Summer in UAE (especially August)

Sandstorms add to summer woes in RAK
By Sadiq A. Salam 30 July 2006

RAS AL KHAIMAH — Heavy sandstorms engulfed Ras Al Khaimah yesterday and were compounded by a remarkable rise in temperature and humidity levels.
The thick dust blanket reduced visibility in streets and public areas but did not hamper traffic flow or operations at the RAK International Airport (RIA). Motorists on Emirates Ring Road, however, complained of hazy conditions affecting visibility. No traffic accident was reported though.
A weatherman at RIA reported that visibility had been reduced to 1,500 metres because of the dust swirls. "This has not affected airport operations since we left it to aviation companies to proceed with operations," he added. Two cargo flights landed safely and took-off again from the airport, he said.
Weathermen said the maximum temperature yesterday was 46.5C as against a minimum of 34C, with humidity recorded at 49 per cent. Hospitals across the emirate attended to nearly 10 cases of heatstroke, almost all the victims being construction labourers working in the open.
Hospital sources said that 5-10 heatstroke victims, mostly construction workers, had been coming in daily since the onset of summer. Over 25 persons had been hospitalised in a single day last week, it may be recalled. The RAK Labour Department recently announced that 34 construction companies had been caught forcing labourers to work in the afternoon sun, in violation of the country's labour laws. Some of the companies at fault were asked to cough up hefty fines, while the others were left off with stern warnings, he added.
---------------------------------------------------
Note: But someone in the city reported 52C to me.

Safety in Dubai

All of you have expressed concern about me being here in the Middle East, and non-specifically in the UAE.
Mainly this is founded on the overall view of the security situation and the violence in the surrounding countries. Although in the UAE we feel safe, and the crime rates etc. are exceptionally low, looking on a map from the North American point of view I realize I am only 150 km from Iran, and a 1.5 hour flight from southern Iraq.

However, the real risk here is the driving since we have attracted over 100 different nationalities, and their unique approach to driving, the roads are mess of accidents.


RAV4 vs cement truck on a city street (there were survivors!)


As Canadians we understand the difficulty of winter driving and the effect that snow drifts have on the car when you hit them. Here we have sand drifts, which are more dense, and when a Mercedes doing in excess of 200 kmph hits one and spirals off the road into a dune, airbags and seatbelts do little to preserve life.

The linked article describes Dubai emirate, which has a population of only 1.2 million, so that puts the perspective for their 300,000 car accidents a year. I live in Ras Al Khaimah with a population of only 220,000 but the insurance companies place us at a higher risk mainly because of sand drifts and wandering camels (3 m tall and 500+ kg).


Camel vs car

I have switched to a higher boxier Jeep because of that, plus the roll bars will protect better in case of a camel crash.

http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/06/06/29/10050230.html

The article refers to locals, which is the term used for the Emiratis, which seem to have a singular obsession for speed, whether in a Honda or a Land Cruiser. I have been doing 160 kmph in a Dodge Charger and have been passed in a shudder by a Land Cruiser.

Other than that things are well here and my day to day risk is low. But I thought I could help to put risks in perspective.

On the other hand you can always go down to the lot and "trade up".

Yesterday - Happy Birthday Alex

Inspired by his sister's blog, here is another photo for Alex's 22nd birthday.
Alex at Versailles circa 1995.

Musandam

Well the choice today was Musandam, the tip of the peninsula above UAE. This territory is Oman and requires an exit of UAE and entry visa to Oman. But the minor formality is more than worth it. The Musandam is spectacular in its emptiness and raw desolate beauty. It rocky and mountainous with cliffs running into the sea then rising over 2000 meters above you.



The photos here are mainly from a previous trip (I go as often as possible) because today the visibility was not very good. The mid-summer humidity is increasing, August becomes unbearable, and the haze traps the dust creating a type of smog. Our reverse winter for my northern readers. Temperature was 46C and humidity over 80%, but still drove with the top down on the jeep.

What hot!!

Bukha Fort and Palace



Bukha without humidity.










Bukha with humidity (notice the mountains) along with the cormorant brigade.

At the end of the road is the town of Khasab which has an excellent Golden Tulip Inn which serves a Friday buffet, with cold beverages. Highly recommended.


Near the end

Find shade anywhere you can.



Golden Tulip Inn - Khasab

On the way back we had to assist a young French couple whose Peugeot 206 just gave up in the heat. Jeep rumbled on.

Bad Day at the Beach

Yes it is possible to have a bad day at the beach.
My neighbour Nic and I decided to go for a coastline run to get the after work kinks out.
Start at Al Jeer beach that starts in nice packed sand and then changes to rock.

Bouncing along and then crunch.


Time to change the wheel.

Then off to Hulaya Island beach were I was several weeks ago, "crowded" with people and fun to run along the tide line.


Then stop and dig clams for dinner.


However, the summer heat has since dried out the sand and it has the consistency of sugar in places.


Nic tries to call the auto club but .... so we dig for a couple of hours.
Finally the civil patrol arrives and with a mighty yank we are free.
Return home with sand swirling inside and outside the Jeep.
Grumpf.

Things you should know

Where am I?

Ras Al Khaimah is about 120 km north of Dubai in the UAE, just below the Musandam peninsula that forms one side of the Straits of Hormuz, the entrance to the Persian Gulf. This is a calm, quiet, safe area, that has a rich history of trading and agriculture. Recently it has opened up to increased commercial activity and tourism development.


