Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
I cannot speak more highly of the time I spent in this beautiful place. When I was searching for flights to Thailand, the one with a 22-hour layover in Saudi Arabia caught my eye because I've always wanted to visit the Middle East. Unfortunately, this region is highly misunderstood and I was met with a lot of fear and concern when I mentioned my stop in this country. I am happy to report that there is absolutely no need to fear a visit to this country.
Saudi Arabia is home to about 37 million people, is the second largest producer of oil in the world, and is the birthplace of Islam. 2 to 3 million Muslims visit the country every year to visit Islam's holiest site: Mecca, where Islam's most important mosque, Masjid al-Haram, is located. This journey is known as "Hajj" and is a mandatory religious duty for capable Muslims at least once in their lifetime. Non-Muslims are not allowed to visit Mecca and attempting to do so could result in serious consequences. When doing research about travel to Saudi Arabia, I learned that it is recommended to dress modestly. You don't have to fully cover up, but I felt comfortable in long pants and short sleeves. It is also worth noting that alcohol and drugs are banned throughout the entire country.
I landed in Saudi Arabia around 2pm and had to apply for a visa on arrival. Not only did I want to leave the airport to get out and explore a bit, but when your layover is longer than 12 hours, you are required to leave. Several days before my trip, I learned that I would need a visa to enter Saudi Arabia, but luckily they offered a service where you can apply for and receive it when you land. The whole process was reminiscent of the DMV but it only took about 15 minutes! It cost $105, which included mandatory travel insurance specific to the country. I hopped in an Uber, which is the method of transportation I prefer to take when traveling alone. I think I forgot to mention that Atticus was on a different flight for the journey to Thailand, so my experience in Saudi Arabia was solo! After the Airbnb address I gave my Uber driver, led us to the middle of nowhere, I gave him the number of my host and he was able to explain where to go. When we arrived, my Uber driver, who didn't speak much English, got out of the car and talked to a woman walking into the apartment building where I was staying. My interpretation of their conversation was that he was asking her to make sure I got into my room safely. The kindness of everyone I interacted with during my short visit was eminent.
After I settled into my adorable little studio apartment, I called another Uber and headed into "Old Town Jeddah" to meet up with a tour guide I had been communicating with for several weeks leading up to my visit. I found her online through a trusted source. A major road was closed on our way, so my Uber driver had to drop me off before reaching our planned meet up spot and my phone wasn't working, so I had no way to contact my guide. I started walking in search of a cafe with wifi, so I could check in with my guide and tell her where I was. People were looking at me curiously, but I never felt uncomfortable. When I'm in situations like this, I think the best thing to do is to look confident and like you know where you're going. After wandering for about 15 minutes, I found a restaurant with wifi. I ordered some food and my guide, Kholoud, met me within 5 minutes. She was awesome and felt like an old friend immediately. She showed me around Old Town, which is a section of the city of Jeddah that was formally walled and is home to mosques, beautiful architecture and art, and outdoor cafes with narrow alleys meant for pedestrians. The city of Jeddah is located on the eastern shore of the Red Sea making it a coastal town. The pictures located below will give you a better taste of my tour!
After my tour, I stopped by a mall because I noticed they were very prominent throughout the city. My tour guide told me the mall I picked was very small compared to the others but I thought it was huge. It had a food court with a dozen options, a movie theatre, bowling alley, huge indoor playground and sandbox, multiple restaurants, and tons of shops! I think malls are so common because of how hot the weather is year round. I was there during the coldest month (January) and it was in the mid-80s and really humid. July is the hottest month and the average temperature is 102. I went to bed early because I had only slept for about an hour during my 12-hour overnight flight. The next morning I headed to the airport for the final leg of my journey to Thailand!
I thought it'd be interesting to include the total amount of money I spend in each country. I'll add up the grand total with flights, insurance, and everything at the end of the trip. Saudi Arabia was definitely the most expensive country I'll visit with prices comparable to the prices back home.
Saudi Arabia Budget:
Visa - $105
Private tour and tip - $120
Uber (4) - $47 ($11.75 per Uber)
Meal (pictured below; was 2 meals for me) - $7
Coffee in airport - $5
Water in airport $0.50
Total expenses: $338.50
Comments
Post a Comment