On UAE’s Highest Peak

There, November’s come to an end (and I haven’t friggin finished sorting out Jayden’s Year 4 photos). (…And Justin’s birthday’s just a day away). What the heck, might as well continue on my last post, Jebel Jais, since I’ve already got the photos! Bear with me, OK?


Good morning Jebel Jais! View from inside our tent, yeah, we spent the night sleeping in the tent (…or more like rolling around on the hard uncomfortable ground trying to sleep)


What a lovely morning, Jebel Jais, Ras Al-Khaimah, UAE

Our Abu Dhabi Airport Project people organized a nice barbecue get-together for staff and ex-staff (and their families) at the top of Jebel Jais, the highest mountain in the UAE. The only trouble is, that Jebel Jais is in Ras Al-Khaimah, on the opposite side of the UAE from Abu Dhabi. Our get-together was supposed to be at 8pm, after a hard day’s work in Abu Dhabi, and it’d be an all-night event (i.e. we’d bring our tents and spend the night there). We sent some scouts in advance to set up the arrangements, and all of us knocked off a little early (0.5 hours earlier) so that we wouldn’t be too late. But what everyone seemed to have forgotten was that we had to drive thru the entire Emirates of Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al-Quwain to get to Ras Al-Khaimah and it was a weekend, and the traffic jam from Dubai to Sharjah was just … umm, unimaginable. Yup, most of us were stuck for a couple of hours in Sharjah. If you're the type who likes to have some undisturbed radio-listening time, this would be ideal, or if you had your family with you, you could have some real quality family time, ...thank you jam, for giving us that rare opportunity. Anyway, yours truly and the family finally reached Jebel Jais just before 12 midnight! Nope, don’t have decent photos of the night, but here’s a photo of some of the guys from our little gathering: -

From right, Amr (Assistant Technical Manager), John (Engineering Manager), Rasi (Site Supervisor), umm I dunno this fella (he left before I joined the Project), Mohamed Kutty (Draughtsman), Srinadh (Assistant Planner), and umm I dunno him too…


The Jebel Jais campsite


Our family tent, Jebel Jais, Ras Al-Khaimah, UAE


Anu at Jebel Jais, is it really that cold?


Anu & Karishma, Jebel Jais – Noticed Anu’s changed her jacket?


Goats on the mountain, Jebel Jais


Leaving Jebel Jais, on the road down


Mountain pass coming up


Mountain pass, on the road down from Jebel Jais


Anu, looking smart, even after a night of very little, uncomfortable sleep


Rock climbing at the mountain pass, not us, …you crazy?


Family selfie, mountain pass, road to Jebel Jais – From here, we proceeded to our nice little picnic in my last post. See ya again!

On the work front, things are as busy as ever, but… I think the Company’s found someone to take over from me officially. The bad news on that is that all my hard work and effort will come to nothing towards getting me recognized as a Project Manager, good news is that if I’m transferred back to the head office, I’ll again enjoy the work timings of the head office, i.e. alternate Saturdays off, shorter work hours, more time for the family, more time to blog… So, I’m leaving my fate to God, Amen.

Anniversary in the Wilderness

Picnic at Wadi Bih, by the road from Jebel Jais, Ras Al-Khaimah, UAE

November’s zooming past like nobody’s business. And this November is the 12th anniversary of the ‘escapade’ that brought yours truly and the missus together! Now there’re 4 of us in our little family. We didn’t celebrate this year though. Too busy. It’s the work, the kids, the commitments, but mainly, the darn work. Here’re pictures of what we did on our anniversary last year, a picnic in the wilderness, with the family!


The road down from Jebel Jais (we spent the night before camping in Jebel Jais, with colleagues of mine from the Abu Dhabi Project – the ADAC Project organized a gathering!) (Just wait, I’ll post the photos soon, hehe). We stopped here, as Anu had other plans than only camping overnight in Jebel Jais. “Hey, this place looks like a good spot to pick up some firewood.”


There, Anu, the cowgirl, picking up firewood from the road side


And then, there was FIRE!


Our trusty Hyundai, all by itself in the wilderness – this place is not far off from the previous place we picnicked


An unsuccessful attempt by the kids to set up camp


Actually, no camp was needed, it’s all nice and shady, the spot Anu picked …It’s actually a dried up river (wadi) bed


“Open your mouth!” – Feeding time


Justin in Wadi Bih


Let’s climb some rocks!






Victory!


Time to go, …”Hey some other cars appeared!” Adios! Till next time

A message for the better half: “Honey, I know it’s been sometime since we spent a truly romantic time between us, minus kids and others. I cherish those treasured times and long for when we can get some quality time together again. But that doesn’t mean I love you any less. I made a decision 12 years ago to be with you, to run away with you, to be together with you forever, and still, till now, this is the best decision of my life. I have never regretted this decision and I love you with all my heart. Yours lovingly, Gary."

Jayden Year 4 Part 1: The Transformation

Happy Diwali People! Happy Deepavali!


Jayden, Diwali 2017 – Our home, International City, Dubai

October’s come and gone, November’s in full swing, and I haven’t friggin finished going thru Jayden’s photos of the past year. At the rate I’m going, I gonna finish this at the end of November, so I’m putting a stop and posting the first half of his fourth year photos. (By the way, I’m so busy at work, I’ve resorted to doing this only during my early morning toilet time. Sigh, work sucks, life sucks.)


Grrrrrr…. Happy Halloween! – That’s how mom & the kids celebrate Halloween, dress up in scary costumes and make-up. No trick or treat. What? Our neighbourhood kids are all Muslims…


Jayden, as Maui, the Polynesian demi-god (from the cartoon Moana), minus the tattoos – Nov 2017


Jayden takes a swim (He’s terrified of water) – With Mommy at Legoland Water Park, Dubai


Jayden paints a car, Dubai Festival City, Dec 2017 – So that’s where he picked up his bad habit of drawing on walls, table, chair, floor, bed sheet, you name it, …


Jayden meets a girl – With little Thai girl at Ancient City, Samut Prakan, Thailand


Jayden visits his dad’s hometown, with his Koko and Jikor Hazel, Ipoh House, Malaysia


Jayden goes to school – First day of school, Newlands School, Jan 2018


Jayden has a picnic, with Koko – Somewhere along the new route to Hatta (you need an Omani visa now to go thru the old route), in the middle of nowhere (but probably in an area controlled by Ras-Al Khaimah), UAE


Now you see hair


Now you don’t – Jayden has a haircut


The new Jayden at school


Jayden, in Malay traditional clothes, for International Day


Jayden, in Indian traditional clothes, for a wedding in New Delhi

That’s all for now. Here’s an update on his vocabulary: - Shiwish (finish), Dial (die), Stroyal (destroy), Dikiful (difficult), Bitifuel (beautiful), Titember (September), Speckital (spectacles), Serficket (certificate) Pretening (pretending), Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle on the way (all the way), oh what fun is to ride, water on the sleigh (oh what fun it is to ride, in a one horse open sleigh)