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Bahawash Kids

December 10, 2010 in Middle East, Moments, People, Quotes, Travel, TRM Dec 10 by Zain

I’m trying to remember which year was it, or which trip specifically, that drew me towards kids. Be it observation, pictorial or engagement. Above is a picture with me and four cousins I had never met prior. One on level, children across lands, know little of colour, belief, background, language, but probably appreciate humanity more than their larger counterparts. To quote someone’s comment on this picture:

by the way that pic of you with the kiddos IS SO DAMN CUTE! to quote one website that i randomly read, it’s the sort that makes women’s ovaries hurt. LOL!!!

- http://zainhd.com/2010/12/bahawash-kids/

 

No ETA

December 4, 2010 in Middle East, Travel, TRM Dec 10 by Zain

Below are updates as of the moment I landed Dubai. We are now in Abu Dhabi Airport. The flight was meant to depart at 1pm, but it was postponed to 5pm so we stayed on in an extended relative’s house, resting there. Before we left for the airport, the flight had changed from instead of going to Seiyun, our destination, the plane will go to Mukalla instead.

When we got to the airport at 4pm, we found out that the flight departs at 6pm instead and now in the departure hall, it indicates that the flight is going via Sana’a. We’re not certain of this, but have agreed to a humourous consensus to not try to find out.

Abu Dhabi,10am.Arrived Dubai 3am.Restng in extended relative hse.Flyng 2 Seiyun(Yemen) ltr.Flight delayed 4hrs.Go Yemenia Air.Taxi murabbal!

Father narrating a story of his ’96 Yemen trip.He & 3 others changed their flights.Airline put 4 diff departure times 4 d SAME flight…. ..whn he(who also workd in an airline) askd wht time does d plane actually depart?Officer replied, ‘it will,whn it will.Wht is ur problem?!’

Ltr at airport(w/c ws literlly a metal container),his cousin board d flight(tht made 2 adhoc stops btw)w/ an AK47 in hand(magazine removd).. ..ok am going 2 nap now.Jst read book,apprntly Prophet Noah’s grt grt granson is Prophet Hud,whose tomb is where we’ll b at 4 Awal Muharram.

Pre-Launch

December 4, 2010 in Middle East, Travel, TRM Dec 10 by Zain | No comments

I am now in Abu Dhabi Airport. For my records and convenience, I will compile all tweets/FB updates into a blog post here. Below are all from prior to my flight departure.

Where can I find Tim Mackintosh-Smith (travel) books? Borders? MPH? Times? Mana lagi?

Yemen.Fri night.Jst finishd handover briefing w/ d team for 1 client.Will do anothr 4 the nxt 1 ltr when our on-ground man comes to office.

Jst fin 2nd handover mtg of today in prep b4 my trip.Talked a lot.Xhaustd throat.Bt gd stuff.Drawing out d strat plan was mentally arousing.

Bot book @ Kino. Rec. by @skinnylatte &1other.FYI,my add. will be 15,Yemen Road,Yemen. http://twitpic.com/3c551u

Keep forgetting. For record. kl-dubai-abu dhabi-seiyun-tareem-sana’a-aden-sana’a-doha-kl.

Mark start reading date of ‘Yemen:The Unknown Arabia’ by Tim Mackintosh-Smith.

Last minute plan to lunch in KLCC shortly to spend time w/ relatives fr out of town who r in KL for a reunion tht I’ll be missing.

Cousin said last time whn it ws a flourishing port ppl in Aden (Yemen)said ‘look at Jeddah,theyv nothng.Live like bedoiuns.’ Nw its reverse.

Otw airport for Yemen trip. Last travelled w/ father in 08. When he saw me jst nw, he went ‘you going like this?’

Father jst called his uncle2ask blessing 4 our trip&mentioned I’m going too.Granuncle asked, ‘has he cut his hair? (Yes) K.Find him a wife.’

