Safarnamay by Sadia

Water as far as we can see, horizon as far as there is water, lush islands as if oasis, glistening sun, yachts gracefully sailing among colorful gondolas, clouds scattered like a fluff around the sky in all shades of ivory! Once again, we are on the upper deck of same boat, we sailed on yesterday, all set for evening fishing trip. There are three other families, apart from us. Friendly Siddiqui with their three adorable kids, an Indian elderly couple and a European family. None of us are wearing life jackets today. We are told that we are not going to deep waters and there are emergency jackets on the boat. We instantly realize our mistake the moment we settle on the upper deck and boat takes momentum. When I say deck, I merely mean the upper part or rather roof of the boat which has barely a foot high railing. We are reclining against this dangerously open railing which is low enough to let any of us directly stumble into the waters. Non swimmers like me won’t have a chance to see t...

Today is scheduled for sunset cruise. We arrive at sports center sharp 4:15 where Siddiqui family joins us for boom net adventure.   Greeted and guided by the captain we head towards our small yet sturdy boat. All of us are wearing life jackets. Snorkeling in sea has proven that our swimming skills in deep sea are near to non-existent!   We take the ladder for upper deck. It is a clear, azure sky with white flossy clouds seamlessly sailing through it. Deep blue waves are cradling the boat with a rhythm which is calm at one moment and vexed at another! We are reclining by the railing, surrounded by unbound, unyielding, deep blue waters of Indian ocean! Regardless how much we want to be there, in this very moment, we are compelled to capture it in our cell phones. Golden hour is there, urging us to take selfies. Charm breaks when one of the crew guys ask us to come down as it is time to go nuts with the nets! So far, we have a vague idea of sunset cruise. Aleem called them...

  Maldivian waters are alluring, they enchant you, captivate you, bind you in a spell and you sit there for hours simply looking at them! Kandooma is a beautifully cultivated island with its swinging palms, winding trees, swishing ferns, pearly beach and well preserved marine life! Curious geckos, shy hermit crabs, cunning seagulls are your constant companions whether you are relaxing next to your room or enjoying a leisurely stroll! Our sixth day starts with a hazy morning which turns into bright afternoon. Apart from our first two days that’s how weather is here; sun playing hide and seek amidst clouds. Whether day is hot or humid, early mornings and evenings are pleasant. It is a relaxing day. After a hearty breakfast kids and Aleem goes to sports center to book some activities while I am sitting beside the pool, enjoying my latte. We realized that not many days are left if we want to experience water sports. These days sea is choppy. ‘Choppy’ is an interesting term I lear...

    We are amidst the sea far from our resort, speed boat is rushing past deep blue waves with full throttle, we can see the laughing faces of our kids and suddenly there sounds a ‘cluck’ and rope with which banana boat is tied, breaks! In seconds kids are left far behind that we can barely see them! The moments it take our captain to realize what has happened we are already gone miles away in deep waters! It is another glorious, sunlit day at Kandooma Island. We have promised our little one for a morning walk. So, after Fajar, we wake her up and go outside to see the sunrise.  Water has receded. You can see hosts of grey, brown crabs sticking to the rocks, lurking on the stones, crawling on the murky beach. Occasionally a black-eyed crab with crimson tinges brightens the scene. Water is so low that you can see the slimy pebbles. Sun rises and water rises with it, every next wave is stronger than the first. We take a stroll and come back to our rooms. It’s time to get r...

  It is amazing to see schools of bright fish swimming through corals and reefs in clear waters on National Geographic but to feel a big gray fish swim underneath your legs or couple dozen tiny fish fluttering their little fins in front of your eyes is something else! A rare blend of anticipation and happiness that defines all the first experiences! That is how I was feeling when I opened my eyes underwater! A whole new world!   It is a sunny day! A day to soak in waters, take pictures, wander, and explore! Everyone is out today. On such a gleaming day when pools are abuzz and people are cheery, all I can think is our upcoming PCR which is scheduled at 3:30. Besides, our snorkeling trip is looming in the air as well. Kids are excited while I am praying to get over with it safely! We collect snorkeling gears from sports center and walk towards the boat. There are few other families and couple of men. Our coach from yesterday ‘Attu’ is there, he welcomes us aboard and intr...

