Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi was where my test was to be held, fairly a two hours drive from the hotel where I was stayin in Dubai(I could not get a free hotel because of the arms fair that was taking place in Abu Dhabi and all the hotels (at least the good ones) were booked one month in advance :). Anyway Dubai was a great place to stay.

Got to stay in a hotel named Avari(Its supposed to be some high end hotel(4 star) with branches in Pakistan and other countries(Source: office collegue). The hotel was booked for the 22nd and I reached Dubai at 12am 22nd early morning(Courtesy:Jazeera Airways). Then the blunder, I forgot that hotel's usually have a check in time and Avari Hotel had a checkin time for 22nd at 12pm!!! Well since I thought money was not a problem I told them go ahead and book me another room. Turned out that there was no other room left..blahhhh. With nowhere to go, I did what I thought I was good at ..thats finding a solution! well the only solution that came out was that I had to take up the last SUITE room which costed like 3 times my booked room pay. Thats when i realised I did have a money problem hehe. Then the magic of the CREDIT CARD. :) But just about then I thought why not call up my friends instead of paying up for a suite for which I really would'nt need, and try my luck, If not then, no choice but an oversized suite for me.

Luckly got a friend whose parent's had shifted back to India a long time back. He was more than willing to let me stay at his place for the nite. The nite went chatting and the next mornign went with the playstation games. Suddenly got back my interest in video games. this is after my last game console being the SEGA(Oh how I loved the machine)

Well then remembered I had an exam the next day so had to get back to the hotel and proberly start studing, yah I said "proberly" because the time I reached the hotel, I was on the TV glued to the Satellite Movies (Maybe more coz I actually dont have satellite at home, Funny nah! but I have only Mallu channels back in Kuwait). Actually thinking about it, I neva had much time to watch TV since I started working and more like since I got my driver's licence(Freedom licence for me) :)

Well I ended up reaching the exam late the next morning, traffic was something new. Now i realised where the word traffic came from, yah its from Dubai's congested roads. Till then I thought okie Dubai to Abu dhabi is the worst(Yah that's then). But after my exam and coming back from Abu Dhabi to Dubai I knew what could be worser!!! 3.5 hours!!!!! and thinking it would be a nice rather than catching the bus and come in these private seven seaters proved to be an idea from the wrong side of the brain. Not only was the vehicle cramped up but the AC was switched off just before the vehicle started moving(very smart move by driver). Well the only consoling fact was that I would have reached much later or proberly missed my flight if I had caught the bus back to Dubai. The fact that the seven seater van driven by a Patan as they were called were cheap which was 10 Dhirams compared to the 50 Dhirams I paid for a private taxi(Camry model) from Dubai to Abu Dhabi (included wasting 45 minutes waiting for co-passengers).

Well the building's alongside King Zayed road was amazing, nothing in comparison to that from Kuwait, got to saw Burj Dubai tower under construction . It's supposed to be the tallest building in the world once its completed :)

Once I made it to Dubai, made a quick stopover at the hotel freshened up and taxied to the airport and met up with a friend of my sisters who was in the airport waitin for my sister's arrival. YESS my sister was coming when I was leaving. Considering the 5 days of holidays would be boring in the country she hopped into Dubai to meet up with her friends.

Well soon after my sister arrived, I was dropped off to my terminal by the top Dubai Driver Awardee (my award) i.e. my sister's friend. Well and I was back to my Jazeera flight and in no time back to Kuwait. Reaching Kwuait I realised something.... I was gona be 4 days at home all ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Yipeeeeeee

and so starts my 4 days of Bachelorhood(I refer it to independence)....

2 days in Dubai!!!!!

Well it was supposed to be an exam trip, well yes.. it did turn out to be just an exam trip after all. The day of leaving that's on Wednesday turned out that I had load's of work to finish before it would be ethically right to go. Well the day went pretty fast considering I was trying to complete everything I had in 10 hours. I actually was able to complete the work and right after went home and did the fastest packing I had ever done which was like in 5 minutes. Stuffed the clothes I had to wear for two days and my personnel stuffs. After that made a run to the airport( I always end up running to the airport everytime I leave). Well this was my first Jazeera Flight and guess wat I found it extremely comfortable and pleasent, :) Well it was a little cramped up.. but in comparison to other planes I had travelled in were more or less the same. The good thing about Jazeera was the fact that it had leather seats. The journey was ....well... one of the few I did without watching TV and well forgetting earplugs for my Sony mobile made the trip kinda unentertaining. Other than that the trip was pleasent and I was even offered chewing gum by the middle aged lady sitting next to me. (Sounds funny i know...chewing gum from a middle aged lady!!). By the way was'nt chewing gum or for that matter food or liquid items banned from flight? ??? Well I guess the rules are chaged now.

