Cover Mountain, Cover Sea

Have you ever heard of the famous phrase – ‘cover mountain, cover sea’? In Chinese it would sound like ‘bao shan bao hai’ (I want to write it in Chinese, but I can’t remember which ‘bao’ to use!) Anyway… that’s how it feels like to work as a warranty engineer towards the end of a project. Basically, I have to cover the mountain and the sea as well! I’ll have to tackle all problems – electrical, mechanical, C&I and even civil! Gosh… what an engineer! And probably the most challenging part of it is I have to do it blindly! Yup, with limited information, limited resources, limited time and basically a one-man-show and I have to somehow survive! Do the field work, do the planning, do the talking, do the paper works, handle the client, take care of admin stuff…. Everything under the sun! My only backups are a manager 400km away in Dubai (who’s also a cover mountain cover sea operative there who’s at his wit’s end) and my back-office thousands of miles away in Germany (who are only interested to drop by at the end for the last beer!).

At times, I feel really burnt out and tired. But when I look at it, well… this assignment has indeed given me a new perspective in work. It has taught me to be more resourceful, more thick-skinned, more innovative and maybe more cunning too! For years, I’ve been on the ‘client’ side. But now I’m in the shoes of an EPC contractor and learnt to see things differently. There’s a work to do, someone has to do it and I just have to manage it somehow. Okay, maybe I’m not that burnt out since I can still find time to write nonsense on my blog! My point is… there’s always a reason for whatever is happening and there’s a blessing in disguise. Work seems tough but through it I learn a whole new set of experience which may be useful later in life. So persevere I will and despite all the challenges, I have to admit somehow I’m enjoying it too. That’s after all the life of an engineer – always after new puzzles & challenges!

Weather Update: Again touched 41degC today – bloody hot! After that there was a mild sandstorm where the wind direction changed from southerly to northerly and the temperature is now much better!

UAE personalities

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Meet the President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi

H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahayan

(خليفة بن زايد بن سلطان آل نهيان)

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Meet the Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai

H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

(الشيخ محمد بن راشد آلمكتوم)

And probably the most important of them all, with pictures almost everywhere in UAE is H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan ( بن سلطان أل نهيان), the first President of the UAE.

In UAE, the President & Prime Minister are not elected. The President by tradition is held by the Ruler of Abu Dhabi and the Prime Minister's post by tradition goes to the Ruler of Dubai. Most of the ministers are members of the ruling families of the 7 emirates.

Of safety & security

UAE is probably one of the safest country in the world really! Violent crimes are almost unheard off in this part of the world. Although there are many South Asian laborers but the general feel here is still safe. Quite unlike where I have worked before - Johor Bahru! You also feel reassured as there are always police patrols around. Where I live, there is even a military checkpoint on the main road leading to the power station. And the army makes regular patrol around the area.

So there's no wonder that it created quite a commotion recently when robbers rammed into a shopping mall in Dubai and robbed a jewelry shop. The incident happened in Wafi Mall and golds and diamonds worth millions were carted away in just 1 min 45 secs (talk about efficiency). The police arrived within 3 mins - hmmm... how long would it normally take our Malaysian police to arrive at the scene? Dubai is a City of Gold. There is a Gold Souq in Deira where the amount of gold on display will definitely make any robber's mouth water! But yet, safe for this one serious incident, I've not heard of any serious crimes here. According to a recent statement, serious crimes like murder, kidnap, rape etc. amount to 0.5 to 1 for 100,000 people compared to the global average of 4 - 6.

Back home in Malaysia - we are not that fortunate huh? Everyday I read Thestar online, I see news reports of robbery, murder, rape, incest... Malaysia not such a safe haven as it used to be, sadly... Maybe there's something the law enforcers in Malaysia can learn from UAE - especially on how UAE disciplines its foreign labor workforce! We definitely need to do something about that in Malaysia!

Hot days ahead, it seems...

