Heat in the Middle East?

[addler]

I'm moving over in the next couple of weeks, and as it draws closer I'm really starting to worry about the heat!

I'm always warm anyway, and I hate being hot, I get uncomfortable and irritated and feel like I constantly need a shower. I much prefer the cold.

I'm an actual idiot for choosing a job out there.

Please, please if you live in a country over there or have in the past, is there anything I can do to help cool down?

I know that when I'm inside or in a car it will have a/c, but there will be times when I'll have to be outside for a couple of hours in the late afternoon (around 5) but at the moment it still has a heat index of 48 degrees at that time!

Am I doomed to become a hot, stinky mess?

Another thing that has suddenly worried me is that I am on a fluctuating dose of medication for a problem with my nerves, when I'm having a relapse and need to take a higher dosage it has the side effect of greatly reducing the amount I sweat, which I've just realised could actually be quite dangerous in a hot country. I've been in remission for a while so have only been on a low dose which is why I haven't even thought of it until now!

I wish there were clothes with an in built cooling system...

Congratulations. Loose cotton clothing and several pairs of good quality sunglasses. You will adapt. When you first arrive try not to just blast yourself with the ac. Hard not to but if you are constantly going from cold to hot it will be much harder.

Thank you, I'm very excited about it regardless of the worries about temperature!

I hadn't thought that maxing the a/c would actually make it harder, thanks for the tip. Will have to resist the temptation!

Today it was 44 when I left school to walk to the car. It's hot but everywhere is air conditioned, school, shops, malls, offices, metro, bus stops 😄
Agree with pp, loose clothing in natural fabrics, and don't have school too cold, it makes the changes so much harder to bear. And never ever plan to do anything in a hurry, that's just a recipe for hot and sweaty.
Good luck with the move. Any questions, just ask.

Depends on the country. Anywhere but Saudi, you'll be able to dress cool but covered for the outdoor times. If it is Saudi and your outdoor time is in public or within the grounds of a fairly conservative employer and you're female, you're buggered. Try and find a nice cotton abaya as opposed to the flammable shiny black cloaks you get in the souks. I'm off back to ksa in a few weeks and dreading it. People pissing and moaning about the weather here have no idea 😂

Thank you!

I'll be in Bahrain. I'm so excited about the adventure!

Orange want to swap?! I find dealing with heat far harder when your supposed to look good in flimsy summer clothes here. It stresses me out, big time. Throwing on an abaya was far easier!

OP i also agree with making sure your not rushing.

There is that nylon - guess it doesn't matter if I'm having a fat day or still wearing my pyjamas 😂

You get used to it and after a few months your blood thins so it'll get easier anyway.

The downside is you get cold in the UK when you return 😂

My kids cope easily now with the heat, and I love it.

You'll be fine ☺️

You will be very close to me (but I'm over the bridge in Abaya lands)
August and September absolutely stink. Mainly due to the humidity rather than the temperature. If you come over mid September, it will be "cooling" rapidly.
You WILL adjust. Agree with above, don't max the A.C..

Drink plenty, wear loose clothes. Umbrella for the sun (I can't bear hats). Take it slow.

Enjoy!!!

PS

What is that magnificent contraption and where can I get one?!

What's the shopping situation like over there? Is it easy enough to order things online, like a Bahraini Amazon? Or are there lots of shops that would suit a chubby, sweaty westerner?

Online shopping isn't really done in the ME (certainly not in saudi because the postal/delivery service is fucking useless and customs is appallingly slow - months at a time sometimes). Amazon have bought Souk.com but I still wouldn't trust is because of the delivery logistics. There's plenty of euro/uk/USA shops all over the ME though so you should be fine. One of the malls near to me has m & s, etam, Evans, new look etc etc.

Second learning to move more slowly! Going from Central London pace to conserving energy and not overheating pace nearly killed me

They have an M&S?! Hurrah, I can get one of the hideous pink dresses!

I was given the option of either setting up a banks account there or getting paid into my UK account, the legal department couldn't give me any pros and cons either way really.

When you say you have to be outside for a couple of hours in the late afternoon, is this year round? In June/July/August that will be really hard to deal with. I am very good with heat but would struggle to be outside for two hours in July (although to be fair we managed to do LEGOLAND a couple of weeks ago :) )

addler, re bank accounts - are you being paid in local currency/is your employer am ME company?

