The non metropolitan break

Not intended to put off the reader or with any deliberate intention to sound bombastic, the above title is a rare experience in the lives of any resident of metros who's fallen the trap of the daily rigour.

Reads: A break for the mind is the best break. Oh! That was exactly my thought!

As my train leaves the Chennai metro and rushes out up and westwards from spanning the entire width of the Deccan and chugging its way up and around the eastern and western ghats to Lonavala, I am surprised afresh even after doing the length for over 8 years in the past.

Greeen! So green. No Camera could capture

that verdant a green- nature's flourish!

The myriad of old heritage, and new swanky and untidy constructions are left behind and the eyes and the heart are elated at the sights of dispersed, low rise, a handful of houses interspersed with large expanses of greens. Abetted with a few passing showers from a few days before, it is a simple, earthy delight to see the dull, cloudy skies with a cool breeze and to actually be able to see crops swaying in the winds. A rare sight along any of my regular routes to work, play, gym or recreation-movies and malls!

I feel so small and uninformed when I wonder at the occupation, education, entertainment options of folks whose houses and towns rush past. I learn that the national electric grid is owned, run and maintained by the Central Government from a short distance traveller in my coach. I use multiple electronic devices, work in highly overcooled offices pushing for an ISO certification, always use air-conditioned vehicles to navigate the city, curse when power
cuts happen due to rains, winds and lightning, and swear at electricity officials who don't turn up to set it right. Yet the same rains in vast verdant fields lightens my heart and I feel small for not knowing where all the power I consume comes from or who works hard to provide that to me.

Well, it was time a fantastic time to learn basic, oft-ignored basic information from new folks I met while soaking in the freshness of the greens.

Hail Tourism

A small, pleasant town, sleeping in on their last day of fasting on the occasion of Ramadan and looking forward to Eid celebrations late night and inch back to the regular schedule of eating, sleeping and working was really heartening to see.

A landmark roundabout in Hail town

As a tourist this quaint town attracted me in the convenience it accords, with all major supermarkets, local date and vegetable markets, simple souls and traditional handicrafts available within the main area of the town centre. Typical old town areas congested in the evening with shoppers and families looking for an evening out.

But as a tourist and having informed myself of the multitudes of treasures of history at the location and my excitement built up knowing that these are treasures from more than 9500 years ago, the simplicity, quaintness of folks was very inconvenient.

A long 250 km drive from Hail city up to a much publicised volcanic site- Harrat ithnayn ( about 140km SW of Hail) was a complete confusion with no indication, directions, or any boards with the location marked. It was just a huge expanse of volcanic material on the ground. What was appalling was after enquiring with many or almost any soul on the road, everyone is jinxed, completely unaware of such a site! It was not just the language, having to converse in Arabic; I had an Arabic English conversant person on board. The local people had no information, awareness, knowledge, that apparently stems from no immediate need or inquisitiveness to know about these national treasures. The appalling apathy was shocking for someone like me who has seen the pride and possessiveness of locals in historical locations worldwide, be it Egypt, Africa, Finland, USA, Europe or South-East Asian countries.

Vast volcanic ash expanse

Understandably, the SCTA has a huge task ahead in protecting, researching, documenting, creating awareness among locals in the area and advertising/publicising them to encourage touristic curiosity in locals as expats in the region. Meanwhile a good move would be to involve, inform, train local people in the areas of historical finds, to understand and take pride in them, which would be a good start. History buffs like me, and several expats living in Saudi could help volunteer with government departments, and experts working to collate and publicize such discoveries.

My voluntary services are available to KSA tourism department for use! Thanks!

Trip from the First (Al Awwal) street to the Edge of the World in a day!

An apprehensive morning's start, armed with a lot of food and water considering it was a Friday and most stores would be off the first half, ended a really rewarded one. The trip to the "Edge of the World" or "Aakhiri Duniya" as it is referred to by folks near the place, was a little scary....we'd already tried it in our Accord 3 years ago, knew we needed a 4-wheel drive to beat the sandy patches, and were aware of presence of local mujahideen who were pointed by our jeep driver the last time, though he never did take us to the right place then! As simpler, easier-to-please persons those days, we had nice picnic fun that day and got back home happy and warmed up in the wintry sunshine.

A lot of better information, a trial trip on the main road the previous weekend and exchange with locals in the area later, we set out bravely yesterday on our trip, in finding the edge of the world. Amusingly as a friend noted, the first main road we set out on was the "Al Awwal" or "The first" (technically, Prince Turki bin Abdulaziz Al Awwal Road) street of Riyadh, and were somewhat apprehensively wondering if we'd make it to the right location- The Edge of the World, this time round. It was a welcome humour to the mild trepidation of the morning- the first to the last!