Hamza Yusuf has been quoted saying,if theres a place in d world where ppl lived,behaved like d knowledge of Imam Ghazali,its Tareem(Yemen). …W/c is where I’ll be at mostly for this trip.

Some ppl who saw us r wondering why r these 3 well dressed matured men old enough 2 b grandfathrs travelling w/ a semi homeless lookng Zain.

Father: ‘U kno wht they like there,sweets.The kids LOVE it.They go crazy.Go buy.’ I said, ‘Im nt sure if Im keen 2 c kids in such behavior.’

Found this book at home earlier.W/ me nw.Got it when I was in Jeddah for 4 weeks in 2002. V useful. http://twitpic.com/3cifdu

Here r the 3 men Im travellng w/. & Im in jeans,flipflop,bolivian belt hanging abt,unbuttoned shirt. http://twitpic.com/3cigxn

Mapping South America

October 17, 2010 in South America, Travel by Zain

These two, came to me to seek input on their upcoming trip to South America. A large chunk of my enthusiasm to help them, had less to do with how (un)well I know the region, and more to do with the excitement of discussing, proper planning an overview of a trip. This same map was on:

  • Shereen’s mom’s dining table at her open house in 2008, the night Hadi introduced me to Shakhira,
  • my bathroom door for months before my first South America trip in 2008,
  • Shakhira’s kitchen table in Buenos Aires where her husband Hugo sat down with me and for the first time me having  a good look at it and understanding its geographical and physical landscape,
  • the ground at a park in Villazon (Bolivia, bordering La Quiaca Argentina) with four new friends I made and travelled with to La Paz, and
  • loan to one other person who’s postponed her plans there.

Maps are both sentimental and exhilarating.

- http://zainhd.com/2010/10/mapping-south-america/

Injured Man on Boat Expedition is Recovering

September 24, 2010 in DDMV, Travel by Zain | No comments

Just to update to those of you who were following what was happening on the recent boat expedition I was on, and the unfortunate incident that took place involving one man on deck that cause his thumb to be dismembered, I received a message from him last night and he is fine. Below is a picture of the Singapore Police Coast Guard assisting us on deck.

What happened was, while we were anchoring the boat to wait for Immigration clearance in Singapore waters as we were leaving for Malaysia, the d-shackle (see image above) that connects the chain of the anchor and a long rope had hit his thumb, causing the front section to be dismembered almost entirely, left connected only a small piece of string.

That same evening Changi General Hospital performed a surgery, which was not entirely straightforward as there was a bone fracture and a deep cut involved, and he recuperated in Singapore while the boat went on to an unplanned stop – Johor Baru (where I disembarked), and then Port Dickson and now another unplanned stop in Port Klang.

The well on the road to recovery man is also in KL and tomorrow morning he is paying the boat and visit. I am uncertain as to whether he will join in to continue the journey to Langkawi with a stopover in Penang. Let’s hope for the best and thank you all for your concern.

– http://zainhd.com/2010/09/injured-man-on-boat-expedition-is-recovering/

Infant Seaman Zain Back Home

September 21, 2010 in DDMV, Self, Travel by Zain

Back now in KL. Above is me on the first day at sea somewhere off the coast of Pahang heading south, falling asleep while trying to recover when I was experiencing borderline motion sickness due to choppy waters. I was standing up at first on the side of the boat, looking to the sky as a way of remedy. Then too tired I sat down, and eventually dozed off for quite sometime in that position.

I disembarked the Duyong Dervish Maiden Voyage trip in Danga Bay Johor Baru to be back in town, earlier than expected. The unexpected departure came due to the recent scheduling of one business meeting, and by the time it was six hours before I would reach home, four other meetings have been set promptly upon my return. The blessing and curse of technology in communication.

I am going at it at length in part, due to disappointment for not being able to be on the boat until Penang, but in part due to gratitude as I’ve been edging to at least some semi exciting work, an outlet in short.

