Catching up

Apologies for the long absence.  Can't even claim that we were too busy, but around here time has a strange way of passing both quickly and slowly at the same time. You find yourself at the end of the day wondering where has the time gone and what have we done today to make this day count. To our regret we must admit that a lot is simply wasted on thinking about how bloody hot it has become all of a sudden. Summer attacks suddenly here in Saudi.  One day you drive across the Country with the wind in your hair and sleep under down duvets quite happily and the very next you want to climb out of your skin in 42 degrees which then relentlessly stays for at least the next 3 months. As I am sitting here in my kitchen with all the windows open to let the air just stir a bit around me, I am dripping with sweat. I can see my fingerprints making little damp puddles on my tablet screen. Hot is one thing...hot and humid quite another. Enough of this! Mind over matter should bring us back on track with where we left you about 3 weekends ago.
Coming back from the flowers of Taif, we did a bit of a scenic route through the mountains to Turubah and then back to Dhalm on road 40.  Why? Because as  a much as possible we prefer not  a go do the same route more than once on a trip. Even if it means doing a 'slight' detour.  We spent a very uneventful night just off the tar road - apart Rome  a a seemingly never-bloody-ending stream of trucks that also did not want to stay on the main  drag.  Next morning we spotted a fence and police patrols on the opposite  a side of the road from where we camped. Since this is a bit in the sticks, now English signs are posted anywhere. We took a pic of the one and only big blue sign stuck in the 40km long fence and sent it to an Arabic friend who kindly translated with the following explanation ' do not go anywhere near this fence or you will be in big trouble!!!! It is protected area for the use of the  A king only!' Swiftly moving on then...
At Dhalm we flipped a coin and turned off on road 50 towards Afif. This, to avoid going straight back to Riyadh the same way we came down. Soon after turning off we hit a dense sandstorm which effectively spoilt any good views of the surrounding mountains and made even a short pee stop almost impossible. This sandstorm followed us all of 700km, from Afif all the way to Rumah. In its own way, quite a dramatic and spectacular site, especially when you can see the buildup and the unfolding and then also be caught in the eye of it. The noise of the wind and the sound of the sand rasping against the vehicle is quite something.  Of COURSE we were not scared...why would you even THINK that!? (Ya right)
Now we don't know if we have mentioned this before, but there is this 'thing' about maps and names in Saudi. We have 2 sets of maps and no less than 3 options of GPS' .  Oh, and an old fashioned compass, but that does not give you roads and names so it doesn't really count.  Between this lot and road signs there is absolutely ZERO correlation. Not even on the road signs leading to a town and inside that very town are the names spelt remotely the same. We would love to tell you where we went so that you can just look up the name on Google earth or whatever location finder takes your fancy.  Sounds simple, yes? All we can say is good luck ...
Let's give it a go anyway. So, Afif to Ad Duwadimi. Take a sharp right here and head for Huwaytah. Now we are in the farmlands below the mountain range outside Riaydh and all is pretty and green once more. In the little village of Murrat we discover to our delight, caves, old ruins, castles and more mountains and more green farms. From here we followed the road through a little valley and fou d a proper dam...like...with a wall...and water..and all. More ruins, more farms, more green. Pretty pretty.
We come out just above Riaydh on road 65 from where we can by now almost blindfolded find our way to Rumhiyah and Rumah and then cross the desert back down to Jubail
Allow us a moment here dear friends, to tell you about the annual Camel Festival held at Rumhiyah every year. We ran into this event on the opening day and now upon our return, also the closing day. It is phenomenal how much money is spent on the festival. If you feel the need, Google the facts. In broad terms, it is a 'beauty patent's for camels. Ya, that's right, the most beautiful camel wins a grand prize . The total prize money comes to 30million USD. On top of that a special landing area for the King's helicopter, catering and entertainment for dignitaries from all over the Middle East (probably the rest of the World as well), flowers, roads, parking areas, park homes, temporary ablution facilities to accommodate hundreds of thousands of visitors, motor cavalcades, broadcasting facilities, the whole big shebang is there. This is one of the biggest yearly events on the social calendar for Saudi Arabia. Go check it out!
Taking a coffee break now and will then be back with our trip to the Lakes of Layla...