A woman of fortitude

by Reshma Deshpande Chainani (India)

I didn't expect to find United Arab Emirates

I didn't expect to find myself that too on a bike in the middle of the highway at night in Dubai. As an indian woman from a middle class background i have led a sheltered life. Holidays and vacations have been with family and though i have travelled for work it has mostly been with collwagues as that was our conpany policy and never alone. 2019 December is my 40th birthday and i decided to gift myself a birthday present in advance by taking a solo trip to Dubai. Why Dubai because it is one of the safest cities for women travellers and i wanted my first solo trip to be without the added anxiety of safety. I had my itinerary planned out in advance marking places i wanted to see and things i wanted to do. I landed in Dubai in the afternoon and after a smooth entry into Dubai marvelling at the efficiency of their immigration and customs departments i headed to my hotel. I had selected a hotel in Deira, which is the centre of the city, mainly to have faster access to all parts of Dubai. Also the lure of City Centre Mall which was connected to my hotel was an added perk. After check in, and spending some time relaxing in the hotel i decided to visit the Global Village. The Global Village as the name suggests is an amalgamation of cultures across the world. It is spread across a huge expanse of land with every country having its own pavilion, showcasing their monuments, food, products and culture. It transports you to a different world. The tastes, the smell, the visuals all enchanting and enticing you as you journey across lands. I had an amazing time there having tasted my way across the Middle East traversing through Oman, Turkey,Saudi Arabia, Qatar, reaching Europe, sailing to America and Africa and finally reaching my homeland India. What a journey in a span of 5 hours. As i left laden with things from all four corners of the world i walked to the taxi stand. It was almost 10 pm and as i walked a driver approached me asking if i wanted a cab. Seeing that i was alone he suggested that i take a bike taxi a service which they had recently started as it would be cheaper. Reluctantly i agreed to use the bike to head back to the hotel. I got on the bike with trepidation but the rider made me comfortable. I was given a helmet and a jacket as it was quite chilly. As the ride began i had a host of thoughts in my mind, about safety, about how foolish i was, what if ghe rider was not legit and so on and so forth. Since morning i had not had time to put a uae sim so did not have data or gps. This left me vulnerable in my mind. But as we rode on the highway, making our way through luxurious cars under the starry sky, the wind pushing against us i began to let go. Let go of worries, of thoughts, of everyday issues, and just enjoyed the sense of being, of being there in that moment, enjoying the journey. As i looked up and saw the stars in the sky, i realised how infinitely small we are and how much we have to still explore. I felt my connection with the universe, the feeling of deep bond to something beyond us. And in that i discovered myself. I discovered I was strong enough to take care of myself if need be, smart enough to handle situations as they arose and vulnerable enough that I never took unnecessary risks. By the time i reached my hotel I had found myself, a woman first and foremost but one with fortitude.