Well we’ve been here just over 4 months now – well – that all depends on when this blog gets put up on the net!
I started this blog to make my life easier with regards to sending out emails – and what do you know – I have writers block – that just SUCKS… I’ve got tonnes of things to tell you all – but don’t know how to put it down on paper – err blog…
What I can tell you is moving to a new country has it’s pro’s and con’s – but then again life in any country has it’s pro’s and con’s so I guess it’s really just a matter of over looking the con’s and getting on with your life…
And I can honestly say I am definitely still enjoying the pro’s of Oman.
One of the Con’s of living here is that I am really missing the news of friends and family – since I have been here – very few of you have written me more than one liner emails to tell me what is going on in your worlds – what little info I do get – I have to get it of your facebook status’s - So come on people please – send me some emails, letters, news anything – I am really starting to feel you’ve forgotten about me – it’s also kinda tough to write letters to you all without feedback… How do I know if I’m entertaining you…
Anyway – one EXTREMELY important factor to me with regards to where I stay is of course the COFFEE…. And this place is pure BLISS…
Coming from RSA where coffee shops are kinda thin on the ground.. erm what do we have there – Mugg & Bean and Wimpy are the only 2 good ones I can think off – Oh wait Mickey D’s made a good Cuppa too didn’t they? Anyway – this place is a coffee lovers paradise… I am in HEAVEN…
There’s Starbucks, Costa Coffee, Carribou Coffee, Second Cup, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Coffee Republic – those are the ones I can remember and the major “Chain” like ones – there are also tonnes of little coffee shops every where – everyone drinks coffee – its amazing… OH and traditional Omani Coffee – Yummo!
And to add to that – Second Cup has a DRIVE THRU!!! (apparently) I say apparently because I have only ever heard about it and driven passed it… its on the other side of town from me on the way to the boat club, so if I go that way I’m with husband dear – and do you think he’s gonna stop so I can getafix???
Due to the weather tho’ I have gone of hot coffee – I am now enjoying the range of Iced Coffees that everyone sells – at the moment – my fav’s are Mint Condition from Carribou Coffee (mint flavour with crushed peppermint crisp on top), Mocha Frappachino from Starbucks, and one I found last week from Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf – I have no idea what it’s name is – but its basically Iced Coffee with extra kick – double the caffeine… er…I’m drooling whist I type this… LOL
So this is definitely on the Pro side
HOWEVER have you seen the size of my hips lately??? Maybe I should change this to the con side….
One thing that will definitely go onto the Con side is this house I am staying in... I am STILL not unpacked - and I still do not have a kitchen... erg... No I have no been taken over by aliens, No I am not going crazy - but DAMN I am missing my kitchen... :)
For those of you who have not received my "installment" emails - let me explain... Hubby's business partner rented this house years ago, then the company took it over for offices, and now we have moved in - so for the past few years - the kitchen in this house has been used by men only - and if you had to see the men in this part of the world you would understand why I would not touch the kitchen when I moved in... erg - I get shivers just thinking about what it looked like. We have had someone in, plus ourselves, scrubbing it down top to bottom with special chemicals a few times now - I think its been scrubbed a total of about 5 times now - and its almost up to my standards - there are a few things that need to be done still - like change the basin, change a part of the counter top, put in a aircon, get a stove and fix up the window and back door - so its still not livable - and yes as weird as this may sound I miss it - I am sick and tired of cooking on a teeny weeny table and washing the dishes in the bathroom basin.
Why haven't I fixed it up you ask? (you didn't?) oh! oh well I'm gonna tell you anyway - it would cost in the region of OMR 500.00 (that's around ZAR 10 000.00) to fix up the kitchen still. and that's a lotta money!!! We had the landlord around recently pointing out all of the major maintenance problems on the house - his answer??? "I would rather have the house stand empty then spend money on it".
Now if you are wondering why he has that attitude - I have no idea - if he maintained the house properly he could get a WHOLE lot more moola for the place - I have compared rentals - and we have a 4 bedroom Villa, 4 stories, with a HUGE basement - and we are only paying OMR 320.00 a month - that's around ZAR 6400.00 a month - now compared to what I have heard - that is CHEAP!!! :) yay me - usually the houses our size goes in the region of around OMR 1000.000 per month (ZAR 20 000.00) sooooo yes - we will have to put up with the cheap crappy house... :)
So that actually falls under both the Pro and Con of living in Oman... :)
Oh oh - before I end of this blog - I gotta mention the weather - that is definitely a PRO!!!! WOW - its the middle of winter here - and the temperature during the day is around 30 - 35 deg c... :) okay the mornings are a tad cooler, around 17 - 19 degrees. BUT wow man imagine being able to spend the day on the beach during the middle of winter... yay me! :) (pity I hate sand doh!)
The other day - I had a Blondie moment (yes I am prone to have those lately!) I went for a shower in the evening and was TOTALLY frozen... I ended up getting winter tracksuit pants out of the storage to put on, as well as my slippers... when hubby saw me - he was shocked - so I explained to him how cold the shower was... and I think the geyser was broken... :( until he kindly pointed out to me that we haven't had the geyser on since I got here... DOH!!! so.... yes now its getting kinda cold - so we have to turn the geyser on about half an hour before we want to shower - that's not such a bad inconvenience for a warm shower now is it...
Anyway - till next time... xx
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI found your blog listed on one of the many other Oman-related blogs that I've been reading about over the past couple of weeks. As you might have guessed, it's the typical frenzy of online "research" over anything "Oman" that my husband and I have been doing ever since we were thrown with the possibility of moving there by the first quarter of next year. I feel that I already know so much about Oman and even more than my own country! This is the first of your blog entry that I've had time to read (you can guess why I've chosen this topic!). Anyway, everything looks bearable about the country up till now except that what's worrying us most is the present surge of property costs... When we look online, the houses which are "do-able" to live in, and at a good location (we have 2 little kids which means we need a lot of space for which I believe that it won't be a problem to find in Oman) are all priced ridiculously (OMR 1,500 - 2,000). Our budget will definitely be below OMR 1,000. How did you get such a rental for your villa, please tell me?! I am just hoping that what we have seen online doesn't represent the majority of "nice" houses for rent in Muscat... Could you give me some idea of where and how we should go about looking for such houses? Those which are not listed on those agencies' sites which try to rip off expats would be where?... local classifieds? through word of mouth?
Looking forward to read more from your blog,
TDB
ps. Happy Holidays!
Anon... YAY a random stranger actually reads my blog... :) Thanks for visiting... :)
ReplyDeleteHousing is very silly this side of the world.. and there are many many variables to take into account when looking at houses...
- school runs
- shops
- outside areas
- pools on complexes
- mainly pricing... :)
- size
etc etc
My suggestion is (and always WILL BE) dont rent a place before you get here... if possible - and I know that this is a waste of money on some levels - but will do you well on other levels...
Stay in an apartment hotel for the first few months - you will then be able to make certain of the places you look at, as well as areas etc.
the housing, as mentioned is silly - and you have to pay many months rental upfront - so you dont want to be stuck somewhere where you are not happy...
The best place for me would be the Dolphin Club - little (relative to Oman) bungalows with garden and a great pool resturant on the premises.
If you comment again with your email address - I wont post it - just so I have it - then I can send you more info... else go look at www.omanforum.com - tonnes of info on there too.. :)
I have also heard a rumour that rentals will be going down shortly as there are many empty houses and people just NOT willing to pay the asking price. Who knows....
Good luck and am sure you will love this place as much as all the Oman bloggers do!!!