Travel Journal: Middle East tensions left me stranded in Abu Dhabi
ABU DHABI – I was meant to be in alpine landscapes, bundled in fleece, horseback riding through Kyrgyzstan's Chon-Kemin valley or cruising along the banks of Issyk Kul lake with sweeping views of the Tian Shan mountain range.
Instead, I was marooned in the desert, wilting under Abu Dhabi's 40 deg C sun – with a suitcase full of thermal wear and barely a pair of shorts.
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Straits Times
Malaysia mulls extending mandatory seatbelt ruling to cover more bus categories
Seat belts had been made mandatory for passengers on express and tourist buses from July 1. PHOTO: AFP MELAKA - Malaysia's Road Transport Department (JPJ) is considering extending the mandatory use of seat belts to cover additional categories of buses beyond express and tourist services, said Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli. The JPJ director-general said the department is currently assessing whether it should be compulsory for other forms of public transport, such as school buses, to provide seat belts for their passengers. 'Presently, we are focusing on express and tourist buses on models manufactured after January 2020, which have seat belts installed. 'For other transport services, JPJ will issue directives in phases once the evaluation has been completed,' he said during an inspection at Melaka Sentral bus terminal to monitor compliance with the seat belt regulation that came into effect on July 1. Mr Aedy Fadly noted that during the first day of enforcement, officers found that many passengers were unaware of the requirement to wear seat belts. 'On average, two to three passengers in each bus were found to be unaware of the regulation and we have issued summonses accordingly. 'JPJ officers also found that drivers had complied with the ruling and had advised passengers to fasten their seat belts before departure,' he said. He added that JPJ will continue to carry out periodic and surprise checks nationwide from July 1 onwards to ensure compliance with the regulation and advocacy campaign. Seat belts had been made mandatory for passengers on express and tourist buses from July 1. The regulation applies to buses manufactured from 2020 onwards, which are required to be equipped with seat belts at every passenger seat, and those who fail to comply will be fined RM300 (S$91). The move aims to enhance passenger safety and reduce fatalities and serious injuries in road accidents involving buses. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Straits Times
8 hours ago
- Straits Times
High-speed train line to Spain's Andalusia cut after power cable failure
MADRID - Passengers were left stranded in train carriages and stations overnight into Tuesday morning after a power cable failure cut high-speed lines between Madrid and Andalusia. Around 20 trains were blocked on the tracks or unable to depart on Monday evening, with approximately 10 more cancelled on Tuesday morning in Madrid and southern Spanish cities including Seville, where global leaders are attending a United Nations conference on development financing. Traffic between the towns of Yeles and La Sagra, about 40 kilometres south of Madrid, was suspended at 8.30 pm (0630 GMT) when a catenary cable malfunctioned, a spokesperson for state-owned railway infrastructure operator ADIF said. The cause of the malfunction was unknown, he said, and ADIF has since postponed the resumption of service four times. In its latest statement, the company said trains between Madrid and Andalusian cities were cancelled until further notice. ADIF called on regional emergency services to service and evacuate stranded passengers, some of whom spent hours stuck inside the trains as a blistering heatwave scorches the country. The high-speed network has rapidly expanded in Spain as part of a government push to decarbonise public transportation. The network connects almost all the country's big cities but is vulnerable to cable incidents as it crosses large swathes of scarcely populated areas. A copper cable theft paralysed the same line for more than 12 hours in early May. Three operators service the line, state-owned former monopoly Renfe, Ouigo, a unit of French state train operator SNCF, and Iryo, which is owned by a consortium including Italy's Trenitalia. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Five staycations with SG60 freebies and fireworks
As NDP rolls around, properties around Marina Bay and the Padang see a surge in demand for rooms with front-row views of the fireworks. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG SINGAPORE – As Singapore gears up to celebrate its 60th birthday, hotels are rolling out staycation packages, tours and activities, and special freebies to mark the occasion. A crowd favourite is the National Day Parade fireworks display, which is expected to start at around 8pm every Saturday between now and Aug 9. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.