Old Bastakia
 |
Custom Search
|
|
Custom Search
|
Old Bastakia
He was young, brash and new to Dubai. He owned a paraglider - a Dubai first!
Young Man found a new friend who owned an old Landrover. Soon YM was soaring high above Dubai's desert dunes towed by his friend's Landrover. Word spread. Manager of newly built Costay Club heard about parascending. Costay Club was next to Jumeirah Beach - ideal for parascending. YM could parascend along Jumeirah Beach then land in Costay Club's new Pool. A great way to open the Club! YM agreed!
Following Friday morning YM made a test run before the official Costay Club opening at 3pm that day. YM was well prepared. Both YM and his friend had Walkie Talkie Radios. Landrover pulled YM into the air at the Beach Palace end of Jumeirah Beach and soon sped along an empty Jumeirah Beach. as YM soared high above Jumeirah. YM timed his descent into Costay Club pool to perfection. Manager was happy. YM was confident.
BUT..... YM was new to Dubai. He did not know Dubai's wind changed direction to onshore after 1pm or Dubai's population headed for Jumeirah Beach around 3pm each Friday.
Just before 3pm that Friday afternoon YM again soared into the air but this time YM was blown inland by the onshore wind. YM was now suspended a hundred meters or so above Jumeirah's Villas. YM was not worried but YM was unaware one of Dubai's many expatriate workers was about to arrive at Jumeirah Beach as he invariably did at 3pm on a Friday afternoon.
The Worker, as usual, rode his motorcycle onto the beach. This time he drove into a tow rope attached to a Landrover pulling YM across the sky. Motorcycle and Landrover came to a halt. YM didn't although YM's progress was now downward. YM called on his Walkie Talkie for the Landrover to get moving but motorcycle and rider were firmly entangled in the towrope. There was no hope of the Landrover moving. YM received the bad news.
Later from his hospital bed YM explained..."I could see the Villas coming towards me. I cleared the first Villa just like Superman in two gigantic strides across the roof. At the next Villa I demolished part of the roof, removed a water tank and collected two TV Aerials. It didn't hurt. I was like a knife going through butter!"
The third Villa's Resident was reading her library book and relaxing in her garden chair. That is until YM flew into the side wall of her Villa and, wrapped in two TV Aerials, dropped to the ground beside her. That's when YM got lucky!
The Resident's husband was a Doctor at nearby Iranian Hospital. An ambulance arrived within minutes of her telephone call with YM being treated for multiple fractures in the Iranian Hospital soon after. YM took a year to mend and a year and a half before returning to work.
YM took up screen printing Tee Shirts as a safer hobby - another Dubai first.
There was no Court Case or Prosecution! Dubai Police did not get involved. Imagine explaining the circumstances to a Dubai Court in 1974!
Costay Club was a Social Club built by a Joint Venture of Costains and Taylor Woodrow Construction Companies for their Employees. JV was then building an extension to Port Rashid. Costay Club has long disappeared from Jumeirah Beach - probably demolished to make way for someone's beach house!
www.Dubaiasitusedtobe.com |