Please Ladies No Smoking

First things first...I had to return some exercise wear today as it was too big. Ladies are not allowed to try items on before buying so we have to go thru the routine of buying, trying on at home and then getting back for a refund or exchange, all to just go home and retry until we get the desired item. Well it was 2 days ago that I purchased the top and was told it had to be returned within 24 hours for a refund and therefore, I was not allowed to have a refund, I could have an exchange. I am fed up of this routine and just wanted my money back. Anyway, the salesman gave in after 10 minutes of me saying 'no, I want my money back and I don't want anything else from the store today thankyou'.

Its worth knowing that its pointless getting annoyed or angry as it gets you nowhere so you just have to be patient and sometimes it pays off as it did in this case.

I then went onto the Mall of Dharan to get some other items. Again the same routine, buy the items, (in this case) run to a toilet and try them on and run as fast back to the stall for an exchange or refund. This is fine but remember all women do this and by the time you get back to the stall the checkout is full of us all trying to do the same thing.

I HATE SHOPPING ! Well I love shopping anywhere else because I can try first.

Imagine how amazed I was at finding a changing room in one of the stores in the new part of the Mall ! I was thrilled trying on 7 items and only buying the one that fit and suited me. Got some new gym wear for my 'schwinn sessions'...horray, after about 4 months of working myself up to it.

Then I decided to go and have a Costa's and Tuna Melt Foccacia during prayer time. Everything is quiet, eating and drinking when I notice a Matawa with a policeman walking towards us in Costa. They went up to a woman whom I don't think could have been saudi as she was uncovered and with 2 men and another woman. The Matawa signed to the men to tell her to 'stop smoking'. He then went up to her and did the same thing. She waved him away which I thought would bring more trouble but he just walked on thru the Mall. The woman then made a face as he walked off. I wasn't sure what the reaction of the other people in the cafe would be as they were mostly saudi men and women, and to my surprise they were all smiling and finding it all rather amusing too.

Oh yes, the men were all smoking but this is not a problem. Only women are not allowed to smoke openly.

There you go, another interesting thing for saudi life to add to my blog.