What Filipinos in the UAE will do this long Eid holiday
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LThe holiday is a welcome breather for me as a busy entrepreneur. I missed selfcare and bonding with my mates. So this time around, I’ll have a mini staycation.”
ong motorcycle rides, out-of-town trips, staycations, movie marathons, bonding with family, friends and pets, training for an international competition — these and more are how Filipinos in the UAE are planning to spend the long Eid holiday.
As UAE residents gear up for a six-day break — starting tomorrow until Saturday — Dubai resident and professional photographer Chris Calumberan, 41, is finalising the route and pit stops for a 200km motorcycle ride with friends Dennis, Edison, Mitch and Rainier. He said their five-men crew, called ‘Tambutso’ riders in Filipino, will have an exciting road trip on two wheels from Dubai to the Hatta-Oman border this Eid.
“We usually ride around the Maliha area in Sharjah, covering 150 to 250km on an average. This Eid will be another adventure,” Calumberan told Gulf News.
Family staycation
Belinda Morel, 38, and family will be wearing matching floral summerwear as they head out for a family staycation at one of the theme-park hotels in Dubai. The cabin crew and Dubai resident said: “We’re a big family. Having my two sisters with their families here in the UAE, our total is 13. And we always make any occasion a grand celebration. We will make the best out of it (holiday) and enjoy what UAE has to offer. We’re planning a staycation at a resort with lots of activities for the little ones.”
Baking sessions
A short staycation at The Palm Jumeirah is also on the mind of Nouel Omamalin, 45, a pastry chef and entrepreneur. He told Gulf News: “The long Eid holiday is a welcome breather for me as a busy entrepreneur. I missed self-care and bonding with my mates. So this time around, I’ll have a mini staycation at The Palm Jumeirah. And for sure, there will be fun baking sessions with my best buddies aside from taking a dip in the water when the sun is down,” he added.
For Hashim Guinomla, catching up on blockbusters, TV series and going on road trips to secluded places are on top of the list. “We will also play the usual board games (Monopoly, Scrabble, etc.) as we prefer to have more time indoors with the family and also to share with my children what I used to do during my childhood years,” Guinomla added.
Dubai resident and human resources professional Robie Torre Gonzales will treat her 22-year old daughter Isabel to a postbirthday celebration at a beach hotel in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK). “My two nieces, aged three and eight years, will come along so it will be an all-female bonding,” said Gonzales. “The kids will probably go swimming until they’re exhausted,” she added.
Nouel Omamalin | Pastry chef and entrepreneur
Fun without breaking the bank
For Susan Francisco, a financial adviser, having fun does not mean burning a hole in one’s pocket or breaking the bank. She said: “We will spend the long break to have fun and do more physical activities like playing bowling and volleyball, while the men will play basketball. We will also go to different beaches, but we will ensure we practise social distancing and wear face masks when not swimming.”