I took a LONG drive down to
Durrat Al-Bahrain yesterday to see how it was progressing (See the billboards, adverts, etc.. got me curious).
The first thing I noticed was the exceptionally long drive down there from Budaiyah (40 minutes on a Friday afternoon with absolutely NO traffic). Upon arrival at the round-a-bout I saw to the left what looked like completed islands (with houses!). To the right, worker's accomidations and the sales office where the water park, that was 80% complete in 2003, used to be (they tore it down in 2005).
I decided to drive out to the "finished" islands and look at the houses. I was stopped by the security guard (al la Tala Island) who said entry was forbidden. I inquired why, he said it was not open yet. I asked his how is one supposed to buy a property if one cannot look at it. He directed me to the sales office.
At the sales office I asked the polite salesman what happened to the water park that used to be behind the sales office? He said there was never any water park there, to which I relied "then what's that water park entrance behind the sales office?". He was rather bewildered so I dropped the subject.
I inquired as to why I couldn't see the islands and the, what seemed to be completed, houses. He informed me that they are still working on them but he could arrange a tour of the show house. I said that would not be necessary. I then inquired about other necessities of life, i.e. Petrol Station, Grocery Store, Bank, etc.. To which he said "they will come, inshallah". He then said that all this was a
short drive away down the highway.
Fact: Distance from the closest housing island to the nearest petrol station (Power Plant Round-a-bout) = 21km. Grocery Store, Bank (Jawad/BBK in Sannad) = 22km.
I said thank you for the information, good luck with selling those houses as this expat will think about again in a few years, IF they get the golf course built, and address all my other concerns and drove home.