I arrived in Islamabad on Saturday morning on Pakistan Airlines from Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates). I was in the UAE for 3 days. One thing I can say about the U.A.E is it's not for the budget traveller (read : backpacker). You won't see young people carrying back-packs roaming anywhere in the UAE. The reason ? Cost - UAE is one of the most expensive places to travel. A five star hotel here starts at USD 250 or more. Luckily my hotel (USD 160 per night under corporate rate) is paid by the company.
In the UAE, the majority of the population are foreigners. Indians and Pakistanis as labourers, technicians and engineers in the construction sector and filipinas in the service industry as waitresses, cashiers , receptionist , secretaries. Last year,the UAE passed a law to get the companies to employ UAE nationals to be employed in the public relations and secretarial services. The finance sector already has the same law for a number of years. The trouble with this law is the expectations. A national UAE secretary is asking USD 3000 per month while the foreigner (almost always from the Philippines or perhaps Egypt) , USD 1000. Sounds a bit like the situation in Malaysia. doesn't it?
Back to my first 3 days in Pakistan. I am staying in Islamabad , the capital of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The office is just next door to where I am staying: the Marriott hotel.
The Mariott hotel chain is of course owned by a US based company in a nation led by the El-Diablo "The Devil" himself as Mr Hugo Chavez (Venezuelan President) called George Bush junior (USA president) last week.
Let me describe the security set-up st the Marriott hotel here.
- Outside the 3 foot high concrete gate, there are 3 security guards holding rifles. I took s peek yesterday on what kind of rifles they were holding. The rifles seemed to be the old bolt action firing pins ala the famous Enfield rifle used in World War I. I am not an expert on this matter but that is the impression.
- There is a steel barrier (3 inch diameter steel pole) slung across the main entrance. Upon stopping here, the guards will check the car; opening the engine compartment and car boot. There is also some sort of device to check for bombs underneath a vehicle. At this point, there are about 4 security guards with few more inside a guardhouse.
- After passing through the above gate, there are 2 more security guards at the hotel entrance doors. Just beyond these doors, there is
- An X-ray machine to scan baggage and there is also a metal detector to pass through. The set-up is identical to an airport.
- Lastly, there is also a steel pole before getting into a separate car parking area.
- I also checked the glsss windows at the hotel. The windows have been laminated with tough plastic film to prevent shrapnels from say flying everywhere from umh ... an exploding device (bomb).
Don't get me wrong when I am writing sbout the security measures (I am not complaining but just describing them). The measures are quite unobstrusive and necessary in the ever present risk of a terrorist attack. The Marriott is indeed an amazing hotel. My room (USD 150 per night) has a 42 inch LCD TV mounted on a wall and 60 channels. Plus a fruit basket and free refill of the minibar everyday. The hotel services are very good perhaps near perfect.
I ran yesterday on the treadmill at the Mariott fitness centre. Did 5.0 km.
As for the price of petrol here - it is RM 3.40 per litre. Compared to RM 1.90 in Malaysia we have it good back home.
5 comments:
perhaps the guards are trained in "1 shot 1 kill", so they don't need M16s or newer weapons! finally a gym that befits a runner. do make full use of it, even if just to use the concept 2 rower - very good for cardio (selling for RM6000 in KL).
I love the 42in LCD TV!!!!
Post some pictures please... :)
With all that security I would feel more threatened than safe! Hope you settle in well there.
Btw, do you know of any decent hotel or guest house to stay in Bidor? Quite a big group of us are going for the Bidor 21k on Nov 5th and I was told you have stayed there before?
Dinesh,
There r 3 hotels that I know of with one located just 100m from the starting line(near dewan awam). All 3 are Chinese style hotels with small rooms. The one I stayed before was I think called Excelsior -next to supermarket. Very small room but acceptably clean. You can ask the organiser mentioned in the reg form for the hotel tel nos.
Runwitme,
I brouht my camera but could not find the USB cable! Plan to take photos anyway but I cannot transfer them to a PC.
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