Where are the songs?!

Where are those wonderful numbers that I used to listen while on my way to work? Whichever channel it is, whatever is the time, all I get to listen is more of advertisements and those RJs going blah blah blah blah, rather than songs!

Is it mandatory for those radio stations to follow a particular ratio? Are they running behind targets just as the sales guys do? What's happening?! Give me a break...!!!

Its too irritating to listen to those questions like, "Its this color, does this and does that. What is it?" Come on, grow up people. I was laughing my heart out on one of those amateur jokes. Just on the name of passing time, don't keep yapping about something that doesnt do any good to the listeners. All the guy on the phone would win is a ticket to some movie or a music concert. Nothing more than that. I bet people would get hooked on to the channel if good numbers are played rather than this blah blah stuff which everyone is irritated with.

At least, talk about health, give some tips, talk about safety while driving, talk about how people could make their day better. Please dont give crap which people would get irrirated with, first thing after we get out of the house. No offences to anyone or any channel, its my view.

My plight with Dubai Taxis

Taxis in Dubai, a name that is dreaded by most of the passnegers. Few months ago, the situation was much different than what I am witnessing now-a-days. The drivers didnt seem to acknowledge the calls and requests of passengers, though large in number and would vroommmm away without performing their duties. Or they stop next to you, lock the doors from within and lower the window pane to ask where I would like to go, just ignore the drop off request and move on. Many a times I've almost felt the tyres on my feet. Or they would not bother to stop even if they are travelling empty. My calls to the toll free numbers to complain on such indecent behaviour has fallen on deaf ears of the authorities.

After a few months, now, with many of the expats back to their countries due to their loss of jobs in the UAE, taxi drivers are willing to take passengers, be it a short distance of couple of kilometers. Of course, with some revision on the rates by the authorities, its beneficial for them too.

The other day, I had to drop off my friend in one of the main streets in Bur Dubai and was on a call talking to another friend. In the span of around 10 mins, I could see numerous taxi drivers slowing down their vehicles near me to see if I needed their service. I think they have learnt a lesson. With the termination of drivers with improper behaviour and with the inclusion of new fleet and well trained drivers, things have changed a lot. Now-a-days, the waiting for a taxi hardly lasts for a few minutes whereas it was for hours earlier.

'More passengers and less accommodative taxi drivers' has changed to 'less passengers, well behaved taxi drivers and more vehicles'. Hats off to the authorities to take serious measures to see to it that policies are adhered to. I still remember days when I used to wait for the taxis during mid-day, with mercury levels as high as 45 deg C, my blood boiling with irritation and frustration I've walked to my workplace rather than grumbling and complaining about the system. Many a times I've picked up a fight with the taxi driver who bluntly ignored my requests. I found that its no use of increasing my blood pressure by talking to these guys and rather find my own solution to transport myself to the destination.

Its a relief today to see how the passengers are taken care of with neat interiors, car fragrances in all taxis etc. I remember those malls where people used to wait for a long time to get a taxi whereas now-a-days, taxis wait for the passengers for a long time. Situation has indeed changed a lot in this regard.

My first ride - Dubai Metro

"Hey, lets take a ride on the metro" my room mate said. Anyways, its Friday, the rides start by 2.30pm, good time to catch up with it after the lunch. Four of us friends gathered up our energies (After a lazy Friday morning) and went to the nearby Burjuman station. Huge crowd waiting outside the station took us for a surprise. We all decided to finish our lunch so that we can have the ease of moving around the station to know things better, since we were going in for the first time.

With our tummies full, we all slowly propelled ourselves to the ticket counters 3 floors below the ground level. NOL card, as it is called, is a prepaid card ticketing system. We had to go one more floow below to reach the platform. Excitement started building up as we all knew that its the first ride on metro in Dubai for all of us whereas I could see people in their calmness and the familiarity was shown off on the faces of people who frequently travel by metro.

As the announcement was made about the arrival of the train, we could hear the swoosh of the train passing through the tunnel and it came to a halt. We stepped in to find ourselves squeezing in, as the train was quite crowded. Of course its a crowd of the weekend. With limited number of steel bars to hold on to, we could support ourselves somehow to avoid being jolted time and again when the train speeds up, stops and turns. I was ready with my Nikon D60 to capture the moments and also the Dubai that we were veiwing from a higher perspective. I could take some pictures, though not too many. Burj Dubai was one of the best!

Sheikh Zayed road was quite different to be seen from this height. We indeed enjoyed the ride. Volunteers were seen moving all over the stations as well as in the train to guide the passengers, if need be. The only challenge I felt for the RTA, was to make sure to maintain the trains. With people from all over the world, from different walks of life concentrated in Dubai, most of them would use the metro on a daily basis. With many of them without civic sense and social etiquette, I am sure the trains would cease to be the same. Stringent fining system would help the authorities to keep the miscreants at bay.

Hats off to the RTA and all the other departments to make it happen! Though I've travelled a lot in India by train, being familiar to this kind of a transport system, the Dubai Metro is indeed a great achievement for the city and is surely noted for this, worldwide.

Denial of information

My day begins with the updates on the news over a cup of coffee. This normally gets me out of the daily blues to get up and get ready for work. The thought process in the morning is so complicated with puzzling thoughts criss-crossing about home, work, finance and much more.