For those who care, the weekend here in the UAE (and most of the GCC) is Friday, the government work week Saturday to Wednesday, but most of the private sector works a half day Thursday. Except Dubai where most of the private sector takes Friday and Saturday. Supposedly in September the government and banks with switch to a Friday/Saturday weekend to bring them closer to the rest of the world. What the private sector does ???

Actually the above is to remind people that I am not around much Thursday afternoon and Friday. Those are adventure times, or vegging times depending on the mood.

Thinking of driving up to the Musandam


this weekend or maybe over to Fujairah to Snoopy Island (think of Snoopy on his back).



Rock climbing or diving? Things to think about. The nice thing is that both choices are only an hour away.

Ponderings at the cusp ...

So now that my sister even has a blog it is time to convert my old web page cum blog to something else.
Since I finally admit to middle age as I move into my second half century, maybe leaving some record behind will be fun.
As you can see from my transferred posts I am not terribly consistent, although my track record with email is good.

So as another birthday passed, I was overwhelmed by the calls and greetings I received from family and friends. Plus the spontaneous dinner my friends here gave me. Having a global "family" can be fun.

My kids remembered, each with their favoured form of communication. Alex with his mobile phone, and Kira on her blog.

So let's see what's next, as my good friend Rodney told me, "you cannot stop getting older, but you can avoid growing up".

Jeep

31/03/2006

Now on to the next step, with the Charger out of my system it is time to off road.
First the Jeep is pretty and shiny and deep blue,


Too much chrome but that was the package.
Then off to the wadi’s


and beaches
and make sure it goes.
Bon Jovi kicks in and rock and roll literally (Quicktime video from my camera phone) over the moon-like terrain.
Nothing survives in this desolate land, even old camels.

By the time I am done the blue is masked in grey dust and properly broken in.


Then home to a simple repast and relaxation.

Charger

10/03/2006

As you know I swap cars every month, usually small Japanese POS, but they go fine.
However, Chrysler has surplus cars from 2005 and are selling them at a great discount.
So I am converting my rental allowance to a lease.
A loaded Jeep Wrangler is $19K.

However, when I went to pick it up there was some snafu in the paperwork and they cannot deliver for several more days.
But as an apology they gave me a loaner.
Other than being a four door (the original Charger was two door) it rocks.
5.7L Hemi, 350 BHP, 19” alloys, plus a serious duf duf sound system.

The drive thru the desert from Dubai to my apartment took 40 minutes the other night, as opposed to 70 minutes in the POS. Needless to say there are no radar spots on the road.

Technically the BMW 530 I was driving a while ago handles better on the curvy road, American heavy metal still does the straight and fast the best.

Oh well, back to the mundane of work and life in the dust.

Still in sand land,

Rain

20/11/2005

A blast of wind shakes the hotel.
Dash to the window, no it is not Saint Nick, but a dust storm kicks in.

An hour later it vanishes and all appears as normal.

But wait, a distant rumble of thunder is heard, now much louder.
Dark clouds are seen hanging over a mountain in the distance.
Quick, dash down lunch, gather stuff and find that source.
40 km later in the depths of Wadi Al-Baih there is the sound of rushing water.
The rain gods have delivered the first deluge of the winter season, nigh eight months since the last.
A small Mitsubishi Lancer struggles to follow the mighty SUVs in the dash up the canyon.
But succeeds while passing the stalled RAV4.

My car has four wheels, I can drive, so therefore it must be a "four wheel drive".
Apologies again to the car rental agency.
The road suddenly becomes a shallow river and the ditch a torrent.

Amazing.
Stop, explore, marvel at the ancient water worn rocks.

The goat stranded on high, painfully bleating.

Drift back to civilization, of sorts, and enjoy the sunset.

Another weekend in sand land.
Not much on TV.

Welcome to Ras Al Khaimah

07/07/2005

Moved from the pseudo modern glass/steel city of Dubai
to the northern most emirate (least developed), Ras Al Khaimah.

New economic free zone being developed, funded by the Sheikh. Buildings in place and clients operating already.

Drove thru 100+ km's of desert and sand dunes on a new highway just opened to make this area more accessible.






Blue glass buildings with state of the art networks and Cisco IP telephony solutions, in the middle of a dusty field.
First day spent reviewing business processes and reading RFP responses from Oracle and SAP for ERP solutions.

Very business and techy.



Leave the industrial park but the driveway is blocked by goats rummaging in the trash, but they are scattered when the camels arrive to do the same. The cows did not show up until the next day.
Not much to do so I go to the closest hotel (Hilton) for a beer (few other options). Feel like I am back to the "Empire" except the hotel is modern.

Bar is full of men, few women, and the range is mainly German and British oil workers dusting off for the weekend. A few tourists round it out for a very eclectic group.

Beer is cold and the club sandwich is good albeit with fake bacon (no pork).

Band is announced. Seems the local (UAE) owner vacationed in Colombia and brought back the band he liked there.

So there I am, Heineken in hand, club sandwich in belly, listening to a Colombian marimba band (mediocre) play Tequila among other selections (in Spanish). The two girls that sang a little and kept some rhythm, then proceeded to dance (nicely) with a couple of the patrons.

Polite applause punctuated by the sound of play at the pool table.

Enough of this so outside for a stroll on the corniche, past tents with a few people smoking sheesha, and a view of the small dhows putting out for night time fishing.

Off to my local hotel and relax to the call to prayer, mosque directly beside the hotel with amplified speakers on the roof.

Wake to morning call to prayers (5 AM) and view the panoramic from my window before striking our for another technology intense day.