Steven.Hatton

Hi

Can anyone help me.

My family and I are moving to Bahrain (me working in Saudi) in July. We are currently exploring potential areas to live. This is massively dictated by accessibility to either of the schools - BSB or St. Chris's (my wife doesn't drive). I understand that a few private firms operate school services but cannot for the life of me find out which areas are served. Both schools, for some unfathomable reason, refuse to detail this!

Anyone with any experience of travelling to and from school, and the best areas to live would be appreciated. My new company isn't offering a massive rental allowance (i.e. 800BD per month).


Cheers in advance - Steven

Steven W

Hi Steve

What do you want a quiet place next to one of the schools or a busling place not so close to the schools???

We moved here last september, our kids go to the british school (excellent School) and we live very close by next to the saudi highway.

There are lots of properties close to both schools and on your budget but dont forget about the inclusive or exlusive rentals when looking.

If your wife doesn't drive then you should consider getting a driver for her. They are cheap and very flexible with regards to times and price, alot of people use them out here.

Cheers

Steve

popsicle

Your wife will go mental without a driver or a license! In any case, as far as I am aware there are no busses to St chris infants/juniors, but if you're on a compound, chances are your kids could hop a ride with someone else. Secondary school is 75 bd a term. Fraid I don't know about bsb.

Steven.Hatton

Thanks Steven W and popsicle for the replies - getting a driver is something we have thought about (it is quite a surreal thought to have a designated chauffeur).

What kind of salaries do drivers command and do they provide their own car?

My wife has a UK license but point blank refuses to countenance driving in Bahrain due to the traffic horror stories she has read about. I'm sure that will change with time but I am trying to cover all possibilities.

I assume the 75BD a term is to Isa Town but where does it go from? Who operates the service?

Once again, any help and advice much appreciated.

popsicle

Can't remember the name, but the number is 17731661. They go from all over the place, but it can take a while on the buses as they tend to pick the kids up one at a time...

popsicle

And for what it's worth, don't think of drivers as being amazing drivers either...it would probably be safer for your wife to man up and drive herself seeing as she knows the 'proper' rules of the roads...

Tockalosh

Definitely agree with this. When you think chauffeur, think shagged out 20 year corrolla with next to no or no maintenance driven by a TCN who cant get a job as a company driver.

I havent seen any particularly bad driving in Bahrain so your wife has nothing to worry about behind the wheel and the place is so small you cant get really get lost so dont waste cash on a Garmin

scottrace

I think we all felt nervous about driving upon arrival but once you get on with it, its really not that bad.

I agree with the comments above - the taxi drivers, and the bus drivers are as bad if not worse than everyone else.

The alternative, and I know its a crazy idea, is live close enough to school to walk - we did it all winter and do sometimes now. But I would not be without my own transport for everything else.

Steven W

There are buses that run from the bsb. they drop kids off anywhere, however can't comment on the price but it shouldn't be expensive. If you are planning to move close to one of the schools then i don't think your wife would mind driving. In the morning nobody drives fast enough to do any damage because it can get very congested. People do tend to take liberties ie. barge in when there no space, cut you up etc. but in our experience never dangerous. There is almost no road rage here, only from Brits, sorry guys but true.
I would suggest getting a rental car with a sat nav in or buying one, just for the first couple of months, if you will be doing medicals, cpr cards, driving licence and all the other stuff, then it could save your marriage. I don't know about anyone else but we it found extremely stressful driving around for the first couple of months, everything looks the same and you can very quickly lose your sense of direction, especially in Manama. There aren't the usual pubs to guide you on your way!.