Five day forecast for Jebel Dhanna, United Arab Emirates
Saturday High: 38°C Low: 25°C
Sunday High: 38°C Low: 28°C
Monday High: 40°C Low: 28°C
Tuesday High: 40°C Low: 28°C
Wednesday High: 41°C Low: 27°C

I realize I tend to blog alot about the weather here in the U.A.E. - the fog, sandstorm and rising temperatures. But really, the only concern now is the weather because one thing is for sure - the mercury is heading up and I've never been one who enjoys heat and sun! Even in Malaysia, I've always hated the hot & humid weather. Here it can only be worse! The only good news is the sandstorm season seems to have stopped for now - but no idea for how long. It's hot here at the moment but at least humidity is bearable. I was told the worst months are July and August when the combination of 50degC and 100% humidity is a killer - you can hardly breathe outdoors!

Weekend finally

The mercury is inching up slowly. It was a max of 39degC today - did not quite reach the forecasted 40. Did not really feel that hot either - in fact I had felt hotter weather in Malaysia. Maybe because the humidity is pretty low (26%). I'll not be working the next 2 days. A rest before next week's war! Can't really go anywhere either coz my passport has been sent to Abu Dhabi for visa extension. So I'll just hang around in the camp tomorrow - go to the gym, take a walk down the jetty & perhaps read a book.

For those who are not aware, YTL is launching Starhill in Dubai soon! Check out the Gulf News report on this here. Starhill will have to compete with a whole bunch of shopping malls in Dubai - Mall of the Emirates, Ibn Battuta Mall, Festival City and the list goes on. Dubai has the most number of retail space in the whole of Middle East dwarfing any Arabian city. And it looks like YTL has announced that it has an appetite for power and water projects in the Middle East too! Good prospects since there is a boom in power & desalination projects in the U.A.E. especially in Dubai area. It seems that there is a shortage of power there and in fact they are buying power from Abu Dhabi. Maybe a blackout in Dubai soon? And apparently water is free for UAE citizens and there are huge discounts for electricity - only for UAE citizens. Therefore there is not much awareness on the need to conserve.

Tired, tired, tired

Ah... It was a tiring day today. Had a meeting from 10am which lasted till 3pm. So much things to discuss, long list of agenda, so much follow-up actions, so much correspondence to make... Meeting is a great way to get the latest status of issues but it could really be quite draining. And after this, there would be some major jobs going on. Needs lots of planning and coordination. The worst part is - I'm supposed to supervise these jobs but frankly I have no idea where to start and what to do! I have just to manage somehow with limited information & resources - hopefully everything will just fall in place. But this would probably be the most important job to finish up.... After that it's pretty much 'khalas' (finished in Arabic) and perhaps I can get back home to Malaysia. Gosh... I do miss home!

Some discussion is also ongoing about commercial settlements and making deals to close off some claims. This sounds great coz then I don't really have to carry out the work! Just hope that more of these can be done.

WEATHER UPDATE: Max of 38degC today. Expected to stay the same for the next few days! Don't really feel that hot though coz of the low humidity - 30+ %. At least some respite from 40degC.

Camel Hoax?

The biggest hoax in UAE!
Do you know that the camels in UAE aren't really camels? They are actually called dromedaries because they have only 1 hump. A camel has 2 humps! But to make things simpler, we simply call them "camels" as well... since it's much easier and they do look alike except for the humps.

Vital Information (Courtesy of a VT page)

• I have a single hump, which is a flesh mound not supported by bones. Everyone thinks I store water, but I actually store fat.
• I have long legs ending in 2 toes beneath which is a broad, callous & elastic pad, making it easy for me to navigate in deep sand.
• My lips are thickened to withstand the coarsest of desert plants. My diet in captivity includes hay & grains.
• Race camels are fed dates, alpha alpha sprouts, fresh greens, barley & their diet is supplemented with vitamin & mineral supplements.
• My eyes are heavily lashed for protection in sand storms & a 3rd eyelid acts as a windshield wiper, moving from side to side. A broad ridge of bone above my eyes serves as a sun visor.
• My nostrils are slit-like & can close to keep the sand from getting in.
• My coloration is fawn or beige & matches the environment.
• I have calluses on my knees & chest for sitting down on the hot sand.
• I can tolerate a rise in body temperature of 12 degrees!
• I am even able to drink salt water if I have too! Most animals perish when 20% of their body weight is lost, but I can survive a 40% loss of body weight.I can drink between 60-100 litres of water in a space of 15 minutes. On average I need only to be watered every 3-4 days. With this system, I can live up to 3 weeks without water, whilst loosing 33% of my weight. Under the same severe circumstances, a human being would loose 8% of his weight, but die within 36 hours...

