Dazed and Confused…

Some days it just doesn’t pay to stumble out of bed after not nearly enough sleep… I go to get dressed and no %^&* socks! After paying $34US for a lousy breakfast buffet, my running mate informs me not only is his computer down for the count, now his Crackberry has rolled over and died… Just lovely, now I’m the sole point of contact!

We go off to try to find the place where we are having the meeting tomorrow, promptly get lost, end up riding around the port area for 30 minutes hitting dead end streets, fences etc. that stuff definitely wasn’t here in 1991. For a former Submarine commander, he can’t navigate worth a damn…

We finally find the location, get through security, get in the front door, only to find our POC is off today… Oh well…

Trip planning 101- use checklist to pack bag, pick time when it is NOT a religious holiday in the country one is visiting…

My running mate wants to go to the mall and see if he can get a battery for his Crackberry, so he decides to navigate- BAD choice AGAIN! He’s running me down streets that are getting smaller and smaller, into worse and worse neighborhoods till we hit an intersection with cops who are stopping every car. They get real nervous when they see us, and tell us to turn around immediately and leave; they even block traffic for us!!! Oh crap…

Finally get out of that section of town, actually find the Oil Museum; it’s closed again, so for the second time I don’t get to go in and see if there are any pictures of my Dad in there- He worked over here when they first discovered oil in this part of the world. We decide to drive out and see the Tree of Life, it’s an old mesquite tree that is the only thing alive in this one particular area of the island. Where or how it gets water to survive is unknown, as this area is basically a desert. Now MY camera is on the fritz… What is going on with the electronics today?

A couple more wrong turns, we finally find the mall, only to find it’s closed! Religious holiday (and serious security at the parking lot entrance (can we say guards with guns?), guards say it’s a national holiday. Back to the hotel…

Okay lunch- Hmmm, only place to eat is the hotel- Ah, no thanks I’ll pass on the Camel burger (yes there really IS a camel burger on the menu for 7 Dinars), can I have a Coke and the Arabic appetizer?

It really wasn’t bad, I just have no clue other than the Grape leaves and Nan, what the heck I just ate… Kinda looked like Guacamole wrapped in something and fried, I think…

It’s now 1500 local time, I can barely keep my eyes open, and I just realized our flight out of here really IS at 0225 in the morning Monday… That’s gonna hurt!

Just to add to the weirdness factor, I’m flipping through the TV channels, and find Discovery Science, however, it’s in German with English sub-titles, but the commercials are in English! Now the next segment is in English, with Arabic sub-titles. Now I’m totally confused…

An acquaintance came over from Saudi for dinner, so we did a little driving around with him. Went out to the Ritz for a drink (can we say EXPENSIVE!!!) and ended up at a Thai restaurant for dinner, which I know I’m going to pay for in the morning.


These folks are just getting wound up to start the night and all I can think about is that bed calling my name…

I think I’m gonna answer it…

Comments

Dazed and Confused… — 4 Comments

  1. Wow. Trip from Hades.

    Be safe (if those cops are any hint) and you can at least count on not gaining weight on that road trip, eh?

    😉

  2. Hawaii…. Hawaii…. Hawaii… envision Hula girls in grass skirts handing you a nine iron as you look out over the lush expanse of palm trees and green manicured fairways…

    I used to travel alot, years ago… truckstop coffee/food rates right up there on the worst of the worst list… but Camel burgers? I’m more of a Yak burger girl… (YUK). Sorry to hear you couldn’t get into the museum… what did your Dad do in the oil industry back then?

  3. Alison I tried Hawaii and ended up in Naples, Italy… At least the food is recognizable, if expensive here too sigh… I actually played golf in Hawaii last week, but no hula girls 🙂

    My dad was what they called a Top driller, he was the lead or head drilling guy on the oil rigs. He was over there in the 1930-40’s timeframe.