I cannot believe I'm back in this hell hole
I'd rather be stuck in a toilet bowl
My leave went by in a flash
So much for my great singapore bash
My brain is numb, i've become dumb and I cannot think of anything else that rhymes to complete my poem.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Another day, another dollar
Wow! The weather is actually bearable now! It does not feel like I'm living in an oven anymore. I could get used to this. Walking out onto the uneven tarmac to get to the staff car-park after work today, I actually felt a cool breeze gently blowing by. There's still sand all around but I guess thats normal since I'm in the middle of a desert.
The birds that used to hide under cars are out and about now, doing what they do best. Flying around and shitting on the parked cars. Great. Turning towards my car, I catch a glimpse of the setting sun. Its a big orange ball thats slowly sinking into the horizon. Reminds me that I'm still connected to the same solar system as my family and friends. Its still beautiful, even when seen from such a harsh land.
Somehow, the distant sunset that turns everything else into a silhouette has a calming effect on me. It makes me feel that all my worries are sinking away and its time to unwind and relax. Call it a day you know what I mean? So as I get into my car and crank up the engine, a smile usually breaks out on my face. Put the car in gear and ease off the clutch, I slowly pull out of the car-park. The crunching sound of rubber against gravel, sand and tarmac resonates through the cabin signifying the beginning of the end of a long day.
And then as I leave, the palm trees bow down and respectfully bid me farewell.....wait, the trees WHAT??
The smile on my face disappears and a look of disbelief and puzzlement takes its place. Even the palm trees have called it a day on Saudi Arabia and decided to die. As I drive off into the sunset, I'm muttering to myself, "Only in Saudi Arabia....."
The birds that used to hide under cars are out and about now, doing what they do best. Flying around and shitting on the parked cars. Great. Turning towards my car, I catch a glimpse of the setting sun. Its a big orange ball thats slowly sinking into the horizon. Reminds me that I'm still connected to the same solar system as my family and friends. Its still beautiful, even when seen from such a harsh land.
Somehow, the distant sunset that turns everything else into a silhouette has a calming effect on me. It makes me feel that all my worries are sinking away and its time to unwind and relax. Call it a day you know what I mean? So as I get into my car and crank up the engine, a smile usually breaks out on my face. Put the car in gear and ease off the clutch, I slowly pull out of the car-park. The crunching sound of rubber against gravel, sand and tarmac resonates through the cabin signifying the beginning of the end of a long day.
And then as I leave, the palm trees bow down and respectfully bid me farewell.....wait, the trees WHAT??
The smile on my face disappears and a look of disbelief and puzzlement takes its place. Even the palm trees have called it a day on Saudi Arabia and decided to die. As I drive off into the sunset, I'm muttering to myself, "Only in Saudi Arabia....."
Friday, November 07, 2008
Desert Rain
What the hell is going on? In the week that just went by, it rained 3 times in Jeddah! In this land devoid of clouds and moisture, it actually rained! And not some pissy drizzle or tiny droplets that evaporate before hitting the ground. It was pouring cats and dogs and camels and baboons.
And obviously this place wasn't made with rain in mind. There is absolutely no drainage system. The pavements are made of the wrong materials. The F1 style saudi drivers suddenly forget how to drive. I'm serious. You can literally see the dumbfounded drivers with their eyes wide open and mouth gaping behind their steering wheels. They don't understand why their car is veering to the left when they are speeding through a giant puddle on the road. They wonder why they can't really see out of their windscreens. They cannot comprehend why their cars are skidding out of control and nothing seems to be responding.
ALL the roads get flooded and you might as well be driving a boat. And it does not help that the wipers on my car have been nicely baked and sundried to a crispy strip of tasteless jerky. All they do is splash the rain around my windscreen instead of wiping it off. Bugger.
And obviously, being in the middle of the desert, I don't own an umbrella. So getting caught in the rain while walking from the staff carpark to the airport terminal wasn't fun. Especially when the pavement tiles becomes more slippery than an ice cube coated in olive oil. Yup, I had a really spectacular fall. While running to get out of the rain, I slipped the moment I stepped on the pavement tiles. What happened after that would have been applauded by even the gold medal winning olympic gymnast. Hell I don't even think I've executed such a move while snowboarding before. In slo-mo my legs went over my head and I landed on my left shoulder. I was drenched, and very embarrassed as this all happened in front of a group of indian laborers seeking shelter at a shed not too far away. but most of all it hurt. I am now nursing a bruised shoulder, hip and left bum.
I normally don't mind rain. But this is Saudi Arabia, and nothing is normal here. So, no more rain please. Life here is crazy enough without the floods and the mud and the chaos.
And obviously this place wasn't made with rain in mind. There is absolutely no drainage system. The pavements are made of the wrong materials. The F1 style saudi drivers suddenly forget how to drive. I'm serious. You can literally see the dumbfounded drivers with their eyes wide open and mouth gaping behind their steering wheels. They don't understand why their car is veering to the left when they are speeding through a giant puddle on the road. They wonder why they can't really see out of their windscreens. They cannot comprehend why their cars are skidding out of control and nothing seems to be responding.
ALL the roads get flooded and you might as well be driving a boat. And it does not help that the wipers on my car have been nicely baked and sundried to a crispy strip of tasteless jerky. All they do is splash the rain around my windscreen instead of wiping it off. Bugger.
And obviously, being in the middle of the desert, I don't own an umbrella. So getting caught in the rain while walking from the staff carpark to the airport terminal wasn't fun. Especially when the pavement tiles becomes more slippery than an ice cube coated in olive oil. Yup, I had a really spectacular fall. While running to get out of the rain, I slipped the moment I stepped on the pavement tiles. What happened after that would have been applauded by even the gold medal winning olympic gymnast. Hell I don't even think I've executed such a move while snowboarding before. In slo-mo my legs went over my head and I landed on my left shoulder. I was drenched, and very embarrassed as this all happened in front of a group of indian laborers seeking shelter at a shed not too far away. but most of all it hurt. I am now nursing a bruised shoulder, hip and left bum.
I normally don't mind rain. But this is Saudi Arabia, and nothing is normal here. So, no more rain please. Life here is crazy enough without the floods and the mud and the chaos.
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