When people think of living in the gulf region there are generally two images that come to mind: the first, of course, is a mystic array of rolling sand dunes that stretch across a desert oasis, that while not entirely untrue, do not always present quite as picturesque as you’d like. The second is the ocean. It borders one entire side of the country. Why would we not spend times fixating on it when it’s this hot out? But the beach, while fun and exciting on one hand, is a total hassle on the other. So there they are, your top 5 conundrums of going to the beach.
#5 The beach resort – Nobody really likes paying the fees of course, but if you ask me, the resort fee is the best-spent money in all of Kuwait. The club membership is literally your personal membership to an oasis of relaxation, and each one has their own specialties to offer, depending on your preference. From the spa, to the best pool, to the best beachside location, to the best activities for the whole family (and who can forget the gym as well), there is a reason to take your beach club membership VERY seriously. This may be the single thing that keeps you sane in the summer or sandstorm months.
#4 The sand – Can we be honest about sand? It mainly sucks, right? I mean, don’t get me wrong – imaging the feel of it between my toes is the closest equivalent I have to a physical embodiment of “vacation feeling.” But still, it is normally dirty, it is often too hot and burns your feet when you step on it, and it always gets into crevices you don’t want it to get into. I find sand in my car and throughout my house for days! Plus, in a place notorious for sandstorms that we do our best to avoid, do you really want to see more of it when it comes time to relax? No. And yet still, sitting down on a lawn chair swirling it between your toes while sipping on a tea is about as good as it gets.
#3 The glaring eyes – I know, nobody is supposed to be looking at anyone here, and I would like to think that is what’s happening, but honestly, more often than not, I feel like I am being undressed by 1000 eyes around me. Relax people. We are just swimming here – nothing to see, move on! You focus on you; I’ll focus on me…which brings me to my next point…your own body. Ugg, I hate my body. Generally have for some time. And although I occasionally get myself into pretty good shape through some very hard work at the gym, I am always heading towards or away from a cheeseburger body (or is it dadbod!? I can never keep up…) – and neither direction lasts long. I just keep fluctuating. So the biggest problem when I am heading to the beach is really how I feel about me. The issue here, best I can tell, is that there is not really a great middle ground here. Most people who are ridiculously in shape end up being a little less than interesting poolside. They are too worried about counting calories to hang out just a little bit longer with friends (not that there is anything wrong with that, they’re just different aims entirely!). They become jerks often, or at the very least self-involved in a way that you likely have to be to spend that much time working on your own body. There is no easy answer here, but most people I know would still probably prefer fit and shallow to fat and deep.
#2 The water – The waves are not exactly breaking like the North Shore of Oahu over here. It’s normally flat. Dead. Nothing to sea here (see what I did there?). It is as calm as bathwater most days. Now on the plus side, what is bad for wave surfers is often good for windsurfers. We benefit from a great stretch of water where wind comes in up the gulf and hits just right. If you are brave enough, there is a windsurfing scene to be found here for you.
#1 The sun – Why does it feel like the sun is always mad at you here? Really…I’ll wait; I’ve got to know! It seems like the sun is just trying to prove a point – oh hey you think you are safe over there in the shade? Let me keep moving and then crank the heat up more. Ahhh – I’m melting over here peoples!
Love/Hate is your guide to all of life’s little conundrums, and a good excuse to beach-out!