Saudi Arabia to Kuwait
I spent my first day in Kuwait simply wandering around. The Ramadan just began with all its restrictions. Fortunately, IBIS Salmiya Hotel served food for its customers at any time of the day. Everything else was closed until the sunset.
The main attraction in Kuwait City is the Kuwait Towers. Apart from that, there is little to do there, especially during the Ramadan. I would not have had much to write about this country if I had not met interesting people there.
I was going to Central African Republic (CAR) in 2 weeks. This group trip was organized by NomadMania. To visit CAR, all of us needed visas. The fixer from CAR was expected to prepare for the group letters of invitation (LOI) which should allow us to board the plane, Then, we would get our visas on arrival. My flight to CAR originated from Dubai. Flydubai could reject me boarding with the LOI in French that they could not read and without the actual visa. So, I decided to get one for myself.
It was too late to apply for the visa in my home country, USA. I googled CAR embassies in the countries that I planned to visit during this trip and only one of them had it – Kuwait. I asked Harry Mitsidis, the founder of NomadMania, if it was possible to get a CAR visa in Kuwait. He came back suggesting to get in touch with the NomadMania envoy in Kuwait, Yousef. Perhaps, he could help to expedite my visa application. Yousef replied that the CAR ambassador to Kuwait was his good friend and he would see what he could do. I took this with a grain of salt. Seriously, what were he chances that some guy in Kuwait was friends with the CAR ambassador?
Nevertheless, I was in Kuwait now and Yousef contacted me. He suggested to go the CAR embassy on the following day. Yousef already spoke with the ambassador and he wanted to see me, however, nothing was guaranteed.
Yousef picked me up at the hotel and drove to the embassy. I never met an ambassador in my life. I only saw them on TV and was worried about the protocol. The ambassador indeed was grand and impressive. We shook hands and the three of us set down on the couch. Yousef and the ambassador chattered like they knew each other for years. So, it was true about them being friends.
My interview was short and informal. Apparently, I made a good impression on the ambassador because he gave me a visa application form to fill out. I prepared to leave after that but the ambassador treated me like a guest with traditional hospitality and asked if I wanted tea or coffee.
“It is the Ramadan,” I said, confused.
The ambassador smiled, “It’s all right. We will make an exception for you.”
He made a sign to his staff member and I was brought coffee. The ambassador and Yousef did not break the fast. I drank up my coffee, we took photos together and now, it was truly time for me to go.
Yousef drove me to the Kuwait towers and on the way, he told me many interesting facts about life in his country. One of these facts was a recent decision Kuwait’s monarch to stripe naturalized citizens of their nationality. Kuwait does not allow dual nationality, so those who acquire Kuwaiti citizenship must give up their original nationality. Within days, thousands of people, mostly women who married Kuwaiti men became stateless. They also lost access to the generous social welfare benefits that the oil-rich country provides to its citizens. Non-Kuwaitis cannot own land or business; they face other restrictions as well.
I mentioned that I noticed a large number of foreign workers who did unskilled jobs and Yousef confirmed that about 60% of Kuwait’s population were migrant workers from India, Bangladesh, and other Asian countries.
Besides us, there were only 2 other visitors at the towers – young men from Finland who came to see Kuwait because they spotted cheap airfare to this country. The Finns joined us and Yousef took the entire company around the city showing its attractions. He was a miracle worker. If a museum was closed due to the Ramadan Yousef would find someone to open it for us.
I got my passport back with the CAR visa in it on the following day and flew to Abu Dhabi taking with me the memories of incredible hospitality of Kuwaitis. I stayed in Abu Dhabi one night until my next flight to Male, Maldives.
