Friday, June 6, 2008

What did I do in last 1080 hrs ?

Dubai

Life @ home with family is awesome. After being away from home for 6 yrs because of educational confinement, it came as real relief. I'm growing fine on ice-creams, non-Vegetarian, chocolates and juices.

Job
I started with my new job, 1.5 months ago which is going fine with no need 2 mention about lot of ups and downs. The sales profile embarked on me makes the situation although more tough. Initially @ job everything seemed new and refreshing, happening for the first time... Quite exciting!!! After a point, once the bosses start watching your back 2 check on your performance and targets, matters change so rapid than i have expected. Need to make a lot of cold calls and arrange numerous meetings to convince prospects sell the most unsought good, insurance - :). After finishing a month @ job, I clearly realised that you get paid real well, because you have 2 accept rejections... Believe me; the toughest part of the whole job is accepting with smile whatever the prospect says: A straight-from-the-shoulder NO, harsh comments or sweet lies on face/over phone.

In this process I am finally able 2 close 1 sale 3 weeks before... That taste of success and happiness has no words; but all this came only after having met almost 40+ people and regular follow-ups. The fact that this seems to be the trend across the board among the new joinees is a welcome relief. Looking at the brighter side, in this process I met lot of business minds, bank managers, trade firm executives, doctors (psychiatrists), CEOs, aaam admi, and a guy who sells missile shells. I want to thank every one of those whom I met @ my job, who helped me pick some pearls of wisdom at their talk.

Last 2 weeks "off-office" was a great fun. As my bro was here, we planned a lot of outing. But unluckily not all plans got executed.

Cruise trip...

2 hrs BON VOYAGE through the creek side on the cruise named DANAT DUBAI, generally after 8pm, prices range from 100 -300AED
Intercontinental buffet but still unexpectedly beef jyada tha... Most exciting part of the whole dinner is desserts. They tasted so yummy; i really didn’t care about what they are called - :) You can choose to sit inside the ship or on the open top; still what good is it if u can’t enjoy the picturesque beauty of the Dubai creek side.

They are playing light classical music sung by XYZ singer, of which I could recognise a few good eng ones : Border line of Madonna, Country road by John Denver, Moi Lolita of Alizee, Noone of Alicia keys; Many Arabic numbers were also played, though couldn’t make much sense sounded more like seducers.

http://picasaweb.google.com/msiddartha/CruiseTrip

Ski-Dubai trip

It was simply an awesome exp.... The total place is maintained at -5C, filled with different statues in human and animal forms made out of ice; Snow filled trees reminded me of some western movies and Christmas... In the middle of a desert which is at 45C, they are able to create a place which is like Himalayan with sole motto of fun! Who says money can’t get u everything - :)

Actually there are more children than adults. Skiing is also allowed but i couldn’t dare as it is real steep and is only for the experienced. It costs around 100 AED more than ordinary entrance ticket which is 80AED. You are allowed to stay as long as you wish at this place. Sliding/skidding through a slant surface (I have no clue what we call them in English) almost 100m down over ice sitting on small plastic tubes was quite thrilling - :). Climbing a small mountain filled with snow, playing through ice maze, watching a movie inside Igloo, playing with snow making stones of them can make your whole day too short.

Though while enjoying time flew like some passing moment, it will definitely remain as one of my precious memories and will strongly recommend everyone to go through it.

http://picasaweb.google.com/msiddartha/SkiDubai

Yours Loving,
Sid.

Friday, April 11, 2008

March 19th, 2008
Around 9 am, generally too early to be out of bed for most of us, Journey 2 new home started for both of us with same catchword "Keep discovering" - Tagline of Emirates

On flight:
After boarding EK 545 Boeing 700, being an MBA specialising in marketing, one thing I couldn’t stop doing is “COMPARE”... The pre-boarding services, flight ambience, on-flight entertainment, exotic food deserve some laudatory adjectives.

450 channels for entertainment in all major languages, approx. 12 beautiful airhostesses all from different GMTs, on flight calling and internet facilities, made an arduous task of sitting for 4 hrs a cakewalk.

In Dubai:
Yeah! I am talking about the dream destination of 10 million tourists, Dubai.
Though Dubai boasts of its state-of-art facilities at its airports, i have 2 wait for 2.5 hrs in different queues to get my original visa stamped...

Few things that catch my eye as a newcomer are:

1. Bustling metropolis – more cars are registered than the number of babies born <7.5>
2. Dry, humid and hot weather – air-conditioner is a necessity
3. Buildings, sky scrapers, everywhere – in all possible geometric shapes
4. Miscellaneous Car brands – Detroit of the middle-east
5. Traffic – Imagine u having a sports car and are forced to drive 10km/hr
6. Multi Culture – 80% are expats from around 150 nations; So dont presume tht u find ladies only in burqas
7. Public transport – Hardly exists; Taxis – fantastically expensive & difficult to find on time
8. Cities inside a mega city – Internet city, sport city, healthcare city, knowledge village, automotive city, media city, souks, plethora of free zones
9. Heavy “malls & restaurants : people” ratio – U need a day or more 2 just see some malls
10. Money – Easy earnings both by legal and illegal courses &&& no tax
11. Fun –Innumerable night bars, hotels, beaches, party spots, cruise trips, desert safaris, sisha cafes
12. Radars & cameras – drive crazy and get fined immense
13. Or-cut / Torrents - Blocked for God know what reasons
14. TGIS Vs OGIS - For most people its “Thank God Its Sunday”; here "Oh God Its Sunday"
15. Illogical Deaths - Reasons can be exorbitant rents, skyrocketing education and commodities cost

Some Heart-Breaking infos ( 1 dh = 10.8 rs)

1. 1 bhk rent - 50,000 – 65,000 dhs p.a
2. 1 Idli - 2 dhs
3. Haircut - 15 dhs
4. Popcorn - 10 dhs
5. Petrol - 1.65 dhs/lit

With the backdrop of sea and sand, Dubai is a stellar place to live in with no limits to your definition of fun. I am yet to explore this whole new world waiting for me.

Araka, Ma’a salama!