It’s the month of June, and time for the sun to come out from behind the clouds and grace us with brightness and warmth. As with everything, here also it’s a thin line between summer heat and dehydrating heat. And believe me, already this year, I have been through two spells where the heat was so bad it just tires you out completely. In the Middle East, obviously, we are in the middle of air conditioning, and so we never feel discomfited. Just that we might forget to drink water and keep ourselves hydrated. Here now there’s sunshine till 10PM, but when its so hot like 30 degrees, it is very difficult to walk. I know 30 degrees is nothing for people in Middle East, and believe me, even in India, and Middle East, I have easily managed mid thirties. However, the heat here is different, it saps the energy away. We need to keep ourselves always watered. I rely on beer. Normally from the first sip, beer tastes like beer. In this heat, the first glass goes down in one gulp, and maybe from the middle of the second glass, it feels like a bit of alcohol sipping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maybe, in order to reduce the heat, nature brings in balance in the form of thunder storms. And these thunder storms are very different from what I have seen before. Lightning seems so close you can almost smell the intensity and charge in the air. In fact, there were two thunderstorms, one Friday night and one Saturday night. Friday night was from 10 till maybe 2 am. It was like a wild orchestra. The strong rain lashing down, the bright close and regular flashes of electricity followed by the rumbling of thunder from above the heavens, and sometimes almost over my head all combine to create an eventful combination of sounds. I felt like watching a very tense movie, wondering what will happen next. Saturday morning I read that there were several fires due to lightning strikes, and trees toppled over and blocking rails and roads. In fact, the wooden fence between my house and my neighbhours, came crashing down. I hope it’s covered by insurance, will call them tomorrow and get working on it. The, Saturday night\/ Sunday morning it started at maybe 3 am, I recall checking my phone. But i think it was short in duration but equally majestic. My bed is very near the window, and the other side of the window is the vast sky, so the lights are especially bright for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, June is also the month of World Cup fever. And this time, Netherlands ha sa very strong team. It’s a soccer crazy country, and just to watch the matches, people pile into the stadiums here, where there are big TV screens. And obviously lots of beer. Netherlands won both the games and look good to proceed further in the rounds. Someone predicted NL to win the World Cup this time. As I write this, the match between Belgium and Iran is going on. Looks like a wild affair, from what I saw so far. USA and Mexico have advanced to the next rounds, making sure there is local support and hopefully full stadiums. Some of the Carribean countries like Curacao, Cape Verde are performing awesome. Goes on to show that World Cup is the venue where even smaller countries with passion, can show their skills. Compare that to countries with billions of population, who can’t even set up a team of 11 good players. Sports like Football, tennis, seem to be difficult for Indians due to some reason. Maybe stamina, maybe skills, maybe lack of good training and coaching from a young age. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Due to the war, my trips to Middle East was becoming less since Feb. However, I did spend two weeks recently in Riyadh, and spent the weekend in Dubai. It was a very busy time, due to some go live activities, and I didn’t find time to even meet friends. However much we see and talk to the contrary, war is difficult for any country, and in Middle East, it was clear that there was significant mpact. Starting from the reduced airline frequencies, to the sometimes eerily empty airports, it was visible. But Dubai is doing its best, and I am sure it will rise up again. Real estate prices are like nothing has happened, but there’s lot of distress sale, and overall prices have come down. It shows that liquidity with people is less, and lot of investments are running on loans which people find difficult to repay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As usual, my tenant hasn’t paid, and now it’s the third month. I gave him one month without complaints, since it was war. But after that I had to issue a court order to get the amount paid. But he’s unfazed. Last week he paid off around twenty percent of the rent and so I thought I will give one more week. I also have bills to pay, and Jos fees are all paid using Dubai card. Just when I was thinking my financial situation is getting better, this has come and hit. Well, we need to be able to handle it and move on. That’s the bad news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Good news is that Jo has finally finished her classes. She’s awaiting her results, but seems confident she will pass in all subjects. Better than how I felt when I was her age. She is now working on some visas, to travel to US for training, UK visa for job etc. God willing, all will come through and she will have a good start to her career. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I also need to get her an apartment to stay in. So far, it was in a small student’s room maybe 15 m2 to 20 m2 size. Now hopefully she will be able to rent out a proper apartment and have a room to herself. She’s trying to get another friend as well to share. An apartment comes to easily 2500 GBP in a good location in London. And if she takes by herself, she wont’ have anything left from her salary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I need to travel some time this year, to activate my Australian PR. I got a Global Talent Visa which I least expected, and I can stay there without sponsorship. It’s a good option to have, and especially for Jo, it gives choices when she might need. While shifting there permanently is not an easy decision right now, there is no need as well. It can continue on and on, as long as I visit once a year and keep the interest awake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As usual, in Dubai, I met my close friends. It was a very busy time, but I had to see them. The