The expedition started with nine men on board and now that there’s six remaining. Besides me, a hitch-hiker left us in Johor, and another crew member had an accident on deck, forcing him to discontinue the journey. It was very unpleasant witnessing a man in pain like that but he is well now and recuperating.

Anyway, below is a photo of the people left on board, including me, excluding my nephew who was asleep at the time this was taken. I hope they make it to Port Dickson, Penang and finally Langkawi in the best of conditions. Bon viaje. :)

- http://zainhd.com/2010/09/infant-seaman-back-home/

Duyong Dervish Departs at Dawn

September 15, 2010 in DDMV, Travel by Zain | 1 comment

In reference to the previous post, the boat is set to leave at dawn, on Wednesday 15 September. We left the jetty at about 8.45pm today, Wednesday (see pic above), to another jetty nearby to stock up on non-drinking water and complete the boat with life jackets. We leave this jetty at dawn for Pulau Kapas to pick-up someone and then to Tioman which should take one day and night to get there. Meanwhile, the delay has somewhat made me edgy as I have neither been writing (not something I do often anyway) nor have I been doing work. In essence, an outlet. Ironically I did receive an email that demanded me of that, except it might mean me cutting this trip short by disembarking in Singapore and catching the bus back to KL for a meeting.

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As we completed loading the boat and doing other preparations, to my surprise, one of the guys involved in this expedition, a fifty something hippie with decades of experience on boats, organised a bon voyage Islamic prayer, which was performed on roof, due to the lack of space on deck, which made this still a small ceremony all the more close to heart.

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A closing note, assuming that indeed I’ve never had Nasi Dagang in my life as I have no memory of it, today at tea time was my first, and my second was my next meal after that, on the roof of the boat.

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Finishing two bowls of leftovers. What a splendid meal. Alhamdulillah.

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Refurbishing Kuala Terengganu

September 14, 2010 in Travel by Zain | No comments

I am now in Kuala Terengganu. I flew from Singapore to KT on Saturday 11 September (2nd day of Raya). I am here to join a maiden voyage of a recently massively refurbished boat from here, to Penang via stopovers in Tioman, Singapore and Port Dickson. The boat was meant to depart on Sunday 12 September but for reasons I won’t explain now, it has been delayed and the earliest we’ll leave, I imagine is tomorrow night (Tuesday 14 September). On this expedition is my brother-in-law (Captain), sister (Admiral), their almost two year old son and about 10 others. I have never done a trip of this nature and look forward to it. So far, I’ve been enjoying myself since I’ve gotten here. Bon viaje.

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End of Closing Ceremony, Back in KL

August 6, 2010 in Art, ATWJJ10, Self, Travel by Zain | 1 comment

Today marks a week since I’ve been back. The last day of travelling are always peculiar. A closing ceremony, making it nostalgic, peculiar. Similarly when:

  • you leave your home right when going on a trip,
  • the flight home, and
  • the all too familiar sightings from the moment the home ground is visible from the plane,
  • to the moment you go through your home airport and to opening the door of your home.

I’ve noticed, it all ends, when you start unpacking. The above photograph, ends that extended moment with a loud silent full stop.

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NYC Mayor Defends Ground Zero Islamic Centre

August 5, 2010 in Change, Ideas, Knowledge, Politics & Governments, Travel by Zain | No comments

The photo above, is a Christian church in West 4, Manhattan. On the ground floor of that same building, obscurely, is a mosque and Islamic centre, where I had the chance to do Juma’a prayers there just two weeks ago. The same time New Yorkers were debating the issue of the construction.

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Watch the video (click here to watch extended version) in this post, of the defense against the opposition of the building of the Islamic Mosque and Cultural Centre, and the support for it, by the mayor of New York city, as well as leaders of other religions.

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I understand that there are some who might be comfortable with either of the two cases above, but keep in mind a few important concepts living and life. Justice. Respect. Society.

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