Rantings Diversified

As I said in my earlier post I arrived in Dubai at about 2330 and finally got out of the terminal around 15 past midnight. I walked slowly down the long and wide corridor looking for Michele. I didn’t see her anywhere as I approached the front doors of the airport. I stopped and looked around and around at the sea of faces but to no avail, so I went outside only to encounter yet another sea of people waiting for other people. No Michele. I slowly walked about another 50 or so yards when to my left I saw her running towards me. She gave me a great big hug. We then made our way to the car park and to her car. It was very late and she was in a foul mood. I of course hadn’t slept in about 72 hours and had just gotten off the plane ride from hell.
We drive the 20 minutes to her flat. She admits to being in a bad mood and I try to lighten her mood. It didn’t work. I was not what one might call, on my game at this point. No biggie, I think. Everything will begin anew tomorrow. We arrive at her place and she quickly shows me around and goes to bed. So do I. I went out like a light bulb. Dawn breaks on Tuesday and I awaken around 0630. She had been up and off to work awhile ago. I get up shower and feel 1000 times better than I did the day before. I sit down to read the paper she thoughtfully left for me. Her cats and I became good friends quickly. Paper finished and I’m getting antsy just hanging around. We speak on the phone a few times briefly. Where is this? How do I find that? That kinda’ stuff. She had given me her spare key so I go out exploring.
Man, there is construction everywhere and I mean everywhere. This whole place is under construction. Right next door to her flat is a mall. Once it opened I went there and got a cheap cell phone and bought a bunch of minutes. Cool beans. One thing down. Now when I’m out and about we can keep in touch. I found a supermarket and bought a bottle of water for my exploring. I found an internet café and dropped off a few quick emails letting some friends know I arrived safely. It cost me 2 AED that’s about 60 cents American. It was about noon and I returned to her flat and started in on writing. I was banging away at the keyboard with her cats happily napping next me. Her cat Noor climbed into my suitcase curled up and just snoozed away.
(Editors Note: Warning here comes the sad, weepy part)
It was 1359, to be exact, when I noticed I missed a call on my new cell phone. Well I knew who it was. There is only one person who knows the number. I call Michele at work and she sounds upset. She tells me we have a problem and she booked me into a hotel. WTF! Well there must be a good reason for it I think to myself. Though not very happy I take all the information, pack all my stuff and head out. I’m really getting concerned now. Is it her crazy X-husband or what? She really sounded upset. Anyhow, I get to this hotel and get settled. I call to let her know I’m here. No answer at her work. Later in the evening I call her house. No answer. Now I’m really getting worried. Is she OK? What’s going on? I try her cell. Also no reply. By this time it’s late and I’m very concerned for her but what can I do? I go to sleep. I didn’t sleep very well but that’s how these things go.

It’s now Wednesday and I’m up around 0530. I txt her. No reply. Hey, it’s early. It was about this time I realized I hadn’t eaten anything since being on an airplane. That was the day before yesterday.
So it was about 0830 and I head over to the coffee shop next door armed with my laptop. You see they have free internet access for the price of a cuppa’.
Now the hotel I’m staying at charges for internet access. They want 300AED or $82 for access. I’m glad I didn’t because I checked the signal here in my room and its shite. I would have spent the whole time bitching and complaining about paying for non-access. So I have The Grind, a nice relaxed coffee shop.
Back to our story…. I get my tea and connect and check my email only to find that Michele sent me an email the day before telling me she was uncomfortable with me staying at her place and she realized we have nothing in common and at least now she knows we’ll never work out together.
Huh? Excuse me? What The Fuck? BAM!
Where did that come from and how did she come to that conclusion?
Fuck man! I just flew half way around the world to see her and I did, for about 40 minutes and I get blown off just like that?
I don’t know. People are funny.
(Editors Note: End of sad, weepy part)
So today I did some more exploring. I changed a bunch of my greenbacks for this monopoly money they use here and I walked all over the place. I even went to KLM and got my ticket changed so I’m not stuck here.
As I’ve taken cab rides around today, my first impression is where is everyone going? Traffic here is worse than in NYC, Central London or LA and it’s everywhere, not just confined to a city center but everywhere.
Tonight I’m just going to hang outside and read my book. In case you’re keeping score at home it is another book by Ross O’Carroll-Kelly. So I’m there, roysh, it’s like all educational and goys everywhere should like read it.

Thursday, I woke up around 0530 again but this time my right foot is really hurting me and bit swollen. It is the first sign of an impending attack of gout. Funny how stress effects the body. Well, fuck! Why couldn’t it wait until I got home. I have a bunch of walking to do over the next few days. I guess it was about 0800 I hobbled over to a pharmacy about a block away. I guess you don’t need a doctor’s prescription here because I explained to the pharmacist what was going on and what I would do for it at home and she gave me a packet of pills to take. Two sets of two today and then two a day for the rest of the week. She also gave me an NSAID pain killer. She pointed out to me that it is much more powerful than the Ibuprofen I would take at home, so follow directions, please. Yes, Maam’!
Breakfast at The Grind was slammin’ good as was the huge Thai salad I had yesterday. So now I’m off to the old Gold Souk to do some wandering around.
Jesus H. Key-ryest! I just got back from Deira and the Gold Souk. That place is crazed. I mean that in a good way. There were people everywhere and I got so lost just walking through all the little alleys lined with shops. Though the more I walked I realized that eventually I would come to a main street and would be able to find my way back to where the cabbie dropped me off.
Ya’ know hiking out in the woods is one of my favorite pastimes and I dislike cities but I had such a blast today I think I’m going to do it again.
I think my favorite part of the day was around 1300 when I bought a bottle of Dibba mineral water and sat down on a bench inside the Gold Souk and just did some people watching. Arabs, Sikhs, Pakastanis, Scots, Afghans, Brits, Aussies, Africans as well as Afrikaaners, Japanese, Russians, Germans, Indians. I could go on and on. Humans of every stripe were hustling and busting through this place. There were a few like myself who were kinda’ wandering and enjoying just being there.
I was going to buy a friend a present and mail it to her but even in that place the jewelry is ridiculously expensive but I have a better idea.
I had dinner at my hotel this evening. Would someone please remind me not to do that again!
Oh, by the way whatever Pharmacy lady gave my for my gout worked great. I guess it was around noon that I realized my foot didn’t hurt anymore and my one boot was loose…because the swelling was gone.
So after dinner I’m heading over to the Majestic Hotel, (they have a bar), and as I passed The Grind, Ronaldo, the daytime waiter comes running out, stops me and tells me he and Pauline are just off work and they’ll come with me. Cool beans! So I spent a wonderful evening hanging out with them at the Majestic. Pauline kept joking with me by asking if I would marry her so she could become an American citizen and move to the US. Ronaldo asked if I had any sisters. It was the first good craic I’ve had here and I bowed out against their protests about 2200 and came back to my hotel to lay down and sleep. That is what I’m doing right now.
So ends Episode 2 Post Landing Part 1. Stay tuned for Episode 2 Post Landing Part 2 and coming soon Episode 3 The Return
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