Desert Safari

I did what everyone in UAE should try at least once - Desert Safari! It was really an enjoyable experience. Basically the main part of the safari is sand dune bashing. The driver will drive you in a 4WD out into the sand dunes and give you a terror ride as he goes up the dunes and bashes it! It's an experience not to be missed - and also not for the faint-hearted! This is the image taken from the 4WD as the driver bashes a dune! Heart-thumping indeed!

I also visited a camel farm. Camels are such mild-mannered and friendly animals. Really very cute and loveable. At sunset, we reached a Bedouin camp where I took a camel ride and took pictures of myself in a Arabic costume! Even tried henna-painting and had a sumptuous Arabic dinner. At the end of the day, everyone retreated for shisha smoking. Oh yeah... there was also belly-dancing!

It was a very enjoyable evening - something different!

WEATHER UPDATE: It has reached 41 degC today in Abu Dhabi! Bloody hot!

Something more about Dubai

Was very busy the past few days at work. But I’ve created some tips on visiting Dubai on my Virtual Tourist Page. Click here to get some tips on planning your trip to Dubai (دبي)! Will update & fine tune it later!

Dubai is the second largest emirate of the UAE. Situated about 150km north west of Abu Dhabi city, this is the financial and commercial capital of UAE. The pace of growth in the city is un-paralled – there is so much life and activity going on here. So much so, it has eclipsed the capital of UAE – Abu Dhabi. Once a sleepy hollow, this city has grown to become the New York of the Middle East! The Ruler of Dubai who is also the Prime Minister of UAE is Sheikh Mohammad Al-Maktoum. The Al-Maktoum family is a branch of the Bani Yas tribe and is the ruling family of this little emirate. Through the vision of Sheikh Rashid Al-Maktoum, Dubai has become one of the most successful stories!

But behind its success lies a myriad of problems – rising cost of living, high inflation, slow salary growth, abuse of worker’s rights, traffic congestion – all dampeners on the economic rise of this place. It is a city of hope to many but also a despair to many lower-income groups. The property explosion here is simply incredible with the skyline changing by the day. Some say the bubble is about to burst but others remain upbeat. Where will all these lead Dubai to? Only time will tell… But meanwhile, the city is living up to its slogan – City of Captivating Contrasts – old vs new, rich vs poor, hope vs despair and many more! If you are in the Middle East, Dubai is a place you should not miss! On behalf of UAE, I welcome you to Dubai! Marhaba!

Dubai - City of Captivating Contrasts

Visited Dubai during the Easter Sunday long weekend. My first impression as I traveled along the Sheikh Zayed Road from Abu Dhabi to Dubai was that Dubai is a city under construction. There must be hundreds of skyscrapers under construction with numerous highway and metro projects in progress. I was told that half of the world’s cranes are in Dubai. I’m not sure if that’s true but the skyline is really littered with cranes! The area around Jebel Ali, Jumeirah and Burj Dubai (soon-to-be tallest building in the world) is under massive construction work. There’s so much happening here!

I visited the Mall of the Emirates which is home to Ski Dubai – the place where you can do snow-skiing in the Middle East. I walked around Souk Madinat Jumeirah which is the Venice of Dubai with meandering waterways and bazaars. From there, I had a nice view of Burj al-Arab – the 7-star hotel. I took pictures at Jumeirah Mosque – supposedly the most beautiful mosque in Dubai. I even visited the Open Beach for a view of the Dubai skyline.