Well I am blogging from the Dubai Airport which currently provides free wireless services( This was not available the last timeI had visited Dubai which was like 3 months back i guess. (Yah maybe coz I neva tried :)) : )) But am so glad its here..In Kuwait International Airport we too have the Zajil I guess providing free wireless access. But that would always seem to have some problem or the other everytime I would try to access it :)

Well right now goto make a move. will blog about my experiences in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and how the two places are very different while every other guy including me from Kuwait would thinking they were like synonyms...

Dart Board

Had got my first dart board from a friend which was left inside my vehicle thinking that proberly I would hang it up once I would shift to my new flat/place. But with every other day passing, I became less convinced on wheather waiting to hang the dart board would be such a great idea. No sooner than that though... I got the dart board fixed behind my door and started aiming at it.. Welll

Welll.. thats not exactly a set of great shots, althought two of them made it to the board. It could have been worse i guess :).. Well I believe dart board's for one need's a little practise on.. to get the throw right. After a few rounds of practise.......

Well that was much better....Hopefully by the end of the week i should get all my shots in the smaller circles. :)

Its a nice timepass, this is the first thing I do when i reach home nowadays...

T60

Well today I get the T60 or more precisly the IBM t60 laptop for use at Office (Since my old t43 goes into a hang every , Just a few minutes with it and I already feel I should have got this earlier, The lappy is fast.. very fast, its a core 2 duo, witha 1GB ram and an ATI Graphics card(just wish i could get games into this). It's kinda making me feel like working more today :).

Subsequent to this latest development, I upgrade my opinions about Knight Rider knowledge about IT :)

This week I would be blogging less as I would be trying to study(for real) for an exam I would be taking in Abu Dhabi next thursday.

Hope I get through this time though hehe :)

oops..Knight rider found out!

okie okie. this is for the nite rider (He saw my blog first time today).. oops no its knight rider? well whateva :). This post is to let knight rider know thanx for making my blog so interesting and enjoyable for ppl to read :) Not that what I said about knight rider being anything other than the facts, but then one point I like to take back, Knight rider does know the roads in Kuwait better than me. :) hmm yah thats about it, only in that :) His IT stills are in the process of been tested still, but based on the new lappy I get today, I might just upgrade his status on that.

Knight rider has just upgraded his car to version 1, that's with the new CD player installed. Now Salmiya is gona be an open discoteque with Knight Rider around.

Coming soon

Picture of Knight rider photographed on the beach wearing a bikini.....

Note:

Comments posted by Knight rider are to be considered as a set of intelligent jokes:)

Sandwich Holiday

Got information from the radio on the way to work that Monday the 24th of February would be a public holiday. Since 25th and 26th of February that is Sunday and Monday are the official holidays on the occasion of Independence and the fact that the previous day ..that is Saterday everyone would either bunk or would officially not work in office, the cabinet of Kuwait has announced a holiday on Saterday 24th of february as well. :)

Isn't that convinient :) but considering that the next batch of holidays is coming in much later during the year, It can not be a bad thing.

But then it doesn't really make a difference to me, two days is all we I would get. I would shock myself if i don't show up in office in those two days :)

By the way the 24th February holiday is termed as a sandwich holiday... Nice term :)

U Shop We Ship

"U shop we ship", now what's that? (for those who don't know)....

Ever entered a US based online shopping site, checked out the item u wanted to buy and go forward with the purchase and then later at just the last part of the purchase, you get to know that the item would be shipped to US based residential address only!!!!!!!!!!!

Isn't that just bad, Esp. if you can't get such an item on any other online store.

