Salmiya

Before I moved to Kuwait 7 years ago, I was told that it is the hottest place in the world. It turned out, it isn’t. Anyway, it might indeed be the hottest place where 2.5 million people live in air-conditioned environments! During the 6 years temperatures never soared beyond 50 degrees Celsius. In fact, in several years they not even reached that magic figure. I was constantly told by expats that officials manipulated the temperatures since, by Kuwaiti law, workers were not supposed to work outside if 50 degrees had been reached. As if it would make a difference if it was 45 or 50! I never believed that. Metereologists are honest, everywhere. The highest (unofficial) temperature ever measured in Kuwait was 51.9 °C, on the 27th of July 2007, when I just had left ! Most Kuwaitis and of course all the Westerners flee the heat already in early June. They won’t return before September. I loved the heat (provided AC was working). During several summers I spent my holidays in Kuwait, relaxe...