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October 16, 2003
Goodbye to Muscat, Return to Dubai
Had an early breakfast with Margaret before checking out of the hotel and catching a taxi to Muscat Airport. I arrived two and a half hours ahead of the flight, but quickly discovered that the check-in desks don't even open til 2 hours before the flight. So I sat around the stuffy check-in hall listening to Musak renditions of Stevie Wonder songs over the PA system.
Eventually I checked in and waited for my flight, which departed on time and arrived a few minutes early in Dubai. When I arrived there was a man from Dubai internet city there ready to help me through customs. It also turned out that he was there to pick up Osama Manzar from India, whom I met a couple of years ago. Osama didn't know I was coming, so he was very surprised to see me.
After going through customs we went to get my luggage, but it didn't come off the plane. They said it was stuck somewhere in another cargo hold, so they took my hotel info and had me catch my ride to the hotel. Needless to say I was a bit worried about my bag's whereabouts.
The drive to the Jumeira Hilton took us along a 10-lane superhighway through the heart of Dubai's new commercial district, a magnificent mile of audacious skyscrapers. Eventually we goot to Jumeira Beach, Dubai's luxury tourist enclave. We passed the famous Burj al-Arab, the tallest hotel in the world, shaped like the sail of a dhow boat. The Emiratis are truly at the cutting edge of modern architecture.
At the hotel, check-in was very slow, and they weren't particularly helpful about my lost bag. I had a few hours before our first official gathering, and I really wanted to use the time to enjoy the beach. Since I didn't have my bag, I went to the gift shop to see if they sold bathing suits. It turns out they did - billabong bathing suits priced at nearly $100 each! It was totally outrageous. The woman there then told me they had boy's bathing suits for only 10 dollars, and she showed me the largest they had, the equivalent of a size 24. Given the fact I'm a size 33, I was skeptical, but she encouraged me to try it on. I managed to get into the bathing suit, but wasn't convince a) I'd ever get out of it without ripping it, and b) would ever want to appear in public looking so ridiculous. I concluded that this might be my only chance to go for a swim -- and besides, I didn't know a single person here, so who cares how silly I looked? So putting all logic aside, I bought the bathing suit, spent 10 minutes stretching it to its limits, then wriggled my way into it.
I went to the beach, which had a boardwalk down to the shore, a nice outside bar, and countless lounge chairs set up along the water. Noticing how many people who were wearing speedos and thongs -- and probably shouldn't have -- I suddenly didn't feel so bad about wearing a boy's bathing suit. I quickly took off my shirt and darted into the water -- warm, salty water -- and proceeded to spend the next couple of hours relaxing in the surf. Given the long days we were about to spend working, I relished every moment.
I spent the better part of the evening on the phone with Emirates Airlines, which was thoroughly unhelpful, and my contact at Dubai Internet City, who fortunately made every effort to assist me. Our group was supposed to meet at 8pm, but I had to wait by the phone for an update. I turned on the tv and left the National Geographic Channel running in the backgroud. Suddenly, around 8pm, I heard familiar music and the voice of Jason Statham saying, "Early morning, as the monsoon rains cut through the haze..." It was our Thai Boxing film! Susanne and I had sold the premiere rights to it to National Geographic, and it had aired in over 140 countries, but since it hadn't aired in the US we'd never seen it on TV. And now out sheer coincidence, it was on here in Dubai! (See screen shot, right) So thanks to the loss of my bag, I managed to watch the film for the first time with commercials added to it, along with Arabic subtitles. It was truly wild to see it this way.
By 9pm, having enjoyed our film for the umpteenth time, I gave up on my luggage and went downstairs to meet with some of our group, who had gathered for an informal chat and a drink. A dozen of us sat around outside at the bar, getting to know each other. By 10ish people began to disperse, so I returned upstairs and was relieved to find my luggage sitting in the room. I unpacked, relished in the fact I wouldn't have to wear the same shirt for five days, and slept soundly.
Posted by acarvin at October 16, 2003 4:25 PM
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