So I have realised that once again I have been neglecting my blog, so a little catching up to do!!!!
So we went for a drive!! Well more of an expedition than a drive. A 4000km round trip from here in Khamis to Dubai.
We had made the decision that it was too expensive to fly home for Christmas, but obviously Father Christmas had lego obligations or else there would have been one very upset little boy on Christmas morning, wondering what he ever did to offend Santa!
Well, you can't get lego here, so Dubai it is. I LOVE adventure and what better way to see Saudi and the UAE than to drive.
Everybody told us it couldn't be done, we wouldn't cross the border, it would take too long or we would be hijacked in the desert. Let me assure you none of this is true! In fact the complete opposite!
We started off at about 5am KSA time. The car was packed - every eventuality was covered by mommy, tent, food, blankets, first aid kits, plenty of food and water, and a whole file full of every bit of information we could possibly need! We managed to be in the desert mountains as the sun rose, which was a magical and beautiful site to begin our journey with.
The kids were fully equipped, with their DVD players, colouring books, toys and their little lunch boxes and I have to say they were excellent the entire journey, and that I did not expect! We kept in 2 hourly contact with some friends back at the compound so if they didn't hear from us, they knew we could be having problems!
We headed up Route 10, which is a very long road taking you almost to Riyadh, we went as far as Al Kharj, the road splits here, up to Riyadh or carry on Route 10 going East across the Kingdom. We passed a place called Harrad and then straight on to the border.
This journey was pleasant enough. It is possible to see beauty in the most desolate of land. I found the scenery stunning and always changing, quite remarkable really. We passed through towns, we passed fields FILLED with hundreds of camels, we passed entire fields filled with green green grass, which seems somewhat of an oxymoron in the middle of the desert, and into the empty quarter, which in itself is a magnificent place. The site of the dunes, always changing colour, and vast area of nothingness! A man can easily get lost, not just in the physical sense but the emotional and metaphorical sense too! We saw the sunset over the empty quarter another amazing site!
On such a long journey - of which this took about 10 hours, one must be prepared to relieve oneself in the most undignified manner - in other words, pee in the desert! We had this down to a fine art by the time we reached the border. Only problem is the flies - you are introducing the only liquid into the desert for miles and miles, and the flies want fluid, so be prepared to be swamped with flies and killing dozens for the next 50km that have got into your car!
So the border crossing, we arrived here about 7pm, a surreal site in the middle for the desert, the empty quarter, nothing for miles and miles and yet suddenly all these lights, people and cars! This was the bit we were most worried about, we had been told by some that non GCC citizens could not cross this border.
From beginning to end it took just under an hour. All it takes is to be organised and not panic. Here is a little checklist that was valid for us as UK nationals, GCC residents in November 2010:
Exit KSA:
White paper for vehicle export – stamped at various points
At final checkpoint keep the paper
Immigration – check and stamp passport
Enter UAE:
Park car then enter white immigration building on left
Go to desk – produce passport
Visa application for each passport
Don’t fill in ‘travel with/accompany’ as all have own forms
Adults have eye scan
Pay 125 AED at counter opposite immigration desk
Officer post sticker on visa form
Back to immigration desk have passport/visa stamped
Drive car to customs park in inspection area
Get out to get stamp
After customs need to buy insurance – 100 AED for 10 days
Final checkpoint – check passports and collection of white paper with stamps
Simple as - congratulations you have now entered the land of alcohol and no abayas!
Everyone here was wonderful, helpful, polite and kind. In fact all the way through Saudi this is what we experienced. My husband always tries a little Arabic with people and being the local novelty, the white British family, people just want to be in your company!
So now we are in the UAE!
We continued along the same VERY long road. After a total of 14 hours on the road, we were all getting a little tired.
We found a hotel, a very plush hotel I may add, and stayed there the night. We enjoyed a nice shower, beautiful sea views, room service, overpriced alcohol and THE most comfortable beds known to man!
We set off after breakfast and a walk on the beach. We were about another 4 hours from Ras Al Khamiah where we were staying. Going through Dubai was amazing. Seeing all those buildings you have seen on the TV up close. The place is huge, and although there is a lot of sparkle, there is clear evidence of the economic demise that the whole world is suffering. Unfinished building work everywhere!
We finally got to our hotel - the Hilton in RAK, the city hotel though - a fraction of the price of the hotel and spa, yet you can use all the facilities of the beach hotel! Bargain!
Unforunatley when we arrived there was no booking and with it being Eid it was fully booked! I have to say the staff were wonderful, after such a drive and a very tired little family, they were great, it was the booking companies fault not Hiltons!
Finally we got sorted, unpacked and and ate dinner!
The holiday was fabulous, lazy time by the pool and on the beach, sipping cocktails by midday and Christmas shopping in Dubai! All in all, it was fabulous, we stocked up on all the things we miss out on here, like salted butter, Stilton cheese and even bagged ourselves a non alcoholic Christmas pud!
Then it was time to leave, but there was one more adventure in store - the road trip home!
We stopped off in Dubai on the way back, unfortunately I was quite sick the day we left, so was quite uncomfortable for me, but we were ok! Through the border, across the empty quarter and we finally reached Al Kharj at about 2am! (well we didn't leave Dubai until about 3pm!)
Armed with our sat nav - we found a hotel. The hotel looked nice from the outside, but what's that saying, never judge a book by it's cover! That was invented for just this situation! The lift was a little scary, and then into this room, well sort of 3 rooms, with the most dodgy doorbell ever heard!
not wanting to investigate things too much, we kept the lights dim, and both shared a single bed each with a child held tight!!! We just needed some sleep to continue!
The next morning we woke, still in our clothes and just got straight in the car and left Faulty Towers!
It took about another 7 hours to get home.
At the very spot we saw the sun rise on the way we saw it set on the way home! Simply beautiful!
Home at last, unpacked the car, nice hot bath, with my lush products and fell into a nice cosy bed - far cleaner than the previous bed!
All in all this was one of THE best adventures of my life.
We met camels in the road!
The kids saw what others only ever see in books!
We shopped!
We relaxed!
We had alcohol!!! :-)
And we achieved the seemingly impossible!
The moral, whatever you want to achieve in life, you can, whatever you want to see in life, you can, and whatever you want to get from life, you will!
We were blessed to have this experience and cannot wait for the next road trip!
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