Memoirs of a Local Tourist...

Now that I’ve been praying all week to the Gods and Goddesses of Weather, Inspiration and Partying. I couldn’t wait until the weekend to see if my prayers have been answered or not, so I decided to start it early.
Woke up yesterday Tuesday 10.30 am, a bit woozy, a bit too lazy to go to work.
“f it” I thought, I’m going to FAILAKA A.K.A. Ikaros.

I board the boat by 1pm

“Dihna” I think to myself, what a delightfully smooth day for cruising. 10 mins later, I begin to smell something quite funky! One of the Engines begins smoking.
Turn around I shall not….Failaka I must pursue.

We can see the island but we can’t seem to get there, an hr has passed, the engine is still smoking and I’ve personally finished all the Costa sandwiches I had bought earlier. It was hot, like you have your face against a hairdryer on high-speed; unbearable as it may be, I still got a killer tan.

The people at Failaka informed me of 2 Marinas on the Island. The main one where the Ferry goes and a 2nd smaller one near the Bait Banya Resort. “Great” I thought, we have options in docking as well. Little did I know that the docks at main Marina where rusty, old and not boat friendly at all! It was made for the ferry to bark and disembark cars, cargo and people. We climbed onto what’s left of the rusted ramp and met with the Motel crew, a driver and a greeter.

We climb into a mini van from late 80s with no A/C. We get off at the main street “Share3 Il Wanasa” which actually translates into FUN ST. The heat was no fun I tell you this. Finally we arrive into compound of Cute little Kuwaiti homes laid in Grid. The little steps before you enter main door, patio in the middle “7oosh”. Houses with names like “Bait bo destoor”, “Sa3eeed of Sa3ad” and “Bo 6ershi” are a common site and of significance as well. “Bo 6ershi” has been leased for a year by a Kuwaiti family that specializes in making 6ershi.

The insides of these mini-Kuwaiti homes replicate the old houses with mini shaded courtyard, diwanya with “3areesh” humble furniture, L-shaped sofa, small stereo and TV can be found in Diwanya, bedroom and master room. A pantry consisting of a mini fridge, kettle and sink. All rooms are equipped with A/C and electricity outlets, that’s about it. 3 bedrooms run for about a 70 K.D. the 2bedrooms go for 60KD. There are rooms available, the one that sleeps three goes for about 25K.D.

The killer attraction isn’t the beach, cos the Motel isn’t directly on the beach which is 5 mins walk. They have a pool to die for, beautiful pool with a hutstyle bar overlooking. This place calls for a true night of Fusla! I can see it, the DJ booth, the bar, the dancing..
Overwhelmed by the potential of the place I decide to leave.

Back on the crappy overheated van where I felt like a tourist, I remembered all my travel experiences in which I had to settle for the lowest end means of transportation. It’s a strange feeling to feel like a tourist in your own home but also refreshing.


My thoughts distracted by the crackle of the van and squeaky break pads as we pulled into once again, the old Marina. We board my Smokey boat and head back to the city.

20 mins go by of easing it out on the engine at 5knots/hr. All of a sudden the Gods were no longer happy with us, the waves rose at 3-4ft if not higher. “esheel o yeshdakh” as they say, throwing us off balance, my friend became seasick. “Shit” I thought, we must have offended the Gods. 1st the smoky engine and now the storm out of nowhere. I pick up TIME magazine presume reading, pretending like nothing is happening, No my friend isn’t being sea sick, no the engine isn’t smoking and surely the sea condition is slick as silk and by all means; “Dihna”.

An hr later, say around 5pm we are back into a more different Marina, that of our current century. We quickly get off as if the boat was on fire. I had to my friends house and quickly take a shower to cool off and back at another Marina to dock on another boat: “Dinner under the stars” kind of thing as my friend promised, the night of Dalag eshail(of course the supposed star is not visible to Kuwait) but isn’t it the thought that counts?

Yesterday, I’ve endured over 14 hrs of sea, maybe I’ve pissed the sea and weather gods off at 1st, but by the end of the day…I was blessed by a boat that wasn’t rocking like a cradle, smoking like a bong or overheating like a Solarium. I was finally chilling with a cool crowd…Salutes my friends


I will leave you with a Haiku about yesterday and one for the weekend:


Heat and wave attack
from Ikaros to my host
Tonite, we are stars

Today is the day
That The weekend comes to life
May God help us all