I returned from a trip to the UAE for a 3 day R&R. It was an awesome time, but I might not go so soon next time. We arrived in Dubai around 9 am. After getting through customs, which was another bag scanner and a stamp from the customs guys giving us 30 day visa, we headed to the duty free. I dont know if you have ever been to a dry country, or county for that matter, but seeing the things you love after being restriced from them is awesome. I think it might be the same as a blind person getting their vision back. Its like all the things you have put up with for the last little while have all been worth it. Until the next morning of course. We all bought (BTW It was Jeff, Ryan and I on this trip) a bottle of liquor a piece, jeff and Ryan both bought beer and I picked up a carton of smokes. Not that I smoke that often anymore, but $16.00 and being overly-happy made that decision for me. We headed out into the big yonder that is is Dubai.
I have been to Dubai 6 times previously and what little I remember of it, I always had a great time. The fact of the matter is every other time I have been there, the US Navy told me when and where I could go for the most part. So having total freedom is kind of like letting a wild animal out of a cage. It takes a while for them to realize they can run and they are always a little perplexed on why they now have this freedom. Pretty good comparison if I do say so my self! So we get a cab. First guy tells us AED 150. Fuck that. If there is one thing I always do its research before I go somewhere. I know the going rate for a cab to our hotel on the beach (22miles) is about AED 80. or $22 USD. So we find a new cab and head out.
Pulling up to the hotel was something I wont forget. Guys in white gloves opening the cab door. I felt bad we didnt rent a limo for a 5 star resort on the beach, but then again who cares, we are American, so by default people think we are rich anyway. Prior to leaving I became a member of the Hilton HHonors program. Free to sign up with an email address and a reservation, so I thought why not. Turns out this got us an upgrade to an executive room for and extra $30 a night and free breakfast along with the best service I have ever recieved in my life. Special check in desk for the HHonors program. We were about 4 hrs early for check in time so we dropped our booze and luggage off with the conceirge and headed to our reservation at the worlds tallest building.
We arrived at the Burj Dubai with 40 min before our reservation time. Good thing. We were on the COMPLETE opposite side of where the tours were. After walking around the building in 120F heat with 100% humidity and being soaked in sweat we made it inside the Dubai Mall. We went through the check-in process for the tour and headed towards the elevators. Oh yeah, forgot a very important part of the story. So we had a half an hour before we needed to leave the hotel after dropping our stuff off, so we went to the bar on the beach for a much needed drink. Guess who landed on the only Muslim holiday in the month of July. WE DID! No booze was being served ANYWHERE before sundown. Fuck I am REALLY REALLY begining to hate this religion more and more. So back to the tour...
We arrived at the elevators with fancy rope like an exclusive disney ride about 1245 or so. Climbed into the elevator and the doors shot closed. The first thing I noticed is there were only 4 buttons on the elevator. Lobby, Floor 124, Alarm, and a fire helmet. I can only assume the fire helmet button made fire helmets pop up for the Halloween season. The nice elevator guy pressed the 124th button. Inside the elevator was Dark. When I say dark, the kind of dark that should only be reserved for a bad strip club or a good dive bar. TVs were behind the black glass. They gave a picture only rendition of the history of Dubai. Guy in the desert with a Falcon, some buildings and camels(kinda like a scene from Aladdin.), and the building of the tower. Apparently to the Dubinees(or whatever they're called) falcons, camels, and that specific tower are the only important things that have happened in the city's history. Various colored small arrows give you the feeling you are going up. Besides the ear popping I had no idea we were even moving. Doors open...
We walked out, through the rovolving door onto the overlook. I noticed it was much cooler with a decent breeze. The view was incredible. One could probably see about a mile or so out due to the haze. I looked up to see how much more there was to the building. I knew from the information pasted throughout the hallway to the elevator that there were more than 200 stories and we were on 124. No roof to the observation deck. Great, I thought to myself, Hope someone doesnt throw a penny from the top, I might be killed instantly. I didnt have a no have I ever had a good grip on my vertigo problem. I had to hold onto the railing and a pole that supported the structure to look down. Fuck me running, we were WAYYYY up there. Plenty of pictures and about 20 min go by. We are still walking around getting our $30 bucks worth. My buddy Jeff, while in Kuwait, got a tattoo. First off tattoos are against the law in this country. Second of all, he got a tattoo of Arabic writing on his calf. Wouldnt be too bad if he was wearing pants. The tattoo says In Shalla. Which translates to Gods will. The motto of Kuwait. Meaning it will happen when Allah is ready for it to happen. Cool tatto if you ask me. However, the Muslim population espically the die-hards hate it. They seem to think it offends their Religion. But then again just being from America offends them so to see an American with this on his calf in public sets a lot of them off. Needless to say we made a hasty exit after the angry Arabic noise and pointing. We were off back to the hotel.
