DUBAI MUSINGS -- JAN-FEB 2024

 MUSINGS FROM DUBAI

Saturday, JANUARY 20, 2024

Anand left me at the airport terminal 2, as early as 1 p.m. for my flight scheduled at 4 p.m. I faced no problems till I completed the “Security” formality. I had checked in my two small trolley suit-cases and carried my back-pack and a sling bag containing my passport and visa, as cabin- baggage. There was some confusion at the security point, while depositing my back-pack, sling bag, wrist watch and belt in the tray as it moved in the conveyor towards the x-ray machine. When I came out of my security check, my tray was waiting. Collecting all that and putting them back on my body, my boarding pass got crumbled. Somehow, I reported at the immigration point only to find that the stub of my boarding pass was missing. 

I stood in line for my turn at the immigration counter, praying that he should not mind the absence of the stub in my boarding pass. But, the officer at the counter wanted me to look for the stub at the security area. I knew it was a futile deed with my not remembering the exact path I had come through. I pretended to look for it and then came back to tell him that I could not get it and requested him to waive that lapse. He took my passport and visa and asked me to pose for a photo. Then he took me to his superior and explained the matter to him. He readily asked him to let me pass. I asked him if I would be questioned again at the boarding point. He said that no questions would be asked. With a sigh of relief, I walked towards Gate No. 68. I did not avail the wheel chair, since I wanted to leisurely walk along. I got a good seat with a view of the various aircrafts taking off and landing at some distance. My Air India plane was not anywhere near Gate no. 68 although it was just an hour to board. 

Suddenly, a lady approached me and enquired if I was bound to Dubai by Flight No. 919 of Air India.  Getting an answer in the affirmative, she asked me to proceed to Gate No. 85. The boarding gate has been changed. I was not heeding to the announcement on the speakers since it was not clear to me. I thanked her and asked her directions to that gate. I followed her for some distance, changing floors in the lift and arrived at the gate. Here too, no plane was in sight.  

I spent some time playing the bubble-shoot game on my mobile. Shortly, an announcement came asking the passengers of rows 18 to 28 to pass through the gate. Mine was Row 17. But he allowed me to pass. We boarded a bus which took about ten minutes to reach our plane parked in a distant bay. I faced no problem boarding the plane. I was happy to have been given a seat by the window, but all I could see was the wing of the plane, which obstructed most of the view outside. But, I could see a good part of the outside through the rear window. I was happy, but it was short-lived. The occupant of that window seat pulled down the shutter for some reason. 

The plane took off about 40 minutes behind schedule. I chose an apple juice as the drink offered to the passengers. After about an hour, we were served some food in a tray. It could not be called meals. I did not like that except the sweet rasagolla. I did not feel hungry either. 

Very soon, I felt the plane descending. There was an illegible announcement and the crew ensured that the passengers tied their seat belts. I peeped out of the window. I began to see a vast expanse of sand below. Occasionally, \i could see rectangular plots of greenery with residential buildings inside.  Suddenly, the geography below changed and tall concrete towers, roads and canals. 

The plane landed safely. At the exit, I could see some wheel-chairs ready. I got one too, by telling my full name to the person in charge. I was taken in a wheelchair pushed by one Mohammad Asif, a Pakistani national, married but living alone in Dubai. He spoke nicely to me in both Hindi and English. He installed the wiFi code in my mobile, which enabled me to talk to Kumaresh, who was waiting for me at the exit. The baggage came a bit later than expected. Asif helped me at the immigration counter and at the baggage collection counter. He entrusted me to Kumaresh who was there waiting. 

On hearing that we were to take the metro to Kumaresh’s colony, Asif brought me and the luggage up to the station. Kumaresh purchased a card for about 24 phirams, to enable the bearer to use for travel by all modes of transport in Dubai. He said the new card was for me. He had his own card. I recollected the use of such a card callled 'Octopus' card, in Hong Kong to travel in MTR, when I was Aruna’s guest a few years back.

The train was somewhat crowded, but a gentleman saw me and offered his seat to me. This is the advantage of being old. We travelled for about 40 minutes to arrive at The Gardens station. We passed through stations named after the important buildings in the area, like Bruj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, Museum, etc. 

Kumaresh led me to his car parked near the station. We rode for about 3 minutes to reach his abode, situated in Apartment No.19 in Building 28. We entered the building using a card which allowed one to open the big entrance. Anisha welcomed me on the stairs. The kids were not seen initially. They suddenly came up with a shout to surprise me from under the cot in the bedroom.

Day 2.

The kids were very free with me. But, one sad aspect was that the toys I had purchased for them did not serve their purpose. Abox, mentioned as “the young scientist\’ costing Rs. 450, did not contain things that were described outside the box. It said 85 experiments in Science, covering electricity, magnetism, magnetism, mirrors, etc. But the box contained just some magnets and one plane mirror. So also, the doll could not be dressed in the various dresses provided in the box meant for Riya. Thus, both Reyaansh and Riya were disappointed. 

 In the evening, we all went out exploring the area. The well laden pathways were there among the greenery in the form of trees, bushes, shrubs and lawns. I saw rubber tubes laid around the bottom of the trees and bushes. Kumaresh said that those rubber tubes are pictured with holes, through which water would be trickling all the time to nourish the plants. The watering of the many plants would be otherwise a Herculian task. But, I could see a contingent of workers, sweeping the lawns, cutting worn out branches from trees, and collecting garbage thrown here and there. I saw a mobile unit with blades to cut away the branches and uproot the worn out trees also.

The community park and the cricket ground were fully grass laid and no one objected to people walking on the grass. In spite of the people trespassing, the lawns remained green, thanks to the maintenance staff who were there all the time, doing their job.

During one of the rounds along the pathway surrounding the cricket ground, \kumaresh introduced me to two seniors -  one Mr. Pinto from Mumbai and the other, |Mr. Sitaram Rao from Andhra. The latter was paralyzed on his left side, but he spoke well. For fear of losing the way home, I did not stay with them and accompanied Kumaresh back home. Really, it was difficult to memorize the way home. The trees, the hedges and the pathways looked alike and were located close to one another. My grandchildren, Reyu and Riya, led us in their cycles and we followed them. It was surprising to note that they could locate the get-aways from one

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