Goin' on 48 hours!

11/23: Happy Thanksgiving! It is 2:46 am on Friday and I am on the other side of the world while you are eating your lovely Thanksgiving feast. EST should be 6:46 pm on Thursday. I need to let you know upfront that I am going on 48 hours without sleep, so please don't mind the typos!

Secondly, I have had a bear of a time getting phone and internet access. Unfortunately, my international phone card will not work at the hotel where I am staying for the next few days, so I have to purchase yet another card to make my first card work! So, I haven't been able to call my wife or my family to let them I have arrived safely here in KSA. Then our laptops won't work on the wireless network until the hotel's internet guru can come in on Friday to help us create a configuration so we can access the wireless network. Fortunately, there is a desktop computer that our hosts have generously allowed to use and provided us with Internet access.

We left Houston approximately around 5:30 pm Wednesday and landed in Frankfurt, Germany 9:30 am Thursday morning. The plane ride was fairly smooth, yet I couldn't sleep! I think I have been so excited knowing that I am leaving my home country and will be visiting other countries. It was cool to fly over the United Kingdom and know that it is the home of my ancestors, and it gave me a greater appreciation for the long voyages they undertook to create a new life in a new and strange country.

Germany was cloudy and cool and our layover was only four hours so we didn't have time to do a little exploring. We left Germany at 12:50 and flew over Germany, Italy, the Balkans, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia. Our plane landed in the island Kingdom of Bahrain at 8:30. We landed there because it is the closest airport to Dhahran, our first city which we will be visiting.

While standing in the visa line in Bahrain, I was struck by the fact that the lobby was decorated with Christmas trees and pine garland! How odd to find a Christmas tree in a Muslim country, so I snapped several pictures. After receiving a 24 hour transit visa, we were met by our first host, Tariq, and he herded us out to a Merceded Benz tour bus.

Now, I have never seen a Merceded Benz bus, period, so I decided to take a picture of it. In fact, I took two pictures of it. After putting my camera in my bag, I started walking toward the bus to board, when I noticed a soldier with a M14 machine gun move toward me. He stopped me and asked me what I had taken a photo of. I told him that I had photographed the bus because we didn't have Mercedes Benz tour buses in American. He proceeded to tell me that I was not take pictures of the airport because of security concerns, and I told him I understood and that I had not taken a picture of the airport. Then he asked if I had taken pictures of airport inside...oops! I hedged on the answer; I didn't take pictures of the airport, just a Christmas tree. He then questioned me quickly about my name and what group I was with. I told him honestly, and then told him thank you in Arabic for his help, and then told him Ma'assalama, or goodbye. He was friendly and he let me get on the busy with a smile.

Bahrain and KSA are connected by a 25 kilometer causeway spanning over the Arabian Gulf (as the Persian Gulf is known as here) so on the bus ride, Tariq answered many of our questions and introduced us to Saudi music; he would not welcome us to Saudi Arabia until we reached the border crossing located on a small island between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Our bus had to stop several times for checkpoints. Our first stop was to have our passport stamped by the Bahrain border guards. On the second stop at another checkpoint, Tariq disembarked the bus to collect KSA Entry Cards for us to sign. While at this checkpoint, I took a picture of a sign indicating that this stop was a passport control for females only. Tariq returned with cards, and we signed them. Near the top of the card, in RED BOLD ENGLISH LETTERS reads the following statement: DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKER I'm not saying this the answer to illicit drug use in America, but I'm certain it would be a major deterrant!

After we signed the cards, and before we could enter KSA, the bus pulled forward and over what looked like an oil pit at a Jiffy Lube. We had to disembark, and the bus was searched inside and out, and underneath the bus for drugs, weapons and bombs.

Now, I know this sounds like this 25 kilometer trip only lasted about an hour. WRONG! We got out of the airport by 9:20 or so, and we didn't reach the compound's hotel until approximately 12:30. Our last stop was actually, and this also was a shock, at a McDonald's...but it wasn't to eat! We and our luggage switched buses that was part of our security detail.

It is surreal to be here. We, as Americans, don't experience this in our land of the free. Sure, we are incovenienced at the airport or sporting events by security regulations, but when do we ever have to pull over and have our vehicles searched for drugs, weapons and bombs just to drive down a road? 'Tis something to ponder...

At the same time, I do feel safe here. But this comes from my point of view, a male perspective. I wonder how my female colleagues will feel about the treatement they receive while they are here in a highly male-dominant society.

Thanks to those of you who have been emailing me questions. I was asked by several of you if we would meet with children or adults who are visually impaired, and yes, we will be going to a center for disability services, so I hope to provide you with some awesome information and answers to your questions.

Well, it's 3:30 am here, and I'm not tired, but I do need to go to bed. Enjoy your thanksgiving with your family and friends!