If Serangoon Rd is Singapore’s Little India and Leboh Ampang is KL’s Little India, Nasser Square is Dubai’s Big India. This shopping district is packed with Indians and Pakistanis on Friday night. This is the place to shop for cheap stuffs and counterfeit items too (thanks to some Chinese traders). There is also a Gold Souq here where your eyes will be blinded by the glittering golds and diamonds – reminder of the wealth of this place! Then there is the Mercato Mall which is an Italian-themed shopping mall.

The Old Dubai is separated by a waterway known as the Dubai Creek. The area to the east is known as Deira while that to the west is called Bur Dubai. I had a walk down the Dubai Creek which is a very nice place to take in the hustle and bustle of Old Dubai while watching people crossing the creek on Abras. The Bastakiya area is a nice heritage place with traditional Arabian courtyard homes and wind tunnels. The Dubai Museum is a must-visit too – you get to learn about life in Dubai before the discovery of oil. I also learnt how pearl diving was carried out in those days! Nearby there’s also a Textile Souq where you can shop for an endless variety of textiles. The most popular would be the Pashmina shawl. Then there is the Sheikh Saeed Al-Maktoum House – former residence of the Ruler. I also visited the Heritage Center which gives a glimpse of traditional Bedouin lifestyle. On the way I stumbled into a center which is promoting an understanding of Islam. I met the person-in-charge there who’s an Arab with a nice American-accent – appears to be a nice chap.

I was very happy with my Dubai trip. This is truly a city of captivating contrasts. A city of hope for many and despair too because of every-increasing cost of living. But it’s probably the best place to be in the Middle East. Would you want to know more and plan for a Dubai trip? Look out for my virtual tourist page on Dubai soon!

Of people and meeting them

Met a Vietnamese in camp who has been in the UAE for about 3 years. Quite a nice guy and he even offered to give me a lift to Dubai this weekend which is great! He was a refugee in Bangkok many years ago and he loves Thai food and culture. Lucky for him, he was able to move on to US and is now an American citizen. He’s like me now, finishing off warranty in one of the refineries nearby and basically alone in the job. So it’s quite nice to have someone to chat with after a day spent alone in the office.

I’ve been quite lucky so far. I’ve met some very nice people in the plant and in the camp. When you are overseas alone for such a long period, it’s very important to get to know people and help one another out. My two Iraqi and German colleagues (who just left yesterday) were very comical and cute people. Hikmet (Iraqi) is a very polite and soft-spoken person who is very serious about his work. It was always nice to chat with him about life in Dubai and his perspectives of what is going on in Iraq. Philipp (German – and yes there are two ‘p’ at the end) is always giving a smile that should be on the Visit Germany Year poster. He’s a nice and friendly person who oddly has spent some time doing apprenticeship in Madras before – I found it weird. And I will always remember it when he’s all mushy talking to his girlfriend on the phone in the office! Hahahah…. Ja, das ist meine schön warm Kollegen.

Somehow with an assortment of newly-found friends from different parts of the world makes me feel more at home and comfortable with the desert environment. At least, life is not so boring! By the way – today’s weather: blowing dust - not yet a sandstorm, nowhere near calm weather!

Can you survive without the internet?

In this modern era, you can’t live without internet. Due to some technical glitch, internet service was not available at work. Without that, I’m pretty much handicapped and there was little I could do at work until that is fixed. Anyway, I also had some cleaning up to do at the office. Cleared out some unwanted scraps, rearranged some papers and had some eye-to-eye discussion with the client. I had to remove the desert which has shifted into the office – aftermath of yesterday’s sandstorm. My Iraqi and German office mates are leaving site today, back to the comfort of their homes in Dubai and Berlin respectively. You can see here a picture of these 2 very cute colleagues of mine! There will still be another 2 colleagues (an Indonesian and a Filipino) who will be on-site for another 20 days. So, there’s still some company. The outage is over and there is a sense of peace and calm in the plant. Everyone deserved a good rest and is taking things slowly. For me, I’m looking forward to this weekend’s trip to Dubai - come sandstorm or hailstorm!

