Malaria Pills - don't leave home without them!

Just took a few days off from the sandbox and went to Lagos Nigeria on a business trip. I have a few projects there, mainly around strategic planning for growing business in the public sector (health, education, safety). Most of the time I like to travel low key, blend in with the locals and make my way around "incognito"…it is sometimes a challenge with my hair and skin color but this time I think I succeeded. I don’t think that the bullet proof, window tinted 4x4 I was in, followed by a police armoured car with flashing lights and sirens blaring, with four police officers armed with elephant hunting rifles openly visible in the windows, attracted much attention.
Arriving at the hotel, people probably expected to see some high ranking politician or celebrity or foreign official so when I jumped out with a big embarrassed grin on my face everyone was clearly confused. Never mind. I handed over my Amex card and checked in, welcomed by a sign on the front desk stating “money laundering preventive measures in force here” – well good thing I wasn’t doing any money laundry. But it did make me wonder what additional strange charges will be on my card!

To get more in touch with my project and really do a deep dive into Nigeria’s healthcare needs, I wanted to get on the inside. It was a carefully laid out plan, which began a few weeks ago in Capetown when I made sure I got stung by a malaria carrying mosquito and just for added emphasis, I had a salad the first evening at the Lagos hotel – (washed in local water which is apparently unsafe) - ensuring that I would get the “rotor virus” – a micro organism known to cause peptic ulcers and enteric fever. After a full day of meetings, I hopped off to bed only to wake up at 3am with severe stomach cramps followed by 10-12 roundtrips to the toilet.
At 8am when it was pretty evident that I would not be in any condition to go to work, my colleague called our security representative. 20 minutes later, Corbus promptly arrived. A strapping South African (cross between Robert Redford in Out of Africa and Chuck Norris on safari), he was also a medic and he gave me a super pill which is supposed to kill every parasite known to man. He then raided my minibar and fed me applejuice and kitkat bars to get my electrolytes back in check. Then the local doctor came and verified that my fever was very high (surprise surprise, since I was having shakes and cold sweat), and he told me to take a cold bath! I know about those ice cold baths – you wake up missing a vital organ like the kidney. Upon seeing my “deer in headlights” angst-filled face, Corbus asked if they couldn’t just give me an injection to get the fever down. The doctor agreed and that was the first of 9 jabs in the glute and thigh muscles. It was like being a voodoo doll for 4 days!

An hour later I was on my way to the hospital – my undercover plan obviously worked. My first observation was that the Nigerian healthcare is in dire need of training on how to take blood and administer IV. Several veins later I had donated 3 viles and was hooked up to a bag of saline. The admitting doctor proudly told me not to worry, they had a private room "much like a Dubai quality". Hmmnn, well that is to be argued – it was private alright, something out of pre-war East Germany, with a simple bed, fluorescent lighting and an A/C that blasted unfiltered air right down on the bed. The bathroom had an open window so was about 105 degrees and the water had an interesting brown color. I did have a TV though, so managed to catch a few movies inbetween the various power outages. I only saw one cockroach and it wasn't that big! The next four days is a blur….I got tested for all sorts and then the treatment started, with bags of liquid-filled medication for this that and the other. They found signs of intestinal ulcers and although I tested negative for malaria, the doctor never really ruled it out, so ordered his nurses to jab me twice a day in the buttocks with a burning substance. After the first 24 hours I was doing well and thought I would be able to get home on my original flight Thursday. But I relapsed and ended up having to stay until Saturday. By then, the global pilgrimage to Mecca had started and all available seats on Emirates – the only direct airline – were filled with a full and overbooked waiting list. The best Cisco could do was a flight to Nairobi Kenya and then on to Dubai. Of course there was a delay, so I missed my connection and had to do an overnight in Nairobi. That was then requiring another security escort, this time without the armed guard, but still with a vigilant representative. I thought it was Corbus' twin! Seamus looked just like him - same goatee and safari outfit (must be a white African look). Had a 6 hour stay in a local hotel and off to the airport again at 5am.
Finally arrived home Sunday afternoon, over joyed to see Aric and the boys and sleep in my own bed. Next time I think I'll take a few malaria pills before departing home and I'll stay away from fresh salads.