As the wheels lowered off the main road, one could feel a carful of doubt at the uncertainty ahead. Beaten and thumped around on bumpy patches and sensing the rear wheels zipping uncontrollably in sandy patches, we covered the entire distance in half an hour though it seemed like it took forever to reach! Faster, more experienced drivers-of-the-sands had reached there, so we could find out final spot to rest the car and stretch out jilted bones! A nice breakfast of hot idlis, sambhar and tea prepping ourselves for walking the rough terrain, we set out with our cameras, water and sugary treats in case it gets too tiring on the way back.

At each stage of the climb or walk the next leg looked dangerously narrow and close to the edge until you got there and assured yourself that it's actually not so bad. We must have climbed up and legged a good 3-4 km rightwards after reaching the top. Each stop was astonishing and views absolutely so happiness-satiating, one would feel so close to nature and the impossibility of nature's creation! Clearly, years of rains, water and wind activity had cut out semi-circular ranges of mountains with water basins between them. Each ridge of all the mountain faces intricately carved out looking like as though artists hung and decorated them! Reminded me of stories of how Michael Angelo hung off the roof and painted the domes, walls and niches of the Sistine Chapel. Only, here it was sheer, deep faces of entire mountain ranges spanning as-far-as-eyes-could-see kind of distances intricately carved out over the centuries by nature!

Setting out from home at 7am, it was 10 am when we took off the main road into the sands towards the Edge of the World, and finally piqued, exhilarated and exhausted with almost-broken-bones, we climbed back onto the main road at 3pm, washed at the petrol pump and picnicked at a local farm, caught a short leg-stretched-out nap and headed back to main town Riyadh reaching at 6pm.


Directions: Arouba road, onto King Khaled Road 535 N, get off at the Jubayla junction and 30 kms from there, even before the Sadus town, where you see some pipelines being laid and a sandy incline built upto the ridge on your right, get off onto the sand, drive a good 7 kms to reach the rangers tent, take the car into their borders and then drive a rough patch for a good 22kms keeping largely to the right at all doubtful forks. Leaving early morning is advisable to be able to deal with any uncertainties, car troubles and managing to leave the rangers premises before 6pm when they close the entrance. And yes, a ton of water, a lot of food, and emptying out our system systematically before leaving and after reaching the main, paved highways of Riyadh. Needless to say, there are no washrooms in the entire 30 kms stretch of unpaved road on the approach to the Edge of the World, and you have the challenge of several hours of climbing up and down, and walking narrow patches of mountainsides involved.

Happy, soul-filling views!

Qasaba and towers, delving into Arabic semantics at Al Baha, Saudi Arabia

Familiar with these terms from homework on this green region of Saudi Arabia, I set out pursuing my curiosity. The area with a 1000 small towers called "Qasaba" in Arabic, left me clambering to click away at these, not- so- tall towers dotting the mountainscape, pursuing them hoping to find one on any main road so I could go closer and enter. 

In over 2 hours' rounds, I found one approachable. Clearly, they are shaped like a tower, four slanting walls, narrowing at the top; a lookout window of sorts, and a drainage system for the roof. A walk around showed no entry door into it at all! My mind raced, inquisitiveness piqued, imagining myself having a discussion about it a local Arabic elder in my broken Arabic sentences. Was fun.

Besides, while I did see several on mountain tops, many were at road level too. So that beats the watchtower concept.

I did read that it could have been a granary...then why the window, and how did they get stuff inside? Looking to friends and interested folks to add in any which way they can; ideally, inputs from Arabic elders would be great.

Thanks.

When Nouns go missing in English

English spelling mistakes world over are most often hilarious, as we’ve all seen in forwards from friends on mail and FB, and while travelling in developing countries in non-English speaking areas. But missing out nouns in naming organization, shops, and institutes tops it all!

A Noun is imperative in naming someone, somewhere or something, and it becomes unique to that person, place or thing. Imagine if the Sahara Desert, Kalahari Desert, Arabian desert had been named with descriptors (Adjectives) instead of names, as, say, for example, ‘Deep’ desert, ‘wide’ desert, ‘vast’ desert- how would our children remember which is which, without a name like ‘Sahara’, ‘Kalahari’. Any desert can be deep, wide, vast!

Just hilarious thoughts- laugh for good health!

SMC- Specialized Medical Center

Ahem! Well, if I were to go to any medical center for checkup and treatment, they’d better be ‘specialized’! Adjectives replace Nouns.

Education International Schools

I thought all ‘schools’ are meant to provide ‘education’, huh?! What is the name of your organization? Common nouns replace Proper nouns.

So much for serious stuff, relax with the frequent fun-

Binrushed- poor guy, everybody, please let him chill! I understand it is the name in Arabic of a great person, but it doesn’t transliterate into English! Incidentally, Ibn Rushd is one of the most noteworthy Muslims; highly educated and wrote several books and summarized a lot of Greek literature for Muslim Caliphs.

