Not a Reason to Go, Leadership Credentials, and Nepal Attack Re-Cap (Home, USA)

I have been able to find more information on tourism in Yemen. Links below. While Yemen isn't very highly touristed, that in itself isn't a reason to go. After all, I drove to the NE corner of Qatar and there was hardly anyone there either - tourist or resident. There is a good reason why - there isn't much in Qatar from a tourist standpoint, much less outside of the capital! But, I do have some interesting photographs from that drive. Of the desolation - more parched than West Texas!

And some of a seemingly deserted oceanfront home site where I hung out for a little while. Revelling in the desolation,
and admiring the brilliant colored Gulf Sea against the shoreline. It is a good photo spot as the road into the home of the
compound extends out into the sea past most of the shoreline. It is one of those shots that if a magazine had a contest
and said where is this taken - I doubt anyone would know - except for me. I bet most in Qatar wouldn't know where it was either! Hahahaha.

NOTE: There is a discrepancy between the 1999 and 2000 data between the 1st link and 4th link. The number of foreign tourists in 1999 and 2000 noted in the 4th link exceeds the 1st link #.

Tourism Statistics in Yemen 1988-2000 (Yemen Gateway) - detailed stats up to 2000, must be even less tourists, after 9-11

Detailed info on foreign kidnappings in Yemen - Yemen Gateway (How thorough!)

More references to tourism in Yemen - ArabDataNet

Nat'l Info Center stats on European tourists- Govt of Yemen


How few tourists is this for the region...well for reference...let's look at Turkey - the most touristed alongside Egypt in the region.

Turkey Tourism statistics

Also per the WTO in 2000 - International Tourist Arrivals in East Mediterranean and Arabia

Turkey - 9.6 million / Egypt - 5.1 million / Cyprus - 2.7 million / Israel - 2.4 million / Jordan - 1.4 million / Lebanon - 742k

1999 - Dubai - 3 million / Bahrain - 1.9 million / Syria - 916k ; 1998 - Saudi Arabia - 3.7 million (Mostly for Mecca I assume)

Countries I didn't list are less than the # for Lebanon during 1998, 1999, or 2000. Some blank spots in the table.
I suspect most all of these countries tourism # have gone down significantly since 9/11 and Iraq (Does anyone outside of the US say 11/9? ...since outside the US it is common to express the day before the month)

By the way, the whole table can be downloaded at the World Tourism Organization website. Link is in the Compare & Contrast section (Too lazy to copy it here).


Leadership Credentials

For those who have read my journals, they know that I like to find out who is going where. Of course, I have noted before how Americans don't travel abroad as much as similar income (Or even lower) Japanese and West Europeans. Which got me thinking about where President George W. Bush had been to prior to his taking office. I had once commented to a 20-year old Dutch kid I met in Nepal that he probably had more international experience than President Bush before he got elected - a scary thought. He had left home via train, crossed Russia via the Tran-Siberian into Mongolia, then through parts of China into Thailand and surrounding area, then over to Nepal. He was tired and ready to go home after about 6 months (Magic 6!). His original plan was to go to New Zealand. This before he turned 21! Bold!

So being the researcher I am - I found these links:

President-elect touted by staff as a seasoned world traveler - Dec 2000 (CNN.com - Allpolitics)

Summary List from article (In order of mention):

Guatemala - business
France - vacation
Bermuda - vacation
Italy - vacation
Israel - Governor Association meeting
Egypt - Governor Assoication meeting
Gambia - with Dad
England
Scotland
China - with Dad
Japan - stop on way home - 1 hour? 1 day?
Mexico - many times
Canada - many times

Total - 13 countries

Interesting link below - I'll make one comment though, is that the world before is not the world today with the continual
increase in global trade. (I just read that in 1980 - 48% of shoes sold in the USA were still made in the USA. Today - 1.5%)

Bush lacks Gore's foreign policy expertise - June 1999

Bush in China Milwaukee Journal - Sentinel


While sometimes ignorance is good, it usually isn't in my book. I personally feel that when one becomes President of the USA, this is not the time to gain international experience. Be they Democrat or Republican or any other damn party. Initial opinions and impressions of countries should be formed before entering politics. Being President, one gets the white glove treatment. A rather skewed experience of a country no doubt. Also, a Presidential visit usually isn't very long - and it's probably filled with a number of meetings. In an Iowa caucus debate that I caught on TV a while ago, one of the Democratic presidential nominee hopefuls mentioned he had been to 55 countries. Who he is, doesn't matter. But, that always stood out in my mind - it reflected in the individual's viewpoints and 1 political speech I heard when this individual visited Seattle. Yes, I somehow found the time to attend a rally last year in between my return from touring the US and traveling for 7 months!

