National & Liberation Days - Celebration & Caution

Last activity 03 March 2011 by symboliser

3534 Views

12 replies

Post new topic

legacyKuwait Expert22 February 2011 04:20:19

3426

The point of this forum is to help people, so let me take the first proactive step and say, be weary of the coming long weekend.

Many of you will have noticed the vast array of decorations going up all over the streets, and buildings in kuwait city all bedecked in red, white, green and black.

Kuwait is celebrating a momentous occasion in its history; 50 years of statehood, 20 years since the Iraqi invasion, and 5 years under the patronage of the new Amir.

Forgive me but I am not familiar with the full nomenclature, the only person i know was the late Shiekh Jaber al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah.

Now, many of you will be thinking, this is a great time to celebrate with the kuwaiti people.

True that, but do so at your own risk, and preferably as a pedestrian.

It is a well known fact that death rates spike up this time of year, especially on the gulf road, and especially in vehicular related deaths.

I understand full well the right of the people to celebrate this joyous occasion, but some take it excessively; for example, do you have to violate the privacy of citizens by forcing open their car doors and spraying them with foam? Since when did foam become synonymous with celebration?

Only in Kuwait (as far as i know) has the suggestion of banning foam been raised to the parliment.

As you can tell by the barricades currently littering Salmiya highstreet, there will be a parade through there.

My suggestion to those wishing to enjoy the festivities, get out in the morning, enjoy the parade, and then lock yourself in your house for the next few days, hopefully with a fully stacked fridge as well. do not venture out after 6, traffic will be deadlocked, and do not under any circumstances take the Gulf Road.

saint12Member22 February 2011 13:31:16

where exactly is salmiyah high street?

legacyKuwait Expert23 February 2011 03:17:46

3426

the street parallel to the gulf road with all the malls on it; marks & spencer, marina, fanar, bustan etc.

symboliserMember25 February 2011 19:59:28

aka Salem Mubarak st.

BTW, I have no idea what's going on in Kuwait as I had full intention of "locking myself up" over this weekend. Got myself some supplies on way back from work on Thursday...

Legend, I see you flew out to Qatar. Don't know what's out there. I had originally planned to head out to Dubai.. had a change of plans due to some circumstances.

legacyKuwait Expert26 February 2011 16:40:17

3426

Qatar is amazing, its undergoing a change at the moment in preparation for 2022, the roads are great, the round-abouts have traffic lights on em; its really sweet.

and hot too! its much less colder than q8!

i'll be in dubai durin the first weekend of march

ace117Serial expat26 February 2011 20:04:03

964

i think u took the best decision going to qatar,i had a bad experience today

legacyKuwait Expert27 February 2011 20:28:46

3426

pray do tell what that was that experience

ace117Serial expat01 March 2011 14:19:42

964

well if u might not be knowing that i am an aviation enthusiast, i herd about the a380 coming in Kuwait for 26th February flight from Dubai(usually they keep Boeing 777).so i went to spot it near the fence which was closest to the active runway.i reached on time.but there was a lot of security since the Amir was in the airport to receive the VIPs coming from outside,one of the guards called me and asked me for civil ID.i gave him,he was yelling at me"why are u here?"they dont give respect to every1 except their own people,i told him i came to see The plane.He told his supervisor on the radio about me near the rwy,then he told me not come here again and this is restricted area.i told to myself"where else will i go to see planes."there is a lack of interests in Kuwait and understanding.

bhaasActive member01 March 2011 20:17:29

Let's not generalize pls.

As with many other countries, 'spotting' planes near airports is not allowed for security reasons. Although it's a fun hobby for the die-hards, the guard did do the right thing into explaining to you that the area is restricted and requested you to part (It's his job). Did u see others near the fence?

To give you some perspective: A couple of foreign spotters were jailed in Greece couple of years ago just for watching planes near an airport, and their embassy had a hard time getting them released.

Maybe a trip to Dubai soon you'll get to see the A380

legacyKuwait Expert02 March 2011 04:12:55

#10

3426

my sentiments exactly; chalk it up to a language barrier thing maybe. did u read about the teacher who was arrested here for jumpping the fence to "spot birds"?

its a secutiy thing, no doubt.

I once had a pair of leg-weights at the airport, the guard slashed them open and they're ruined, but u cant complain (altho i did).

or maybe they read ur profile here and saw that ur also interested in guns and the military

cheer up, im sure people have had worse experiences and shrugged it off, Kuwait is not all bad, altho they can stand to learn a thing or two from their Qatari cousins; where police only check ur ID when its reeeeeal late at night, or ur littering etc.

wish kuwait would impose strict sanctions on litterers too,,

ace117Serial expat02 March 2011 07:59:18

#11

964

its just becoming like police being the Shepard and we are the cattle.

ace117Serial expat02 March 2011 08:02:05

#12

964

bhaas- i feel no one is that interested in aviation in Kuwait.no1 was there,every1 was moving towards gulf road, those who work at airport they do the job for money and not wat they like it.

symboliserMember03 March 2011 08:36:35

#13

Legacy: leg weights at the airport? Could you not find enough clothes to pack to make up your 22kg of luggage?

Articles to help you in your expat project in Kuwait

How to drive in Kuwait
If you are planning to move to Kuwait, obtaining a driver's license should be at the top of your to-do list! While ...
Leisure activities in Kuwait
People might assume there isn't much to do in Kuwait as the country is so small, but that would be wrong! The ...
Banking and finances in Kuwait
Soon after arriving in Kuwait, you will likely want to open a Kuwaiti bank account. Opening a bank account can be ...
Languages spoken in Kuwait
Whether you're planning on just visiting Kuwait, or are getting ready to move there for work or studies, you ...
The healthcare system in Kuwait
Fully funded and invested in by the government, Kuwait's healthcare system is advanced and well-developed. There ...
Finding jobs in Kuwait
I would like to give you some tips on how to market your skills to stand out from the crowd. I've ...
The Difference in Living Costs between Kuwait and the UK
Wherever in the world you go the costs vary. In Kuwait some things are more expensive than in the UK, while some a ...
Find the best location to live in Kuwait
It is important for us to live in a community that we feel comfortable and secured. I wrote this article for ...