SAUDI ARABIA
My First Days
7th October - 8th October | 2023
Finally the next morning I left after breakfast to the border of Saudi Arabia, close to Aqaba. A small border crossing, but man that really cost me my nerves and money!! They don't take credit cards to start with!! Seriously, at the other end of Aqaba, you do!! That started already well as I managed to spend all my cash yesterday!
Even worse, the 'important' guy for your documents and payments doesn't even speak English, even though a lot of English-speaking tourists cross the border as they work at the huge NEOM project called 'The Line' (www.neom.com/en-us/regions/theline). So he told me how much money I needed for my motorbike and for me to exit, which I double-checked 3x with his colleague. So I went to the money exchange office, which of course cannot do anything with a credit card. He kindly sent me to the phone shop next door and this guy could do it, of course, plus additional costs. Well, not many options around currently, are there?
So back to my 'friend' to get moving. Now he remembers that I also have to pay a fee for me to exit. I asked that for exactly that reason! One border guy was so kind as to give me a local person to help me with translation. He explained the situation but the border worker insisted on the exit fee for me. Seriously!! No need to mention how friendly that conversation went! However, off to get cash again, paying another commission!! Back to my 'friend', and guess what!?! He still is not happy!! He suddenly told me I had to pay a fine as I was overstaying a week in Jordan. WTF?!? So off to the customs window with my translator. I was by now really gutted with the situation as it comes in dribs and drabs - felt like in a sequence of 'hidden camera'. I also was now angry with myself as I didn't check that particular paper when checking all the others when entering Jordan. All other documents for 30 days, only that one for 9 days which doesn't make sense at all!! At least they got the credit card symbol at the window!! But guess what, they don't take them!!! So off to the phone shop for the 3rd time to make some more business on commission!! My translator pulled me through all this as he could see how upset I got - bear in mind 35°C and fully dressed in my Rukka-sauna suit - helps you really to stay calm ;-)
After 2 (!!) hours, I finally waved goodbye to the Jordan border and arrived at the Saudi Arabian one. That one went super smooth and pretty fast. K9 control of my luggage was all they did! Insurance was a bit of a challenge as the guy didn't speak peep English! Welcome to tourism!!
Then I drove to Haql, the first town, to get a local SIM card and some cash. I arrived at the phone shop at 14h00 and it was closed! Due to Google, it is open through from 11am-11pm, except on Fridays. A guy from the neighbouring shop told me that it is closed during prayer time and only will open after 16h00. Seriously!! That was the reason I didn't come already yesterday as Friday! Not happy, but nothing I can do about it. So let's get some cash, fuel and food in the meantime. I searched for an ATM, and due to Google, there should be one right in front of me. As I didn't see a bank I asked again the guy from the shop and he pointed to a drive-through ATM. How cool is that? A drive-through ATM!!
The next things were getting fuel and food. After I got all that sorted it was nearly 16h00. I waited in front of the shop. The girl from another neighbouring shop gave me water and invited me to wait inside as the guy normally only turns up by 16h30!! That is making my day as around 18h00 is sunset!! I had a nice chat with the girl as she was very curious about my travels.
Once the guy from the phone shop was back, it didn't take too long to get the SIM card. I quickly hopped on my bike to get at least to Al Bad' where I hoped to find a safe camping spot. When I arrived in the area it didn't look like I would find something, so now I started a race between the last bit of daylight and finding a spot. I was just parked next to a main road when a pickup stopped next to me. The man wanted to help and in the end, it turned out that he had a farm just down the track where I could stay the night! Wow, how lucky is that, and how nice of him!! I didn't need to pitch up my tent, I could stay in the communal living room', the room laid out with carpets and cushions along the wall, where you sit drinking tea and cafe and/or ear, simply socialise. That was super nice of him!! He showed me the kitchen and bathroom and then he went home. Wow, how amazing is that!! And kind!! However, I still worried about being a place of a stranger surrounded only by farms. I locked the door very well!
Once I had time to read my messages, I found worrying messages from family and friends as today started the war in Gaza. WTF?!? Really?!? I was there just a couple of weeks ago and felt so safe all over Palestine and Israel. I hope, I pray it will be only a short one and stop as fast as it started. Unfortunately by the time I write that, 3 months later, the unnecessary war is still on…
The next morning I wanted to start early as I wanted to reach the area of Wadi Disah, including some sightseeing. When I was just getting dressed I heard a car and it was the owner, Ibrahim, arriving. He showed me around his farm. I love the local goats with their long leathery ears! Unfortunately, I left my phone in the room, so I couldn't take any pictures - stupid me!
He gave me some dates for my journey and wished me a safe journey. I don´t know how to thank Ibrahim - he saved me last night! And what a great start to Saudi Arabia for me!