Welll then, now here's where "U shop we ship" herein referred as "USWS" comes in. The website http://www.ushopweship.com/ is based on providing services to those individuals with such issues. The website needs you to register, with a registration fee of 25 dollars of course and wala, you would get an email with details on the location of your US mailing address and your USWS code. Armed with the US address, you would be able to order anything online which would be shipped to your US mailing address (the address you would give and which is one of the many USWS collection locations) and USWS would forward the freight(purchased goods) to our address(in Kuwait or where ever). Now isn't that great. I should have proberly used this service to buy my dell laptop instead from a dell representative in Kuwait :)

Yah the charges for courier are like KD 2 per pound for transportation to Kuwait. So it's like you got to figure out the real cheap stuff or stuff you wouldn't get in Kuwait to buy.

Some good items worth the buy would be,

1. Books
2. External Hard Drives
3. Branded Clothes and accessories
4. Laptops
5. Gadgets
6. Corvette!! Yeah rite :)

Note:
1. There is a list of prohibited items which won't get through this service. You could find details for such in the website.
2. Another company providing identical service is Aramax, http://www.aramex.com/ (I have not checked it as yet plus heard it take's day's for the stuff to reach)

Did I just advertise a service or give my thought's? Advertise or thought's, hmm advertise or thought's? Let me know what you think.

Disclaimer:
I have not yet used services from USWS, but have read positive review's from individual's who have used their service's from Kuwait. I do hope to use USWS service's in the future, once I make by second buy list :).

Moving Out

We guys had got the notice from our building Haris that the building would be demolished and a new one would be constructed in its place. As a result of the owner’s intention we vacate, we were able to attain the 6 months free rent policy. As of now I live with my parents and they are glad with the free rent for the 6 month period. But then the difficult part comes when within 6 months we got to shift to a new location. Various options having been said.. we might just end up looking for an affordable place in City itself. I basically take 4 minutes to reach office from home. Hate to think anywhere else where I would have to relocate:

Disadvantages of moving from present location.
1. Will start to hate driving, with at least half an hour of travel one way to office from anywhere else in Kuwait (At present its 3 minutes).

2. Got to get up early for work!!!!

3. Everything I know and want is in City!!!

4. Higher fuel expenditure

5. Beach being more than just a few walking steps!!

6. Dependent on Sultan Center in Souk Sharq for snacks after midnite

7. Would be paying the same rent for a much smaller flat!!Duhhh

8. Would probably end up having to fight for parking spots.

9. No more cheap bowling centers close by

10. No more cheap gyms close by(not that I go but stillll)

11. Strategic locations lost - mobile shops, car accessories shops, co-operative, automatic car wash, Hawally computer shops (7 minutes) etc. all of which are less than 2 minutes drive.

Positive point!
1. It could be worse :)

Favorite Drink

This is presently my favorite drink... its a combination of fruitjuice and milk.. its just soooo DeLiCioUsssssssssssssssssssssssssssss and healthy. You guys goto try it out.

Poem

Just got this great poem from my sweetz the other day.. wanted to blog it as I found it really nice. The wordings go like this..

Sweeheart I Love you,

You'll never know how much...

Your voice, Your smile,

The gentle way you hold me,

That let me know, You care...

The look in your eyes, let me know,

you'll always be there...

All I've got, to give is my heart,

And you've right from the start...

So, I'm yours, for all times,

What else can i say...

Except MY Darling,

I love you more each day.

End

That was nice right? :) I love u too sweetz :)

XPS 1210

Thursday went to Zak Solutions service center in Shuwaik, told the guy I had opened up my laptop annd found out that my Ram was the problem. Then gave him the defective Ram and told him I wanted a replacement. Told him i dont want to leave my laptop there and he's like it maybe coz of the slot. I told him its not so! Well this time the guy ran out of excuses and after making a few phone calls he gets me another Ram module (dunno if it's a new piece) but whateva at least he got me a working piece. I dont think I will be going to the place again in my life. I told him that i had come 5 times to get my laptop problem fixed and it was a shame they couldn't figure out it was the Ram module that was the problem. Worse than that was the fact that I (customer) took the place of the the service guy and fixed my(customer) laptop. Only question remaining to answer is "Why do we need to have dell sponsored service guys if they cant fix or for that sake figure their own product problems?" :)

Here's a picture of my Laptop all fixed and decked up :)

Dell Laptop XPS 1210

Guess what, Just after posting the blog complaining about the irresponsible service provided by Dealers of Dell ..Zak Solutions. I think I have finally fixed the problem once and for all. It actually worked for a whole nite left on without a single blue screen of death showing up.

