Join me for some experiences on a trip from from the UAE to Syria. There were highlights in each place that will stay with my forever. I am writing now many years later but I would like to share some of the memories that have stayed with me. Travel is so much fun, if you get the chance, get out and explore this great world.
Life after Graduation...
This is the third post in this series. Links to previous posts can be found below.
Dubai Majnoon
Memories of the UAE
In this post I am going to share some of my memorable experiences for the UAE. This was the beginning of my Journey.
Camping in Fujairah
Shortly after we arrived in the UAE a group of the other teachers in our school organised a night camping in Fujairah, a short drive away from Sharjah. "Great plan we are in". My housemate, two neighbours and myself arranged to rent a car, get some booze and meet the others at the campsite, a beach to the east of the country on the Gulf of Oman.
What could go wrong.....
I arranged to rent a car (a small Toyota Echo) from a dealer near our school. I was a bit worried as he took my passport as security, but he assured me this was normal. It seemed legit so I thought I would go with it. I got the car and went back to our house to pick up the guys and our stuff
Do we need a tent?
Ah this wouldn't be a problem. It was early September and even at night the temperature would be in the 30s. We would be fine :) We packed what we had in the boot and headed to Ajman, a nearby Emirate, to get some booze.
A Bad Omen
I wasn't used to driving automatic cars and on the other side of the road. After about 20 minutes into the trip I realised I still had the handbrake on. A sign of things to come...
The Hole in The Wall
In the UAE at the time if you were a tourist you could get served alcohol in hotel bars but if you were a UAE resident or a local you needed a licence to purchase alcohol. It wasn't that strictly enforced but you had to be careful not to get into trouble or they could throw the book at you. Particular times to be careful was during the holy month of Ramadan when the police were extra vigilant and looking for examples of westerners to parade in front of the media. Part of this strict control of booze meant that you could only purchase alcohol in certain places. In Ajman, a nearby Emirate, there was a shady warehouse in the dockland area with literally a hole in a wall. This place was actually the official place where you could purchase alcohol. You could purchase booze which they would give to you out through the hole in the wall in black plastic bags.
I had found the handbrake, we had the booze, we didn't have a tent but that was ok so it was time to go to meet the others at the campsite.
How do you get out of Ajman?
For some reason we got to the hole in the wall without much trouble. Maybe all roads in Ajman lead there, but we couldn't find the road out of this infernal city. To make matters worse the city was full of these ridiculous speed ramps and due to the heavy load in our car each time we got to one the guys had to get out of the car for us to make it over the ramp due to the low suspension in the small car. In the baking heat and with 4 frustrated guys this was quite an ordeal. We eventually got on the road and we saw a signpost for Fujairah, but alas I missed the turn.
Never mind we can just take the next right...
Top Travel Tip: If your ever driving in a desert and you miss a turn, stop, turn around and go back. There wasn't a right turn for about 80km. I had learned my lesson thought and it served me well on a later trip in Jordan.
Eventually we reached Ras Al Khaimah (another Emirate) where we were able to turn right. On the bright side this was my only trip in the 10 months to Ras Al Khaimah. There isn't a lot there to do and its quite a journey from Sharjah and Dubai.
I think it's this way....
Before GPS you had to follow maps and sign posts. Sometimes there would be disagreement especially when your in a country that is constantly under construction. We found a road which had a sign post that said Fujairah but the road was eerily quite for some reason.
The End of the Road
We came to the end of the road after about 20 minutes. The fully built dual carriage way stopped abruptly and there was a hill in the way which had not yet been removed. The road hadn't been finished and the last 10km or so to Fujairah was just a dirt track over the mountain. A great short cut if you had a 4x4, not a Toyota Echo. After the speed bumps and with 4 rather large guys in the small car I was afraid I wouldn't get my passport back if we risked it. We had to turn around and go the long route which added about another hour and a half to the journey.
I wasn't too popular, lets just say that decision not to go over the mountain pass wasn't unanimous.
Mounted Cannons and Humvees
In late 2003 the Iraq war was still fresh in many peoples minds. I was just after arriving in the UAE and I still was ignorant of where I was, what the people were like and all of that. As darkness fell on our trip we were now in a mountainous part of the UAE and we came upon a checkpoint with soldiers and Humvees like in the movies.
I was driving and I wasn't too scared but as I rolled down the window I realised we had a boot full of alcohol without a licence. I hoped they wouldn't search the car but even if they asked us to pop the trunk it was hidden under clothes and bags so they were unlikely to find it unless...
The officer that stopped us was polite and he asked me what we were doing, where we were going. I said Salam Alai Kum in my best attempt at the greeting which I had just read in my guide book. I told him we were going to Fujairah to go camping and that we were teachers. Everyone trusts teachers. I was expecting him to wave us on but ...
"Pop the Trunk"
The dreaded words, but I was still confident he wouldn't find the booze until I heard an expletive come out of one of my passengers mouths, "FXXK!". The Officer also heard this but he went back to the boot, looked in and I will never know if he waved us on because I had greeted him in Arabic, because we were teachers or if he was just being nice.
