TEAM-BHP Mid-East Meet 2008

[wheeler]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaKnight

and @ 9 pm at grand right!!??

Yeah. Table's booked for 9pm @ the Dhaba in there. Joining us for the booze run Anthony?

[CaliforniaKnight]

well not exactly..my rental car may not catch up with ya guys

[Steeroid]

Hi quick report on the very 'mini' meet we had yesterday. Firstly the name has to change - it is hardly what one might call a middle east meet

Very aptly though, the first meet was organized by Vinayak (wheeler) so some of us might consider this an auspicious beginning.

We started off with the booze run slightly behind schedule even though Wheeler and v1kram reached my place on the dot at 4 pm. We had trouble getting out as my son's bike was chained to the Jag's wheel and the Lumina was parked on a different floor. By the time we located the keys and unchained the car it was about 4.20 (or later).

Anyway, a rather uneventful drive up to the Barracuda resort followed - mostly because the boys insisted on sticking to the speed limit. On the way we stopped to take a few pics of the rides (v1kram's Fortuner, my Jag and wheeler's Altima(:







Wheeler (funky black T) and v1kram (propah white T)



Reached Barracuda and realized that the boys still dont know what a 'booze run' means because they ended up picking up a six-pack of beer and a bottle of Bacardi between themselves whereas I had a trolley full. The booze run is a scheduled activity where one person goes shopping on behalf of his entire circle of friends - these friends take turns and each month one of them does the shopping on behalf of the rest. You dont drive up all the way to Umm Al Quaim to buy a six-pack.

Anyway, we did our shopping and in the process also remembered TheYeti(R):


Drove back home - this part was not preplanned and so we all ended up driving back to my apartment which was quite unnecessary. To cut the long story short, Duboy decided that Wheeler was the designated Bakra this time around and joined him in his car for the drive back at the end of which a dazed wheeler told us "he was talking non-stop till we got here!"

He also made it a point to drag wheeler through the basement to show him his bike on the way home.

We finally made it to the Dhaba at about 9.15 pm (which is ridiculously punctual for a TBHP meet) where my wife and I were the first at the table, joined shortly by Wheeler and Duboy, v1kram shortly thereafter. The next guest was Dhar's - we all expected a northie chap but he turned out to be a fellow mallu too. Finally in where CaliforniaKnight with his brother (who was originally on TBHP as M Power before a server cleanup removed him) and his wife.

I will let the guys describe in detail, while I post a few pics of the group:



From left to right: Dhar's - v1kram - CaliforniaKnight's brother - CaliforniaKnight, his wife, my wife, unseen Duboy, Wheeler

[GTO]

The cars look awesome! Steer, your Jag looks wicked....and I am surprised at the totally butch stance of the Fortuner.

[v1kram]

Steer, thanks for the quick report and pictures. Just back from office, will let vinayak to explain the meet in detail.

[wheeler]

Sorry for the delay guys. Was out since morning. Here's my take on the meet.

Oh man, yesterday was fun even though it started off a bit late. Steer was the only one with the camera. So this is going to be a non-pictorial report. Like Steer said, would be more apt to call it a TeamBHP Dubai mini meet.

Steer calls me up in the morning to let me know that the booze run starts at 4pm. I've been lazing around all day and am really looking forward to this. I call up Vikram and let him know the plan. So we finally decide to meet up at Steer's building by 4. Vikram and I reach there a bit early and call up Steer to let him know that we're waiting outside his building. A few minutes later, the Jag comes out with Steer at the wheel and his family with him.

We roll out at around 4:30pm (hey, we had to keep the tbhp tradition alive) and there's no stopping Steer. Vikram and I found it difficult to keep up with the Jag. We manage to come close to him only when we stop at signals. On the way out of Dubai, we have this 6 or 7 lane bridge called the Business Bay bridge. Steer was gunning his engine and both Vikram and I were so desperately trying to catch up. I'm doing 140 and Vikram is on my tail. I'm scanning the traffic in front of me searching for Steer. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a trouble-maker. The infamous Dubai radar. One of the many around. I start pumping my brakes a couple of times to indicate to Vikram to slow down. Luckily he does but he didn't know why I've slowed. Although I get ugly stares from a few cars passing by, I do manage to reduce to 100 in time. Up ahead, I see Steer's Jag. Looks like he realized that we're too far behind and slowed down so we could catch up. After that, the whole journey was pretty uneventful. We stop on the way for a photoshoot and then continue.

