Expo-Tastic Year End Fun!

Merry Christmas everybody!!!

Here’s a quick year end post, pictures of how we celebrated Christmas and New Year last year at the Expo2020 Dubai (since I’ve already sorted out the photos, haha, or better, ho-ho-ho!)

I’m going on a one-week break! From Christmas to New Year. Easiest leave I’ve ever obtained in my history working for this Company!! I asked, I got. No questions asked, no handover, no nothing. Filled in the form, boss signed it on the same day! Is this good, or bad? …It’s too good to be true, actually. Is it because my work is no longer crucial? Am I becoming redundant?!? We got a couple of new Projects last year, but I was not included in any of them, bugger! But, what the heck! We’ll see later. Now let’s sit back and have some time with the family. Didn’t plan anything. Would love to do so, but there’s too little time to get visas, and also, we’ve spent an enormous amount of moolah already this year. Time to save up.

Wishing all a joyful Christmas with lots of love and blessings and fantastic New Year! Happy New Year 2023! Here goes.






Christmas decorations at Expo Dubai’s central Al Wasl Dome, Dubai, UAE 2021


Merry Christmas from the kids. In front of the Germany Pavilion, Dubai EXPO2020


And this is New Year’s Eve…


The countdown to 2022! 20, 19, 18,... Happy New Year!!!!!!!




Concerts abound! Here’s a concert at the Al Wasl Dome. What about COVID? …Huh? What COVID??!


And this is an Armin van Buuren concert, in one of the other stages in the Expo!


The water feature / fountain in the Expo2020, now called Fire Falls


What a fantastic night!


More fireworks! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Wishing all a safe and blessed Happy New Year! See you in 2023!

Justin’s Last Year at Home

Our big son, Justin has started his new life in Singapore. We miss him. After all he’s only 13. But he seems to be coping well, hardly calling us. But looking back, he’s always been like that. He had no problem on us leaving him all alone on his first day of school when he was 3+, hardly even looked back to wave us goodbye.

We wish him all the best and hope he'll do well in his studies, without us parents prompting him to do so. Here’s a look back at his last year staying with us in the UAE.


One of our favourite pastimes in winter in the UAE – Camping, and exploring the countryside! This is Wadi Shawka, a territory belonging to the emirate of Ras Al-Khaimah, but separated from main part of RAK, by other emirates. Looking back, this would be Justin’s last overnight camp with us. This is right after his 12th birthday. We miss you, son. Come back next winter, and we’ll do another camp, OK? – Dec 2021


Ringing in the New Year in Expo2020! Happy 2022! The winter & spring season of 2021-2022 was dominated by the Dubai Expo. We had seasonal tickets, so wanted to make full use of our tickets (no, it’s not that we’re ‘kiasu’, it’s just that overseas travel was not yet an option, and there’re tons of things to see in the Expo, 200+ pavilions, loads of concerts and performances! – Wish it could’ve lasted longer) – New Year’s Day, 2022


Our sojourn to the Expo continues… Justin inside the UK Pavilion. The UK Pavilion was an eye-catching pavilion but with just an empty space inside. Walking up a ramp, you’d choose a word of your choice on your phone, and your selected word will appear in the pavilion’s multiple displays when you reach inside! Some algorithm was supposed to take all these words and use them for making messages to extra-terrestrials (aliens) when we eventually meet ‘em. (Yeah, no kidding. Looks like the Brits are big believers of the Men in Black. Hope the aliens are not like what we see in movies who’re bent on just wiping us out and taking over our world…) – Feb 2022


Finally, an overseas trip, after 2+ years of COVID restrictions! First destination – India, mommy’s home. But India is huge, and we made a stop in Amritsar, Punjab, before heading east to Assam. This is the Golden Temple, Sikhism’s holiest temple, Amritsar, Punjab, India – Mar 2022


Justin in Assam, at the site of the ruins of the old Cachari / Dimasa Kingdom. His aunt Amrita, and Jayden can be seen further down, behind – Khaspur, Cachar, Assam, India – Apr 2022


Back in Dubai. Here’s Justin with one of his best friends and classmate, Jamal (who’s half Kyrgyz and half Saudi) at the World Scholar’s Cup Competition. The World Scholar’s Cup is an Olympic games-like competition for scholars/ students on all things academic, where you can win medals for debate, writing, quizzes, etc. Justin’s school invited all the ‘gifted and talented’ students of the school to be part of this event. This was the first round. They subsequently competed in the Global round, which was also held in Dubai a month later – Cambridge International School, Al Twar, Dubai – May 2022