The Prize
We finally got to the camp site. They girls had made a fire and were preparing a barbque. We had Camel burgers for food and settled down for the evening drinking cans of beer overlooking the Gulf of Oman. I was so beautiful even in the dark.
Sparkling Pristine Waters
Probably not a good idea but after our day nothing else could go wrong so we went swimming in the water. I will never forget it. Everytime you moved in the water it lit up with plankton. It was mesmerising.
Sleeping under the Stars
After a great end to a trying day where we had gotten to 5 of the 7 Emirates, we settled down in sleeping bags under the beautiful crystal clear sky and stars to sleep. It was so hot the guys in the tents ended up sleeping outside too so we felt rather smug that we hadn't forked out for a tent.
Football in 50 Degrees
At he beginning of the trip when I arrived to Dubai Airport I met my housemate for the next 10 months for the first time, a Kerry man. No surprise he was linked into the GAA scene in Dubai before we arrived. I wasn't big into Irish football but there was also hurling (which was my sport) so I thought I would give it a try.
Before purchasing boots and kit I wanted to see what it would be like and sit out a training session. One August evening after work (and after sunset) we headed to an outdoor pitch in Dubai where the Dubai Celts trained. I sat in the stands during the session to see if I would like give it a go.
Unbearable Heat
At 10.30 at night, dressed in tshirt and shorts I was not expecting beads of sweat running down my legs. As the training session progressed, which I was only watching, the heat seemed to build. The heat and the fact that there was going to be very little hurling didn't deter me. It looked like fun, the people seemed nice so I decided to give it a go. On the way home we stopped at the City Center Shopping Mall to buy boots and gear for next weeks training session.
We had regular training and I don't think I was ever in better shape in my life. The players were lads and ladies from all over the world. Football was more popular as it was easier for people to pick up. I think hurling is something you have to be born into :) There were lots of South Africans, English, Kiwis and Irish.
Serious Training
It quickly became clear that these guys were serious. Our sessions were very professionally run by some former inter-county players. Added with the natural outdoor Sauna we got in great shape. Dubai Celts were miles ahead of the other teams in the UAE (i.e. Abu Dhabi). There were also teams in Oman, Bahrain and Saudi which travelled to play us from time to time but mostly the fitness, the comradery and the banter were the reasons for participating.
No Need to Warm up
Training was mainly at night but occasionally we had to play during the day. This was absolute madness. The games were shortened to 15 minutes a side but half an hour in the baking sun melted your brain.
Even at night sessions we would lose litres in perspiration. It was all a bit crazy but you became used to it after a while and we had great fun.
GAA and the Dubai Celts was as much a networking and social club as anything else.
GAA trip to Bahrain
This was a great experience. The whole of the Dubai Celts travelled to Bahrain for a weekend to play teams from elsewhere in the Middle East in a series, both football and hurling.
The Flight
The experience started on the plane over which was operated by Gulf Air. I had ordered dinner in the airport but for some reason it got really delayed and we ended up getting it in take away plates which we planned to eat on the plane.
Bangers and Mash
Little did I know that Gulf Air was quite a conservative choice of airline. The screens didn't show the altitude or aircraft speed but rather the distance to Mecca. Surrounded by Burka clad women I dug into my takeaway bangers and mash but I felt very uneasy for the short trip as I was acutely aware of the smell of the pork sausages emanating form my lap which was quite rude.
Oh Jesus never again
I wasn't much of a footballer so I wasn't expecting to be on the team. Hurling wasn't that popular so there would be only one game and that wouldn't be till Sunday so I thought I would be able to stay up late drinking on the Friday night. We had great fun and I got to know some very nice (but retired) expats until 5 in the morning over a bottle of Jameson.
To my shock and horror I was named on the squad to play Saudi Arabia the next morning. I was in no fit shape but the heat quickly sobered me up and I made an appearance in the Celts Colours in my first match in an International Series.
The Crazy Irish
We had a clean sweep in Bahrain, the ladies, the guys both football and hurling. We didn't get to do much sightseeing but we had a great party. It continued to the airport where our flight got delayed. No problem we found the bar and continued our party. The group from Dubai was a talented bunch, there were singers, musicians and dancers. Someone pulled out a tin whistle and we got a sing song going in the airport pub which we had to ourselves. In fact most of the people there sipping tea and the like actually left when we started sining.
We were in flying form after our wins. At one point a guy in full Disdasha stuck his head in the door to see what all the commotion was about. I will never forget his face.
Image Source https://www.photolamus.com/
Football Trip during Ramadan
During the holy month of Ramadan Muslims are required to fast from sunrise to sunset. Nothing must pass their lips.
As with most customs in the UAE I didn't get much of an appreciation of this custom. The local people can be quite extreme and your kept outside the loop. I didn't get a full understanding of this practice until later countries on my trip where I came to respect it and what it represented. I recognised that Ramadan is actually a joyous time in the Muslim world which culminates in the Eid al Fitr celebration. In the UAE all I remember of it is a trip we made during Ramadan with the Dubai Celts to Abu Dhabi to play a football match in the scorching heat. I scored a point in this match which I was happy about but the trip from Dubai to Abu Dhabi was quite an experience.