The booze joint @ the Barracuda is packed with plenty of people. Mostly Europeans. While I wait for Vikram (oh, he had gone to fill fuel from a filling station near the joint), I see Steer running around making sure that he's picked up everone's order. His trolley's already half full. By the time Vikram comes and we pick up our share of the booze, Steer's trolley is overflowing. Looks like he's setting up his own bar at his house. After dumping the booze in the car, we go and have some snacks at the restaurant.

After gulping down the burger and fish fingers, Duboy gets active and starts talking. An avid SRK fan (I mean Shah Rukh Khan and not SRK from our forum) Duboy gives me company on the return journey. At an age when kids read Archies, Marvel comics and play video games, this 8 year old reads Automotive magazines and rides his own yamaha dirt bike - a real Petrohead. I was truly amazed. He goes on and on and on from things like his favourite lambo design to favourite movies to favourite car. Actually Duboy never finished telling me about his favourite cars. He said he's got a "couple" of them. Turns out that it was more like a couple of lists of favourite cars. And by the time we reached Steer's house, he was only half way through the list. Hey Duboy, We'll finish it on the next drive. Duboy shows me the Lumina and Steer's MT01. And chained to it is Duboy's own Yamaha.

From Steer's house, we head straight to the Dubai Grand. Dhar's is already waiting in the lobby of the hotel. We go in and wait for Vikram (who took a different route from steer's house and is stuck in traffic) and CaliforniaKnight. Once everone arrives, we start playing musical chairs trying to get the seating arrangement right. There's a live band playing loud punjabi folk songs and we end up shouting to each other to make ourselves heard. We place the order for the drinks and while waiting, Duboy makes a song request - Dastan - E - Om Shanti Om (its his favourite). Unfortunately, nobody sings that song so he makes another request - Aaj ki raat or Main hoon Don from the movie Don. But that too doesn't reach the stage and by now, Duboy's half asleep. Since some of the members are working the next day, we finish up with the main course, pay the bill and leave the restaurant. Duboy's almost sleepwalking down the stairs.

After making plans to meet up again when Zak's around, we all split.

All in all, a nice mini-meet. Hope to see all the other members for the future meets.

That's all from me folks. Hope you had the patience to sit and read through this. Waiting for the others to report on the meet too.

[speedzak]

Good one there guys!
Nice reports pouring in too. Wish it had more pictures.

Thanks for planning something when I am around. I'll try and be there for a month or so. There'll be a series of minis and endless meets happening I suppose!
Aaaaaa..are we..eeeeeeeee Ready..eeeeeee? :embarrassed:

[CaliforniaKnight]

Thanks BHPians for organising this meet.it feels great to know each and everyone of you in person and share some gasoline stories.

@Steeroid: great pics there and admit it yo have an awesome cam.

@wheeler: great writeup as well, one can easily go about how the whole trip was.

[Dhar's]

Steer, Vikram, Vinay, CK, Duboy... it was so nice meeting you all.
Hope to meet you guys soon.

[jkdas]

Originally Posted by Dhar's

Steer, Vikram, Vinay, CK, Duboy... it was so nice meeting you all.
Hope to meet you guys soon.

And your back in Kerala now?

Steerji nice pix.

[Sam Kapasi]

Anyway, we did our shopping and in the process also remembered TheYeti(R):

Ha, looks like you boys had a good time. Thank you for remembering me. Jaegermeister-Red bull is the BOMB!

I'm waiting for TheOne® to bring me the new kein-Jaegermeister. Looks like full on fun and totally prissy! I cannot wait to get bombed by a pink and blue completely sissy looking drink lol





Looks like a good fun meet. Wish I was there.

[Dhar's]

Originally Posted by jkdas

And your back in Kerala now?

No JK, actually I'm back in Dubai.

[quicksilver]

Nice pictures and write up guys. Looks like this is the start of a series of nice meets from Dubai/Middle East. More so when Zak joins the gang.

That pic of the three cars with the sand dunes as the background looks awesome. I can't help but drool at v1kram's Fortuner.

@ Wheeler, so you have been duboyed too huh? IMHO, he knows much more stuff compared to many BHPians here including myself (with all due respect). I can only imagine whats going to happen when he turns 18. Way to go pal!

@ CK, still remember the first Cochin meet when I had seen you on your Esteem...