I don't want to explore this topic any further - my head isn't really in politics right now, it's in writing a fiction book.
I guess if I can be of any benefit, it is to promote awareness through travel.


Nepal - Beni attack re-cap

On another note, I have found a couple of links regarding the Maoist attack in Nepal that I said I was near. In fact, I did re-check my dates earlier, indeed if we (My guide and I) went the low road, we would be in the thick of things on the day of attack. Heck, I might not even be writing this! The interesting thing is that the Western media would barely mention such a story even with all the dead people. They prefer to mention dead people in the "Middle East" more, even if just a couple. I'm fairly sure I know why, but I'm not going to touch this hot potato either.

Nepal Fighting Leaves '130 dead' (BBC)

As many as 500 rebels die in Nepalese unrest (USA Today)

NOTE: The 500 number is likely a major exaggeration. The truth - well I don't know. I just know from experience...many people like to exaggerate. Especially when the articles states unconfirmed. Of course, if one just read the sensational headline, what would one believe?

"Welcome Home." (Home, USA)

The words are still echoing in my mind. The US immigration officer at Chicago O'Hare airport asked me how long I had been out of the country. I told him "Almost 7 months, Sir." Then he uttered those magic words.

"Welcome home."

With all of the security talk in the media and fingerprinting of those from certain countries, I thought for some reason returning home might be tougher after my time away to so many countries. Maybe, I just didn't visit any of the flagged countries. Maybe, I just don't look a certain way - even for a native citizen. I'm a well behaved Asian-American. Maybe, it is just the implicit trust given to native citizens - which is a good thing. He barely flipped through my passport. I suppose immigration officers see travelers everyday who have a vast amount more of travel experience than I. I wonder as to how computer systems between different countries may or may not be linked.

Home

A few days have passed, and the first task has been to sort through all the mail. I will say one thing - life back here is SO QUIET in this suburban setting. No hustle and bustle. A lacking of "communal" life. Perhaps the right word is less community energy. It is nice for now, but it would probably drive me crazy if I didn't already have plans to travel again. I was reminded of the difference while in London and Oxford, England, even Dubai. In some places, there is too much community energy (and chaos), in others not enough. The reasons for one way or the other are fairly obvious. What one prefers is a function of what one has experienced and learned to appreciate, or dislike I believe.

As I write this I am starting to realize that the word travel won't really apply as much in the future. While I will still be visiting new places I am going to do it from a new home base. At this point I am planning on renting an apartment in perhaps the Czech Republic or thereabouts. I will start on my next chosen life goal - writing a fiction book that appeals to grown ups and young adults with the hopes it could someday be a movie. I will then use that as a base to visit Russia, the Mediterranean area, Scandinavia, and Africa, and of course many parts of continental Europe which I have never been to.

I mention the latter travels with a touch of skepticism in my mind. I am not really sure if I even have the inclination to go to some of these places. It sounds nice saying it, but in reality, I probably will spend more time staying at one place then traveling around. I can't write a book constantly moving around anyway.

The concept of home is very temporary in my mind. During my recent continuous travels - home is definitely here in the Seattle area. As I shift travel strategies - home is where I rent an apartment. After my primary exploratory travels are over, I will probably settle somewhere outside the US - while there are candidates, it is still unclear. Being an author, one can live anywhere I suppose. Though I would have to return for publishing, etc... Ideally, I would have multiple homes in various parts of the world - a rented apartment will have to do. Traveling from one place to another for inspiration. But, this is another kind of fantasy for right now.


