" Sand, Souks, and Saudia" Top 5 Page for this destination Saudi Arabia by shelnlin

Saudi Arabia Travel Guide: 2,853 reviews and 6,594 photos

When I was little, I always had an image that Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Middle East was like part of 1001 Nights or Ali Baba and the forty thieves. I even thought that there were magic carpets and it was a mysterious place that seemed so different to my home.

Well in some ways I was right, Saudi was different to New Zealand. But there wasn't any magic carpets, there were carpets but they were not used as a mode of transportation and it even had a restaurant called 1001 nights at the Rashid Mall in Al Khubar.

Saudi Arabia is a place which is a little cut off from the rest of the world. There is no tourism here and its really sad that everyone cannot jump on a plane and come and visit it. It is a place which where east meets west and it is a place I will never forget. Saudi Arabia has a melting pot filled with all sorts of interesting cultures and it wouldn't be uncommon to share your compound/apartment building with a mixture of different people.

Saudi Arabia has suffered its fair share of flak over the years and it is a shame that alot of people down trod on it. There are good and bad things to say about this place but I mean which country in the world is considered 'good'?

The people of Saudi Arabia are some of the most hospitable I have ever met. They are generous people who will do anything to make you feel welcome and they are terrific hosts. They are giving and at the same time humble. I loved their kindness and their enquiring minds.

I hope these pages give you, the reader a glimpse into what was my home for two years and I hope you enjoy reading the little things that they often never cover on the news. I will continue to add more to this page as there is still heaps for me to write about this place even though I have now. For a bit more information on the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia, have a look at my Al Khubar pages.

"When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable" `Clifton Fadiman.

Ahlan Wa Sahlan (Welcome)

Pros and Cons

Pros:Great shopping, Friendly communities, Something different
Cons:Prayer times, Shop Opening Hours, Mad drivers
In a nutshell:It is not as bad as it sound's

Last visit to Saudi Arabia: May 2004
Intro Updated Mar 17, 2006
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Reviews (18)

I thought this was a lovely video - Saudi Arabia

I thought this was a lovely video Local Customs (2)

YouTube is a great wee site where we can watch videos and see things from around the world. This little documentary was... more travel advice

A melting pot filled with many cultures... - Saudi Arabia

A melting pot filled with many... Favorites (1)

One of the most enjoyable things I liked about living in Saudi was the hospitality. The people of Arabia and... more travel advice

Starbucks- Al Rashid Mall, Al Khobar - Saudi Arabia

The People Things to Do (2)

You must see the people in Ssudi Arabia. They are a very hospitable bunch of people and sometimes while I was in... more travel advice

Luxury Travel Transportation (2)

SAPTCO- the Saudi Arabian Public Transport System is a wonderful bus service which allows the traveller to travel either... more travel advice

Travelogues (3)

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Comments (59)

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MichaelRees Jun 10, 2009 at 1:31 AM

Useful information about life in Saudi Arabia
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sunnibeam Dec 5, 2007 at 6:50 AM

I agree with all of the above, i too live in AL Khobar and the only extra advice i can give is try not to put western values onto certain things here in the middle east, that way you will get an understanding of the way of life.
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Manyana Oct 5, 2007 at 1:35 AM

hey shelly, this's a very informative page/s. interesting to see a non-saudi point of view...salam from arabia,a:^)
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JessH Sep 2, 2007 at 9:58 PM

Hello Richelle. Very nice and informative tips & personal insights here... ah yes, the Arab men and their "little bits of paper". Seems to be the same all over the Middle East :-) Greetings from Dubai / Jess
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Tijavi Aug 2, 2007 at 3:09 PM

It's a pleasure to read your Saudi pages the 2nd time around. Your experiences in the Kingdom would surely come handy as you teach those young Saudi gentlemen. Ramadan is fast approaching here. Greetings from the desert!
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Nemorino Jul 29, 2007 at 6:14 AM

A very interesting and insightful page on your two years in Saudi Arabia. Great that you can now teach English to Saudi students in NZ. (I'm an English teacher, too, by the way.)
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2me Jul 20, 2007 at 7:26 AM

Hi Shelly, Finally Saudi came to visit you instead of you going there. Nice pictures you got here. Mohammed¡'s way of grabbing the book is interesting though. "they crave for their homeland¨ So tell them my experience then to calm them down. Cheers! VIPAC
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nada1712 Apr 18, 2007 at 12:52 PM

Sensitive and very interesting pages!
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swissnova Mar 19, 2007 at 5:29 PM

uh, world travelers such as myself do not care about malls or Starbucks. The last thing we want to see are American establishments. Kinda like Cancun-it is filled with Taco Bells, Dominos pizza and Ruth Chris's steakhouse.
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toni28 Mar 11, 2007 at 6:50 AM

I really love what you had written about saudi, excellent tips!!