The Backpacker

It is finally out.

For You is my first ever published book, a dedication to a friend, a belief, a purpose, a dream, a desire, a destination. It wouldnt have been possible without the moral support of that friend, a fellow being who means everything beautiful in this world to me.

Today, if I am free or riding on the wings of praises, it is all thanks to that one person. I dont know how to say this, I shall make no pretence, but there is only one word I would like to say.

Thank You 

Now, there are two extreme emotions a dhow cruise brings out in me.

One: Extreme boredom.

Two: Extreme boredom.

For someone accustomed to dancing on rocks, a slow, lazy, leisurley, uneventful, unadventurous movement on a dhow fitted with extreme modern fittings and uniformed crew is hardly an incentive to feel excited. Instead all these contrieve to make an active mind dull...

And be aware that the dhow averages a speed of half kilometer per hour. Obviously you cant expect more speed. It does not toss or turn from side to side...I wished many times it would do so...just so that the delicate long stemmed glasses would crash and create some diversion. But the good, two-decked dhow slowly plodded the waters on its tired, uninspiring journey from one end of the Dubai Creek to the Gharhoud Bridge and back with equal dislike for speed. In the three hour 'journey', I have but felt inclined to jump off into the dark waters below, for not less than ten million times. But the best I could do was tear away the plastic sheet and lean over the sides (sheets to keep the winds out) as far as I could, only to be called in by a uniformed lady paid to look after the welfare of her guests!

I strongly suspect that the movement of the dhow was deliberately cut down so as not to harm the glasses. In fact the well being of the glasses were the chief concern, and NOT, I repeat, NOT the general health of the passengers who are bordering on "death due to boredom"...so long as the glasses are safe!

The much needed excitement (pun intended of course) came in the form of a magician. Well, magicians are quite silly, at least this one was...we caught him out also. He was pretending to produce a coin from an empty box which came up from time to time, opening in different places and showing plastic skeletons! I dont know how his antics managed to evoke some merriment from the large group of Germans on board, but I felt that pulling of his false mustaches would have been a lot better than producing coins from a box.

....Well, anything to spend the hours.

While we were thus whiling away time, excitement happened outside. Cargo ships went past with a bunch of rougish crew on board, boxes piled in unholy heaps, sounds of laughter cut across the water accompanied by off key drum beats...   

I could have gladly traded places.

I cant, for the life of me, understand how a Dhow cruise could be of any source of enjoyment to anyone except for those who have plenty of time to spend doing nothing or fancying themselves in the role of Leonardo and Kate in Titanic, albiet on a smaller scale...but heck, Titanic did throw up some excitement in the end. 

It had the good sense to drown...

I do wish that from time there was a "dhow accident" from time to time to keep the blood flowing. At least we could then be fished out from the waters of the creek, shiver, scream, shout...and break long stemmed glasses. Anything to stop the blood from freezing