The Jettners have been to Doha several times to visit us, and we have been sad that we couldn't reciprocate because Saudi Arabia does not allow people to enter on a visitor's visa. Well we recently discovered how to legally enter the country through an in-transit visa and thought, what better time to go than Thanksgiving weekend? So we packed up the car, left directly from school on Thursday, and ventured off to Saudi Arabia!
Our first stop was at the Doha-Saudi border crossing where Justin eventually figured out that we all needed to get out of the car (and I had to wear a hijab to cover my head for the first time since living in the Middle East) to get fingerprints. An hour later, we passed through several other checkpoints and we crossed in to Saudi. Immediately, the terrain was barren with nothing but sand all around. Eventually we came across hundreds of cars and people who randomly pulled off into the sand dunes to set up large tents and chairs. We couldn't figure out if these were indigenous natives or city settlers out for the weekend. It was interesting either way. Later we also saw some beautiful rock formations to make the sand more interesting.
6 hours and 15 minutes later, we arrived at the Jettner's compound and were jovially greeted with food, home-brewed raspberry wheat beer, and friends. Although we were there to see the Jettners, they also invited over some of our other good friends from our days in China. There are actually four other families from China that we know on the same compound!
The next day, we walked a couple of blocks to the beach and ocean where the Jettners took us all kayaking and paddle boarding out to a good snorkeling place. Justin even saw a manta ray while paddling, and flying fish were every where. One even landed in the kayak with Kris and the girls, and Justin had to pick it up and put it back in the ocean! We also saw thousands of jelly-looking water creatures that had a membrane, but we weren't sure what they were. All we had to do was put our hand in the water, and we could scoop some up to hold and inspect. There were really interesting.
Then the girls headed over to the horse stables to ride Ari's horse, Princess, while Niki and I went shopping at a Christmas market on the compound. We all came back to do some quick cooking for Thanksgiving dinner and then headed over to a friend's house for the big festivities.
After a nice, relaxing morning on Saturday, it was time to head back to Doha, and here is where the adventure began. In order to be in Saudi legally, we had to visit another country while we were given three days to transit through Saudi. So after saying goodbye to the Jettners, we drove to Bahrain to wait in line for 1.5 hours just to turn around after the border to head back in to Saudi (and wait another hour at the border again). As long as we had the stamp for Bahrain, our transit in Saudi was valid.
Next, Justin drove for hours, heading toward the Doha border among dangerous, scary drivers. Traffic was not congested on the highways, but people drive incredibly fast. People would pass us going 140 mph, and by pass I mean go around us even if there wasn't a lane to do so. Even while driving 180 kmh, we would still get passed as if we were standing still. So Justin stayed in the slow lane as much as possible until a random semi truck in front of us would instantly pull off to the side of the road at 30 mph. It wasn't safe to slam on the breaks that fast, so Justin had to continually watch the road behind him just as much as in front of him to be able to swerve to the other lane when necessary. I certainly could not help him either because women are not allowed to drive in Saudi.
Before reaching Doha, we made a gas stop where I also took the girls out of the car to find a bathroom. Even though I was covered, I will still obviously different from everyone else, and they had no problem telling us. Within one minute of leaving the car, a police officer confronted Justin in Arabic which led him to run after me. He figured out that the police was trying to tell him that I couldn't walk without my husband as an escort. So he found me and had to take me to the bathroom. When I got there, a Saudi women spoke to me in Arabic, and it looked like she was passionately refusing me the chance to use the bathroom. Eventually I showed her that the kids had to go, and she let me pass, but she was very adamant that I shouldn't go in there.
Finally, we reaching the border, waited another hour, and crossed back into Doha. After 8 hours of driving (on Justin's part), we were finally home! It was quite an experience outside of the compound and not easy. However, it was wonderful to visit the Jettners and visit a country that few people in the world ever have the opportunity to do. I'm pretty thankful for that, and I'm thankful we made it home!
Our first stop was at the Doha-Saudi border crossing where Justin eventually figured out that we all needed to get out of the car (and I had to wear a hijab to cover my head for the first time since living in the Middle East) to get fingerprints. An hour later, we passed through several other checkpoints and we crossed in to Saudi. Immediately, the terrain was barren with nothing but sand all around. Eventually we came across hundreds of cars and people who randomly pulled off into the sand dunes to set up large tents and chairs. We couldn't figure out if these were indigenous natives or city settlers out for the weekend. It was interesting either way. Later we also saw some beautiful rock formations to make the sand more interesting.The next day, we walked a couple of blocks to the beach and ocean where the Jettners took us all kayaking and paddle boarding out to a good snorkeling place. Justin even saw a manta ray while paddling, and flying fish were every where. One even landed in the kayak with Kris and the girls, and Justin had to pick it up and put it back in the ocean! We also saw thousands of jelly-looking water creatures that had a membrane, but we weren't sure what they were. All we had to do was put our hand in the water, and we could scoop some up to hold and inspect. There were really interesting.
Then the girls headed over to the horse stables to ride Ari's horse, Princess, while Niki and I went shopping at a Christmas market on the compound. We all came back to do some quick cooking for Thanksgiving dinner and then headed over to a friend's house for the big festivities.
At Thanksgiving, we knew most of the people there and were so excited to spend Thanksgiving with some many friends from the past. Somewhere in my file of photos, I know I have a similar picture of many of us together at Thanksgiving years ago in China! Dinner was delicious, and the kids were entertained with a trampoline, scavenger hunt, and poetry writing. Groups of kids all recited their Thanksgiving poems just before dinner; it was lovely.
After a nice, relaxing morning on Saturday, it was time to head back to Doha, and here is where the adventure began. In order to be in Saudi legally, we had to visit another country while we were given three days to transit through Saudi. So after saying goodbye to the Jettners, we drove to Bahrain to wait in line for 1.5 hours just to turn around after the border to head back in to Saudi (and wait another hour at the border again). As long as we had the stamp for Bahrain, our transit in Saudi was valid.
Next, Justin drove for hours, heading toward the Doha border among dangerous, scary drivers. Traffic was not congested on the highways, but people drive incredibly fast. People would pass us going 140 mph, and by pass I mean go around us even if there wasn't a lane to do so. Even while driving 180 kmh, we would still get passed as if we were standing still. So Justin stayed in the slow lane as much as possible until a random semi truck in front of us would instantly pull off to the side of the road at 30 mph. It wasn't safe to slam on the breaks that fast, so Justin had to continually watch the road behind him just as much as in front of him to be able to swerve to the other lane when necessary. I certainly could not help him either because women are not allowed to drive in Saudi.Before reaching Doha, we made a gas stop where I also took the girls out of the car to find a bathroom. Even though I was covered, I will still obviously different from everyone else, and they had no problem telling us. Within one minute of leaving the car, a police officer confronted Justin in Arabic which led him to run after me. He figured out that the police was trying to tell him that I couldn't walk without my husband as an escort. So he found me and had to take me to the bathroom. When I got there, a Saudi women spoke to me in Arabic, and it looked like she was passionately refusing me the chance to use the bathroom. Eventually I showed her that the kids had to go, and she let me pass, but she was very adamant that I shouldn't go in there.
Finally, we reaching the border, waited another hour, and crossed back into Doha. After 8 hours of driving (on Justin's part), we were finally home! It was quite an experience outside of the compound and not easy. However, it was wonderful to visit the Jettners and visit a country that few people in the world ever have the opportunity to do. I'm pretty thankful for that, and I'm thankful we made it home!
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