The Kuwaitis drive like maniacs. On the Expressways and Ring Roads that criss-cross the country, the wrecks are piled high like twisted tombstones of steel, testimony to a pervasive lack of basic road etiquette in this country.
At roundabouts, the locals stop to allow cars on rather than giving the right of way to the drivers who already have momentum. The highway code? Chuh!
Despite it being quite fascinating, seeing a different wreck every day by the side of the road on the way to work does slightly fill me with dread. One of the many teachers called John in my department at school had his Pajero rolled off the road last week and I figured that sooner or later I would witness a crash with my own eyes. And yesterday, walking from Al-Rumaithiya to Salmiya on foot I finally did.
I always thought car-crashes in Kuwait were always quite glamorous and happened on the Expressways only. I have to confess to being disappointed by the lameness of what I finally saw. Walking along after taking photos of the school production rehearsals in school, I came to a T-junction. A big car with trailer pulled up, little dune buggy on the back. A small car pulled up behind him. Crash. He just couldn’t figure out where the front of his car was, as evidenced by his taking off the tow bar of the car in front.
As anywhere else in the world, both men got out the car and had a go at each other. I suppose some things don’t change the world over.
There now that was a less than exciting tale of everyday Kuwaiti life. And that’s pretty much all there is to report from this side of the world. Everyday Kuwaiti life is what I’m living right now and if I’m going to be honest I’m really quite liking it. OK so it gets a little frustrating never being able to do much else, the complete barren desert of culture and art but what I cannot take for granted is time.
I have loads of time. Loads of time to read those books and do those things I have never given myself the time to do. I’ve finally learnt to program in java, which I’ve been promising myself for years. Yes it’s true! I can finally program! I’ve taken up maths again and reading books. Heck yesterday I even took a ridiculously long walk along the beach til I was knackered.
So, for all it’s downs Kuwait has it’s ups. Every day I awaken to the sight of the Arabian Gulf out of my window and I know that I’m doing what I always wanted. The frustrations are all part of what I signed up for in the first place. I work around the world and I get paid for it. What more could I want?
