Safety Tips in Kuwait

There are some illegal workers in Kuwait so you may see many police checking points in Kuwait. The checking points mostly will be on Arabian Gulf Road, Kuwait City Area and Some Circles On the Main Streets. BRING YOUR IDENTIFICATION CARDS EVERYTIME YOU WILL GO OUT FROM YOUR HOME. It could be CIVIL ID when you already have one or PASSPORT WITH THE VISA or `PERMIT TO STAY` for those who are working on their residency formalities. Police may ask you , `CIVIL ID or ID or WARAGGA (Arabic). If YOU COULDN`T SHOW ANY ID (S) YOU WILL BE BROUGHT TO THE POLICE STATION!!! BE CAREFUL WITH `A SINGLE POLICE OFFICER` WHO DO HIS OWN CHECKING AT THE `UNCOMMON SITES OF CHECKING POINT`. IF YOU ARE ABLE TO SHOW YOUR VALID ID TO THE POLICE, REFUSE TO COME WITH `QUESTIONABLE POLICE OFFICER` TO HIS CAR. Especially WHEN YOU ARE IN A QUIET PLACES WHERE ONLY YOU AND THE `OFFICER` present. The checking points WILL BE IN THE PUBLIC AREA OR ON THE MAIN STREETS. When you work in Kuwait, get your employer phone number in case your identity card paperwork still on processing. When you have a problem on the checking point, that is the number you have to call.

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I dont know how to explain the sandstorms well to you all, but you can compare the pictures, taken from the same place, same time and same quality of camera flash. Sandstorm is really common here throughout the year. It may be often between winter to summer time. A windy day will lead to the sandstorm on the following day. For the grade 4 sandstorm , it will be started by the hail sometimes!!!!! Hardly once or twice a year. Grade 1 and 2 use to be happened several times a year. The worse ones grade 3-4 only few time a year. Maximum 2-3 times annualy. Bring masks or anything as your nose cover during the sandstorms. Zero visibility may happen during stage 4. It will be better to stop driving and look for the parking place when it happens when you drive. Car lights should be on during stage 3-4 when you drive for your safety. My advice will be : STAY INDOOR DURING THE SANDSTORMS.

You have to have a healthy heart if you want to drive in Kuwait. Speeding is a trend here for the younger drivers and surprisingly for the women with the face-head cover too!! Though the maximum speed limit will be 120 kph, some roads will have slower speed limit. Kuwait has many cameras on the street to catch the speedy vehicles but many of them are not working at all. You can not guess which ones are working properly though. It may be the reason for the amateur racer on the street here to spped. Other headache on Kuwait streets will be THE CRAZY MOTORCYCLISTS. Most of the motorcyclists will be helmetless and turning the road as the circus area. They try to get attention from the others (especially women) by speeding with one wheel only on their motorcycles HELMETLESS. The patience level of the drivers is low here as you can hear many honky cars everywhere if they think you are slowing down and blocking their way.:-)) Some will just on their front lights to ask a way from you though. You will be fined for speeding, passing the red light and not using the seatbelt (for front seats only). Sadly to say, THE MANNERS ON KUWAIT ROADS WILL BE APPROPRIATE ONLY WHEN THE POLICE AND CAMERA AROUND ONLY. That is why, the high rate of traffic ACCIDENTS is not a surprise for everybody.

Friday is the holiday for most of the workers here in Kuwait.Sunday will be the church day and the two main churches are located in the Kuwait City area.Though Kuwait is a moslem country, many expatriates are Christians.Do not try to drive through the city complex if you do not want to be trapped in a traffic.On Friday and Sunday afternoon, the city will be very crowded with people and cars. If you have to go to the city on these days, DO NOT DRESS PROVOCATIVELY. FOR GIRLS, TRY TO AVOID THE CROWD ON SMALL STREETS.Some crazy people will come to force and rush you in the middle of the crowd so they will be able to touch you. Bring somebody as your companion (s) and do not stand nearby the KFC girls, many prostitutes will be there too. Well, as a conclussion I may say : GIRLS, AVOID SPEND MORE TIME IN KUWAIT CITY ON FRIDAY AND SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

Kuwait seems to be a clean country for you. Wrong guess :-))It is not because of its people but it happens because they have many cleaners all over around the country. When you observe its people, they do litter everywhere. They even throw their things from their windows while driving!! Oh my.Guess what, this picture was taken in Kuwait City. Many great buildings like malls, luxury apartment, hospitals, government offices will be looked fantastic from the front side. Try to look at their back or non public areas. You will be very surprised. :-))

Going out alone for a girl is not a good idea here,especially for the asians or anybody look like an asian.You could be gank raped by teenage boys here.Salmiya,Shuwaikh,and around Kuwait city are quiet safe places in here.Don`t you dare to walk alone in Fahahael and Jahra area.Even boys could be kidnapped and raped in here.You may be laughing but my friend experinced it.When you see arabic noisy boys in group around,just avoid them.The crimes will be happened in front of everybody.Only few people will be helping you,if you are lucky.Ironically,some people will just watch you being hitted and robbed on the street. Many rape crimes to the housemaids are not treated legally. How much more you can expect for the street raping? Riding on the public transportation will be ok for the girls as long as you dress yourself appropriately. Anyway, I won`t recommend you to ride on the bus for long distance journey alone.

Yes.Taxis could be dangerous here.Arabic taxi drivers can not speak English and they could ask the ladies passengers number all over the way.Indian taxi drivers sometimes have a very bad body odor.Don`t take ilegal taxi,the ones without yellow car plat numbers and without names.You could be brought to the desert and be raped and robbed.This is for both male and female!For ladies,it will be better to ride in the taxi after the men and go down from the taxi first.Asia Call Taxi is a good choice.All the driver can speak English,polite,know all the places in Kuwait,and safe;though it will be more expensive than other taxies.Once you get the good taxi driver,get the number so you can call them anytime.

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I think I (Lucy) have met my match with Quentin (Lucy). No Ethel's here... Not a good sign, right?

That said, when Quentin prounced at 5am in the car, 'Hey - let's go to Saudi Arabia. It's only 30 miles away...' I thought it sounded like a plan.

And yet I knew better: a) you must have a pre-arranged visa b) women must be in Burqa c) you have to be INVITED in order to get that pre-arranged visa.

In short, you just Don't Show Up at the S.A. border and expect a warm gracious greeting. Not me in a short-sleeve dress that was barely under my knees.

Okay... so we head south towards S.A.

We get to the Kuwait exit formalities kiosk on the road and it dawned on me (finally!!!!): Quentin, this isn't a good idea.

By this time he passed our passports to the Kuwait Border control and the guy took our Kuwait Visa's we paid for.

Now I'm really bumming.

"QUENTIN... get our visa's back"....

The immigration man doesn't speak English and probably isn't digging me yelling much either.

Anyway, he wouldn't give us back our visas.

We proceed to the NEXT kiosk hopefully for some luck. The 2nd guy doesn't speak English either but he let us make a U-Turn and then Quentin went inside to the office which was half S.A. and half Kuwait.

long story short, we got our Visa's back (Free too!) and 20 minutes later, we were back on our way.

This time, North.

Folks - don't try this. Unless you have a REAL Pre-arranged visa (with official invite) and women folk are properly dressed.