Farasan Islands: A dream realized

About 7 years ago, when my colleague Dr Mazhar & i was sharing room, one day i noticed a mobile recharge coupon from Mobily (Telecom operator)whose SIM mazhar bhai was using on floor. when i pick it up in my hands, i saw it was a 10 SAR recharge coupon, on the back of the card, there was a beautiful beach with caption "Farasan Islands". i made intention to visit this place immediately, it took around seven years for me to visit this marvelous place.

My visit is indebted to my friends Dr Hifzur Rehman, who arranged all tickets for us and for my Car, as there is no taxi facility in Farasan Island, visitors have to book his car also and extended his help & support when we reached there; Dr Suhail  who provided lodging in his home & Dr Bilal who took initiatives and provided moral support for this out of season visit.

I am also extremely thankful to my friends Dr Khurram Naim Shamsi and Dr Abdul Muqtadir who shared crest and trough of our long diverse journey, without their company I could never realize my dream.

Farasan Sea Fort

Our Ferry Ship

Old Heritage Village

Well for fort

Old Turkish Fort

Don't forget to take your car with you

Two wrong Lanes: Closed Encounters of the Lee Kind

After a long haul, it seems to me that it is some thing to share and save in Memoirs...
Although One of colleague has informed me about a conference, but i didn't paid any attention seeing title elearning.
It was only two days before when my neighbor alerted me about conference, next day when i saw list of speakers, very first name read Tim Berners Lee. Tim Berners Lee, creator of world wide web, man behind semantic web, is in riyadh and i am not going to listen him...such an ignorance..
With all extra zeal, i registered myself immediately OnLine.
Put full effort to arrange my classes with a bit of difficulty and bitterness, sought permission from Head of the Department, till night i was not pretty sure i would participate in the conference.
But after fajr salah my neighbors were ready to go and they convinced me also.
We strived very early, with four of my friends and me at my car for Hotel Faisaliyah, about 120 km from my home. we covered about 90-95 km distance with out any hurdle but when it came for taking turn for faisaliyah we were divided which way to go. Middle Lane was New Makkah Express Way and Right Lane was King Fahd Express Way; after consulting one of my friend and taking strong suggestion from our senior most fellow, i took King Fahd Express way. after covering few Kilometers, we found Express way was blocked for unknown reasons and cars were creeping. nothing could be changed now and we have to wait and watch only; i was cursing why not i opted another Express Way which was to me although a bit long but traffic free. it took our costly 2 hours to reach the place. after circulating premises several times finally i found a suitable parking for my car which took our another costly 20 minutes.
We rushed to the hotel and found several counter for registration and conference kit, in obvious hurry we queued in counter which was later discovered, meant for non-registered partcipants and all we were required to was just to scan our barcodes recieved in confirmation email at kiosks avialable there for online registered users.
after finishing all these formalities when i rushes to Grand hall, i saw T B Lee, leaving the dice, i rushed to him but at most closest i just cuaght a glance of noble scientist going towards hotel rooms...i was left still with extreme remorse, pondering why i took two wrong lanes.....

My Maiden Abroad Journey

I was never out of India before but when i got information from my consultant that my tickets for maiden abroad journey to riyadh have been confirmed to Dec 21, 2008...i was very excited...
at the night of dec 19, 2008 i boarded at Padmavat express for new delhi from where i have to start next and maiden phase of my journey .
I was accompanied by my younger brother-ASIF, father in law and my staunch friend IMRAN..
at new delhi as it approached to evening, because of tension and excitement i was very much disturbed and was even feeling pain in stomach.
many friends from aligarh and new delhi came to see off me..

when i departed from my fellows at entry point of Indira Gandhi International Airport, i felt some sort of confidence and strength in me. and felt as all burden has been removed from me.
after clearing customs and security checks, i went to waiting lounge and started checking my emails at my Mobile. many of my students and one of my best teachers, Dr. Pramod Kumar from IIITM Gwalior have wished me; i replied their mails sitting at lounge.
Then came a person who has seen me at interview venue and because of my unique attire identified me. it was only after conversation i came to know that he is also going to join there as faculty and his name is SHAWKAT.

after sitting for few hour i left my hand carry with shaukat and started visiting lounge, i have never seen such large collection of wines ever before as seen inside airport. in all these activities how whole night passed i could not guessed.

then came the boarding time, when i boarded in aircraft ( a AIRBUS 300) i found that i have window seat and further just above the wings. after some delay flight started moving. with few attempts i found seat belts easily and fasten it.
I could easily see the movements of ailerons on the wings, since i have taught Modeling and Simulation for two years specially simulation of autopilot i was seeing it at real time and was guessing what was going inside.
when plane took off it was a huge thrust i felt upon me, initially a bit scared but when i saw inside plane, got relaxed. after two hours of journey, we were howering over sanatcruz Mumbai, i could easily see the lights of City which never go for sleep.
Plane has taken two rounds of the city and was coming down when it took two sharp jolts, i was very much scared but everything was normal, it was nothing but an old Air India plane only.

we were taken to another building in a bus where a Boeing 747 Jumbo was waiting for us. before boarding to plane it was time for security check again. after security check i offered Fajr SALAH at airport, thanx to democratic government for this freedom.

Jumbo was really Jumbo in every aspect. from there it took 4.5 hours to riyadh. in between i saw how plane was penetrating clouds..........

when it started lowering altitiude, i again looked beyond the window and found red sand and dessert and some hounds of camels. it was now saudi arabia.....

plane landed and airport building was really very big....

at customs counter, i met with a very friendly custom officer after knowing that i am going to join King Saud University as lecturer, he behaved me very leniently....

although i have informed my dean about my arrival, but since could not get reply from him, i was a bit scared about.
but when i came out, i found an aged arabian shiekh with King Saud University placard, he took me with him to his ford car and dropped me at Hotel Dellmon Shrouq.
we were allotted double bed rooms and they were really very nice and splendid, after getting fresh i joined him again to University, it was very vast campus again full fledged with all healthy academic activities.
while returning from university, i purchased a SIM card and informed my mother and to my wife about my well being.
at evening i was very much disturbed and confused about azan timing and salah, it was only after isha that i came to know that MY WATCH IS STILL SHOWING ME INDIAN TIME while i am at Saudi Arabia, i corrected it.
i have taken dinner at a Turkish Restaurent and returned to Hotel, taken out my laptop, learned some common arabic sentences with traslate.google.com.
seeing my well furnished room and very comfy bed, i lie down pondering about what changes have taken place and when slept i still don't know...