Road trips during the Eid holidays
Every road trip is an opportunity for an adventure ("Cool road trips: From Khorfakkan to Jebel Jais, take these day trips over the long Eid weekend", Gulf News, April 29). During the long Eid holidays this year, my friends and I planned a road trip. We weren't sure on where to go. And, just when we were trying to find a place where we don’t usually go, I came across this photo gallery on gulfnews.com, which showed cool places to visit during the holidays. It was our first road trip since 2019. We picked Wadi Abadilah, in Fujairah and it instantly became one of my favourite road trips. We were lucky that this week, the weather was also better and less warmer than the last week. Once we arrived at the destination, we parked our car and found a set of stairs leading to the wadi below. That’s where the hike started. It is an easy hiking trail that the whole family can enjoy. It also lets you explore the local flora and fauna in a serene atmosphere. Another significant part of the road trip experience is seeing different places you may never have otherwise. I love seeing diverse landscapes and embracing the many wonders this country offers. Taking a complete cross country road trip is still on my bucket list; But, for now I look forward to plenty of shorter journeys and fine-tuning my driving skills. I have added the list by Gulf News to my bookmarks and will plan future trips to all these locations when the weather is good.
From Ms Ganga Govind
Dubai
Time will change
How often did you see happy pictures of people and wonder about how they happy they really are? Sometimes, all we see is just the surface. There's more beyond what our eyes see. Life gives us challenges, obstacles, hardships, and adversities without our permission. Everyone goes through something unexpected circumstances in life that make us feel anxious, angry, depressed but don’t let these emotions alone define your life. If we try to look at the different angles in any given situation, we will gain a different perspective. After all, life's most excellent presents appear under challenging circumstances. That's why they are called blessings in disguise. Think of beautiful people you meet, places you have seen, fabulous things you have done, all when you least expect. And, soon, you'll realise that your blessings are far more than your struggles. We all go through ups and downs, but we can transform pain into gold. Maybe, one day you will be thankful for the trials you face and realise there was a reason for everything you went through. The situation will change. Be ready for tough times to transform into a better version of yourself.
From Ms Tejal Shah
UAE
Learn something new everyday
Most of us have one or two areas of knowledge that we strive to know very well — things related to our jobs, of course, and maybe a hobby. But while it's essential to develop a deep understanding of the things that matter most to us, it is vital to create a broad knowledge of the world. There are many good, practical reasons to make learning something new a daily habit. As children, we were encouraged to learn something new every day. We did experiments at school, participated in extra-curricular activities, and joined cultural and activist groups during our college years. Then something happened – adulthood. We went from being curious children to adults dedicated to a 9 to 5 job, adopting routines that rarely ever change. Experts say that routine limits our brain's ability to learn new skills. It isn't comforting because learning new things is essential for our happiness. You may know that the brain is like a muscle. Like muscles, you have to exercise the brain by learning new things. But there is much more to learning new things than just making the brain stronger. The act of learning makes us more optimistic and cheerful.
From Mr Akhil B
Ajman, UAE
Modern cricket's dilemma
I want to highlight the statement of the Indian cricketer and ace spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin, who said that the 'retired out' will happen a lot in future too. I feel this act is nothing short of killing the so-called 'gentleman game' spirit. Instead of retiring out, why can't the batsman just gift his wicket and allow the next batsman to shine? Of late, the game of cricket is losing its sheen. If the International Cricket Council ( ICC) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) don't take steps to enforce strict rules to stop such unsporting acts, the audience interest in the game will decline.
From Mr N Mahadevan
India
