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Going forward I have the exciting development opportunity of visiting Saudi for a week or so in March/April. If it was in another country it would genuinely be a good opportunity career wise although I must admit despite having visited some out of the way countries on holiday the prospect of going to Saudi does make me a little uncomfortable/nervous.
FO says it is ok to go, no worse than my last holidays in Turkey, Jordan and Ethiopia. Australian foreign office travel advice isn't very encouraging.
As this forum contains some well travelled people, any tips or good resources?
We have are own company information and I will almost certainly be escorted around by a local staff member.
You need a Visa, takes about a week to get one. You can't have an Israeli stamp in your passport and if they ask if you've been to 'The Occupied Palestine' say no.
Other than that, it's ok, but dull.
Take talc - lots of it!
Your gentlemen's sausages and the twins will thank you.
It's dry. Not just the desert so of dry, like Dry January
The Saudi visa process has changed recently, so will take a bit longer.
It's dry unless you're staying with lots of other foreigners who may well make their own - it's generally tolerated as long as they keep it low key - but to be honest I don't bother 'cos even though it's alcoholic it's not normally very nice!
It's not somewhere I'd go on holiday, but the difference in culture is interesting to experience. When I've been there the most dangerous thing was actually our British driver, he would complain about the standard of Saudi driving (with good reason, mind, it is very poor) while doing far worse himself!
Go watch their public capital punishment ...
Any issues getting anywhere else with a Saudi stamp? No plans to go to Israel soon.
Dry doesn't bother me. Don't drink much anyway. Two weeks without alcohol is normal.
Any issues getting anywhere else with a Saudi stamp?
Nope, and US customs have never noticed my Syrian stamp either....
Plenty of people from this office go there and work there, apart from not doing anything stupid like denouncing Mohammed from the parapets, drinking, or having nookie on the beach it seems fairly normal.
Just think about it like a school trip from the 50's. No booze, no fraternizing with the girls and corporal punishment if you break the rules.
thisisnotaspoon is spot on. Be respectful of their customs and you'll be fine. The driving standard are really poor though.
I have an invitation to speak at a conference in Tehran in August sitting on my desk and I'm just pondering it now. I'd like to go but the MrS isn't too keen on me going.
I have an invitation to speak at a conference in Tehran in August sitting on my desk and I'm just pondering it now. I'd like to go but the MrS isn't too keen on me going.
No particular interest in visiting Saudi, but I'd love to visit Tehran.
nce in Tehran in August sitting on my desk and I'm just pondering it now. I'd like to go but the MrS isn't too keen on me going.
Tehran would be a different kettle of fish, I think. (And my colleague is going to that same conference I suspect).
US Customs asked me 'a lot' of questions in December about my Saudi Visa's
Still let me in, but make sure you have a good back story for why you went there (depending on the industry you work in)
US Customs asked me 'a lot' of questions in December about my Saudi Visa's
Weird, I've go there lots with work and no one has ever asked anything about my passport full of random visas inc a few Axis of Evil countries....
Going forward? Best join the decapitation line when you get there starting a post like that... 😉