Mach said:

Your too cute.

SureThing said:

So the Arabs bought that division of Kawasaki from the Japanese and then hired Americans to work on the project? Or was it started by the Arabs in America, licenced by the Japanese or something? It sounds like an interesting setup either way.



Cool! So if you would hear an Egyptian speak today, you would understand a little bit?



That sounds awesome. I was in the UAE in the early spring once though, and it was so scorching hot I could barely breathe. The summers must have been hell?

And by the way, did you try sand dune skiiing?



So the US pulled all their citizens out of the entire arab world? That seems a tad unnecessary. Or was it your parents' decision to lave, just in case?

SureThing said:

I know

So the Arabs bought that division of Kawasaki from the Japanese and then hired Americans to work on the project? Or was it started by the Arabs in America, licenced by the Japanese or something? It sounds like an interesting setup either way.

No, I'm not positive how that worked. I do know that the helicopters they flew were the choppers made by the Japs, but they used them for fire n rescue.

Heres a website.
http://www.khs-sa.com/


Cool! So if you would hear an Egyptian speak today, you would understand a little bit?

A bit. But if ya don't use it ya lose it. I could have a simple convo though, sure.


That sounds awesome. I was in the UAE in the early spring once though, and it was so scorching hot I could barely breathe. The summers must have been hell?

And by the way, did you try sand dune skiiing?
No, no dune skiing. I went to an International school for a while, so there were ppl there from the Em's. What were you doing there?
It wasn't all that bad, cuz it wasn't humid at all, really dry.


So the US pulled all their citizens out of the entire arab world? That seems a tad unnecessary. Or was it your parents' decision to lave, just in case?
No, it was my family's decision, but Co's with Americans working there highly recommended that they leave.

We were gonna leave even. anyway cuz once I reached 9th grade my parents woulda had to send me out of the country to boarding school, and they weren't gonna do that.

Ps. If ya check out the heli's on the site, you prob saw them when you were in the UAE.

Oh, and my dad stayed and worked there for 3 yrs after we came home. So he got to see a lot of the war as a civilian, which was scary at times.

SureThing said:

Thanks!



I'm really impressed!



"The Em's"...



I was just there on holiday, so really nothing to brag about. I found it very interesting though.




Still, I think living there probably made you waaaay more resiliant to heat than I will ever be. Again, I'm impressed...




Well I hope you'll get a chance to go back there again one day. It would probably give you a new perspective on things to relive those memories as an adult.

I was just there on holiday, so really nothing to brag about. I found it very interesting though.

You went to the UAE for vaca? What was it like? Probably a lot like, but a lot diff than SA.




Still, I think living there probably made you waaaay more resiliant to heat than I will ever be. Again, I'm impressed...

I love warm weather, I HATE the cold.



Well I hope you'll get a chance to go back there again one day. It would probably give you a new perspective on things to relive those memories as an adult.

No tourists allowed.

Thats why I always say I wanna go to Madagascar.

I'd get a tase of the culture, but more resort like.

SureThing said:

It was really weird in some ways. Lots and lots of incredibly wealthy people who were browsing the gold market or just cruising around in their Rolls Royces. There was also the clash between the ancient and the modern. You would often see then wear the traditional headcloths and white robes and speak on handsfree cell phones, and while all the facilities were very clean and modern, you would have an old fashioned "women only" beach nearby, which was basically the only place the women had to themselves and where they could undress a bit.
There was a minaret really close to my hotel, and their darned shouting would wake me up several times every night. I found it fascinating though.





So Madagascar is similar to Saudi? I would never have guessed that, since Mauritius is packed with Indians and east Africans.

It was really weird in some ways. Lots and lots of incredibly wealthy people who were browsing the gold market or just cruising around in their Rolls Royces. There was also the clash between the ancient and the modern. You would often see then wear the traditional headcloths and white robes and speak on handsfree cell phones, and while all the facilities were very clean and modern, you would have an old fashioned "women only" beach nearby, which was basically the only place the women had to themselves and where they could undress a bit.
There was a minaret really close to my hotel, and their darned shouting would wake me up several times every night. I found it fascinating though.



Hmmm, sounds a lot similar. The segragation of women and mean and the wealth.

Did they call the gold market a souke?






So Madagascar is similar to Saudi? I would never have guessed that, since Mauritius is packed with Indians and east Africans.

I know, I just realized, I said the total wrong place. Marrakesh, Morocco.



bold edit
[Edited 1/19/07 9:10am]

SureThing said:

I honestly can't remember, but it does sound vaguely familiar. They had a silver market too, right next to it.



Ah okay, that makes sense then.

Yes I did and yes I do!

I hitchhiked with some friends on Halloween 1986.... the whole night was fucked up...but the hitchhiking part was strange because it was unintentional.

My friends and I... about 6 of us...were walking down Lake Street in Minneapolis and some dude pulled up all friendly and said hey come on you guys....it was raining...so we started piling in.... well the jackass starts to take off with one of the girls only halfway in... wshe hung on to the door with her feet dragging for like 10 seconds before we got him to stop. We let him take us about 6 blocks before I told him we were at our destination... we piled out...out of self-preservation and started the "who's your fucked up fucking drugged out friend?" questionaire....only to realize none of us knew the guy....

retina said:

Okay. Sorry Mach.

Back to hitch-hiking.

Two very different hitching experiences:

When my best friend and I visited St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, we hitchhiked all over the island for two weeks. Met some really nice people, rode in some really funky old Jeeps, had a great time and always felt safe.

Once when I was around fifteen I left my house in the middle of the night to escape some crazy violent happenings. I was distraught and in tears, and my judgment was not what it should have been. This guy pulled over and offered me a ride, and I took it. As soon as I got in the car he locked the doors and asked me if I like to "party." I tried to open the doors, he kept talking dirty shit, I screamed "UNLOCK THE FUCKING DOORS!" right in his face, and he did. I ran all the way to my best friend's house, and I'll never forget how lucky I was.

FunkMistress said:

Awful.

my "cute" story

i ran away while my sisters were babysitting me when i was 4 or 5 - running away consisted of walking a mile into town from the farm. about half way there a guy stopped on the highway - i knew he was familiar but couldn't tell who he was. he asked me if i needed a ride and my famous reply was...
"i'm sure you are somebody's friend but you aren't mine."

sesame street taught me well
but i still didn't want to hurt his feelings