The Impasse Continues

A meet up with friends in Doha, Qatar, Mar 2017, before the ‘blockade’

Wow, it’s a year now since Qatar’s Arab brothers broke off ties with it. I thought it’d be a short spat. Doesn’t look anything like short now. When the Arabs fight, they really fight, huh? Guess I’d have to forget about my favourite news channel, Al Jazeera for now, and Qatar Airways, and friends in Doha. Here’re some photos of our visit to Qatar just before the ‘blockade.’ Click here to see even more photos. Ma’a salama. See ya when we see ya!


Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, Qatar


Flowers at the Corniche, Doha


Entering the Museum of Islamic Art or MIA for short – best thing about this place – Entrance is FREE!








Inside the MIA, Doha


Chilling out at the MIA




Doha skyline from the MIA, Doha

Justin's Eighth Year Rewind

Whew, what a month! Was supposed to post this 3 weeks back, but due to hectic work and another whirlwind trip back home (yeah, again!) for the last 2 weeks, here finally is my post on Justin’s eighth year! Yeah, he is friggin 8 now, and still driving us as crazy as ever. Anybody has any ideas on how to teach an 8 year old to listen and follow instructions?

I’ve decided to put the pictures in reverse chronological order this time, for a change.


Justin celebrating his 8th birthday in Legoland Dubai – A trip to Legoland was his birthday gift. Justin’s birthday is usually a holiday in the UAE due to it falling between UAE’s Commemoration Day (30th November) and UAE’s National Day (2nd December)


I can totally climb this… at Wadi Bih, Ras Al Khaimah, Nov 2017


Diwali (Deepavali) at our Dubai home, Oct 2017 – We (or more correctly, Anu) made a ‘kolam’ with bougainvillea picked from downstairs, what an idea huh?


With some of his best school mates at Antranik’s birthday party, Etihad Mall, Dubai, Oct 2017 – With him are Rayaan (left) from Pakistan and Jiexi (right) from China. Antranik, from Armenia, is at the back posing with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle


Started Year 3. Waiting for the school bus at bloody 6:45am! That’s not really that bad if compared to yours truly who had to bugger off to work in Abu Dhabi at an ungodly 5.50am!


With his ‘Sifu’ at Kung Fu Summer Camp, DragonMart 2, Dubai, Sep 2017 – Kung Fu classes for free throughout summer, compliments of the Mall. Thank you DragonMart, thank you, Kung Fu Institute, whoever you are!


A playdate with school friends, Arya (left) and Meshal (right) at City Walk, Dubai, Aug 2017 – On the far right is Arya’s younger sister, Vivah. Is Justin on the shorter side, or are girls typically taller than boys at this age?


Photo shoot with the Minions at Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi, Jul 2017 – Anything for a free gift. Besides, Minions are one of Justin’s favourite characters. The free gifts turned out to be cup cakes which none of the boys like. They ended up as usual in my tummy, and you think why I’m gaining weight!?


Family time at Al Sahra Desert Resort, Dubai, Jul 2017 with his Kong-Kong (grandpa) who’s visiting from Malaysia and his two cousin sisters, Sweety (left) who’s visiting from India and Karishma (middle) who arranged it all (she works in Tour Dubai). Thanks so much for the treat Kari!


A trip back to our Silchar home, Assam, India, Mar-Apr 2017 – sharing an iPad time with his cousin brother, Zeeva


At Anu’s village, Fulertal, Assam, with his other cousins, Kunal (left), Sonia (middle) and Aakash @ Chhandam (right)


A stopover in Doha, Qatar, Mar 2017 – with new found friend Garrett, son of our friend and ex-colleague Andrew, from Mizoram


Dubai Creek, Bur Dubai, with his little brother, Mar 2017


At his school, GEMS Royal Dubai School, Feb 2017


With mommy in Dizin, Alborz Province, Iran, Dec 2016


How do these sunglasses look, Mommy? – At the Bazaar of Kashan, Iran, Dec 2016

And since this will be my last of post of 2017, HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018 EVERYONE!!!!!

Jayden Is 3!

“Smile! No, not like that…” 3 year old Jayden, with his Transformer car birthday present

Whew, finally did it! I dunno how many lunch breaks I’ve sacrificed to sort through thousands of photos to pick some out for this post, but it’s done. Here goes! A recap of Jayden’s third year.

Writing the post is the easy part (especially once you’ve grown less concerned about the quality). Picking out the photos is the tough part (when you have camera trigger-happy parents like us!)


On his little scooter, 2 years, 1 month – At Mushrif Park, Dubai


Wow, what’s this cold stuff?? 2 years, 2 months – Dizin, Alborz Province, Iran


With his church girlfriend, Mikaela (they sure start young huh?) 2 years, 3 months – Dubai


Gong Xi Fa Cai, on Chinese New Year at ummm… Arabian Center, I think


Camping in the wild, 2 years, 4 months – Wadi Bih, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE


Peek-a-boo, 2 years, 5 months – Souq Waqif, Doha, Qatar


With his Chhema (Aunt) Amrita, in Anu’s village, 2 years, 6 months – Fulertal, Assam, India


Looking savvy, with Koko and Mommy, 2 years, 7 months – In front of our Dubai home


Stop moving willya? 2 years, 8 months – Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi


With his Kong-Kong (Grandpa) in Dubai, 2 years, 9 months


Family pic, with his cousin sis, Sweety, at DragonMart 2, Dubai


Monkey see, monkey do, …as if he can read, 2 years, 10 months, Dubai


With his friends, the ‘Guys’, neighbour’s kids Jan (middle) and Yusuf (right), 2 years, 11 months


NOOO! That’s not for blowing, it’s not a birthday! With his cousin sis, Karishma on Durga Puja at our home


Happy Birthday Jayden!

The New Forbidden Kingdom - Qatar

Doha skyline from the Corniche, Doha, Qatar, with the Museum of Islamic Art on the right

Whoa! What happened to Qatar? Why the sudden isolation? Must be something pretty serious to get its Gulf Arab brothers to completely cut ties with it!

But I’m gonna keep my mouth shut on this one (UAE has warned that Qatar sympathisers will face fines of, get ready for this, …not less than half a friggin million dirhams and jail time!)

Sigh, no more Qatar stopovers I guess. One less ‘good’ airlines to fly. Qatar Airways somehow always comes up among the cheapest full-fledged airlines to fly out of Dubai, so that’s a let-down. Another thing I’m gonna miss is Al Jazeera, the international news network based in Qatar. It’s my favourite news channel, coz I find it less biased than its western counterpart, and there’re just less ads and junk around so that I can read only the news that matters. But what the heck, life goes on. Hope they patch up soon.

Meanwhile, here’re some photos of our recent stopover in Doha (late March this year). I’m glad I made the stopover. Even more so now that this mess has come about!


A meet-up with an old friend from our Mizoram days (and Emirates Road Project days), Andrew, in Doha's Souq Waqif. With him are his wife, son Garrett and sister-in-law


Souq Waqif, Doha, Qatar


Jayden & Papa, Souq Waqif






More views of Souq Waqif, Doha, Qatar


Al Fanar, the Qatar Islamic Cultural Centre, Doha’s mini Burj Khalifa, near the Corniche


The Corniche, Doha – I call this the Nepali Beach – On the Friday afternoon that we were there, there was a line of dhows docked along the corniche filled with loud music and Nepali revellers dancing! Groovy, but weird


The Pearl Monument, Doha, Qatar






Doha’s swanky new airport, the Hamad International Airport – pretty nice place to hang out, definitely a far cry from the congested old airport which we’ve transited before