Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Kuwait Adventure

Silence on this blog for a couple of weeks.. once again I have been away - this time in Kuwait. The desert - an interesting land, with a warm and hospitable people totally involved in 'family' however a short stay there helps me realise how happy I am that I am privileged to live in Australia.

A population of 2.9 million - yes they have no tax,and yes it costs about 1/8th to fill the tank as it does here.. 1 vehicle to every 2.8 residents, in 2005 reported accidents 56,253, 451 deaths on the road - and over 1 million registered vehicles. Everyone talks on their mobile phone while driving - no-one seems to obey any rules. So sedate Perth's 50 km limits and nanny state rules are almost welcome on my return.

The land is barren.. well it is desert! But the people imagine that they are in nature when in fact they are right next to two highways and sundry high power overhead lines as well as building sites and dust storms.

Thank goodness for quiet old Perth's clean beaches and quiet nights with the worst noise being that of the crickets outside my window.

And to think that I .. a lone female would be overjoyed at the welcoming smile on the cab drivers face at Singapore airport as I landed on my way back home. He was saying hello.. something that I did not experience from a male freely anywhere in Kuwait.

Travel is a wonderful thing - it opens our eyes to those on the other side of the world, it helps us to realise we are world citizens and that the thing we should be afraid of - as they said on the last Glass House last night.. is not those who are different or who have a different God, but those who are stupid! Hail to the difference.. Hail to those who live and love in all different guises and let us become full of light, and leave the ignorance of bigotry and fear behind us.

It exists here as much as it does in the Middle East .. the Mid West and the out back! and .. thank my existence for being able to live it the beauty and peacefulness of Perth Western Australia.

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