Long Flight, Movies, Meet Ups, Dubai, Abu Dhabi!

First Monday of the sabbatical and I was on my way to Dubai, for the pre-production meeting and location recee for my next feature film! How awesome is that! 

But there are a couple of people I need to thank first for this awesomeness - the hubby and our helper, both of whom happily volunteered to take care of the Little One in my absence. I can't thank them enough for the support! 

Sure, I have travelled on work before, leaving her with them for a few days at a stretch, but I am yet to think of film making as "work". This, to me, is very much a super fun trip and I tend to feel guilty about not focusing on that humongous thing called Motherhood but instead have "fun". But then I tell myself that I love her to bits and she seems to love me to bits for the time being and we are both gonna work this out.

Now that that's out the way, let's get back to what's happening on my Dubai trip! 

Firstly, I loved my long 7 hour flight! It is the first time I am taking such a long flight all by myself after the Little One came into our lives, and I have to say I had really missed this "me" time. We have travelled extensively as a family - including really long flights to Amsterdam and New Zealand, and I, who otherwise is a lover of long flights, totally don't look forward to those. Travelling with a child is not the same and while I enjoy holidaying with her once we get to the destination, the journey itself usually is pretty tiresome. 

So now that I had a 7 hour flight all by myself, I made the most of it! 

I watched two awesome films - "The 100 Foot Journey" which was a really sweet movie and "Whiplash" which was nothing but sheer brilliance and am still astounded by it. I mean, sheer-F.R.E.A.K.I.N.G-brilliance! Phew! I also had tea and juice and wine and worked on my script and listened to music and tried to take a nap and did all those things that I so love doing on flights. So, in a nutshell - I had an amazing time!

Dubai airport experience was good too - there were no forms to fill, there was no rush at immigration, the baggage came fast enough and everything was pretty much smooth and fast.  

I was picked up from the airport by my friend cum editor cum cinematographer and we headed straight to try out what is supposedly one of the best restaurants in Dubai serving Malayali food - Calicut Notebook. The fancy named place didn't disappoint at all! I enjoyed their Pandan Leaf Chicken, Fish Fillet Elayil Tawa (came wrapped in banana leaves) with chappathi and kerala parotta. It was all very awesome! 

After that we went to meet my cousin brother who had recently moved to Dubai. We met him near his workplace at Burjuman centre and had a cup of coffee together. I haven't seen him in years, so it was really nice to meet him all the way in Dubai even if for a short while.  

After that we set out on the 2-hour long drive to Abu Dhabi - and I was given a running commentary on the sites around me. Burj Khalifa, Burj Arabia, the ocean, the beautiful rows of trees lined between the two vast roads on either sides, the arid parts, dates shops, nurseries, Iranian markets, the luxury cars that keep whizzing by non stop, I saw them all. 

We also stopped for a bit to give a lift to another member of the team, who also happens to be the one who cooks the dishes for Athazham food photography. It was nice to meet him as well. 

I checked into a hotel in Abu Dhabi and grabbed a quick dinner. By then, I was really exhausted and probably jet lagged. All I wanted to do was just sleep! So I did just that and vowed to wake up refreshed and energized because tomorrow, the real pre-production work and location recee start! Can't wait!