biggest challenge for me has been staying away from them for a long period of time. People with whom we spent lot of time together, and who are part of our lives, and who want the best for us – we need to keep close to us. And those who use us, and once we are of no use to them, discard us, well, I also have no use for them. Overall, I feel this is a period when life needs a reset. Now that Jo is settling down, it’s time for me to figure out my life as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Time has started calling shots on us. Two days back, my cousin suffered a stroke and is now in a coma. It seems to be serious. He was my childhood friend and we grew up together in the country side, but after we became adults, we kind of grew apart and went our own ways. I pray and hope he recovers, he’s younger than me and has a healthy life ahead, but all in God’s hands. We can only do our best and try to keep ourselves healthy, rest is not with us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recently, one of my friends in NL had some health complications. He already had couple of stents, and it seems that during one of his checks ups, some readings were not good. So doctors gave him a new medicine, and somehow his body didn’t agree with that. When i spoke to him before my Dubai trip, he was a bit down, though I tried to cheer him up. When I spoke to him after two weeks, he was remarkably transformed. He was always very cheerful and I felt really happy seeing him back to his old self again. He’s now back in Kerala for his one month annual Ayurvedic retreat. He’s a millionaire here, and a great example of how one can become rich through hard work and good decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Later this year, my friends are visiting Vietnam. Last year, my college friends visited, and I couldn’t join. This time it’s my school friends, and I hope I can join them. And possibly, from there, hop on to a flight to Australia to activate my PR. After Jo starts her job, I don’t know if she will get time off. Need to get her also to visit and get it started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While I was looking for a job three years back, I got a VP role is a good firm in Dubai. But I wanted a change from the Middle East, and its work culture, and hence joined my current company. I don’t regret it, though many people around me have constantly been reminding me of a golden opportunity I wasted. Well, recently I met another colleague in Dubai, who had joined the same company. And he said, I took the right decision by not joining there. As I always believe and have followed, when we do things only to grow and only to make money, after some time, we will realize it wasn’t the right step. If we take decisions looking at what we want to achieve in our future, then the rest will follow. I have always loved leading my team, achieving results together, stimulating their interest in aviation, helping them grow and teaching them whatever I know. In fact, if they grow more than me, I will be the happiest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of my close friends wants to check out a university for his daughter. So that’s something I will do over the next week or so. Netherlands boasts of a great number of esteemed and prestigious universities and the quality of education is very high. Fees are also reasonable I believe. He’s finding it difficult to get a visa and so asked for my help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This time when I was in Dubai, I tried Bengali food. I was able to have for two weekends in a row, and believe me, both times I went for a second helping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking of food, Jo has become a very good cook, touch wood. She mostly cooks her own food. She grills, bakes, and I believe her most common food is baked potatoes with some stuffing inside. My mother and her brother both were very good cooks, and I believe she’s got that talent possibly. I dont’ cook much but when I cook, i can also make it tasty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the weather goes on like this, I am thinking about buying a fan or something like that. It’s too tiring and exhausting. Recently a friend in Australia gave me 5000 AUD to invest. It comes to around 10000 AED, and I put it in Palantyr. its now down by 275 USD (500 AUD?). The agreement is that in six months it will grow, so lets see. I didn’t go for SpaceX, I believe it will come down sharply. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A friend of mine is visiting Dubai from USA. It’s been years since I saw him, and he’s asked me to come. I need to plan it, since it also takes a bit of money. However, hotels in Dubai are now so affordable that what used to cost 900 AED a night, is now 200 AED a night. If my tenant would pay the rent on time, I would be able to spend money on such things which don’t seem important, but are opportunities. At this stage, we should grab any opportunity with both hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Belgium gets a red card. Iran is putting up a spirited show, but the lack of finish is showing through. Defence is good, they are throwing themselves in the path of the ball. This time, at least two matches daily are at times convenient for Europe. At 7 PM and 10 PM here on most days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kerala got a new Chief Minister who seems very learned and well educated, and decisive in his policies. He has been quoting Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Orhan Pamuk and Kurosawa in his speeches. The previous CM used to quote Lenin and Marx. A welcome change in this modern society. But the state doesn’t have much money, and will be interesting to see how he brings in money into the coffers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A rambling update. More to follow. Till then, chew on this (no AI \ud83d\ude42 ):<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Summer heat sizzles the mind, drenches me in sweat wakes me up in the middle of the night, the dark dreamless night my mind races….thoughts swirling memories surfacing of unborn thoughts and lost moments of sweet melodies and sad tunes The night moves past slow and restless till I drop again into the deep abyss<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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