UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi has told of the joys of his life in space, from eating mango salads to capturing photos of Earth during his historic spacewalk.
In his first public address since returning from his six-month mission aboard the International Space Station, Dr Al Neyadi, 42, said on Tuesday that he is missing life in space but is happy to be home.
He and his crewmates, Nasa astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, were speaking from Houston, Texas, in an online briefing hosted by the US space agency, Nasa.
The astronauts returned from the orbiting outpost on September 4 and are taking part in a recovery programme to help them become accustomed to gravity again.
Mango salad was Sultan’s favourite
When asked about their favourite meals on the station, Dr Al Neyadi said that mango salad was his go-to dish.
“We have a big menu honestly, including food from Jaxa [Japan’s space agency] and the European Space Agency," he said.
“We also did an Emirati food night where we tried Emirati food.
“But honestly, six months is a long duration where you start feeling bored of specific foods.
“But one specific food that I liked until the end of the mission was a mango salad. It was my favourite.”
Mr Hoburg, who was also carrying out his first space mission, said that macaroni and cheese was his all-time favourite.
Meanwhile, Mr Bowen, who completed his sixth mission in space, said he enjoyed the fresh food that arrived on cargo resupply missions.
“In general, throughout the mission, things might change,” Mr Bowen said.
“There are certain things I had early on, but by the end, I didn't want any more … I think the spaghetti meat sauce.”
Playing chess and pulling pranks
In their spare time aboard the station, Dr Al Neyadi and his colleagues played chess games with mission control in Houston and with others around the world.
They took their time in each game, with the astronauts sometimes making only two or three moves a day.
Some of Dr Al Neyadi's colleagues also took part in pranks on the floating laboratory, including when Mr Hoburg hid inside a storage compartment in the airlock – a module astronauts use to enter and exit the station.
"You were in and then we pointed the camera so the ground team could see it," Dr Al Neyadi said while speaking to Mr Hoburg.
"We open the door and there you were, but to be honest, everything was really nice and cool – it wasn't any serious or dangerous pranks.
"We did love to joke and maybe compete with each other. We also had a small night of space games."
The astronauts also held a microgravity competition in the lab, where they floated as fast as possible across the structure, with one rule in mind: do not touch any cables or machines while getting to the other side.
Taking photos of Earth during spacewalk
While the astronauts had some fun time on the ISS, they were there to carry out more than 200 science projects for researchers on the ground.
They were also required to do maintenance work to keep the station up to date, including spacewalks to fix the exterior of the lab.
Dr Al Neyadi became the first Arab astronaut to perform a spacewalk when he ventured outside with Mr Bowen for nearly seven hours.
He said he did have the opportunity to take short breaks during the walk to enjoy the views of Earth from above and capture photos.
"I think I was lucky enough to be in the exact moment where sometimes you have downtime for the team to figure out the next step," said Dr Al Neyadi.
"For example, I was asked to take five minutes to take some pictures. It was really great.
"To have that moment and look down to Earth, and at times seeing just nothing – what is it protecting you?
"There's just a glass [of the helmet visor] in between and everything is clear."
Feeling heavy after returning to Earth
Dr Al Neyadi and his crewmates returned to Earth aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule, which had splashed down off the coast of Florida.
He described the feeling of experiencing gravity again after spending 186 days in space.
He said "everything felt heavy", even lifting a water bottle, but it became easier with each hour.
"It felt really, really heavy," said Dr Al Neyadi, when asked about landing back on Earth and readjusting to gravity.
"I was the last one to egress the capsule and I didn't notice my straps were off until the recovery team started to pull me, and I thought, 'Wow, it was only my weight pressing me towards the seat.'
"I remember Steve handing me a bottle of water. It felt really heavy. I just did not drink it because I didn't want to move a lot.
"But it's amazing how quickly you can get better by the hour."
Dr Al Neyadi will return to the UAE to take part in celebrations in his honour.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre will soon announce his homecoming date.
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- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Twelve books were longlisted for The Orwell Prize for Political Writing. The non-fiction works cover various themes from education, gender bias, and the environment to surveillance and political power. Some of the books that made it to the non-fiction longlist include:
- Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War by Tim Bouverie
- Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me by Kate Clanchy
- Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
- Follow Me, Akhi: The Online World of British Muslims by Hussein Kesvani
- Guest House for Young Widows: Among the Women of ISIS by Azadeh Moaveni
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
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- Price: Not announced yet
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
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New process leads to panic among jobseekers
As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.
“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.
Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE.
“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.
“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”
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Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