On Golden Frond

All of Dubai is buzzing with celebrity jitters! Tonight is the long awaited and much planned Atlantis Resort Grand Opening with an A-List of stars - John Travolta (allegedly demanding his own private "swim with dolphins" lagoon - I have that from Atlantis insiders), Oprah, Michael Jordan, Lindsey Lohan, Kylie Minogue, Janet Jackson, some said Michael Jackson would also be here but since he is busy being sued by one Middle East crown prince already, he is not likely to enter another royal sandbox I'm certain.

People magazine is sure to have a pictorial spread next week but your correspondent on the ground here has all the gossip you won't read about elsewhere. The residents on the Palm are super annoyed because they were told two weeks ago that they have to make it home by 4pm to be allowed on, they have to carry their tenancy agreement or title to home, as well as a special sticker on the car. At 4pm this afternoon the line on the exit on to the Palm was a mile long already so this will be a cluster as usual. Residents were also instructed to stay inside the whole night (for their own safety!!) as well as no canooing, sailing, swimming off the shores and no walking on the beach or streets. Just who they are trying to protect is beyond me...surely Oprah and Co. do not care about what homeowners do in their own back yard. We have a few friends who rent homes on the Palm and they are livid! This is not a party or hotel "for the people - by the people" - rather, Atlantis can dictate what they want - it was built by Nakheel, which is owned by Dubai World, which is owned by the Sheikh, so there is no democratic flexibility here baby!

Aric and I haven't gotten our invitations yet - they must sbe tuck in the mail, but since Dubai has no postal delivery system or mail persons - looks like we will have to watch the fireworks from somewhere else. Apparently the fireworks will be bigger than the Beijing OL show, I can't wait!

We made reservations at the Observatory Bar on 52nd floor in our building, just for drinks and views. Then the hotel manager called us and said nobody would be allowed to have drinks in the bar without having dinner - at 500 Dirham per person. So for 3 days we have raised hell with the general manager (who is obviously just trying to cash in on another hotel event) but to no avail. In the end we are going for dinner with friends somewhere else and will view the fireworks from the beach. And the only stars we are sure to see will be the ones in the sky :)

"People like you"

Hunter claims he is only staying here for two years because after that he will be bored! We still feel there are so many things we haven't had time to experience and now... 'tis the season...for outdoor concerts, horse racing, exhibitions, shows and cultural events. There was a huge sand storm yesterday with 60-70mph winds and with that came lots of rain during the night. It has cooled eveything down. We all went to see Queen + Paul Rodgers (from Bad Company) on Friday under clear skies with a full moon - it was the perfect temperature. There will never be another Freddie Mercury but it was no doubt still an impressive and great concert. Hunter does not want me to write that he came along (it is just SO un-cool to go to a concert with your parents and other "people like you" but since he never reads the blog, I'm going to tell everyone who reads this that he was definitely there - propably the youngest person to attend but he rocked anyways. Dubai has very few official and large venues for concerts. Even Brian May pointed out that this was perhaps the first time he has ever played in a parking lot between Ace Hardware and Ikea (it is a very large parking lot - don't be fooled) - and it just made it more intimate. We were about 15 feet from the stage and the long walkway where Paul Rodgers rocked up and down. At one point the entire band came out to the end of the walkway, set up a second stage while playing and did a few songs there. Aidan managed to find the only other [female] teen there besides he and Hunter, and spent most of the night chatting to her (she had separated from her parents because they were also "people like us"). We are still trying to find out who "people like us" are.