My contract is in GBP, but they said I can choose to either have it in gbp in my Halifax account or have it exchanged to local currency in a local bank.

We'll be travelling to the UK for most august and some of July, So hopefully we'll escape the worst of the summer.

That umbrella is available in the Saudi store Saco. It has been all over Facebook recently to help the Hajj pilgrims with the heat.

Yes, M&S, Debenhams, Matalan, h&m, next. Have a look at City Centre Mall, Bahrain for some of the brands. You will be surprised by how many you recognize. Many other malls exist, that's just the one we typically visit as they have a water park and cinema!

However, and this is Saudi knowledge rather than Bahrain, don't expect the variety you get in the UK. How chubby??? Much over a 16, and I'd suggest stocking up in UK. I cannot get long legged trousers here. I also buy a years supply of bras and swimsuits and size 7 shoes in the UK. Tampon availability is variable (think Bahrain is better than ksa).

Will work let you divide the salary, and pay into 2 accounts in 2 currencies?? We have a deal where x% in paid in SAR, and the rest to the UK. We burnt through money in the first 6 months - work are paying rent??? Ours is 12 months up front .

Or, get yourself a HSBC (SAAB in the rest of the world) international account, and go from there. I'd say you need a local account - moving money is not cheap. And online payments are not as advanced as uk - I pay for everything cash.

Got to run - DH back from work. Ask here or pm me if you want more info.

YY to getting a years supply of bras in the UK (if you are over a d/e cup the options are limited and £££)
I stock up on linen trousers/tops in the UK in sales as well whenever I'm back and binge at Primark on cheap t shirts and vest tops (I tend to wear these under my work blouses so v necks etc are not too revealing). With the intensity of the sun and very frequent washing, I am finding clothes wear out quickly compared to in the UK.

I'm not in Bahrain but close by, we don't have a postal system so you have to think ahead (Christmas stuff will be available but limited/expensive) and I always buy beauty products (Elemis, La Roche Posay etc) in the the UK and bring them over for the same reasons.

And yes to looking into HSBC - I have an Advance account which links my ME account with my UK account and I can transfer money between them without charge and keep an eye on cashflow

If Bahrain's IT/internet systems are anything like where I am you will soon be looking at UK online banking and online utility accounts with yearning, and mourning Amazon Prime ....

OP, you can order from most of the big online companies and have things sent to you for not much at all if you choose international delivery. The items arrive by courier and its just yesterday we received a huge order from Bodem for about 25 pounds. It got here in 4 days. I'll ask my daughter later who else she buys from.

Thanks so much for all the experience and info, these are things that don't really get covered in the 'living abroad' articles I've read!

I was shocked when I looked at the shop list for that mall Sand! I think I recognised more than ones I didn't.

Also just found out today we're flying out on Sunday. I've been working for a few weeks now while they're in the UK and staying in a hotel so luckily all my things are in suitcases or storage already, but now I have no time to shop! Maybe I can bulk buy some things and get next day delivery so I can stock up before we leave. Argh I feel so unprepared!

They're providing accommodation and either a driver or a car which is good. The reason I took this job is to save, save, save now I'm single (sob!) and don't yet have any children.

Wow, that's fast.
Ok, buy bras and any cosmetics you are particularly attached to. If you are tall, get some trousers. Get some sunscreen and facial sunscreen (it's impossible to find in Saudi). The rest you will have to try and sort in Bahrain.
You will be delighted to hear the temperatures (apparent temp, as humidity is dropping) are dropping fast. And now it is just "fecking hot" rather than "I'm living in a sauna"
Safe travels. Enjoy your new adventure.

I imagine you can shop and ship there. A small subscription gives you a holding address in the UK that then forwards it by courier (very important as you prob won't have a postal address - it all works differently there).

Shop and ship means you can still buy from UK shops and pay tax/delivery. It is still much cheaper than buying things there.

Good luck for Sunday ☺️

How annoying, been delayed another week.

More time for shopping though!

That doesn't suprise me. It's Eid here, so noone is at work Sunday for sure.
Add to your shopping list a sun hat or 2, if you can still get in the UK.