Quest through Karama

So about 2 weeks ago, my parents sent me two packages. Finally, two days ago, I had a delivery at school. But it wasn't the packages. It was a little slip of paper that basically said, "We tried to deliver this on Saturday and no one was here so now you have to go to the General Post Office in Karama to get your stuff. Oh and if you don't pick it up within 15 days we'll throw it away." <-- that was the gist of it.

SO on Thursday, December 23rd, I went on this epic adventure in search of the General Post Office in Karama. 

Since I was traveling alone and a taxi would be a lot more expensive with no one to split it with, I decided to tackle the bus routes. Turns out it was pretty easy to take the bus to the metro station. Here's some bus pictures:

The bus was really clean and colorful, 

and empty at this point.

The sign says "Ladies and Families Only"

Yea, no boys allowed. Ha!

The General Post Office is located on 23rd street. I get off the metro on this one stop and orient my map so I'm heading towards that direction. (yea map skills)

Walking along, doing good, watching the street signs: 19th street, 21st street, 25th street....wait....(i look back)........21st street........25th street. WHAT?!?!

THERE WAS NO 23RD STREET IN BETWEEN!!

I checked the map:

Still no post office in sight....

I was doomed. Well, not really. I ended up asking this really nice hotel guard how to get to the post office and he goes (in accented voice): "Hokay, torn ryyyght, den torn layyyft, den won light, and FAST LAYFT, FAST LAFT." 

So I followed his directions: right, left, past one light, then left <-- this left was not quite as 'fast' as he said it would be, it was actually just a normal left haha

FOUND THE POST OFFICE:

But there was a ginormous line of Arabic men outside....

Turns out I was supposed to go to the other side of the building to pick up packages.

Inside the post office:

Very clean. Automatic screens that flash your number when it's your turn to go to the counter.

And here are my packages!!!!

It was really hot outside and it was hard to carry both boxes at once 

so I just decided to sit down on a corner and open one of the boxes right there. 

Got some awesome stuff in this box. Including tons of cookies that I'm hiding from everyone else here in Dubai so that they will last the whole time. (Don't worry, they're in the freezer so they don't go rotten....even though I'd probably eat them anyways.)

A random lady asked to borrow my pen. So in return, I asked her to take this completely nerdy picture of my and my Christmas package from home. (The other one I had already opened and put the stuff in my backpack) 

Quite the epic adventure tracking down these packages, but totally worth it!!