Earlier in the day we went to Dubai Mall, the brand-new-giant-money-losing--open-as-of-last-week, shopping extravaganza. Apparently the largest in the world, it houses a Gold Market, huge aquarium (I saw 4 bull sharks there), an ice rink, cinema and 1200 shops (of which 35 are open so far). I don't understand why they have a grand opening when most of the shops are still under construction. Needless to say all the stores which are open are losing money every day. Aric and I went to a furniture store to look at beds. We don't have a place to live yet but once we get an apartment, we will need a bed. The nice and polite Indian person who worked in the store told us everything in the showroom was designed by Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi...hmmnn, they should have stuck to tennis. We did like the bed though but at $12,000 it was a wee bit above our budget. Aric joked and asked the sales guy if he had one like that and the reply was "no sir, that's made for people like you". Aric and I looked at eachother quizzingly as if we were now somehow suddenly celebrity...or exceptional tennis players perhaps? "People like us?" we asked - the guy clearly became a bit embarrassed, but continued, "yes sir, people like you, with lots of money". WOW!! I suddenly realized that this is how everyone in the working class here sees expats. We are here, like everyone else, just trying to make a better life, put a little aside for a rainy day and for when we have more wrinkles . Not unlike the large population of Indians, Malaysians, Pakistanis, Lebanese, etc etc - who all work long days to make a better life and secure an education for their children back home. While we are always extra cautious and culturally sensitive and aware, and we constantly strive to treat everyone here equal - we are still seen as the "white, rich, potentially bad, capitailistic exploiters from the West". I don't think we will be able to change that perception soon, though I try and I also try to teach the boys to treat everyone equal despite where they may be from. We politely explained to the sales guy that not everyone here has obscene amounts of money like the Arabs, and then we headed for Ikea!

Hard Hat Required!

Frustrated news have hit us! The apartment we have been waiting for since October 1 has yet again been delayed in opening. The building failed the Dubai TECOM (Free Zone) inspection because 5 windows are missing in the lower level retail area....glazers are behind, glass is backlogged and we are now told it will be January before we can move in. It is not possible for us to wait that long, at $350 per night in the hotel apartment (and that's the going rate!!), we will blow out of cash very soon. So we are back on the streets looking at every place from 5th to 43rd floor, every building in the entire Marina and generally calling on every single ad in the paper.

Finding a new place is proving to be a challenge. Either it's too high priced, too small, too trashed, too new and not ready, too far from the school and office, too far out in the desert or too over-looking construction. Dubai is a construction zone though and we are resigning ourselves to that fact. You get used to it...the hustling and bustling of Indian, Bangladeshi and Asian workers everywhere. I'm considering investing in Steel-Toed boots and Hard Hats, as we dodge cranes, cement trucks and piles of building materials. This morning I came eye to eye with a helicopter pilot - he was lifting a pile of steel and wood from the lot next to our building and ascended right next to our balcony where Aidan and I waived in our pajamas. It's so surreal! Almost like a James Bond movie!

Apropos, the new Bond movie just opened here, sans passion scenes! It's edited so much that the only scenes left are the ones with brand positioning, so you see his watch, his car, his suit, his Martini and that's about as far as it goes. I think they ought to film the next one here....he can jump from building site to building site! Our local radio station called for potential titles last week:

Dubai Another Day; The Palm is not enough; From a view to AL Khail; From Sharja with love; The Sheikh who loved me; Sandraker....OK I'll stop here!!

I'm off to view yet another flat. There is never a shortage of real estate agents here - this will be my 12th agent! Ciao.

Why Did The Camel Cross The Road?

Because it was no longer needed - now that Pia got her new car :)

And what better than to put the wheels to good use right away? Aric, Aidan and Pia decided to venture outside the glitzy sandbox and see some of the other Emirates. Hunter unfortunately did not join as he was grounded. We very much encourage creative thinking outside the box, arguing a cause and speaking your opinion - except for when it comes to arguments over whether you should do your homework...and discussions with your teacher about what should be taught in class! So Hunter took a little time to think about whether he actually wants to be the Principal or just settle for a student role the next few years.

Meanwhile, the rest of the family - armed with bottles of water, road map, a full tank of gas (at $20) and a great sense of excitement - headed North-East on highway 611 / E88 through Sharjah, our neighboring Emirate and then across the desert to Fujairah, on the opposite coast. It's the only Emirate (out of the 7) located on the Gulf of Oman, rather than the Persian Gulf - also the only Emriate that is almost totally mountainous. Because of the terrain it also gets most rainfall as is evident by looking at the rough stoney hills with all the run-offs and ravines. It is such a change in scenery from the flat sandy desert we are normally surrounded by and the beauty is hard to describe.

For those interested in a little Geography lesson, Fujairah borders the Sultanate of Oman, and Oman has a small exclave inside the mountains of Fujairah. You never quite know when you cross a border out in the wilderness so our car insurance includes all 7 Emirates as well as Oman. There are only 130,000 nationals in Fujairah and no foreigners are allowed to buy or own land there (as opposed to free zones in Dubai where westerners are allowed to buy and own).

