Backpacking: June 2006

Dragon Mart

This is not China. Dragon Mart, Dubai which is considered as the biggest settlement of Chinese outside of China. Goods are plenty and cheap here. Some Chinese painting (I think) at the Mall. Your guess is as good as mine. I have no clue what is written there!!

Ship-Shape

On board MVS Doulous, the world's largest floating library. The ship was in Abu Dhabi recently carrying thousands of books.

Through the trees

Peeping Tom? Early morning sun tries to break through the thick foliage.

Perhaps the oldest

Cheraman Mosque, Kodungallur (Trissur District, Kerala). Estd in 639 AD.

By the sea: RAK

Where the sky and sea...at infinity meet! Shot at Ras Al Khaimah, one of the more beautiful emirates in the UAE.

Desert safari

The desert never looked more alluring than it did that evening, even with the smell of camel waste hanging heavy in the air. Well, all that could safely be ignored because of the dog. Snowy. I have no idea who named him so, but if it was meant to be a compliment, then no one was more wrong. Snowy, like dogs his kind is a typical dog. Not that he knows the difference between the desert and the sea but he makes an attempt to chase the shifting sands when he is in the mood.

The deserts, as deserts will, change shape often. As the sun set over a huge dune of sand rendered golden by the setting sun, a small wind picked up speed blowing sand all around. My hair caught most of it and so did Snowy. Only one unaffected was Snowy's master. Why? Because he had the good sense to remain behind his 4WD, away from the wind, watching as dog and girl battled the winds. I swear I saw him smile too, but I cannot be sure. Shadows are pretty misleading.

Now I come to the interesting part. Dune bashing. I can’t say I am in favour of this sport over watching stars peacefully, but I am not complaining. The adrenaline rush is just about what I need after a daily dose of filing articles and meeting people. I can say this much. One needs an absolutely trained and experienced person to take you dune bashing. Or you will be bashing more than the sands. And that is not funny. Thank God, I had no worries on that quarter, although frequently I wished he would drive with both hands and stop singing for fear of shifting the balance!!! One must be thankful for small mercies though__ pray what would I have done had he decided suddenly to do a jig instead...

See, am drifting again. But how do I go about describing the patterns of sands? It must be seen to be believed. The windswept dunes make amazing patterns and it is unfortunate that one must destroy their face by driving over them for the thrill. But hey, that is dune bashing, isn’t it?

It is absolutely amazing.

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