####Near Death Experience
We were driving in convoy on the motorway when a lorry in front decided to Shed its load on the Motorway. This type of event is typical in the UAE. There are no standards for anything. If something bad happens in a normal country those responsible would be sent to jail. In the UAE people just leave the country so there are little building standards, regulations, human rights conditions. I was a few cars back and I managed to swerve and avoid the corrugated roofing that littered the highway.
Time for a Smoke
After this shock one of the passengers in our car decided to light up a cigarette. We quickly got a phone call from one of the other cars who had some Dubai Celt veterans warning us to put out the cigarette. You cant smoke in public during Ramadan in the UAE. You might get away with it in Dubai but we were now in the more devout Abu Dhabi where you were liable to get arrested.
Sneaking a Drink of Water
We played the match but an added bonus of playing Football in 50 degree heat was that we had to hide behind a shed to drink water during Ramadan.
Altogether it was a rather eventful day, but we all made it back to Sharjah in one piece. I do rather regret that this was the only time I was in Abu Dhabi. I didn't get to see much of the City. On another road trip we did go to Al Ain which is a desert city in the emirate of Abu Dhabi but we never visited the capital again.
Weekends in Dubai
The address of our school and compound where we lived was Industrial Area 6. It was about as appealing as it sounds and little to do nearby. Sharjah is famous for a cricket stadium but none of us were much into cricket. It was a short trip to Dubai however were we spend most Friday nights. After a long week at school we would travel to one of the 5 star hotels in Bur Dubai or Deira to one of the all you can eat and drink buffets. They were amazing value and provided a great start to a night out on the town. The nights would regularly continue until the wee hours of the morning in the Pubs or Clubs in Dubai.
Slow Cooking Irish Man
One evening I realised that I was actually (me not food) cooking in my apartment.
I had ordered take away one Friday evening when the air conditioning in my house happened to be broken. When I opened the door for the delivery driver I was taken back by the look he gave me. A blast of hot air hit him when I opened the door. That is the moment when I realised, I was literally sitting in an oven, the walls were actually hot to the touch and I was slowly roasting like a slow cooked piece of beef. Luckily the air con was still working in my bedroom.
Meeting Oliver Cromwell's great great great .... Daddy
Sharjah has a much stricter Muslim ethos and laws than neighbouring liberal Dubai.
The UAE is a federal system made up of 7 Emirates. Each has its own laws and is ruled by its Emir. Sharjah, where I lived, was a dry state except for a small piece of land "The English Club" which was a private members club for expats living in the area.
When the British left in the 70s part of the condition was that this club would remain. As this club was near where we lived we spent many evenings there in the swimming pool or eating and drinking in the bar. There was one memorable evening when all the Irish teachers from our school were there celebrating and we got into conversation with an English guy out in the pool area. I don't know what this guy was hoping for, but to say to a bunch of Irish people that your great great great ... daddy was Oliver Cromwell is not going going to get a great response. He made no friends that night. Apart from that night we had many fun nights in the English Club in Sharjah.
The Irish Village
This is a pub and venue in Dubai on the Deira side of the creek. Many nights began or finished here but my second trip here was the funniest.
A few friends and I got a taxi to the place. We were new in the UAE and we didn't know exactly where the entrance was. We ended up getting out of the taxi about a block away form the main door which meant we had to walk in the August heat. By the time we got to the pub (literally two minutes later) one of our group was bathed in sweat to such an extent that when we entered the sanctuary of the wonderfully air conditioned pub people turned around and laughed. He had to buy a t-shirt in the gift shop and change, he was that bad.
The heat and humidity in the Summer time was unforgettable.
Where did the Scream Mask come from?
There were so many parties during the year. One that sticks out was Halloween in 2003. A friend from the GAA was throwing a big bash at their villa in the Jumairah Beach area of the city. The fact that Halloween that year fell during Ramadan meant everyone stocked up on booze well in advance to make sure we would not run out. The party was a blast. Everyone also made great shapes for the costumes.
How did I get home
Now this party was at least an hours drive from our compound in Sharjah. I left the party a bit early but the last thing I remember was noticing I had no money in my pocket...
The next morning I woke up in my apartment.
- The first thing I noticed besides my thumping headache was that the window was wide open.
In the UAE you live in an airconditioned bubble, you never leave the window open! - The Second thing was there was a Scream Mask on the floor of my room.
I didn't find out till much later the full story. I had left the party and two other teachers, who I didnt really know well, had seen me leave and was also heading home so we shared a taxi. I feel asleep on the way home, my house mate had come home some time later but he couldn't find his key so he knocked on my window. I was sound asleep so I didn't hear and the knocking turned into breaking the window open and jumping in through it losing his costume in the process. Mystery Solved.
My One Big Regret
I never got around to frying eggs on the pavement. For some reason I have always wanted to do this. I hope to get back some day and give this a try to see how they taste :)
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