Day 21: Run, sleep, swim.

Aug 19

view pictures at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/runlowellrun/

Zab and I decided to get active again now that we are in a safer and more familar place. We woke up at 6:00am so that we would not pass out on the road in the desert heat. Right before we were going to go, Zab’s Sister Zeeba and her husband Arun called from New Mexico USA. They had not talked to Zab or his Mother for awhile because of the traveling we had been doing. It was fun to be able to talk to them. They think that we should professionally travel and blog our journeys. Maybe we can contact Pepto Bismol and they can sponsor our adventures!

Zab’s father dropped us off on his way to work at a running/walking path that surrounds a park and cricket pond. There were signs with the distance in meters, there were lit arches for running at night, and there was a mist that would spray out to cool you down as you ran. Unfortunately this was not turned on until late afternoon. We ran around the 1700 meter path 3 times, stretched, and then walked home. We were very sweaty, as it was about 36 degrees during the run. We drank a lot of water before, during, and after, so we were not dehydrated.

We ate breakfast and then we got our laundry out for Zab’s mother. Did I mention that she is an amazing woman?

For the rest of the afternoon Zab slept. I took some pictures. =) I spend the afternoon sending emails and doing some work on the blog and I talked with Zab’s mother.

In the evening, a friend of Zab’s father came and drove is to Kuwait in his speedy little Mazda 6 sports car. Zab and I had heard that we could get really nice cell phones here for cheap. Apparently the Kuwaitis buy the latest and greatest, and then when a new one came out a few months later, they get a new one. We were going to see if we could get some of the used phones for really cheap. We couldn’t. It turns out that they just bring them back and they put the used phone back on the shelves and sell them in the box for the price of new. They have some amazing phones here though, it is a pity.

We then went to the famous Kuwait Towers that had been rebuilt since they had been bombed in the Gulf War. We rode up to the top ball (see the picture) and looked out over the city. It was very beautiful. Kuwait City is actually a really nice place. The towers were amazing. They were used as water towers and as a landmark along the Gulf coast.

We went with Zab’s father to his company’s outdoor pool where he has started swimming regularly. The water was very warm, like a giant hot tub. We went there to help Zab learn to swim. He did awesome. A few more times to the pool and I think he will be able to do a triathlon! It felt great to get back in the pool again. I have not swam since my triathlon on July 9th, and I felt rusty and out of practice. The water was a little too hot for me to go too long though. The pool was really beautiful and I had a really good time.

We came home and ate a first-rate (thanks MS Word thesaurus) supper and then went to bed at 10:30.