A Very Big Week

Well we've got ourselves an apartment...well...almost...

Buying in the Middle East is proving to be like riding a roller coaster but faster. Firstly imagine a bank that apologises because it can't give you finance in two days and it might take five. (This is from pre-approval to payment...WTF?) Then add onto this real estate agents that don't work for commission but for a salary instead. As a result they're scarily honest.

George: Do you think this house is a good investment?
Real Estate Agent: No I would not buy here.
George: So why would you show us this house?
Real Estate Agent: Because I get paid to.

So after much searching and lawyering (They're rats no matter where you are in the world) we think we have an apartment in an inner city suburb caller Juffair. Its right in the middle of a new reclaimed development so there's a lot of building going on around it but it should go up in value over the next few years once everything's done. Its really nice and big and airy with no Aramco people living next door knowing every move we make which is just what the doctor ordered... Its also got a Harry Potter room under the stairs for me to lock Anthony in which is also mandatory. And, for a while its got an ocean view on two sides (until the other apartment buildings get put up...hmmm maybe we can sabotage the process!)

We've got about 6 or 7 people waiting for us to buy so they can copy cat us. Bastards!
Most of these guys are English which means they point out all the negatives of what we're doing constantly while at the same time admitting they will end up doing the same. And these guys are our friends!..its beginning to get to me...all I want is for someone to be positive about us buying instead of sounding like we're going to our imminent doom. I can't wait until they end up buying I'll be ready with all the stock standard comments like:
"Ohhh thats very expensive"
"Have you considered the risks because someone told me...."
"Why would you want to move to Bahrain when you can live here in Saudi?"
"Ohhhh that won't go up in value"

I can't wait >:) Mind you this is all pretty standard. The aussies bitch about you behind your back while smiling at your face, the brits tell you all the negatives and the American's tell you about the house they have at home thats much better...you get used to it after a while.

At the moment here its still freezing. All the Saudi guys are wearing their winter uniform of brown thobes while the women are wearing a delightful shade of black on black with black on top.

I'm off home to Perth on the weekend which is a Saudi long weekend so Anthony and I are heading over to Bahrain for some scrounging in the souks and some wining and dining. (On top of the never ending process of house negotiations!)

Anthony's got the quest of negotiating for a car in Saudi Arabia (HAHAHA!) while I'm away so I'm looking forward to hearing all about it from a very very long way away.

Anthony: Does this car perform well?
Jamal the Salesman: Yes yes yes this is a very good car very good?
Anthony: This is a good safe car?
Jamal: Yes yes very good?
What about this one?: Same same...this one is also very good
Anthony: Have you ever driven these cars?
Jamal: No no but I hear they're very good, very auspicious...same same as my car (points to the beaten up saudi wagon in the car park.)

The problem with buying cars here is that in the car lot they're all covered in so much dust and sand that in some cases you can't even see what colour they are.


Anyways its probably obvious I'm pretty whacked and looking forward to a relaxing weekend. Anthony's just gotten home so I'm off:)