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An afternoon of racing

Spent a few hours the other day at the Dubai Autodrome. Saw my former colleague who was also there for the testing and he was surprised to see me. LOL. After all, my usual beats are lifestyle and I’m in press con for a race car launch? Simple answer: I was invited and I wanted to try it!

I came in late and barely caught anything of the briefing where the instructors discussed when and how to use the throttle, how to turn, what to do when you spin… Oops, I should’ve come in early. My heart started beating fast – am I really going to try this?

Yes. So I took the manual refresher course with the other two attendees who needed instructions (one male and one female – the only other female in the group). The girl has never driven manual before while the guy has never driven manual in Dubai. I just got my license (manual) about two months back but I can be terribly insecure with my driving so I decided to join them.

It was a short ‘refresher course’ where the instructor told us to release the gas when turning and hold the steering wheel steady so we wouldn’t have those jerky little movements. Then we were off to the circuit!

We were given random numbers and I got ‘2’ which meant I was with the group who tested the Single seater cars first. The gear was semi automatic (or semi manual?); it had like a lever at the right of the steering wheel which you pull towards you to go in a higher gear or push back for lower. You only use the pedal to change gear for the first one, after that you can just pull or push without troubling yourself with the pedal.

Man, I’m so small! They pulled the seat up as much as they could yet I could barely touch the pedals. In the end, they had to unstrap the safety straps on my legs because it constricted my movements making me unable to press the pedals (three pedals just like manual cars). There was a trainer car that we had to follow: brake where it brakes, drive where it drives, turn where it turns while maintaining a space of four cars in between us or the exercise will be terminated.

And off I went. Lower gear, jerky, hesitant moves… but when I sped up, it was great! I had absolutely no idea if I was changing gears or not but as long as it was going, I was happy. I was able to follow but on my third turn, I went slow, didn’t change gears and got stuck on the side. The Autodrome guys tinkered with the car after I left it and I thought, “Man I sucked!”

Which were also the very words that came out of my mouth when they asked me how it was. I thought that was it. The Autodrome guys adjusted the car again and told me to go back again.

“But I sucked!” I said.

“It’s everybody’s first time,” they told me – very nice of 'em. The second time, I did better, I think. I was still a bit jerky, banging my helmeted head (helmets by the way cost DHS1500 each, so we were warned to be very, very careful. Once dropped, the helmet must be replaced) several times during turning because I went slower and didn’t change gears but less than the first time.

After the allotted laps, we parked. My bones felt like jelly. And the suit that they made us wear was like your personal sauna, combined with the Dubai summer heat, I felt like I was literally melting.

They asked me if I could see anything, because they could barely see me inside the car. Actually, I couldn't. I was pushing myself up just to see the road.

After the One-seater cars, all the press people met up at the briefing area again to cool down. Then our group was off to try the GTS cars, while the other group, where my former officemate was, went to try the Onse-seaters.

The GTS cars, I really liked! My bones did not feel like jelly here because it felt like driving the usual manual car. This time, they not only pushed the seat forward, they also gave me mats to seat on and to put at my back. Helped a lot!

There were different-colored cones on the road: yellow means you have to drive as close as you can to that side, blue means pass it before you turn and orange – I don’t know. Remember, I was late for the briefing.

I wanted to have another go, we were given the chance to, but I had a 7pm meeting and it was already past 6. The Autodrome was a good one hour away from the city... :(

Ah, I'm glad I came. I almost passed it up because of the heat.

More chaos in the Middle East

Beirut is shattered. It's airport runways and city bridges have been destroyed. People are dying. The Hezbollah has counter attacked and in Israel, people are dying as well. You've probably heard it on the news.

Israeli airstrikes hit northern Lebanon for the first time

BEIRUT (CNN) -- The Israeli military Saturday launched four airstrikes throughout Lebanon, targeting major roads and bridges, including in the northern part of the country, according to Lebanon's internal security forces.

On the fourth day of conflict, Israeli bombs struck bridges in the northern region of Nahrel Bared, near Tripoli; the northeastern town of Hermel near the Syrian border; and Debiyeh, located southeast of Beirut. The fourth airstrike targeted Sarasand, a coastal road leading to the southern port city of Tyre.

Saturday's airstrikes in Hermel mark the furthest north the Israeli military has struck Lebanon since the conflict erupted Wednesday.

Our boss is in Lebanon with his family. We just got word that he will be driving out tonight. It's scary, it's more dangerous to be out in the roads when bombs are flying all over. Our account executive, also Lebanese, was supposed to fly out Thursday for his vacation. His wife's already there while his parents are now trapped in south part of Lebanon, one of the first parts hit. They were just there for a vacation. Now they are trapped. My officemate is litless, dark heavy bags under his eyes, and he just got a text message from his wife, a last wish in case something happens to her. The airport is useless and the bridges are destroyed. He's trying to get them visas to Jordan so they can exit. Taxi drivers are charging people $700 just to take them to the Syrian or Jordanian borders. My Syrian officemate was just here, he's worried too. His father is still there and plenty of their relatives. He just got news that will try to flee to higher grounds to the mountains in search of safety.

I know we're not directly affected, but it's scary all the same. Let us all pray for the safety of innocent people from both sides.

Oblation

With his arms spread wide and his face turned towards the sky, Oblation is the symbol of Upians, of selfless sacrifice and offering to one's country.

Yesterday, after I emailed the GA collage to the egroup, Anthon said I should be able to make it take Oble's form -- Oble as we often refer to him.

So here it is. 

UPAA-UAE General Assembly

Last Friday (07July06), UPians in the UAE once again had the chance to put a face to the names they've been seeing online and to the voices they've been hearing over the phones. It was our 2nd General Assembly for the year (3rd counting the first GA/Induction last year).

As the Secretary and Membership Committee Head, I was pleased that there were a lot of new faces but sad that a lot of the old ones were not able to make it. Admittedly, the association has been going really slow for the last six months. There were a lot of ideas but the efforts were too scattered. Hopefully, after this GA we will be able to muster our forces and launch the all new programs and projects we have lined up.

First we have the Scholarship Project which is the baby of Cecille Rasul. We have enough money now for a two-year study grant in UP. Now we have to design more fund raising activities to add to the fund and to the number of UP scholars. In this line we have film showings, lecture and workshop series and other activities, the details of which are still being ironed out. I am highly optimistic; things are definitely shaping up inspite of the organisation's birth pains.

Though the film showing is Galo's project, it's the project I'm most excited about. Even before the Culutral Committee announced their plans, Ye and I have been talking about the possibility of holding such an event. For this project, we'd like to promote the independent films of the Philippines while earning enough money to add to our scholarship fund.

We have a lot of work ahead of us, not only because of these projects, but we're still a fledging organisation, wobbling on our newborn knees.

Of course the GA was not pure work - the program was divided into two parts: the "serious" and the "socials". Serious was from 4-7pm when we discussed the programs and hashed out other organisational stuff. From 7pm onwards, we had dinner, dance/singing/guitar performances and others. At the end, after everybody filed out, filled with the abundant and yummy Crowne Plaza food (they served yummy kinilaw!), some members stayed to jam.

Special thanks to Ena and Ye who helped me at the registration table and Raquel who helped me photocopy, collate and bind the Survival Guide (a MemCom project - the UPians' comprehensive guide to living and working in the UAE). Thanks to Quay who called and confirmed the members' attendance and to all members who came.

Special guests: Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Libran Cabactulan and wife, and Philippine Consul General in Dubai Antonio Curameng.

For UPians in the UAE who are interested in becoming members, email me or go to the UPAA-UAE website.

Go UP!