Sandy and rocky,
Eroded and lofty,
An open blue sky
With aeroplanes in sight.
Shore birds flying,
Milky, frothy waves,
Azure and endless—
Water is all I see.
The urban white
Looks small and quiet.
A thousand unique flavours
I experienced there,
Like deep human bonds—
Unforgettable.
A flashback appears—
Golden yellow dunes,
Mustard and glowing,
Like humps on a camel’s back.
Frizzy bushes and stunted trees,
Tall majestic Arabian camels.
From the moving car
I saw the golden sun
Hide slowly
Behind the golden dunes.
Weary travellers
From Dubai and Abu Dhabi
All wishing to go home,
Munching on small goodies
As the road stretched ahead.
From the curtained window
There was no civilisation—
Miles and miles of silence.
Past the dunes,
Past the borders,
Past a baby camel,
Past Al Ain.
And then my mind returns
To the glittering city—
Skyscrapers tall and glorious,
Burj Khalifa standing proud,
The magnificent Dubai Mall.
Thousands of shops,
KidZania — a child’s paradise,
Rock climbing walls,
Sharks and rays,
Otters and penguins,
Museums and fantasy worlds
That made us stare in wonder.
Yet all this while
A shadow of fear lingered—
Talk of war,
Missiles and interceptors,
Confusion and rumours,
Worry hanging in the air.
What would happen next?
And suddenly
There we were—
In Muscat.
Far away.
Safe.
Life can change in seconds.
Staying calm,
Being together,
Finding courage in uncertainty—
Because no one truly knows
What tomorrow holds.
If the unknown
Was not unknown,
The world would never be
As wondrous as it is.
