Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Lost

I live in dubai (dxb).

If you're in the UAE, dxb is the most convenient state to live in. You won't ever need to get out of dxb (unless you wanna go off-roading or climb mountains or something.)

I don't usually venture out to other emirates (states) unless I really have to.

Yesterday, I was working later than usual. I left work around 9pm.
I was driving along just fine ( not concentrating on where I was going really, cos I take this route most days anyway ) when suddenly I found myself looking at a road sign with Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah written on it!
FYI- Ajman and Ras al Khaimah are two different emirates (states) of the UAE.

I have no idea how I got there.
Worse, I had no idea how to get back!

So I cruised around a bit, looking for the next exit. But the exit was for Dhaid ( a place I hadn't even heard of till then, and it sounded damn far off!) so I didn't want to take that. I kept going.

The lamp posts were all weird with intricate patterns on it and the road was empty.On my right there was this huuuuuge building, with a dome that was semi lit and looking all creepy-like.
I just wanted to get the hell out of there and back to more familiar landmarks.
But I didn't know how. The further I went, the further away I seemed to be going away from dxb.
I didn't know what to do. I was on the phone and decided to hang up and concentrate on where to go for a bit. But having no one to talk to creeped me out even more.
I finally saw a petrol pump and went in, asked them where the hell I was. Turned out I was in Sharjah(another state, right after dubai)! Had no idea Sharjah could ever be so empty!
I asked for a way to dxb and the guy gave me directions, but the roads were too unfamiliar and there were too many exits so I got nowhere.
The buildings were all palace-like, wiiiide and imposing, and very sinister-looking; the roads were not so brightly lit either.
There were no cars on the road and I felt like I was the only human being left in the whole world!
Creeped me out! I kept hitting the auto-lock button to ensure the car was locked.
I also felt incredibly small, the way I feel sometimes when I look at the full moon.
I finally did get back to dubai of course, although it took me more than an hour and sevaral phone calls and stops on the way to ensure I was going in the right direction.
Got home at 11pm.
But the incident was.. surreal- the buildings, the empty roads, how I got there in the first place...
Guess I should stop working so late.
And pay more attention and not assume that all roads lead to dxb!
:o)

6 comments:

D.W. said...

Hmm, your narrative raises some salient questions.
Perhaps, somewhere in the longer version of your tale is the explicit mention that you drive while talking on your cellphone? It's a proven factor in all manner of accidents, comparable to being DUI. Yeah, probably you shold cut it out, or travel in an armoured car. Driving _is_ hypnogogic (Heaven forbid you should drive in a sandstorm), true - try better tunes in the car perhaps.
In Sh'Allah,
D.W.

Anonymous said...

looks like u forgot to take the exit from emirates road which will ofcourse take you all the way to RAK through Sharjah and Ajman. And when u did take the exit, it was to the Shj Airport which if u had gone further will take u to Dhaid and then to Fujairah (another emirates. The huge palace like building which u saw is the American University of Sharjah (AUS). Sad that u dint think of someone who is in sharjah who promised you 24/7 road assistance.

AB said...

On retrospection, it sounds rather adventurous. But I am sure it was a nightmare. Big buildings and empty roads...not exactly very exciting...

Sonia said...

dw: duuuuude!

i didn't have an accident, i got lost. and i've driven in sand-storms and on foggy roads, never had an accident then.

anon: no poeace-ful sign off now eh? u're right of course, i even went into the airport and asked the cop there for directions.
i'll call u up next time i get lost in sharjah ok?

AB: it was rather na?! :)
i'm used to tall buildings,but these were just big and sinister looking,and with empty roads and all... it was really surreal-like yar. felt creeeeeeepy.

Anonymous said...

okie...
next time yeh...
fair deal...
peace :-)

dRoZzY!!! said...

lol... amazing description. i just felt the city. :)
well versed... amazingly simple yet interesting