Another home trip, this time to his papa’s home, Malaysia – Here’s Justin with his granddad, after a trek up Kledang Hill, near Ipoh, his dad’s hometown. Coincidentally, during the home trip, we got an email from Singapore’s Ministry of Education (MOE), informing us that Justin’s invited to sit for an exam in Penang, to ascertain whether he would qualify for the ASEAN Scholarship we applied for. So, Justin ended up spending quite some time studying during the holidays, ahem. – Kledang Hill, Menglembu, Perak, Malaysia – Jul 2022


Woo-hoo! HE PASSED THE EXAM! He was invited to attend an interview with the MOE in Penang. So, we arranged Justin to fly all the way back to Penang from Dubai by himself, and then from there back to Dubai by himself also. It’s a little complicated, since Justin’s still a minor, and many airlines do not allow minors to travel alone, but luckily, he’s just after 12 years old, and we could opt for waiving the Unaccompanied Minor services for some of the airlines. So, there you have it! It turned out that the interview in Penang, although held in an institute, was thru a Zoom call to Singapore!?! Heck! And the MOE subjected us to all that trouble to get to Penang for the interview! – Justin with his grandad and aunt, Hazel at Penang Airport, ready to depart for Singapore en route to Dubai – Sep 2022

JUSTIN FRIGGIN PASSED THE INTERVIEW, by the way. Congratulations son! Told you, your effort will pay off!


Happy Diwali! Less than 3 weeks before flying off to Singapore! In our neighbour’s Milind’s home – from left to right, yours truly, Milind, Justin, Jayden, Mihir and Aru – Oct 2022


An advance 13th birthday party, and farewell for Justin, with some of his friends around! A surprise arranged by his mommy. From left to right, Mosaab (from Egypt), Nikita (Russia), Som (Korea), Malik (Egypt), Moaz (Egypt), Jayden, Angelina (Korea), Justin, Sean Linz (India), Abdul (India), Ashton (India), and Yiro (Korea). Mosaab, Malik and Moaz are brothers, and stay in the same building floor as us. Nikita and Yiro also stay in the same building as us – Our home, MotorCity, Dubai – Nov 2022


Another meeting with a friend/ ex-classmate from his old school, Aria and younger sister Viva – At the ice-skating ring in Sport Society, Mirdif, Dubai, UAE – Nov 2022


Thank you, Mommy. I love you – Mirdif City Centre, the weekend before he flies off


All ready to go! Two of his friends (Sean Linz and Yiro) came to see him before Justin and I took the cab to the airport, BYE! Poor Jayden, he was crying uncontrollably, he really misses his koko


Justin’s new home in Singapore – St Andrew’s Hall. This is the hostel that he’d be staying in for his studies. The day he arrived in Singapore, also happened to coincide with our anniversary date, i.e. the day I and Anu eloped from Mizoram, 16 years ago…


Justin meets a new friend, Garren Tang, at his new school, St Joseph’s Institution (SJI), Singapore, after the induction session. Garren is the only one from his ASEAN Scholarship batch like Justin, entering Secondary 1 in SJI. (The other selected scholars were all for Secondary 3, and were from either Thailand or Vietnam). Garren also happened to be Malaysian, but he lived and grew up in Jakarta, Indonesia


My last dinner together with Justin in Singapore, before I flew off. We were with Jason, Fang and Stacey. Thanks for everything Jason and Fang – Suki-Ya (Japanese Steamboat), I think this was the Dhoby Ghaut branch, if I’m not mistaken – Singapore, Nov 2022

ALL THE BEST SON, WAY TO GO! Keep us in your heart, OK? Take care, work hard, stay focused, always be positive and happy, and never give up hope. We love you.

The Eighth Year of Jayden

Jayden, at the Germany Pavilion, Expo2020, Dubai – Jan 2022

Finally, after 2 months of Jayden turning 8 years old, here’re photos and a summary of Jayden’s eighth year of existence. He’s bigger, but behaving just as little as before, and still ‘eating our heads’. JAYYYYDENNNN!!!

This was the year of Dubai’s Expo 2020 (it’s one year late due to pesky COVID-19). It took place from Oct 2021 to Mar 2022, and we visited it religiously every time we had some free time. (We had Season Tickets, and besides, there’re more than 200 pavilions to see, and lots of concerts and performances. What’s not to be liked??)


Jayden at Expo2020, Oct 2022, right after his birthday. Expo 2020 opened in Oct 2021. This is the Terra Pavilion, Sustainability’s main pavilion. Dubai’s Expo’s theme was “Connecting Minds and Creating the Future” through sustainability, mobility and opportunity. In line with that, the Expo had three main ‘Districts’ Sustainability, Mobility and Opportunity, with each having its primary pavilion.


Hah… a rare break from the Expo, to 'soak up' a bit of the Emirati wilderness – Wadi Shawka, Ras Al Khaimah, Dec 2021. Breakfast, after a night of camping. Yours truly literally 'soaked it up' – Lost my balance while climbing and felt into a friggin rock pool at the Wadi, and was completely wet from head to toe. Screwed up my trusty Redmi 7 phone! Thank God, wasn't hurt!