Learning to write my name

What’s new in the UAE? Another round of sandstorm after some peace for the past few days. Guess I’m getting used to it now and the rule is just to stay indoors. This weather condition affects the health of many people especially the old and young ones. One of my colleague’s 1-year old son was just admitted into hospital this morning because of breathing difficulties. He’s just rushed back to Sharjah to look after his child. This is the reality of life in such hostile weather conditions. Hope his son will get well soon.
Nothing much interesting today except I’ve learnt how to write my full name in Arabic:

کالفين تي تشو تو

Learning to write is one thing. But to type it out is difficult. My keyboard and computer goes crazy as I change from typing left > right to right > left. The cursor will just go crazy!
There was an article in the Gulf News on Malaysia entitled “Building Malaysia’s lab to promote economic reforms”. This made for interesting reading – it’s basically about the new incentives and exemptions for the Iskandar Development Region (IDR). Mainly it is about how Malaysia is using the IDR as a test bed for removal of various policies related to NEP like the bumiputra quotas and ownership policies. This is of course in reference to some recent incentives announced by Pak Lah. Perhaps this may signal further economic reforms on the national-level in the future. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen how successful IDR would turn out to be. It’s probably the best thing to happen to Johore – it further reaffirms its role as the Shenzhen of Singapore! And since I’m working in Johore, I look forward to the IDR to bring some vibrancy and life to JB.
I’ve been using the Internet a lot nowadays compared to when I’m back in Malaysia. Maybe because I have my laptop online throughout the day and the speed here is faster than back in my office in JB. Censorship is done big time in UAE. Flickr and Skype are banned. So are translations for Arabic pages. Anything sensitive is not accessible. Pornography is of course of out the question. And VOIP is not allowed in UAE. So you can’t even use the *120* roaming facility by Maxis and Redtone is out of the question! The only exception to these is the Dubai Free Zone where internet and VOIP are not regulated. Don’t you wish you are in Malaysia?

About cycling

This is me with my trusted bicycle. This is my usual mode of transport from camp to the plant. It is also very useful for moving within the huge power station complex. I've not cycled in years and I'm happy to have a bicycle here so I can exercise every day! Of course, the terrain is flat so there is not much effort to cycle unless if there's strong wind. Today I even cycled on the cliff overlooking the Persian Gulf. This is basically a desert cliff so one has to cycle carefully as thick sand will cause you to swerve! It's a nice sea view from here - very blue and clean ocean. I could see an island known as Sir Bani Yas which is now a restricted zone. It is some kind of wildlife sanctuary and apparently is a very beautiful island. Unfortunately, the government has barred anyone from entering it and nobody knows when this ban will be lifted.

Some facts about UAE

United Arab Emirates or Al-Imarat al-'Arabiyyah al-Muttahidah (الإمارات العربية المتحدة) is a country comprising seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Quwain. Formerly known as the Trucial States, the seven emirates decided to form a union in 1971 after the exit of British forces from the Middle East. Each of the emirate has its own ruler. The Ruler of Abu Dhabi is the President of UAE (Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan) while the Ruler of Dubai is the Prime Minister of UAE (Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum).

The population of the country is largely overwhelmed by foreigners. Only about 11% of the existing population are Emiratis. More than 50% of the population is now made up of South Asians, particulary Indians. The main thrust of the economy is of course oil in which Abu Dhabi is the main contributor. Abu Dhabi which is the largest of all the emirates in land size is also the richest with most of the country's oil mined in this emirate. Abu Dhabi is comparatively conservative and not as vibrant as Dubai. However, Dubai has very little oil resources and it has to diversify its economy in order to reach what it is now. One of the biggest concerns of residents in UAE now is the high inflation rate and rising cost of living. This is a result of extremely rapid economic growth in the past couple of years. It is extremely expensive to live in UAE with one-room apartment in Dubai fetching rents up to Dh5000 and a normal meal easily costing Dh20. It still remains to be seen how UAE will tackle such problems in order to maintain its phenomenal rise as an economic power.