Yemen

While I would like to visit regions of the world I have never been to, having answered many questions in my mind, I'm not sure if push comes to shove if I really will go. But, I am still going to Yemen - that I am positive about. Sooner, rather than later too. Briefly, Yemen is kind of like a marker in my mind - when I've been there, then I've probably seen most of what I want. Why? Well it has to do with a friend of mine who I met on an airplane some years ago mentioning as he listened to my travel plans that he had never met someone who wanted to go to Yemen of all places. For the record - from 1990-2000 average tourist arrivals/year in Yemen according to the World Tourism organization is around 65,000. With post-2001 mentions of terrorism activity there, it probably has dropped a little I am guessing. How many of those are non-Arabian tourists too? Other than a few tropical islands (Like Palau) and a few countries in Africa and / or a place with active or recent war, it has the lowest amount of tourists. Not a high traffic place.

That combined with some amazing pictures of the architecture and people that I have glimpsed in books has me putting Yemen in a must see category for me. Since then, I have met one Dutch couple (In Sri Lanka) who went there - 10 years ago.

Yemen Tourism Board

Middle East Online article on Yemen
BBC Yemen Profile
Yemen Times Article

Last article is interesting, mentions only 7000 American and Canadian tourists. Less because lack of 4 and 5 star hotels which North Americans desire. Looks like tourism was on upswing in later 90s then has fallen back due to kidnappings among other reasons. Haven't been able to find concrete statistics. Lots of french tourists from neighboring countries.

Powerful Realization (London, UK)

In the process of experiencing so many "mistaken identities" (People thinking I am from Japan, etc...) from people all over the world, I came to a powerful and simple realization. That everyone, or almost everyone in the world, could be wrong about something except me. In this case, I know I am an American. I would say close to 100% of the people who I had not spoken a word to and guessed my identity did not say American, let alone Chinese. In different countries, I was whatever they were familiar with - such as Philippino in Dubai, since there are many Philippino migrant workers. In Indonesia I was almost always thought of as Japanese.

For those where I did speak a few words of English, they were often wrong too. Only in situations where I had clearly spoken alot of English already and the person "appeared" to be of more intelligence (Don't ask me to define this), did they either guess right, or not guess at all - and ask. Never assume I would tell people in a somewhat annoyed voice.

At first blush, stating that I am the only right person sounds arrogant. Well this could be said about you too. You might know something about a particular subject or idea and you could be the only "Right" person in the world. In this case, I know my own past - unless my parents aren't telling me something!

I thought about every invention, idea, or belief in the history of the world - in a broad sense of course, some seemingly small and insignificant, and realized that at some point - that inventor / idealist was likely the only person in the world who was right about that subject at that very moment. That means thousands, millions, or billions of other people were wrong - whether they asked the question or not.

Of course - whether the truth reaches other people to become a more accepted truth is another completely separate matter. (The barrel of a gun? The screen of a TV?) But, for some of the major questions I had about life - it matters little to me what others think of the answer I may or may not have found. I would be more concerned with what others thought of the method or how I approached a particular question.

The Angel Gabriel (London, UK)

Location: Walking through terminal at Sharjah Airport, UAE on return flight from Qatar

Who: Fellow Arab passenger in traditional head dress (From Yemen I think)

What: Brief conversation

Quick summary:

After a short introduction, where of course he thought I was from a country other than the USA (Might not "true Americans" look like the native "Indians" I thought... Oh...I guess that is a minor detail and doesn't matter) he started to go on about how we are all the same. He started talking about the Angel Gabriel and Islam.

I first asked if he traveled much. He quickly stated Europe and America among other places. We didn't go into details. I would have asked him what he actually saw, not just where he went. I then politely asked what he thought about other religions such as Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, and countless other religions which have existed over time. He seemed very welcoming of my questions. He then stated with much confidence, the answer is in the KORAN. Before we could discuss further we had to go separate ways. Where have I heard that line before...all the answers are in the _______. Say...have you ever read Dianetics by L. Ron Hubbard? It's only a thousand pages+ or so.


I guess I knew this a long time ago - but I had to get it first hand. Encountering attitudes such as this more and more with people from different corners of the earth at different economic levels is revealing to say the least. People see what they WANT TO SEE. I guess I should just go with the flow. Anything to make a buck. Capitalism rules. The TRUTH DOES NOT MATTER. Somebody tell me otherwise. The TRUTH is only what you can convince someone of. Maybe the TRUTH is too complicated.

