Appooppanthaadi -57

Each time when I come out of the office, I pass my fingers through the tulsi plants outside. After that I smell my fingers. How pleasant it is! Tulsi is a wonderful plant indeed. In Das Island's residential and office area, we can come across Tulsi everywhere. The very smell of it leaves makes my mind so relaxed. Anyway, I hope some tensed minds does this exercise everyday. This will help reduce the burden of the mind considerably.

I cannot ask for more. The climate even in the noon is very pleasant at the moment. Standing in the sun for an hour does not cause sweating. This is the best climate one can enjoy in a desert. Come winter, the entire Gulf region becomes the best place to be in. There will not be extreme cold condition here like we experience in Europe or China. The sunlight becomes so soft on the earth. In places like Syria, we may have to wear a jacket to survive the cold. Still I was wondering why even on 25th December, there was no snowfall in Syria. This place is very close to Jerusalem where it is believed to have heavy snow fall when Jesus was born.  

The other day I woke up to a big rain. The rain water is yet to disappear from many spots. Water in the desert does not percolate into the earth so easily. Most probably, it evaporates and this process takes several days altogether. Perhaps, deserts have their own way of protesting against the indifference shown by Mother Nature!
 

Come summer. The turn around will be horrible. The situation will be far from this rosy picture. The weather in Das Island is articulated like this :Minimum average temperature 9 degree Celsius, Maximum 43 degree C. The relative humidity is high through out the year averaging 70% and reaching 95% in the morning hours. Altitude - Sea level. Atmosphere - Saliferous and corrosive, often containing fine dust and pollutants, especially carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide.  Rainfall is scarce. Measureable rain occurs for ten days in a year on an average. Still there are people who work here for the past thirty or more years. It is possible. Money can make it possible. Thirty years of paid incarceration...not bad as long as the purse becomes fatter by the month. That too, with living expense just limited to internet and telephone charges (even the underclothing are washed by someone else free of cost)

Hydrogen Sulphide is the sworn enemy of this island. In an industry involving crude oil and natural gas, hydrogen sulphide is an indispensable companion. This gas can kill people. Everyone at work in Das Island has to always keep a breathing apparatus with him. This is a simple apparatus that allows a person to breath pure air for five minutes if he is trapped in a Hydrogen Sulphide leak. Besides the breathing apparatus, we keep a Hydrogen Sulphide gas detector always in our possession. These safety measures are mandatory whenever we are at work. I wonder, should a man who comes from Chennai need to really keep such an apparatus? The quantity of dust, carbon monoxide and sulphur kicked up in our big and small cities is much higher than what I come across in this island. The pollution in our country can never be matched with any place in the world.
 

Today, in the evening, on my way to the mess for dinner, a nice breeze from the sea has been accompanying me. It is a full moon night. The magnificent appearance of the moon over the sea,  far off the horizon needs a special mention. How beautiful it was! Just a few metres walk to any direction takes us to the sea shore. The breeze is a little cold at present. It gives a pleasant feeling in being here. In the evening, the air strip is open to the public for walking. The worries of big tummies, sugar and high pressure troubles in the blood are all walking and running around the air strip with sweat pouring from every pore. May the desperate efforts on the tarmac yield results as soon as possible. I am adamant, I mean business. I shall never do anything that may adversely affect my tummy.

Sowmya, a young girl has done it. She climbed a hill using the rope tied at the top of the hill. It was so easy for her. She has been competing with a handful of boys in a reality show named Action Killadi on Kairali TV. Look, on one side we listen with utter shock about father raping daughter and on the other we see some encouraging scenes like this. All is in the attitude. Women have two choices. Stand up and get the kick on the face or lie down and get trampled upon. Destruction will be complete then. I am sure, they much choose the former.


Sunitha Williams, a woman has returned from space. He was the leader of the team that spent  several days in space. She holds the record of number of space walks by a woman. This was the fourth time she visited there. Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, if a woman wants to visit a foreign country, she has to get written permission from husband. Once she leaves the border of the country, an SMS comes to the husband's mobile phone.  http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20121129144380.
Well, that was a distraction from the main subject, a welcome distraction anyway. At least I could shed some light to  some of the happenings around the world.

Twice in a week I cross the air strip. Barbeque is arranged in the open restaurant on the other side of our residence. We have to walk a little far to reach here after crossing the run way. Barbeque is a rich combination of a number of meat and fish based food items. It does not make any difference to me as I settle down with usual vegetables. The only additional thing I find there is the daal vadas. To get a few pieces of them, we have to stand in queue there. Still, it is worth the while. It is like connecting a missing link to the home sickened thoughts of good old days of parippuvada and kattan chaya ( daal vada and black tea).