The rest of the day included getting hammered on Duty Free shop booze in our room and swimming in the pool some. Jeff and I decided about 10 pm we were both tired and were ready for bed. Ryan wanted nothing to do with it. He layed in bed about 20 min before he said he was bored and was going downstairs for a while. Now let me explain the state Ry-dog was in. Incomprehensible speech, staggared gait, basically all the tell-tale signs of a drunk in public arrest. I passed out and Jeff did the same. RING RING RING. I pick up the phone in my drunken sleep. "Sir, you colleage is trying to get in the door, you need to let him in" a barely english speaking voice said. I hang up the phone and take a glance at the clock. 3:23 am. WTF?!?!? This dude has been out this long and made it back? I get up and head to the door. Have you ever seen a toddler that just got caught doing something he isnt supposed to be doing on the floor. The look they have when they look up. That, and the ENTIRE contents of Ryans wallet is what beholded me on the other side of that door. I picked the wallet stuff up and herded Ryan to his bed. About 40 min later I hear vomiting and spitting. "Dude, you ok?" I hear Jeff say from the other side of the room. More spitting..."Ryan stop spitting and go to the bathroom." Jeff shouts to drunky Mcdrunketon. "Fuck I thought to myself. That carpets trashed and the whole room is going to smell like puke in the morning. Ryan was up another time that night doing a HELL of an ab workout dry heaving into the toilet. It wasnt until the morning that Jeff and I figured out what had happened. Ryan put a chew in before he climbed in bed and passed out with it in. Yellow vomit and Copenhagen was all over the BLEACH WHITE DOWN COMFORTER. Shit. Thats gross and not going to be cheap to replace.
It took until noon to rise Ryan up and give him my patented hangover cure. He finally felt better and we headed to the water park. 5 hrs there and avoiding a fight with some Muslim punks over that tattoo concluded our day out and we headed back to the hotel. More drinking and some bar hopping. The demise of my sandles that Jeff was wearing and it was time to head to bed to get up early for the airport.
When we got back I had to get a new 90 day visa for the Kuwait customs to let me through, but we made it back to the apartments. My roommate was sent home for health reasons and I spent the remainder of the day cleaning up the month of mess he has made. His bathroom reaks of urine so bad that I have to keep the door closed so it doesnt stink up the whole place. Nasty dude. Feel sorry for his wife. I cant imagine what kind of state his house back home is in most of the time. After getting a little pee pee slap for leaving the country before I had residency, which the same dude is the one who signed off my request, life returned to normal. 48 on 48 off for now. Wondering whats going to happen with so many people going on vacation back home in the next two months is going to affect my days off. Oh well, nothing I can do about it right?
By now you might be wondering what the rethinking part of this blog is. Me too. In the last 48 hrs I have been thinking. What the hell am I doing here. Yeah the money is better than back home, but at what cost. I'm not getting any younger. I want a family eventually, but that takes building a relationship, marriage, kids. I dont know why I am avoiding it. Sometimes I think I am incapable of staying in one place for too long. I'm a homeowner now and I dont even live in it. I am making payments on a car I cant drive. Am I so screwed up that I can cope with the life that most people live everyday for their whole lives? Being in the middle east is the only thing that makes me feel safe. How fucked up is that? The only thing I know is the military and being away from home. When I am home all I want to do is leave, and when I'm gone all I want is to be home. It doesnt make any sense at all. Are there even people that know what I mean? Is there a counsler for re-entry and being happy with what you have? I am begining to regret this decision, but knowing deep down that being home working as a medic will make me miserable. $13.10 an hr is the most I could make. Running Granny from the nursing home to the hospital 24 hrs doesnt exactly want to make me pack my bags. What to do, What to do. Afghanistan is hiring. For a LOT of money. But am I well enough to handle that. I know I can endure, I always have. But at what cost? I know that I have changed and I will never be the same. How much more change will I go through taking that job. Granted I would be able to work part time and go to school. House and car paid off before I'm 30. Probably back on the crazy pills though. I just got off them. Maybe thats the problem. I know what your thinking, Talk to someone. Nope. Wont do it. Dont have it in me. Burying feelings is what I do best and what I know works...The decision is a tough one and something that I know eventually will all make sense. The time here is going to slow and its getting to me. Its the only explanation.
