There are two events that I will remember always.
The first was my flight from Jeddah to Riyadh, and the second, my trip to the beach.
In the 1980’s, Saudi Arabia was not as it is today. Internal flights were considered in the same way as the concept of catching a bus.
Flight to Riyadh
I took my economy seat in a 747. Carefully looked around me. I was horrified to see Bedouin with baby goats and even chickens.
Being young, I just sat back and tried not to think about it.
It was not until we were in flight that I really started to panic. To my left, sitting by the window was a Bedouin making a cup of tea with a methylated spirit burner! He saw me looking at him and offered me a cup,
I called the hostess and she confiscated the lot. Two months later a Saudi 747 went up in flames due to methylated spirit burner that over turned. Many died that day,
The Beach
It was only a couple of days before my departure for Damascus. Being a Friday, a friend asked me to join him and his friends at the beach for a picnic.
It was incredible and also unbelievable.
The beach was littered with abandoned cars (mostly taxis). Behind the beach was desert! Flat and secretly inviting. Distance seemed to have no meaning. I could not gauge the distance from the beach to the far distant mountains. But I could imagine what it would be like to drive over the desert in an open Jeep.
If the beach was untidy, the sea was magnificent. Crystal clear, but shallow. It seemed ages before I could reach a depth that allowed me to swim.
Under the waves a paradise of colour and natural beauty awaited me. A Coral Reef! With fish of all colours and shades. I was cautious not to touch any of the inhabitants. I was warned that some of these beautiful creatures can be quite dangerous.