Yes, I am Phillipino. Yes, I am Japanese. Yes, I am Thai. Yes, I am Singaporean. Yes, I am Indonesian. Yes, I am Nepalese.
No, I am not American, my English just sounds very good. Yes, I am whatever you want me to be. Maybe, soon I can be "more" Chinese when more Chinese start traveling abroad.


In London

I'm staying at a friend's home in the London area. A fellow traveller I met in Australia. Australia is a great place to meet other young or young at heart travellers. There are a few other countries I can think of, but I met the most in Australia.
My only caveat would be that it is possible to get so caught up meeting other travellers that one doesn't see the local culture as much. My friend also enjoys studying the local people / culture from a psychological standpoint and how it relates to where and how people live.

On the flight from Dubai to London I finally felt I was getting closer to home, having arrived in Western Europe. To be sure, my anxiety level of not missing a flight or being delayed (And leaving an area) is going down. I first felt a little anxiety about missing a flight in Kathmandu, Nepal. Then again in India. A little bit in Dubai, but no that much as Dubai is so easy to travel in.

But, England is very fascinatingly different than the US. No doubt, tons of books have been written about this difference, so I won't reinvent the wheel. But, I still need to get home for a while. My final confirmation of this was feeling out of place in a McDonald's in Dubai, pondering over what a McArabia is. For my fellow Americans who might think it is horrifying to eat at a McDonald's while traveling - I'll say two things - one can only eat so many kebabs, koftas, and shwarmas, and try traveling for a long period of time!

Just a few fish and the End of Fantasy Time? (Dubai, UAE)

I finally managed to get out of the city of Dubai proper and visit a neighboring city to the North - Sharjah. Very modern looking as with Dubai, though not quite as polished -though still spotlessly clean. I had an opportunity to visit the market area. This area of the world is interesting because quite often similar businesses are all grouped together in markets called SOUQS. Makes for great photo opps. I happened to visit Sharjah's fish souq. Nothing like the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo, Japan or even the one in Sydney, Australia, but I did see something that caught my eye.

Mandarin Fish

A fisherman was selling his catch for the day on a large round "plate" made of straw. I immediately recognized the fish. There were about 10-15 of them I think (I have a picture), maybe 1-2.5 feet long each. Mandarin fish (Oriental?) white, with black spots, and some yellow stripes I think. They were selling each for 10 Dh / US$2.75. It made me sad when I saw them. The first time I saw these fish, was in the wild - while diving in Palau. A few families - swimming along so peacefully. So beautifully.
As they lie motionless, their original color was beginning to fade, nothing like their brilliance underwater.

It saddened me that this man probably has no appreciation for these fish in the wild. He is just making a living. I can't fault him. I was quickly reminded of so many other things in the world that I've either seen or read about where people don't appreciate the bigger picture - because lack of knowledge of a better way, desperation, just plain ignorance, brainwashing, cruelty, excessive greed and/or pride in some cases.

End of Fantasy Time?

One of my friends (Whose traveled a fair bit - a different one from earlier journals) commented to me once that I was about to embark on a fantasy life - of traveling the world and not working. To a certain extent he is right, but I countered his comment with another - that everyone not seeing the world for what it truly is, is living a fantasy life. As global trade in products and services continues at a relentless pace all of us are continually becoming disconnected from where things come from and their impacts. For those (Especially for those who are able) who don't make a point of seeing the reality of our world for themselves, or for those who don't even question the products and services we use everyday - they are much closer to living the fantasy life, not I. I certainly lived the "fantasy life" for most of my life, but I decided recently enough is enough - especially when the fantasy didn't seem to be so satisfying.

This is a topic I could write extensively about - but I proably won't for now, I actually need to live a fantasy life again for awhile I think. I'll end with this - I won't shed a tear or perhaps even any sympathy when the fantasy world comes crashing down for others who just didn't care the whole time. Although in practice, this could be hard to determine on an individual basis. Perhaps I'll join the other privateers and capitalists, or "storytellers" who take advantage of this desire to live in a fantasy world. At least for awhile. Fantasies aren't all bad, they are good too - we need them, they have their place - but in some areas of the world it is definitely excessive to the point where I think the fantasy is twisted. I'm reminded of the movie series Matrix as I write this.

If you can't "beat em'", join em' until you can "beat em'!!"

When do I get to fly like Superman? Episode 2?

Am I still living in Episode 1? Will I ever get to Episode 2? Still haven't seen the last Episode - #3.

