Do and don't in Libya

Here's a few that I've learned over the past 3 months:

- DON'T show the soles of your shoes/feet, i.e. when sitting at a table in a cafe/restaurant with your legs crossed. Libyans find this very offensive.

- DO slow down and stop for older people & women with children crossing the road. It's one of the few road manners Libyans seem to have.

- DON'T respond to bad driving by other road users by giving the bird or the V's. Bad driving is acceptable in Libya.

- DO remember that a speedometer in Libya is there to tell you how fast you're NOT going...

- DON'T get into an argument with the idiot cop who pulls you over for having a "dirty car" or some other BS. Let him take your licence and get your PR dept to sort it out.

- DO butt in when waiting in a shop and wanting to buy something. Otherwise someone else will butt in before you anyway. It's not considered bad manners.

- DON'T scold or smack your badly behaved child in public. Libyans think that all children are sugar coated angels.

- DO remember that when waiting for a repairman to call, Libyans have two speeds - slow and stop

- DON'T let tradesmen or repairmen use your bathroom. If you do, expect the result to resemble a biblical flood if the incumbent has been for a No.2

I sure wish I came to Tripoli later than Mr. and Mrs. Sand...

I practically rummaged around the web for such helpful information but didn't find any earlier. But thank you anyway, its never too late. I was briefed on what to expect but I must have misheard half. 

Been here for exactly 36 days now, presently staying in a company guesthouse but have to move out soon so I am house-hunting.

My first trip to see a house:  the owner fell asleep and didn’t open the door. The real estate agent tried banging the door and yelling his heart out to no avail.

My second attempt:  a 56 km A/C-less mid-day trip giving me an acute sinusitis attack the next day courtesy of all the smog I have inhaled from a belching pick up loaded with tomatoes, a rusty sedan fully covered with dents I couldn't believe it still moves, and a bus with half a bumper and a faded plate tied with a straw which looked liked a thud short from falling into pieces.

I was advised by a colleague that Shat and 11th June are good places to live since our office will be transferred somewhere along Al Jalaa Road. I will try to see more houses next week. How exciting!

Got to get a car by early June so I have to start talking myself into driving. I’m guessing the answer's an instant 'NO' but then I don’t really have a choice, do I?! I was strictly advised not to buy a pre-owned car (unless from a leaving expat) as they sell cars that are either poorly maintained by previous owners, revamped "accident cars" or have unbelievably high mileage even if it’s just a year old. As GR said, would be interesting to pull out $10-15k in cash for a car....

I am yet to locate a good park or zoo (if any), a supermarket that sells Soya Milk, Turkey ham (or good processed meats - yes I know these are high in sodium but hey I really don’t fancy seeing skinned cow halves hanging from the ceiling the corner meat shop every 2 days), the Marks & Spencer shop (is there one here, really?) for some stockings, a paid channel provider (with Discovery, Disney and National Geographic), a good place for Thai or Swedish massage and perhaps a clean ladies salon for occasional foot spa?

36 days and not liking it…but I will overcome! Inshaallah! I shall learn the language and life here in due course.

The problem probably isn’t even the place – I’ve got some straightening out to do. Maybe it'll get better once I find my 'own' house surrounded by my own stuff, sitting in my couch, holding a coffee mug watching Grey’s Anatomy.

Hello Tea 2009,

Yeah ! You'll definitely start feeling better when you open your front door and walk into your nicely furnished house.

I know a good real estate guy: Ali GILANI
If you did not find a house yet, drop me an email I'll give you his full details.

Cheers
joe

There is also a whole area full of Satellite shops on the right side of Gurgi Road on the way towards Janzour.
It's about 2Km from the smelly rounabout.

There's also a huge park in Bab ben Gheshir. It looked nice for jogging, biking and walking. I passed close to it completely by chance, so I can't give presice indications to it, but it's not far from the zoo

Welcome to Tripoli, Tea.....would this be your first expat posting?

YES, THERE WAS NOTHING HALF AS HELPFUL ON D WEB FOR EXPATS IN TRIPOLI BEFORE YOU GUYS CAME ALONG! I WAS STARTING TO THINK SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH ME...COMING HERE & ALL! I GUESS IM OK

The Zoo: Driving into Tripoli on the main highway from Janzour, pass the Airport Road exit on the right, go over the bridge and take the next exit towards the city centre. On the next road, take the 2nd right, go towards the next main road, turn around at the roundabout and the zoo is on your right. It's approx 5-6km outside the city centre. Closes at 7pm.

THANKS VERY MUCH INDEED FOR A VERY DETAILED RESPONSE! I HOPE I REACH THERE IN ONE PIECE.

Soya Milk: Available from several of the supermarkets. Have you tried the large "Tuesday Market" mall just on the smelly roundabout? (The large blue glass coloured building) They also stock fresh cow's milk.

THE LARGE BLUE GLASS COLOURED BUILDING IS THE ONLY PLACE I KNOW IN TRIPOLI - AND THEY DONT HAVE SOYA MILK, UNFORTUNATELY. I WAS GIVEN A LIST OF PHARMACIES THAT SELL IT RECENTLY, BUT HAVE NO CLUE HOW TO GET THERE.

I AM PLEASED YOU DESCRIBED THE BUILDING BECAUSE I AM NOT SURE WHAT THAT "SUPERMARKET" IS REALLY CALLED, SOME CAB DRIVERS CALL IT "MAHARY 2", LOCALS CALL IT "SUQ TALATA" AND NOW YOU'RE CALLING IT "TUESDAY MARKET MALL" YAY!

ALSO, I ACTUALLY THOUGHT THE SMELLY ROUNDABOUT IS CALLED THE DEATH ROUNDABOUT.


Turkey Ham: A/A. If you're lucky.

I GUESS I AIN'T LUCKY...


M&S: Small store on Gargaresh Road, on the left approx 1km after smelly roundabout. There's also a much larger BHS further up on the right after passing over the Wadi. There are several shops which stock lingerie on Gargaresh Road...

BHS - SERIOUSLY?! AND M&S? REALLY?! GREAT!!!

LAST WEEK MY COLLEAGUE TOLD ME THEY HAVE M*DONALDS HERE. MY SON LIT UP LIKE A NEON SIGN UPON HEARING THIS AND REQUESTED FOR A MEAL SO I SENT OUR WATCHMAN TO GET SOME TAKE-AWAY. HE CAME BACK WITH THE STUFF FROM A SHOP CALLED M*MEN. ET VOILA! MY 3-YEAR OLD CALLED MY COLLEAGUE A LIAR.

Swedish Massage: Try driving along the harbour side of the freeway north of Green Square after 9pm. They may not be Swedish, but I hear that you can get a massage of sorts from the ladies who hang around here.......There are also a few salons on Gargaresh Road, but they probably cater for ladies only.

I WILL SURELY CHECK THAT SITE OUT. BUT WHY AFTER 9 PM  OFFICEMATES TOLD ME HAMAMS ARE LOCATED THERE THOUGH...WAS THINKING OF SOMETHING MORE PRIVATE. LADIES SALON EH? THAT'S GREAT I WILL BE ALLOWED THEN

The Maccy D type fast-food outlet is called Momen. There's a big place on Gargaresh on the left side (going out of town) approx 1km before the Wadi. There's a smaller one just off Green Square opposite the main gate to the Medina.

They do Subs rather than burgers and the quality isn't half bad...My fave is the prawn and madame likes the one with feta cheese.

They adversite home delivery but I've no idea how far out they'll come.