Here There and Everywhere

Expat wanderer

Rain, Dear

My husband called me this morning from Germany and said “I am so glad we don’t live here anymore, it is all dark and grey and rainy today.”

I laughed and said “That’s the exact weather we are having in Kuwait.”

I have only recently started driving, really driving, the way I used to drive around Qatar. (One time my husband took a day off to take a trip around Qatar. We left early in the morning. We were back in time for lunch.) I was fearless, at least during daylight hours. Traffic was heavy, but much calmer, much tamer than in Kuwait.

When I first got here, I thought I would never drive. Then, little by little, I would drive here, drive there, mostly for groceries or meetings, then, little by little, more. Now, I am actually pretty good, or at least getting pretty good.

Or so I thought until today. I had to drive home in the rain. I am confident and also cautious as a driver. I was surrounded by two kinds of drivers – nervous and UNconfident drivers, and drivers who were totally oblivious to the dangers of a newly slick wet highway and driving their normal fast, weav-y way. That makes for a hair-raising ride, especially when you are caught between the nervous brak-ers and the cavalierly speeding weavers.

Did I mention school had just gotten out, so many of the cars were Mums with children, and the others were young bloods who had been trapped in the classroom and were eager to break loose? Deadly combination.

Made it home, mentally designing a medal. Soldiers get medals just for participating in a campaign and living to tell about it. I think the Kuwait freeways and ring roads should be combat-medal qualified. Maybe black, with a yellow stripe down the middle . . .and you get stars for acts of extraordinary bravery?

December 5, 2006 - Posted by | Adventure, Cross Cultural, ExPat Life, Kuwait, Marriage, Random Musings, Weather

3 Comments »

  1. hahahaha, i’ve actually been complaining about the same thing recently!
    there just doesnt seem to be any middle ground on the roads does there? its either racerboys, sometimes in their 50’s or absolute snails!

    a little tip regarding when you drive,.. try and avoid the 7-830 time in the morning…. everyones late but think they can make it on time so its just mental.

    half the time i’m convinced everyones speeding just to get home and off the roads!

    buckle up and stay safe 😀

    skunk's avatar Comment by skunk | December 5, 2006 | Reply

  2. Shudder…..
    I am very thankful for the rain and would love so much more…but the traffic and the driving in Kuwait has become even more hellish than before!

    jewaira's avatar Comment by jewaira | December 6, 2006 | Reply

  3. Thanks Skunk, good tip. I also don’t drive at night if I can help it.

    Jewaira, the rain is lovely, you are right, it is the drivers that are scarey.

    intlxpatr's avatar Comment by intlxpatr | December 6, 2006 | Reply


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