AJMAN
I boarded an early bus from Madinat Zayed to Abu Dhabi, changed it to Sharjah bus and finally to Ajman Bus. I traveled a total of 365 km for 60 Dh in all. I had already booked a room in Hotel Dream Palace, Ajman (199 Dh). Cabs are easily available and their cabbies are known for their honesty. Paying about 6 Dh, I reached my hotel in no time and straightened my back. Surprisingly, in my room, there were two jumbo-size water bottles. Tap water is considered OK throughout UAE but it has a slightly salted taste. It can safely be used to brush teeth or prepare tea. I remember Mexico where I was advised not to use tap water except for washing. I was warned that even if I used it to brush my teeth, it would upset my tummy. In fact, such a sickness is given a name “Montezuma Revenge”.
In the evening, Najam Ahmed came to me. He is a consultant at Middle East Internet Marketing Training Courses. He is a lively person, was just a Face-Book Friend before but now is a fast friend.
 |
| Najam Ahmed, a vivid example of "Paancho ungli ghee mein, sar kadai mein" |
We had a good round of Sheikh Rashid Bin Hameed Street flanked by small shops mostly owned by Pakistanis. Later, we went to Fresh Chicken King and ate the broasted chicken and Fatoush. Both were pretty good. The chicken was nicely done and had a big load of fries on the side.
Later, we went to Ajman’s Corniche which is a popular spot and has a number of fast food outlets, coffee shops and stalls. The main attraction is the palm-tree plantation. The place is popular with families as they can enjoy a picnic with barbecue to while away time.
13-Nov-15 Friday
Khurram Amin was my student in Bahria. He travels a lot in UAE. He was in Abu Dhabi but ready to take me to all the remaining five Emirates in one go. It was a difficult task but he was determined to accomplish it. Eventually, he did and in a way drove 515 km including his return from Abu Dhabi to Ajman of 185 km.
 |
| Khurram Amin from Bahria University |
We started at 10:30 and followed Al Dhaid Road passing through desert plain and finally entering into Hajar Mountains. On the way, we stopped by a Friday-Market (Souk Al Juma'a). It has a long line of small shops and open-air stalls filled with carpets, fruits, vegetables, pottery, souvenir and toys. The market was in the midst of an oasis with beautiful wadis (valleys) in every direction.
 |
| Coconut Water at Friday Market |
In Souk Al Juma’a, stockpiles of green coconuts fascinated us. On our order, the vendor cut them open with a machete, inserted straws and offered us in a style.
We continued our travel towards Fujairah and passed by Massafi, a village known for natural springs and waterfalls. This has led to setting up of a water bottling plant under the name of “Massafi” with is the only ‘mineral water’ in the UAE.
A little further, there is a village Bithnah known for its fort made with mud-bricks, stones and palm-wood planking. The area is completely mountainous. It is popular for camping to have a respite from stifling heat of the desert.
 |
| Before the Fort |
By the afternoon, we were in Khor Fakkan. It has a picturesque bay with sandy beaches and coral reefs. Its water is clear and is protected from the winds by a long jetty. A lot of tourists come here for water sports such as Jet Ski, para-sailing, deep sea diving and boat rides
 |
| Before the Bay of Oman |
About 12 km further up is an historical land-mark, the Al Badiyah Mosque. Also known as Ottoman Mosque, it has a small structure and is made of stones and mud bricks. A number of small decorative windows allow light and air to enter the mosque. Call to prayer echoes five times a day.
 |
| Before the Mosque, Al Badiyah |
It was about 4 pm. We headed for an Indian Restaurant, Al Mehfil for it famous Hyderabadi Biryani. Unfortunately, we were late and it was finished. We had to eat chicken gravy and rice which was quite spicy but nice.
Resuming our journey, we continued on the Al Shohadaa Road. We passed by a Ghost Town. In old day, it was filled with pearl divers and sea captains. It was a famous place before oil was discovered. In 1968, it was totally abandoned.
 |
| GHOST TOWN |
Shortly, we reached Al Jazair Al Hamra which means ‘the red island". It is no longer an island. Land has been filled in on all sides. It has a nice beach which is popular with expats and their family mostly from Europe.
Finally, we entered Umm Al Quain. This is a tiny emirate, least populated and without any upscale structure. It is in sharp contrast to the clamoring emirates in the south.
By the evening we returned to Ajman. It was a strenuous sojourn but it hardly had any effect on Khurram Amin who still looked fresh and dandy.
 |
| A GREAT ROUNDABOUT COVERING FIVE EMIRATES |
14-NOV-15 Saturday
I had a little stroll on the Sheikh Rashid Bin Hameed Street near to my hotel. A little further was Lulu Hypermarket. I wanted there to have a small bag handy for a day out. I got it in 34 Dhs and this is the only purchase I made in AEU. I knew my little grandkids would tear my baggage apart to find out chocolate. I would buy the same at Karachi.
In the evening Khurram Abidi, my past student from Bahria, came to see and asked me for a drive and dinner. First we went to Al Qasba promenade. It has beautiful palm trees, a canal and handful of restaurants. It has very big wheel called “Eye of Emirates”. It is 60 m high and is a most visible landmark in Sharjah. One can enjoy spectacular views of landmark buildings and even the Gulf coast stretching all the way to Dubai. It is state of the art as its cabin or capsules are air-conditioned and aerodynamically shaped for least wind resistance.
We had a sumptuous dinner in a Chinese Restaurant and returned by late at night.
 |
| Eye of the Emirate, Sharjah |
15-Nov-2015 Sunday
I checked out the hotel at 12:30 pm. Najam and Nasir came right on the dot to take me to the airport. On the way we stopped by a mall and had ‘Chicken’ served in hot sizzler. Afterwards, we went to Terminal 3 which is exclusively reserved for Emirates Airline. It has a spacious area for passenger handling and one can have boarding pass within no time. There are airport screening devices which not only detected weapons, but also could screen the passenger for drugs in the blood.
Najam and Nasir remained in the waiting until I got the Boarding Card and waved them goodbye.
 |
| Dubai Airport - courtesy Google |
Since I was rather early, I spent my time in browsing duty free shops. Just 45 minutes before the flight, I entered departure lounge for Karachi and had some gossips with other passengers.
To while away time, I offered a fellow Karachiite, a cup of coffee from the nearby Costa Kiosk. It was a deadly mistake as I had to pay 34 dhs or Rs.980 equivalent. All frugality, prudence, thrift, close-fistedness and penny pinching went down the drain. I felt completely wiped out.