TOI Restaurant- Move over ‘Times of India’ (TOI), we are the ‘Taste of India’ (TOI) in Arabia!

New Store opening- You know a new store is opening when you see limp, coloured plastics bubbling up, ballooned figure standing around and/or a roving light is sending circles into the air!

Faux Pas- Did you know sweets have IQ?! I didn't. Apostrophe upside down. And wrongly used- remember only one sweet has IQ, not the others!



Huh! As in, I can 'feel free' and help myself to any of the stuff in your store? Hey thanks!

Clearly, just funny rejoinders from a fun heart to make a few peoples' heads lighter.

No malice or any deliberate intention to hurt or defame anyone. Please take it as a joke, change if you want to make things better, but do definitely laugh!

A relaxed day and a happy kid later

The Riyadh Zoo was a real treat the other day when we relaxed there and came back feeling happy and satisfied that we had one really ecstatic and contended kid on hand. Of course, as an adult, I was happy I had included a few animal names to the kid's vocab.

The Riyad Zoo's conception and maintenance are indeed commendable. A large area with adequate parking, places to sit, an impressionable range of animals and birds to view. Some cages could be bigger and better is also a feeling that crept up through the day, but the effort and maintenance, except for the ignorance and throwing of plastics in the zoo by the less-informed visitors, is really good.

The zoo is best visited in winter months as viewing the entire area can take up to 2-3 hours to just identify and see the whole compound and is a simple way to introduce animals and birds to children.

Planning the visit becomes easy with the website, except for any unexpected, local functions/ occasions. http://www.zoo.com.sa/riyadhzoo/map/

A very impressive collection! A good, cool afternoon well spent: ideally 12 noon- Magrib. And we walk away contented with a thrilled child!

Savour, Enjoy!

A cool driving experience- Wadi Hanifah

Wadi Hanifa is largely accepted to be a lovely picnic spot. It was a sheer delight in discovering that it's a lovely driving trail too!

The pride of Riyadh and a project that has earned international recognition. Clearly, when driving along any elevated fast track roads of Riyadh if you see any long stretches of greenery, it's one or the other part of the Wadi Hanifa Project.

Snaking the Wadi Hanifa trail along its entire length

Driving along the Wadi trail was a real eye-opener; it's a full-length trail from the northwestern parts of Riyadh to its southern end, and except for a few sections where you need to use the modern high-speed roads, it's a delightful snaking along the water channel. This driving trail along the wadi runs a level lower than the main lifeline roads of Riyadh such as the King Fahad Road and the Ring Road.

Diriyah
The northwestern end, a lovely picnic spot and the historical area of Old Riyadh, Diriyah has a number of large date plantations which have been encouraged on by the project and the authorities. The Elb dam, open picnic area, public utility facilities and the old forts of the Kings of Saudi Arabia, and some old tenements are the star spots of Diriyah.

Irgah, Suwaidi, Sultana and Masane areas of Riyadh

Driving southwards from Diriyah, for a small section the modern roads need to be used after which, following the green Wadi Hanifa boards you can wind down back onto the road along the wadi into the Irgah area. A smaller dam directing the flow of water to the lower areas, wide picnic spots and the most amazing views of the parallel system of modern high-speed roads and bridges running above the wadi are the main attractions.

As you enjoy the cleaner, cooler air on this drive along the wadi, the green boards direct you onto subsequent areas of Riyadh- Suwaidi and then onto Sultana. Emerging out from the wadi trail onto the Sultana main road was a bolt from the modern world. The main road dotted with fast food joints and the massive Al Qasr Mall and widespread housing development, while a curiosity satisfier, leaves you wanting to quickly turn around and into the green bliss of the wadi channel!

Moving further southwards the wadi crosses the vast areas of Sultana and Masane, you can observe from popular landmarks above on the modern roads that the wadi has indeed gone past the Nasiriyah and Batha areas. The wadi developments, further greening, providing facilities seem to be ongoing in these southern areas.

At the end of a whole 3 hours of driving, discovering the routes and soaking in the wintry sun, the start of the Masane area allows joining into the Ring road close to exit 21 and return onto the concrete city. Along the entire length of the drive, the wadi roads allow for joining onto the main roads at regular intervals-close to The Carlton when you leave the Irgah area, close to Badiya area when you exit further down from Irgah, and onto the Ring road before Masane. Dotted with date plantations all along the way, surely there must be a lot more connections along the way.

The picnic spots in the southern end and the one in the northern Diriyah end are the popular places any taxi guy will direct you to as you ask for "Wadi Hanifa". Now, you know better!

A lovely drive along the entire length of Riyadh, and an alternative to the high-speed driving. Taking it slow, inhaling the fresher air, enjoying a milder, cooler clime by driving along the wadi roads, just beneath the modern highways of Riyadh, a pleasant satisfaction and tons of curiosity satisfied!