When waves gush toward you swooshing and squirting and you see grayish water turning into teal foam, your heart fills with gratitude and joy! You walk on oak white sands and ponder, what else can be more beautiful but Nature never ceases to surprise! Every place has its own charm; every aspect of Nature is mesmerizing in its own way! Who knew that I will be devouring hot and crispy Aaloo paratha on my second day in Maldives #homeawayfromhome. It is a layered flatbread stuffed with potatoes, shallow fried to golden perfection. In Pakistan folks prefer to have a bowl of yoghurt with these parathas but here they are served with spicy, sweet pea curry. Though it's not near to the taste I prefer but the sheer surprise of having them in Maldives has enhanced the flavor.  I am loving the food here. Unlike hotel food, which is usually lukewarm and bland, whatever I ate so far is fresh and flavorful! Yet it is our second day here, let us see how it goes! Breakfast is finished and now we a...

    It’s our first morning here and  what a gorgeous morning it is! Overcast sky, uplifting wind, downpour to drizzle and drizzle to downpour! We as a family love rain. Partly for living in KSA where rain is rare and mainly being from Pakistan where rain is heralded with excitement and celebrated with special snacks. It always reminds me of a lovely rainy day in Hyderabad. It was a friend’s wedding and we drove all the way from Daharki to Hyderabad to attend. It was our first time to the city, so we thought to spend a day in exploring and doing little shopping. On the day of wedding, we were awoken by the sound of drizzling. Wherever we went shops were either closed or with half down shutters. We asked a guy that is there a local holiday? He replied, “It’s Hyderabad and it’s raining. Customers come every day, but rain doesn’t, so we don’t want to waste the moment.” Shopping was out of the options, so we decided to vibe with the tribe and enjoy the rain! Markets were...

Only few minutes had passed since we reached our hotel and I already regretted coming to Maldives! It all happened when we were sipping tropical drinks while reclining on comfortable, hip sofas of vibrant hotel lounge and our attendant Alka, while going through our papers casually said, “So you have one PCR before leaving which is required by Saudi government and two are part of hotel procedure!!!” What??? I could not believe my ears, so I asked her to clear what she meant by that and there came the shocking news…all the people traveling from South Asian countries were supposed to do two PCR tests. I was totally taken a back. Name PCR is synonymous to terror for me. I’m awfully scared of the test, the one we did in Pakistan was already an ordeal and I was having tough time to convince myself for the upcoming PCR looming over our heads in two weeks ‘time. And here we were with two more PCRs!!! Tranquil, turquoise waters of Republic of Maldives welcome you the moment you come out of ...

  The bird’s eye view of Maldives you get from your plane is something else! An array of enchanting ombre` spheres tinged with emerald and ivory surrounded by blue waters, mesmerizes you to the core! Plane descends and you realize that these magical spheres are  atolls  A string of pearls scattered over the deep blue Indian Ocean! While coming from Colombo to Male, it was just an hour’s journey. Passengers have taken their share of sleep in the first flight and now everybody was either chit chatting or busy being busy while waiting for plane to land. COVID has heightened the presence of incertitude in our lives to the next level! To people living abroad, air travels become a routine over the years. Security check, immigration, custom clearance, these terms might sound intimidating but for frequent travelers its mere patterns. However, under current circumstances where things are so transient that every other day you are getting a different piece of news, people ar...

When Air Bus 330 was sailing as low in the air that we could see swinging trees and lush fields with streams and river flowing through them, a word appeared on the screens ‘Ayubowan’! Moments later when we were off boarding the plane, I enquired our lovely host Wayomi who had dark kohl rimmed eyes, about the meaning of the word. She replied in her soft voice, “May you be blessed with long life!” I just fell in love with the word! One word with such pragmatic meaning! We had a connecting flight from Colombo to Male. All the passengers were from Pakistan. There were two categories going to Male; families and bachelors, but destination was same; Saudi Arabia!  It was as strange to see so many people from so many diverse backgrounds, striving and struggling to reach the place they call home, as it was to see the indifferent and inconsiderate attitude of Saudi government towards her residents. There would be many for whom it is not an easy feast to spend two weeks in Maldives or...