't had time to explore the area. Will probably walk around a lot more tonight, since it's Thursday.
Weekends are Fridays and Saturdays now. Have to remember that.
The new job - a lot of things are unsettled. I definitely need my internet access - and a office - but the office is still under construction. *sigh*
Shifting sands, as I call it.
So glad to hear that you made it safe DO! I hope you start feeling better soon and that internet gets better :( Definitely stay cool down there...heat sucks...
another month and the high will be about 85. you'll get to sightsee then.
p.s. in hot weather climes? tanning season is spring and mid-late fall.
hang tough. and don't forget the lessons you learn this fall when late spring comes around... cuz the summer will be freakin' miserable if you don't have everything wrapped tight by then.
Cheers!
Doc
The BurJuman! Lucky girl, that's a great neighborhood. I know that Spinney's, it's a good one. Have you been to Carrefour yet? They are doing the full-on Ramadan thing - Iftar tents up in the produce department, a billion kinds of dates to try...
Finally!! *Now* you can believe... :) Sorry that you're not feeling well though- do take care. Maybe after a week, as your body gets used to the climate, you'll feel better. But one should never have to get used to snooping though.. booh!
How's work going? Good? Different?
If you turn the AC off when u r practicing, it'll be like hot yoga. lame i know. hope u feel better soon.
I'm glad you had a safe trip and like you said, you're alive.
Just think, things can only go up from here if they're crummy.
As for the heat, my advice is to practice the Greek style of living. Take a siesta in the early afternoon and have dinner around 10pm after the sun's gone down.
Take care in Dubai, and glad you got there fine.
Good to hear you arrived without any huge catastrophes. Hope you feel better soon; probably the stress of the past few weeks hasn't helped, either!
Chris - Thanks. Trying to keep cool, definitely. I'm now considering a London holiday - need to escape to cooler climate ASAP!
Doc - I doubt I will get to sightsee when the office is finally set up. It will mean we finally have to get into the swing of things to work.
Ella - Well, it's temporary. Been spending a fair bit on cabfares since I don't drive. I visited the Carrefour at Mall of Emirates recently. It's wonderful - but awfully faraway from where I stay. About AED 36.00 in cab fare.
That said - I like the Spinneys. I heard they are the best place to get fresh fruits and vegetables.
Serene - Work is *heh* - since the office is not set up yet, we have no printer, and my laptop is not picking up wireless. A lot of things could move faster, but is not.
And Dubai has a one-week holiday coming up soon, so it's a little difficult to schedule appointments.
Some of my suppliers end work around 1:30pm - so again, difficult to schedule an appointment. :)
dizzy_leaf - You know I never liked Hot Yoga in the first place, auntie.
duckthief - Well, the siesta bit is a little hard to do at work though. Don't think my bosses would appreciate that. :)
Ah Leng - Trying to take care of myself.
Melanie - Thanks. Still trying to cope with a different culture and weather. Wish me luck.
I'm glad you arrived safely and I hope the inconveniences all sort themselves out soon!
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From personal experience, on days where its blistering hot, I leave the windows closed in the day time and at night you open the window. The trick is that you are trapping all the present temperature inside the house, but when evening time kicks in then you allow the breeze to kick in.
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