After bemoaning the fact that "I'll never drive in Dubai because of all the wankers on the road", I went and did the unthinkable.
That's right - I bought a car!!!
Her name is Princess Pea and I bought her from Renee (a fellow Aussie) who's heading home for good next month. Keen to offload and find a new home for her car, I decided that if I'm staying another year and am already fed up with the non-existent taxi situation, it's worth my long-term sanity to make such a purchase.
Princess Pea is a 1999 VW Polo and for a bargain price she's now all mine! I'm pleased to say that this is the start of many a grand adventure and I just can't wait to hoon around like a local.
I've discovered where the horn is and I'm not afraid to use it! I've worked out that if you act just as unpredictably as the rest of Dubai's insane traffic, no one will bother you and they also won't come near you! So, here's to changing lanes abruptly, honking the horn constantly and turning on my hazards during the rain. Nah, just kidding! I'll be honking, but I won't forget my well learnt road rules from home.
On the second day I had the car, Jena dubbed her the Minxy Mobile and we embarked on a mission to Ikea. It was....interesting. The trip from my place to Ikea should take 20 mins. It took an hour and on our journey we were treated to a drive by of the airport, featuring the airshow (very exciting and made me think of HOT fighter pilots in sexy uniforms!), a few of Dubai's bridges and finally a few signs that pointed us in the right direction. If we hadn't been chattering non-stop and a big fat truck hadn't been in the way, I wouldn't have missed the exit sign and we'd have been there in the expected time. Never mind, we hooted around Ikea, buying plants and then delightedly packed them into the car and drove home. Jena nursed the massive tree I bought for my bedroom and with our eyes firmly open and searching for signs, we made it home in 20 minutes and only drove on the wrong side of the road once!!!
Yesterday featured a trip to the Mall of the Emirates (MOE to us locals) and it was navigationally successful. While I'm vaguely aware of the direction of things in Dubai, my lack of attention while travelling in taxis attributes to my poor navigational skills. After a few false starts, it was an enjoyable trip and I was thrilled to be able to wheel my trolley into the undercover parking lot and put it all in MY CAR and drive home. No more waiting 3 hours for a taxi that smells like the arse end of an unwashed camel and having to provide my own directions.
Next stop - day trip to Jumeirah Beach Park - let the adventures begin!!!
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