Car accident, booking and rain...

Recently I was in Qatar. This mainly as I got responsibility for that country as well in addition to what I am already doing of course ;-). I went there for one week and the main goal was to have a proper handover. One evening I went out with a person I know for dinner. We were driving and btw, traffic in Doha is not even in the same world bad as it is in Amman ;-), anyway, we were driving and as it was stop and go and a driver was not paying attention, he hit us from behind. Nothing really tragic happened and if it would have been my car I wouldn't even have stopped. The problem was that it was a rental and apparently you have an obligation to call in and provide them with a police report. So he did and and I was already seeing myself standing there for the next 10 hours or so until any law enforcement would show up. After some 15 minutes we decided to go to the closest police station as nobody was showing up (seriously, after 15 minutes!). The guy who hit us took the lead and we were following. After 5 to 10 minuts ride we arrived at a police station. We drove into the courtyard and there were policemen standing there with notepads in their hands and looking at every vehicle that came in. I did not understand immediately until my friend told me that this was the accident registration station where you drive through, get a preliminary report and then you get to the office building where you get the final police report. The place is opened 24/7!! I couldn't believe it. The policeman had a quick look, spoke to us, everything was clear, we parked our car went in and after some 10 minutes we were done!! Khallas! (= "finish" in Arabic). That was BY FAR the most efficient police/incident report I've seem in my entire life! So back in Jordan I had some issues with the light in the kitchen. I couldn't turn it off anymore. The switch just did not react, respectivey it reacted and cut the circuit only in a very special position which was by pussing the switch to the right. Whatever... I got some sticky tape and taped it into that position. Of course during the night the tape got lose and the light went on... bugger, next to be scared as all the sudden you wake up in the middle of the night because light turns on, I had to get up and try to fix it again. Next day of course I told it to "my man" in the office and he called the electrician. Here you don't call anybody. You call ONLY the person you know and trust. So he calls him and of course he was busy and "promissed" to come "baad bukkra Insha'Allah" ("the day after tomorrow so God will"). I couldn't believe it as have light that constantly burns cannot really be good... I told him to call somebody else but he said it would not work. So he called the landlord. Maybe because the rent was due he showed up next day on a Friday morning. Is nothing unusual for my landlord. He regularly shows up on a Friday. I learned why... during that day he told me that his family was preparing food and a lots of things back home Friday morning for luch after prayer... I suspect he just wanted to flew from home and enjoy a quiet moment in his house ;-) So he came and his Egyptian helper started to fix the electric switch. I am not an electrician but I have a bit of a clue and with the excuse of drinking coffee I kept an eye on him. He took the switch off and replaced it with another one. Maybe now there is another lightswitch missing somewhere in the house ;-) This is what they usually do. As they do not have spare somewhere, they just take whatever it is and replace it later where they took it. If they remind ;-) (They did that with all our door handles that broke...) Anyway, he managed, although I had after he left to adjust some small things as he did not put the cover correctly. He put it up side down and that was why after he "fixed" it it came off when you pushed the switch. He showed me and told me:"Normal. Khallas!" I waited until he left before I fixed it in order for him not to lose his face. At the end of the day all went well and the switch was fixed. There is still a dripping faucet  which I showed him and he promissed that he'd fix it "bukkra Insha'Allah" but today is today and not bukkra ;-) we'll see. It's just a pity as it keeps dripping into the wall (it is a faucet that is linked to the distributer of water in the appartment that's why it is covered in the wall). So it does not really bother me but it destroys his house. I told and showed him the wall which already blisters (especially now in winter with low temperatures). In the office they told me: "don't worry, it will dry out in summer... Insha'Allah". This week the weather changed drastically and it dropped from almost 20° already with blue sky and nice weather to HEAVY rain, fog and cold. I know everybody complains about bad weather but here it is suicidal to drive under such conditions. Unfortunately I had to leave my house as I had to do some things. The worst was that the streets were so flooded that you couldn't see the street anymore! I was driving in a sea of water, surrounded by cars with most of them having bad tires and drivers with no experience in driving in such conditions.  Those are the moments I ask myself why the heck I moved here!! Luckily nothing happened to me (I saw three accidents...) and I managed to get to the Royal Jordanian Office. The evening before I went there to book a ticket. They told me that if I booked it online it would be cheaper (doh..?!) but I went there as I wanted to upgrade with my miles. He told me that the office for tickets could help me but the miles office was already closed... WHY IN THE WORLD CAN YOU NOT DO EVERYTHING AT ONE DESK!!!! AAAAHHHH! So basically I went there for nothing because I had to book the ticket anyway online and come back to upgrade. I booked the ticket the same evening and went back the next day (the one with pouring rain). I arrive and the lady at the counter told me that I needed a higher class in order to upgrade, means I had to pay more cash and only then I could upgrade. (Rip off...) Whatever. I asked how much it would be and while talking about it she tells me that I could ask right before checking in at the airport to upgrade as they do that, the only thing is that the seat is not guaranteed, means if they are booked out you cannot. But you take the risk and you save money as they upgrade you on the same ticket class. Long story short: I went there for nothing as I booked the ticket online and finally did not upgrade! Bummer... Last weekend we tried out a new restaurant in an area called Umm Madainah. I saw the picture in a magazine that I got for free at the airport lounge. It looked nice so I went there with two friends from the embassy. The place was supposed to be Italian, means real Italian with an Italian chef. Before we went I wanted to check out the homepage. I found it and saw the same picture I had seen in the magazine. Fist though:" Nice, corporate identity, same pic everywhere, very nice!" I clicked on the "link" and facebook icon on the webpage but nothing happened.  I though my internet was frozen (as it happens often during the last time due to metereological conditions) but internet was perfectly fine. It took a second to understand that they just uploaded the same picture as they have in the magazine! As is! It is just a big picture and useless and you don't get ANY information from it. The only thing is the phone number. So one of the ladies booked a table (although we never need to as we usually go so early (1930ish) that by the time people arrive we are already leaving ;-) So we walk in and the place is really nice. Super bar which looks like made of stone and illuminated from the inside (looks like shining marble) and a wonderful dining area with windows all around. They have a special thing which is an electronic golf driving ranch... as nobody was there (1930...) they took their time to show us around. At the golf simulator there was a gentleman who did look foreign and he introduced himself as "Klaus"... (hmmm, here might he be from ;-) Anyway the gentleman was German and we spoke about this and that what he and I were doing in Jordan. He was all happy to hear that I was Italian and that he would call the chef in order to introduce him to me. I sat down and we started with starters and were already in a lively discussion when the chef arrived. He was really Italian, from Rome, spoke Italian and the food he cooked was DELICIOUS! He spent many years in Brazil as his wife s from there and now he arrived in Jordan. So the place was an absolute highlight   :-) Beside those highlights life goes on... everybody is hoping that summer comes back soon as it is so much nicer. I don't know if I will be still in Jordan then but I hope... Insha'Allah! The only sad thing is that the more you get used to the country the more you keep moving around where you know the area and go to shops you know. I stopped to explore around as routine simply kicked in and human beings are lazy and do what they know and hate changes. Regardless, I still learn every day, be it the culture, be it the language, be it religion or social behavior or even that things sometimes are not as I thought they were. Life is a journey and a "box of chocolate. You never know what to expect!" Take care wherever you are in this world. A big hug from Jordan. I miss you all.