Karak, Chrome & Crises
Because sometimes a midnight chai is cheaper than therapy.
There’s something about late-night karak in Dubai that feels like therapy.
Maybe it’s the steam fogging up your visor or the way the quiet hum of your bike cools off beside you.
But on some nights — especially the ones where life feels heavier than usual — that small paper cup of overly sweet chai holds more power than a dozen TED Talks.
As a Gen X rider, I didn’t grow up with mindfulness apps or burnout coaches.
We grew up with “walk it off” and “don’t talk about it.”
Now in my 50s, I’m trying to undo some of that wiring — one throttle pull and tea stop at a time.
Riding through Dubai after midnight is a strange kind of freedom.
You’re surrounded by skyscrapers and silence.
Neon lights shimmer off your windscreen.
The road doesn’t ask questions. It just listens.
I’ve had my share of midlife moments —
• Career burnout
• Health scares
• My kids growing up too fast
• Friendships that drifted like forgotten GPS pins
And yet, here I am, in armored pants, sipping sugar milk at 1:00 AM, telling myself:
“You’re not lost. You’re just rerouting.”
If you’re feeling the weight of too many roles — parent, provider, planner of everything — maybe it’s time to step outside, pull on your helmet, and let the road remind you that not every crisis needs solving.
Some just need riding through.
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