Just when I thought....adventures at US Iraq Central Command (Doha, Qatar)

Just when I was beginning to think that adding to my list of truly unique experiences on this trip was about to end, I'm thrown a curveball. Another unique experience, defying categorization yesterday! This is a good curveball.

I lucked out and was able to ride along to go pick up some American soldiers for their R&R leave to an Easter picnic - In US IRAQ CENTRAL COMMAND!!! No, it isn't glamorous, but as we passed one of several checkpoints and entered the US base grounds I realized, this isn't something most civilians get to see, let alone a lowly tourist like myself. I'm not a reporter or in the military so this is quite a treat. The base itself is fairly unremarkable. Lots of concrete barriers. 1 story buildings housing who knows what - planes, electronic control centers - and lots of Humvees around (No, Arnold Schwarzengger wasn't around to greet me)...my tour wasn't that detailed. A couple of 2 or 3 story buildings for offices maybe...the links earlier might shed some more light. I think the ABC News link has a small video.

Of course - no photographs were allowed on the base, but I did buy 8 postcards from the base store and kept my receipt. Needless to say, once you see these postcards, you will know that there is no way I would have bought these postcards in any regular store in this area, let alone in a non-US military base, in other words the postcard that states PROUDLY SERVING - does not apply to me. Though if I stretched the truth I could say I am proudly serving America - by reducing ignorance. That is of course assuming you think ignorance is bad - which I'm not convinced many people in the world think it is. Why I think it is bad would involve talking about some early childhood comments from my dad. Dad - I can blame you for wanting to go on this trip!! Hahaha -- I won't even try mailing any of these postcards from here.

So, not only did I get to see the base area from the inside, but I also got to meet and talk with 8 soliders working in various capacities in Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq. It was good to hear their experience first hand. Heck, I might even appear in a promotional military video on the R&R Family program in Qatar that was being filmed yesterday. We (Soldiers, camera crew and I) joked that I could pass off as a member of the Air Force because of my longer hair. Not the Army, because that is a buzz cut.

It wasn't that much earlier in Dubai that I tried on a traditional head dress and realized with my moustache I *MIGHT* pass off as Arab. Damn...maybe there is some skin whitening cream (Along with some hair coloring and colored contacts) I could use and pass off as being "More American" (My humor related to many people of the world, not thinking that I am American, obviously having no clue as to the ethnic diversity in America - that "I" word I like to use seems to be coming up again).

Oh yeah...while I'm talking ignorance, let me just state that one of the most ignorant folks on this planet must be Osama Bin Laden...I recall reading that he had never visited America, and yet he attacks. Oh wait....isn't that how....---- actually, I'm going to stop my sarcasm because it is really annoying me. The truth is so "ugly" sometimes that nothing short of humor is required to comfort me. There is humor in everything. Sometimes, it just takes awhile to realize it. It really is a Circus.

Well...off to go on a dune driving tour today. Tomorrow, I'll rent a car and explore this sprawling country on my own.

www.experienceqatar.com (Tourism Board)

Why am in Qatar? (Doha, Qatar)

Once again, writing from one of the most glamorous spots in the world - Doha, Qatar. I'm guessing you might not even know where it is, or have even heard of this country. I sure didn't know about it until the last couple of years - until I started hearing about it on TV and the Internet. Why am I here? I have trouble answering that myself when I think about it at times. It's not cheap to travel here, nor is it terribly "exciting" in the traditional vacation / exploring sense. But, those aren't the reasons I am here.

It's the home of Al-Jazeera TV - the one you always hear about with Osama bin Laden, and also home to a US Military base, a kind of important one - it is Central Command for the war in Iraq, headquarters, especially after getting out of Saudi Arabia. It is also home to some major gas (Not oil) reserves. Fits perfectly with my theme on seeing where things come from.

http://www.spacedaily.com/2002/021201085229.rhrwn7wx.html
http://www.rense.com/general29/wwqu.htm
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/iraqwar/story/0,4395,182162,00.html
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Apr2000/n04052000_20004055.html
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/DailyNews/qatar_airbase020924.html (Sept 24, 2002)

I have had the fortune of meeting an American expatriate family working for a major US chemical company here -involved in building / operating a plastics plant. Plastic that you might end up using when you drink from your water bottle, and taking your groceries home in a plastic bag, surrounded by the plastic used to build your car or any number of uses. If I'm lucky, maybe I will get a tour of one of the plants - at the very least I will drive out to get as close as possible. They have shown me around town and tomorrow I will be spending the Easter holiday at their home along with some US soliders fresh back from Iraq and / or Afghanistan on R&R / leave / quasi-vacation. The family is part of an American program to welcome troops from the war zone and feel some sense of normalcy. Sounds like a very good program to me. I'll say just hanging out in their living room for a short time yesterday was very comforting. Of course hearing American voices....