Leaning back on the couch, sipping my favourite coffee (self-made!), I switch ON the idiot box (my frustration is making me call it so). All I get to see are Ads, Ads and Ads. With frustration building up, I browse through the other news channels where I could get some updates but in vain. Am not naming the channels, but its really frustrating when you have limited time to catch up with things happening around you through the idiot box and all you get to see and listen are stupid advertisements about losing weight, new car in the market, credit cards to tempt you buy stuff that you have been dreaming of, so called cricket stars now playing actors, shampoo that would make your hair strong to work like steel wires etc etc etc...The most frustrating part is that all these news channels have timed their Ad-slots in such a way that at a given point of time, every channel plays some or the other Ad, denying the viewer the options to get what he/she wants.

Now, I have learnt a lesson - not to depend on the idiot box but to get updated through various websites. Its quite relieving to know things at the click of a mouse. No need to wait, just keep flipping through the sites, keep browsing and all the news are in front of you. Sigh! I wonder when things would be different. With all due respect to the media & marketing industry (I'm in the same industry, lol), its high time to think of ways to time the Ads in order not to hamper the schedules.

The Sushi Way!!!

The first ever Sushi that my wife, Sandhya tried. Though I have relished this unique Japanese preparation earlier, this time it was a wonderful experience with Sandhya and me tasting sushi at one of the malls in Dubai. Being vegetarians, I had to choose from couple of options available and the chef was kind enough to give me more options of non-vegetarian sushis that could be used as veg sushis by including some vegetables instead of the seafood.

I chose, ordered and waited. I could see the excitement building up and the order was ready within a few minutes.

"Is this what we are gonna eat?" asked Sandhya.

"This is what you wanted right?" I replied.

I am a bit familiar with the chop sticks and started carrying out my job of munching them sushis. I could see a strange look at her face with the first sushi being tasted by her. She seemed to enjoy it but this fun lasted only for a few seconds within which the seaweed in which the rice and vegetables are wrapped began to give her a weird taste.

Not being familiar with these tastes, she couldnt continue anymore. Finally, I being the 'blessed soul' to complete the content, use up the soya sauce, other ginger and chilli servings along with the sushi.

A wonderful experience indeed. I would surely continue to have these tasty preparations by the Japanese.

Overcrowded Lift

'I've not come here before' said my friend's wife. We three went to this small but wonderful mall in Dubai. Lot of window shopping to do, accessories to choose from, plenty of food from different parts of the world at the foodcourt awaiting you, numerous promotions ON for Ramadan, its a nice place to spend the evening.

The wonderful time we experienced moving around in this mall was shattered by a comment by a Russian lady in the lift while we took the express lift that would stop only on the Ground and Level 4, where we were waiting to be transported to the ground floor. I could see her chattering on her mobile phone with a trolley full of her household items that she must have picked up from different outlets there. 'blah blah blah blah...', she was apparently fuming with someone on the receiving end!

We were waiting for this lift to reach Level 4, she was the one to enter. Seemingly fuming, she frowned at the people who walked in to the lift. As we started moving towards to ground, 'stupid', she said. I wondered whom she addressed this to. 'Why do so many people get in to the lift at one time?' she said.

I could feel myself getting restless and tensed. 'Excuse me ma'am, what did you say, who is stupid here?' I asked.

'Why do so many people get in to the lift at once?' she repeated.

'There are other lifts too. You could have used those and reached the ground. And please refrain yourself from using such a language in public places like these. You never know, people do get offended. When you are in a public place, you need to adjust. Otherwise, choose a better place to shop around.' I said, controlling my words, to keep it simple.

I never heard another word from her as we reached the ground floor. Couple of men in the lift echoed with me and told her not to throw such comments in public places. Our remarks added to her state of anger and she walked away.

There are very few who adjust to the situations. I wish not to be in her state. It would surely cut a sorry figure in public!

Mixed feelings

My state at this point of time - A feeling that I'm not able to name, a cocktail of emotions that leaves me confused, no focus in what I'm doing currently, waiting for another 30-34 hours sounds crazy, I've been away from my love for almost 10 months now!

Am sharing the experience that I'm going through, Sandhya, my love is arriving tomorrow to Dubai. Have seen her in Kochi last Nov. This set of feelings is something that I undergo everytime I meet her after a gap. Its a feeling that I am not able to name, but am trying my best to put it in words. I am falling in love, again. We have been married for the past 4 years, still falling in Love all over again is the best way to express what I'm experiencing. Its a state that one goes through while planning to propose one's Love to the dream-life-partner. Its a feeling that one is filled with, while the other person nods 'Yes, I Do'. Its a feeling with an entirity of Love and affection. She is going to be here with me, in my arms, to share every feeling that I'm going through!

We both called each other this morning to find out that there is an emotion which appears as though there is no emotion. Is this normal?! Is this the extreme state of excitement. I have heard one of the learned teachers say, 'When you push anything to the extreme, the opposite will emerge'. I'm going through this emptiness within. Not an experience that I would undergo frequently. Is this the arrival of emptiness when you push the excitement to its extreme?! I dont know, and dont want to know too.

I know, my heart is responding to its companion! Waiting, is what I've seen for the past few months. Its finally over. Let me be prepared to witness her reaction at the airport, for sure she is undergoing much more than what I've tried to define.