On the way East we passed lots of strange phenomenons - seems that the local Emiratis love to pull off the roads and settle with a picnic about 100 feet into the desert. It's almost as if they've never been able to roam around outside the big cities and they do a little off-roading in the sand dunes, only to park, set of camping chairs and let the kids collect dry branches and twigs for the family BBQ fire. We also passed lots of camels roaming the desert shoulders of the highway, not stopped by cattle grids (as they were filled with sand) - there ought to be signs with "Camel X-ing" rather than deer signs.

We had lunch at a very local and original Arab restaurant with great Mezze, Hommous, fresh salad and pita bread. The food is fantastic here and we are really falling in love with the traditional cuisine of Middle Eastern dishes. Oddly there seems to be a big population of Indians in Fujairah - perhaps because it is cheaper to live there than Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Driving along the desert road from Dubai, we saw a lot of little "strip malls" and then out of nowhere you would see a row of stands with fruit, toys and Oriental Rugs...in fact, if we ever need to shop for rugs, that's where I would go - they were beautiful and inexpensive. Propably cut out 2-3 middlemen! The main industry - not surprising - is cement, stone crushing and mining, with sub industry of steel and iron work. Driving along the coastal road from Fujairah Port up to Dibba, was such a mesmerizing vision. Rocky coastal line mixed with small sand coves - it is very similar to Portugal's Atlantic coast.

Every Emirate has their odd trademark - I'm convinced Fujairah loves round-abouts. We passed the shark roundabout, the teapot & cup roundabout, the pottery roundabout, the lantern roundabout and the ship and dolphin roundabout on our trip. Tried to capture the quirkiness of them all, as well as the traditional Arab living places. Very different from Dubai's fast and bling-filled city life. Goats seem to rule in Fujairah where Ferraris rule in Dubai! It was a great all day road trip and next time we hope to make it into Oman for a little additional excitement and Arab insight!

Happy Halloween Habibi

After a week of travel to Cape Town and Johannesburg, I just made it back in time for Halloween. Gone are the days where Aric and I endured cold temps, rain, sleet and merciless October wind, while knocking on numerous doors with Aidan and Hunter in Downers Grove in exchange for a few Reeses Pieces. I'm convinced it remains a US event for kids because surely drunk dressed up expats really can't expect to be taken seriously? And does it really count as true "Trick or Treat-ing" to go from floor to floor, rather than door-to-door? That's more like Trick and Cheating - you can fill your candy bucket in 40 minutes riding the elevator from ground to penthouse - I don't think that's fair, nor true kiddy effort! Leave it to the desparate US and British expat moms to take their kids to the high-rises.

Aidan and Hunter have moved from candy collection to teen parties. Both were out with their friends in semi-recognizable costumes & wigs, hanging out at the beach and Marina.

Aric and I spent most of the weekend looking at more homes. We found one new development with 4 bedroom villas, two pools and common areas in the middle of the compound. A bit pricey, but what worries us more than price, is that there are no roads leading to the estate...just a lot of sand, sand and sand where you apparently make your own way to the driveway. There is a reason we bought 4x4s because you wouldn't want to get stuck coming home from work! "Honey I'm running late for dinner, sorry - I'm stuck 50 meters from the garage - can you give me a pull?" That truly is sandbox living. We haven't made a decision yet, but we still have our deposit in for the flat on the 40th floor. It's scheduled for release now mid November, but who really knows....? We keep looking!!

Having just started our 3rd month at the hotel residence I'm really no longer so surprised that we receive coupons for the penthouse bar, gym, spa and restaurants...we're the hi-rollers of VIP guests at this place! It's like getting comp'ed at a Vegas casino...you can check in any time but you can never leave! We are on first name basis with the cleaning crew and concierge! It's gotta stop!

Update on Aidan's girlfriend status - it's now officially Ranim, from Lebanon, and he calls her "Habibi" which means "my dear / love", in Arabic. Good way to learn the language by starting with terms of endearments.

'Till later all our habibi friends - don't forget to VOTE on Tuesday!!