Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
What do you miss most? I have toyed with this question over the years, as a trailing spouse and mother of global citizens (sometimes referred to as expat brats) and apart from the obvious answer ‘family & friends’… yawn … my answer has remained unchanged and it may give you an insight as to the expat postings we have been given.
My answer is simple – I miss walking anywhere and everywhere in safety.
The joy of getting from A to B without jumping into a car (or being hit by one) was something I once took for granted.
We all did, we had no reason to think otherwise, and we had no idea that the freedom to just about walk anywhere was a wonderful gift.
Proudly pushing our babies in their prams, following the children to-and-from school, watching them skip, run, jump and cycle on the way. A short walk to play dates, a quick dash to the corner shop, brisk walks along the beach promenade and leisurely strolls in parks.
Walking is free, healthy and good for the soul and I am taking full advantage of the cooler weather here in Bahrain, while I can. Early each morning, I throw on my trainers, jacket, grab my stick and head out.
Having lived in countries where it’s too dangerous to walk outside of the compound you live in, or where extreme weather conditions keep you under house arrest, the freedom to explore Bahrain by foot is possible … but I have made some crucial discoveries, so let me share them.
Firstly, a stick is required to scare off wild dogs. I quickly learned this! No, I’m not a ‘dog-beater’; however, the sight of me madly waving a fairly large stick in the air seems to do the trick to disperse the barking strays.
I would highly recommend facing oncoming traffic when on a walk too, whilst keeping your eye on the road and not on your phone. I’ve had drivers’ veer of the road in front of me at high speed to take an unofficial shortcut over the sandy verge I’m walking along.
Here’s the tricky bit, you also need to avoid the copious amount of dog poo and open drains. Finally, close your eyes to the glass bottles, oil cans, soiled nappies, plastic containers, old mouldy carpets, rubber tyres, cardboard boxes and unidentifiable garbage strewn along the way.
If you are a fellow walker with a route to share, do let me know? I’m possibly walking in the wrong direction!