What i did,
Well.. the laptop's specification was 2 gb Ram, I did a check on the Ram , removed one of them and left the other one running.. after a long three hour, the computer got the blue screen again. so I replaced the ram inside with the one I removed previously and wala it worked fine. It fact for the first time in its laptop life it worked for the whole nite. I sat up till 3am trying to load the laptop to its max. It finally took it all without the blue screen showing up. Am so relieved now. I just hope that when I go ask for a Ram replacement to Zak Solutions, they should'nt make an issue.

Today would be testing the laptop. Just praying that its doesnt show the blue screen again eva.

Note:
When ur buying something like a high end laptop make sure u learn its components and take the initiative to get it fixed by your efforts. Because no one else will.

Tag Heuer AquaRacer

Now that's the last item left in my BUY LIST, I suspect the cost for this comes somewhere in the range of 600 to 800 KD!!! :)........ Someday InshaAla

Buying Dell Laptop 1210 ...Experience

Getting a Laptop was one of the items in my initial buy list, Now.. choosing the right laptop was pretty difficult, from expensive ones like those of Toshiba to hardware options like Dell whose brand names are more popular. It took me around 3 months to decide on which laptop to get for myself. Thought of all the options and made up my mind for a Dell Premium Laptop more specifically the XPS 1210. It had all the things I had ever wanted in a laptop, camera built in, a 7400 Geforce card for games, 2gb ram, memory card reader, sim card reader, two head ports, and a12.1 inch screen. While I fixed my mind of the laptop, my office colleague was also going to buy the same laptop. He knew a cheaper place who got it from the dealer of Dell in Kuwait, So I was like… saving a few bucks wont do any harm (Only if I knew better1). We went to the shop, got the laptop, got it for around 10 KD cheaper I think, The laptop costs a cool 600KD. For that moment I was the happiest guy in the world. But that was short-lived. By the time I reach home and start working on it, starts the worst computer problems I ever had in my entire life. Anything I try to do, whether it’s to open programs or surf the net I used to get the blue screen (I later researched and came to know its more commonly known as the blue screen of Death. It’s a situation where one just can’t do anything but restart the machine. Since those days I used to be busy, I used to go during the weekends to get it fixed. Oh yah forgot to mention that another feature I liked about the laptop was that it had a three year warranty with it (Only if I knew better2).

Zak Solution Software Service (Location 1-Hawally)
First I went to Zak Solutions Service Center in Hawally, there I met this really smart guy (not really) who said its some problem with the software, He said he would restore the system to original settings and said that I would loose whatever I had saved. Since I wanted the laptop fixed at any point I agreed (I should have known better3). The guy reinstalls the software’s and I go packing home.. and then again on working on the laptop.. Within two hours I get the same blue screen of death problem. Was I Pissed off now???? Pissed off was not the word I wanted to describe the smart guy who fixed my laptop. Next Thursday I was back to the service center, met the same smart guy again, told him and repeated the same problem, Now the smart guy takes the laptop inside and does some work ( It did look like) and brings it back to me saying it wont happen again. I was seriously praying it would be all okay now and was hopeful the smart guy in Hawally knew what he was doing. It took me another two hours on reaching home to realize that the smart guy couldn’t do shit. So, next Thursday I go again, meet the smart guy again, tell him the same problem again (yah he forgets ppl fast) this time I guess he ran out of excuses and luckily I meet another employee who says the blue screen is proberly because of some faulty Ram or Hard Drive hardware and that I should visit the Zak Solutions hardware service center in Shuwaik. This point made me really think that now my troubles would be over (If I knew better4)

Zak Solutions Hardware Service (Location 2-Shuwaik)
Okie so next Thursday came, This time I made a move to the Shuwaik Service center, There I meet a even smarter guy (yeah u know better) who gives me a receipt and tells me to come after three days. Third day I come and he tells me the problem was Windows Explorer 7. At this point I was like, screwed, Millions of people use Explorer 7, My dad’s dell laptop uses Internet explorer 7 my home desktop PC I use Internet Explorer 7 and this smarter guy say that the problem is Internet Explorer 7. I tried explaining to the guy of its wide usage without problems, even with my friend who had the same kind of laptop. But he wouldn’t budge, I guess he was just paid to warm his ass in his seat and repeat the problem as stated in my receipt. I ended up with the belief that okie fine if the problem doesn’t come again then its okay. (But I should have known better again) I didn’t know what to do to this smarter guy, I mean how lame can a person get!!! I ended up having the same problem when I reached home.