Reverse Culture Shock (Dubai, UAE)

As my arrival date back in the US comes ever closer my friend advised me that reverse culture shock might be more difficult than the shock of varying degrees encountered on the road. For various reasons - I disagreed, until today. The only difference is I'm not on US soil yet - I'm in Arabia. It happened when I walked into a very large supermarket / general goods store here - Lulu supermarket chain. It was then I realized I was overwhelmed with choice. The selection here rivals any supermarket in the US. Lots of familiar brands and regional brands.

In fact - Dubai is pretty much an Arabian version of where I used to live in California - Orange County. Completely car dependent (Though a vastly superior bus system in Dubai), manicured roadways, late model cars with plenty of SUVs, palm trees and colorful flowers in medians, a desert climate (Although much harsher, drier, hotter, and more of a "desert"), and by the ocean. Oh yes...and air conditioned malls everywhere. Though there are alot more here. Also a good mix of ethnicities and nationalities. To the casual eye the major differences would be seemingly more money here, and of course Islam is predominant instead of Christianity, both Arabic and English on signs, and a lot of roundabouts instead of traffic lights - oh yeah...and very flat in Dubai - though there are mountainous areas a short couple hour drive away. Of course more human history too.

It's interesting how Dubai is such a stark contrast to what most people who haven't been in the UAE might think of any area in the "Middle East." Totally modern here. No bodies hanging on bridges, no fighting, no rock throwing, etc... No trash either. Clean...almost spotless. The word Dubai no longer conjures up for me an area of the world that might be even remotely dangerous...or in some ways that exotic either. That doesn't mean I don't enjoy it here - I do. Dubai reminds me of Singapore in some ways. It is a cakewalk to travel here. For any Western expatriate on an expatriate salary (As opposed to a migrant worker from the Philippines or India, Pakistan or Sri Lanka) it's a cakewalk too...in fact probably easier than life back in the US in many respects. Though this is me talking only from a few days of observation and not a business standpoint of course. I could probably live here for awhile on the right salary - though I would leave during the summer.

I even understand that once war torn Lebanon - next to Israel is a good place to visit now.

Ignorance is easy.

....I hear Qatar is a nice contrast to UAE though....I'll find out soon enough.

A little more pricey (Dubai, UAE)

Whoops...not sure what I was looking at earlier...but it seemed low on further reflection. Below is a link to some discounted rates on the Burj Al Arab Hotel (Which I just scoped the outside of today...impressive, not as tall as I thought).

Summer special of US$620 - you'll be living in the hotel with temps up to 48C!
http://www.southtravels.com/middleeast/uae/burjalarabhotel

All the prices for the rest of the year - starts at US$735! That's for the most inexpensive room too. Oh but it comes with buffet breakfast! Again...discounted rates.

http://www.southtravels.com/middleeast/uae/burjalarabhotel/index1.html

Heck..if you're going to stay there...you might as well charter a helicopter and fly in. Maybe that's what the oil execs do...just like when they go to the(ir) off-shore oil rigs....

If you go to the Burj Al-Arab website at least as I write this, you'll notice a popup with a picture of Tiger Woods on the helicopter pad on top. Needless to say, I, nor most receive such a warm greeting. Tiger received a US$ million or two or three just for showing up in Dubai to play their golf tournament. Now that is an invite! I want to laugh (Or cry) when inflight magazines or other magazines like to profile celebrities and their experiences exploring a town too. Very few people get such stellar and inside treatment. Even with money...but, maybe those aren't places I would care to go anyway as a matter of course. Every now and then though..... I guess I should become a ruthless privateer now.
Morals...equality. That's for wimps. Hey people might just respect you more if you oppress and fool them....hmm....

