Dubai

We made it to Dubai, let the culture shock begin!

First, it is MUCH MUCH cooler here, closer to 70's & 80's rather than 95-100 plus humidity & mosquitoes. Second, I don't have to cover up as much, although I still do because 70 feels cold just now. Third, I can use a fork again, take a hot shower or even a bath, sleep in a bed without a mosquito net and even have cold cereal for breakfast. It all feel nice, but a little melancholy because although the creature comforts are nice, I know it really is the end of such an amazing and fulfilling journey.

Dubai itself is an interesting place. Aside from the famous explosion of architecture and infrastructure, 80% of the population is not from the UAE, so, to me, it feels a little like a place without a concrete identity. It is a place in rapid evolution and constantly shifting, people coming and going, making fortunes and some now losing them. It is also beautiful. White sand beaches, dining and shopping on the water, and almost everything you could want from anywhere in the world.

My long time friend, Brian, has been living here for 9 years and is the host and tour guide for Gerhard and I as we are teaching the 1st ever kalari workshop in Dubai. There is a small crew of friends of Brian and some ex-pat locals who were adventurous enough to sign up without much idea of what was to happen. They all did really well, and it was really nice to meet Alex and Adriane in particular. They are Australian and German respectively, and I am sure we will meet again somewhere on the path.

This is really the thing that I am learning through all of this: the world is vast and small. The more places we go, we more we know that we are all connected, and that we meet the people we need to meet when we need to meet them. Some call it karma, fate, destiny, even chance. I call it beautiful.