Then again for the free Thursday, I am back to the same smarter guy there. This time I clearly tell him that the problem was not Internet Explorer 7, and show him the problem. I can’t do more than show can I?. He as usual prepares a receipt and tells me to come after three days, In the United States the same dell premium system is guaranteed to be fixed within 24 hours. I guess this is not the United States, Its Kuwait. Anyway, This time he calls me after three days and tells me that I have to reinstall the whole software and I was like I don’t think that would solve the problem. As usual he thought he knew the problem like the back of his hand and said it would be fixed this time. This time I had an argument over the phone (Imagine the amount of time and money I wasted to get to know that these guys don’t know shit). Add to that, the smarter guy says I got to pay 15 KD for reinstallation!!! (three years warrantee on system and here I am paying for repairs for problems I had no part of) I guess this was one of the very few times I actually shouted at a guy. I thought I should take it more rationally and no point in fighting if I wanted to get my laptop fixed. I wanted him to agree to refund me the money if the problem comes again, for which he said a blank NO. I was like fine fix it and I prayed hoping this time it works fine.

It finally worked fine. This time I was actually working towards trying to make the problem appear again at home. Next day I realized I shouldn’t have worked so hard because it started showing the same problems. Right now I am at a point I lost hope with the service guys and that fixing the laptop through some external competent professionals would save me time, effort and money rather than going to Zak Solutions for help. Till now of all bad services I have ever had (few actually). Zak Solutions in Kuwait reaches new heights.

Right now I am checking out my laptop with friends who know better, Hope my dell laptop gets fixed this year. I believe for any company, that all products of a company won’t be defect free, but if defects should be there, It should be promptly taken care of and by COMPETENT dealers. Dell is a great brand, they have the right products, the right prices but the dell branch in Kuwait is nothing less than incompetent to deal with the services that come with Dell USA.

It has been maybe 6 months since I brought the laptop, but have not used it for more than 10 to 15 hours on it because of problems relating to

1. Causes the blue screen Error (99% of times I used)
2. Work Life Constraints.

Right now my advice to people buying laptops.

“Neva buy a Dell laptop from the dealer in Kuwait”. This line would be the smartest decision I said in the blog today.

Reference
(Only if I knew better) was used repeatedly for which morals I realized in buying a DELL product was:

1 = Neva bargain with a high specification product for a few Kuwaiti Dinars, It’s almost surely not worth the bargain.

2 = Warranty is a good thing. But if you are been warranted by people who don’t know how to fix a defective product, You got yourself a big problem.

3 = Always keep a backup of your Documents, because atleast that cant go wrong.

4 = Having trouble with incompetent people never ever disappears.

MaRy N SuRyA

After a break am back to blogging, Well getting back to my topic Mary and Surya, these are two witty, intelligent, strong, cute characters that work with me in office. Well lets start with Mary, I know her since more than a year now (I think at least I know) From the first day she came into the office where she was so innocent to the coming days where her colors changed like those of chameleons.

Today we talk about just 3 incidents among the many forgotten incidents

MARY

First Incident
The most infamous of days was when she was supposed to give us a treat in Ruby Tuesday off gulf road. I got a confession to make before going further… I am bad at roads ways…really badd…but then by the time this paragraph is done I will prove to u who could be worse off…heheheh…I just knew it was located next to the Kuwait towers….But back to Mary’s and Orwin’s Birthday treat, It was fixed on a Thursday morning at Ruby Tuesday which was located close to the Kuwait towers off the Gulf road. On the memorable day, Mary and Nelson (Nite rider) were with me in the vehicle and since I was bad at roads I asked if they had any idea of the directions. I only knew it was close to Kuwait Towers. Mary saying she comes through that side of the road every day since the last three months to office gave me the confidence of the direction I was taking (For that moment at least!). Yes, night rider was also with me with advices and technical know how’s of the roads in Kuwait (it’s his best skill set yet). He also supposedly knew the way but not as good as Mary. Luckily we guys left pretty early that day and although we never really got lost… the only real help or direction advice from Mary coming in the WISE and really HELPFUL words “I think we guys are far from the place” :). But then thanks to mine and only my sense of judgment we made it to Ruby Tuesday that day. In between all this our nite rider was very vocal about my knowledge of roadways which really didn’t matter coz he was as good at directions as Mary was or worse that day hehe.