Merry Christmas 2021!!!


Koung Hey Fatt Choi! Welcoming the Year of the Tiger – Jan 2022


Trying out his skills at being a teacher – explaining to us the working of a volcano – Feb 2022. His ‘koko’ never, ever tried anything like that (explaining to us about anything, I mean)


Jayden at school, at the Year 2 corridor's entrance – No he’s not in Year 2. He’s in Year 4. But 2 of his past class teachers are on the panel behind him, his Year 2 teacher, Ms Rachel White, and his Year 1 teacher, Ms Louise Higgins (who subsequently moved up to Year 2). He's not in uniform because it was a Saturday, and he was there for a rehearsal of his school's musical play!


Right after his School Musical performance, ‘Sunny Side Up’ which he participated in – Mar 2022. (We recorded a song he sang, and sent it for the audition, and he was selected! One of the few Year 3 students who were selected). The girl in the photo, was one of the lead performers of the musical. Her screen name was Cindy, and Jayden kept calling her Cindy. Her real name I think is Melissa. She’s in Year 8 or 9, I think…


Finally, we could travel again! First overseas trip out of the UAE in more than 2 years – a trip home to his mommy’s birthplace, Assam, India. Here he is, with little cousin brother, Anshu, currently the youngest in Anu’s family, and the only cousin younger than Jayden on his mother’s side – Apr 2022


Another trip home, this time to Malaysia, but en route to that, we made a few stops – Here’s Jayden in Kathmandu, Nepal – Jul 2022


And then Dhaka, Bangladesh. That is their ummm… let’s see, their aunt, one of Anu’s cousin’s wife


Finally, in Malaysia, but not home yet. We made a family trip to the Mulu Caves of Sarawak – Here’s Jayden with aunt Hazel at Deer Cave, Mulu, Sarawak, Malaysia


Peace! Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia – Jul 2022


The sound of music, one of mommy’s smart ideas… Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia – Jul 2022


With cousin Stacey at Universal Studios, Singapore


Happy 8th Birthday Jayden! Low-key celebration, just the 4 of us at home. This would be the last birthday that he’d be having with his koko, for quite some time I think, coz Koko’s left to Singapore to continue his studies

Jayden really misses his brother, have cried many times thinking about his brother. His koko was his only friend, I think. Jayden’s a little sticky and sentimental, unlike Justin, who’s quite detached. Jayden needed Justin to sleep with him, and only stopped when we forced him to sleep alone after he turned 7 years old. Now, that his koko is away, maybe he’ll start finding his own friends, and growing up a little. We love you little one.

The Horn of Arabia

Whew! We went on a long road trip to Salalah, Oman last weekend. It was a 4-day weekend to commemorate UAE’s National Day, so we decided to finally do what we’ve put off doing for so many years. Driving the unthinkable 1,250 km to Salalah, and back!! And we did it! Longest drive I’ve ever had in my life in a day. And there’s next to nothing along the way – the 800+ km between Ibri and Thumrait in Oman is a flat and featureless expanse of dry land, with nothing much, no hills, no tree, no bushes… Only a road, on empty land as far as the eye can see! Anyway, pictures of our adventures in Salalah will have to wait till I’ve downloaded all the friggin photos. For the time being, here’re photos of another part of Oman, the Musandam Peninsula, which we visited on a similar road trip during the UAE National Day holidays in 2019, with Dad and Hazel. This is an extension of my earlier Musandam Post.


Khasab, Musandam, Oman

Musandam is a piece of land at the North-Eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula that pokes into the Gulf (of Arabia, or, of Persia, depending on which side of the Gulf you’re on). It is an Omani exclave (separated from the rest of Oman) and accessible by land only from the UAE. It’s like a friggin horn poking at the belly of Iran, and it forms the gateway to the Gulf. Enjoy!


Smile! Hazel & Anu, just after crossing the UAE-Oman border, at Tibat, Musandam, Oman


The layered hills of Musandam at Tibat


The town of Bukha


Dad, at Bukha Fort


One of the coves of Musandam – this is at the Harf Viewpoint


Finally reached Khasab – let’s have lunch!


Winding down with a mug of coffee at our hotel in Khasab, the Diwan Al Amir Hotel


Let’s explore the place… It’s getting dark, time for a ‘satay’ break, Omani style, at the road leading out of town, south of Khasab’s airport


The kids at Khasab’s fort – see how little Justin still is at that time. He was 10 then!


A view of Khasab from atop Khasab Fort

We were in Musandam for 2 days. Apart from exploring the town, we did a dhow cruise to Telegraph Island (which I’ve posted earlier).


OK, time to go home! The Cliff Viewpoint, Musandam at dusk, on our way out…