Once packed up I searched for the nearest fuel station to fuel up and then I was on my way towards “The Line” and the “Catalina Seaplane Wreckage”. The temperatures already started creeping up. I picked a route on Google Maps that would take me along the coast to the seaplane wreckage, then along the line towards Sharma and then along the coast to Duba. So far so good my idea, but “The Line” seems to even trouble Google Maps as there are too many constructions going on in that area.
I got turned around by security just before reaching the coast at Magna, drove down the direction of Sharma on a new road that is not even on Google Maps and then had to fight strong side wind from Sharma to the “Catalina Seaplane Wreckage” (google maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/k7wdNP4wvuhLHah89). Let alone the temperatures around 40ºC. However, in the area of “The Line” I saw so many diggers and lorries I wouldn’t imagine they even exist in these quantities! I questioned myself though “if they know what they are doing” moving so much earth from one side to the other. Well, it looked like that to me … but the plan is to be finished by 2030, as most of the projects of “Vision 2030”.
After the seaplane wreckage, it was time to crack on, back to Sharma. This time the side wind from the other side and when I stopped to check where the next fuel station was, my thermometer marked 50ºC, meaning once rolling it dropped by 5ºC - a wee hot ;-)
The next challenge was to get to the next fuel station as I was not used yet to the extra mileage you have to do with a u-turn to get to a fuel station or a supermarket on the national roads. So I made a lot of extra kilometres in that heat until I finally found a fuel station (that was even existing). After finally filling up, just a bit along the road was a place with a supermarket and restaurants. Unfortunately, I got chatted up by a very kind Pakistanian, who followed me like a shadow around the supermarket, but paid for my shopping ;-) I wanted only peace and quiet as I was so tired of driving in circles in that heat! And of course, I had to sort out my next leg to Wadi Disah, which was another 180 km away.
Henrietta (FB: For The Love of Wheels) kindly put me in contact with Hamoud. He got a farm stay between Duba and Wadi Disah, which I still want to reach in daylight. Once I felt a wee refreshed after some drinks and a supermarket snack, I carried on direction, Duba. So much construction from NEOM and “Vision 2030” is going on at that stretch - one construction after the other! Let alone the number of lorries! In Duba, I quickly fueled up and off for the last stretch. Once going off that coastal (construction) road the landscape got really beautiful again.
Just with the last daylight I arrived at the farm of Hamoud, with still 42ºC! Another guest was staying, Paulo, a Brazilian guy. How cool is that - I can practise some Portuguese after such a long time!
We had a delicious dinner together, made by the farm worker. It was so great chatting with another traveller! Sometime later, much earlier than expected, Hamoud arrived. He just got back from a weekend trip in Jordan. So we sat outside chatting until nearly midnight! How lucky I am again with the place - thank you, Henrietta!
I am so sorry that it is a bit of a long one plus hardly any pictures. There was either nothing to take a picture of or you couldn’t stop as too much traffic (lorries), well and the temperature didn´t help too! However, I hope you enjoy my first days in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as much as I did - even though I had to get used to temperatures above 40ºC! Whilst you wait for the next blog, have an ice-cold Pepsi (as hardly any Coke is available on that side of the country!).
Places | Cities:
Haql, Al Bad´, Duba.
Driven km | Trip:
Total | Steffi: 24155 km
Information Border Crossings:
IMPORTANT: Aqaba, Jordan exiting to Saudi Arabia - ONLY CASH PAYMENTS.
JOD10 per person
JOD25 for or per vehicle
CASH payment, no ATM around, only money exchange.
Check exit date on blue A5 card, if overstayed, weekly JOD15, CASH
If you stamped cdp/TRIP TIP into Jordan, get it stamped out! Check that all stamped AND dates are in European format as it is in arabic! Once all stamped and paid you can leave to the gate. Make sure you have got the paper slips for above payments as you will need them. Also will you have received 2 x A5 papers (looking like a receipt), keep them close!
Entering SAUDI:
Passport check and stamp
Visa check, foto and fingerprints in another building
I had a print out of the Visa document (with the mandatory insurance). I had applied for it online a couple of days ago (www.visa/visitsaudi.com). All you need is a picture 200x200, max 100kb and pay €/$140.
Visa on arrival seems possible, you need the above picture and you pay about €/$130
X-ray or in my case the K9 dog for checking the motorcycle
Then insurance is in another building, just before the exiting gate. Prices are listed outside of the building; 16% IVA adding! You can pay by card.
Check your number plate and leaving date on the paper as might be in a different format. Also check with google translator the blueprint if you only stay a short time in the country, there seems to be something about exiting I heard from another overlander. Also the country of origin of your vehicle as mine was all the time German (but I never knew until one border told me, but no problem!).
No TRIP TIP/carnet needed.
Last gate where they collect the A5 receipt FROM Jordan!!
Maintenance | Breakdown:
./.
Health issues:
./.
Special thanks to:
Ibrahim to let me stay at his farm.
Henrietta for getting me in touch with Hamoud.