Going to the Burj Al Arab

Apparently the policy has changed...now one just needs to reserve at one of the restaurants for lunch or dinner to get inside. I have no idea what the minimum bill is though. The attraction is definitely the building itself. The hotel beach while I'm sure is nice...can also be experienced right next door at the public beach for free. And oh...is it nice...sparking green / emerald colored waters against the desert beach...soft sand. No other development except it's sister hotel - which isn't nearly as exclusive and quite nice.

http://www.southtravels.com/middleeast/uae/jumeirahbeachhotel/

Anyways the beach is Beautiful - with a capital B! Not sure how much of my feeling on the beach is from escaping the Indian chaos...but it is sparkling. Nice ocean breeze too...keeping things cool. I think I'll go swimming tomorrow or just beach myself. Culture...aie...who needs that.

I've managed to send out the email with a link to a 6-month update and 200+ photos. If you didn't get it please email me. It means I don't have your email. The link will be on the front main page soon.

Relaxing in Dubai.

Money and Alot of cars (Dubai, UAE)

I've arrived in the last major new "uncharted" region for me until I return to the USA. Arabia. Upon getting off the flight from India my first reaction is WOW. The Dubai Airport is impressive to say the least. This certainly ranks among the top for nicest airports I've ever been in. Money money money. Brand spanking new from the looks of it. Definitely another world -though there are many Indians and Pakistanis working here.

I immediately got the impression of money upon withdrawing 1000Dh / US$270 at the airport ATM. Only 4 bills came out. 1 - 100, 2 - 200, and 1 - 500. Great, a bill worth US$135! Play money...yeah. Fortunately, a money changer is right next to the ATM to get small bills.

Rumors of Dubai

I always heard about Dubai at my last workplace - one of the top customers is Emirates Airlines. One marketing man seemed to come here on a regular basis. I am definitely not traveling as if I were here on business for my last company. Business class on the airplane is the closest, although our company policy was coach with occassional upgrades. So I arrive in style, but go stay at a youth hostel. I've played this game before! I decided to stay in one of the few youth hostels just outside the city. At US$32 / night it actually is a good deal. My own very nice room and bathroom. More like a nice chain hotel in the US, but without many frills/extras. Nice decor. A/C, cable TV, well lit, wallpapered, spotlessly clean, fridge, quiet, spacious, next to a bus stop - what more could I ask for? ummm......The Burj Al Arab Hotel at US$400/night - discounted rate? So nice, that the building is on every license plate! Certainly among the plushest hotels in the world. It costs US$50 just to go look inside. I've come this far....heck...might as well splurge on a drink for who knows how much.

I wouldn't even really call where I'm staying a hostel. There aren't many people for starters. Definitely not like hostels in Australia. I read an article, hostels in UAE last year had about 30,000 paid nights. Not sure if this is per person or per room. If the average person stayed about 5 nights we are talking 6,000 visitors / year. Some are from the region, so for non-Arabs the actual amount visiting staying in hostels must be really, really low. That number is for all of the 3-5 or so hostels in UAE...so the actual number is probably even less if my calculations are correct.

A 2 person shared room is half the price. 3-star hotels I've found are from US$50-US$60 minimum per night and go up fast. Maybe I'll treat myself near the end of my stay in town.

My other impression is that the city is very clean - especially after coming from the Indian subcontinent. My next impression - cars everywhere. Late model cars. I have already experienced some heady traffic jams. I guess this shouldn't come as a surprise being that oil is the primary source of wealth here that trickles down to the immigrant workers and expatriates...
Where there is alot of oil, sprawling car dominated cities aren't far behind.
I have seen this almost without fail as I've traveled.

On the plus side, the public bus system is excellent. Modern, new (As in brand spanking new - the definition is very relative is some countries) a/c buses, frequent schedule, and a very clear timetable and maps. At US 50 cents/ride or so, a good deal. Warm, but not sweltering hot yet.

I've already tried my Arabic (12 /30 lessons done) and it works. Although with so many nationalities here - English is predominant. Many workers don't even understand Arabic. I know more than they do - and they work/live here!

Enough for now. I have posted 200+ photos (Can you believe it?) on the site from the last 6 months, and a 6 month update, but I need to send out an email update with how to access it. Just need to find the right Internet cafe - this is not one.