Well the moral of the above paragraph,
Don’t ask Mary for directions.
Don’t ask Nite Rider anything about IT(reference - previous blog) and
Don’t ask Nite rider about directions too.

Second Incident
This was the time when Mary within a few months of joining had taken a vacation to India. The coincidence was that both of us had taken our vacations during the same period. But the difference is that during the vacations, I get a call from her saying that her marriage is FIXED. Hehehe mann that was like a big surprise for all of us in office including me. Actually the fastest marriage I have known till date. But in one way I am happy to God for this. At least now her hubby (Bibin) can teach her directions in Kuwait :) hehehe. I was one of the lucky ones to see their marriage pics and videos, Everything was good including for the fact that Mary was advertising for Alukas Jewellery Showroom(I think it was Alukas, rite Mary?). But I suppose Mary is planning to open a jewelry shop in Kuwait very sooooon. Whats that Mary… in Salmiya I hear..oh neva mind. Hehehe

Mary is a fun person, A totally totally totally totally hardworking and dedicated person from the first day I met her, She claims she knows the directions in Kuwait and still claims she knows the way to her house from office, She also prefer everyone calls her by her nickname RAMBO (due to her ability to crush nation’s armies with her bare hands), she is also famous for her ability to bring wonderful homemade cake (Not proved she made it yet, and yah the same bare hands she can crush armies with), Her hobbies include experimental skin treatments and straightening procedures(hair).

Third Incident
What did u say Mary, …..Sleeping _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (Dash) LOL

Right now Mary practices delegating authority to Surya, which would bring me to my thoughts of SURYA...

SURYA
Okay Surya came to the company as a trainee, kinda like on an internship, doing her masters in Australia. No..She doesn’t resemble the animal kangaroo but she does replicate the penguin, u can say cute (according to her penguins are) depending on how you view penguins. But her most preferred nick would be Betty Boop (cartoon character link- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Boop):) She is otherwise also popularly known as Rambo’s Sidekick. Her choice of weaponry includes missile launchers, Knifes, Stones, Penknife, Nail Cutters, polish removers, PPM’s and feasibility study books(sponsored by our office) etc.

Then yah her definition of cute is boys who act cute which I think is 70% equal to cute guys…oh what’s that Surya…oh 90% okie okie..I revise that to 90% equal to cute guys. :) Today is her last day in Office and she has confined to us that she already misses everyone in the department. Okay that line never happened as yet but I am expecting that soon. Esp. after writing all this :) hehe. She’s supposedly a big fan on youtube and would spend most of her internet hours on the site. This is other than the time she spends in office and home serving the Orkut Community and keeping up their servers. Her hobbies include Eating, Orkuting, Eating, Youtube, Eating, Partying and again Eating.

Goto get back to work….oh people

I like to warn the viewers reading my blogs not to take their (Mary’s and Surya’s) comments to the statements I made seriously. They are bound to make such statements in the capacity of Critics, Proof for statements as such should be weighted with facts. In their case they don't have any :)

Note: Respective pictures of Mary and Surya would be posted as soon as modifications to bring them to original and natural characteristics are completed …

Sweety Corner
My sweetz made a comment the other day that I don’t tell the true things about how I feel for her, examples such as I would die for her and go to the end of the earth for her and that I can’t live one day without her and I will beat up all goondas for her :)) etc. Well sweets, here I said it hehe..okie fine… I neva said it but u said it so why should I say it again hehe :).

Actually what I would like to say to you my sweetheart is that “I LOVE U A LOT AND WILL ALWAYS DOO NO MATTER WHATEVA HAPPENS”. :) now that’s my thought. It doesn’t go into scenario examples but its gets to the point nah sweeetz :).