I know I have a lot to update you on, so I'll start with our layover in Saudi Arabia and go from there.
We had to leave our hotel super early on the morning of September 12 in order to avoid the ridiculous Nairobi traffic, so we were pretty exhausted by the time we arrived at the airport. Interestingly, before we were even allowed to approach the ticket counters we had all of our bags x-rayed (right at the entrance to the airport) and manually searched (at tables next to the ticketing line). After checking our bags we went through passport control, and then another screening station for all of our hand luggage (x-ray and metal detectors) before we were allowed to enter the waiting area for our gate. Then, as we walked down the jetway to board our flight we were met by the Saudi Arabia Airlines crew who checked our bags AGAIN. It was a little intense. Some people would say that it made them feel more secure (Court), but it just made me feel nervous.
We arrived in Jeddah around lunchtime and WOW, was it ever hot. We had to speak with some SAA personnel in order to get our boarding passes for our flight to Egypt, and wouldn't you know it, the guy who helped us gave us two vouchers for a free lunch! Thanks, Saudi Arabia! We went upstairs to the main terminal and before we could enter we had to - you guessed it! - go through another security screening. Court had to queue in a long, noisy line of men while I was directed to the private women's screening area. I walked behind a curtain into a back room and there were four or five Saudi women, all kicking back in chairs and gossiping. It was kind of awesome. They wanted to know where I was from and where I was going and were really friendly and chatty - it seemed like they enjoyed their jobs. When I went back out into the main part of the terminal Court was STILL in line, and the metal detector kept going off with every person who walked through. Shenanigans. Finally he was able to elbow his way through so we could claim our free lunch, which included the best veggie springrolls I've ever eaten. Who knew? The kid who served us got really excited when he found out I was Canadian - "I will go to Canada in two years to study!" he told us. When I asked him if he knew where he said, "I will go anywhere in Canada - it doesn't matter where. I will go to Canada to make my life better than it could be in Saudi Arabia." I hope he makes it!
Our layover in Saudi was six hours. I won't mince words - the airport at Jeddah sucks. There are maybe three places to eat, a massive Duty Free, and that's it. The view isn't much either - just desert and planes. Not exactly a thrilling place to be. But, the people watching was very interesting. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam, and is one of the most conservative countries on earth. Women cannot drive, run for public office, or vote. Although, in a happy and timely twist of fate, it was announced on Sunday, September 25 that Saudi women will be able to vote and run for municipal office in 2015. King Abdullah - just today, actually - has also overruled a court decision to lash a woman ten times for "driving without permission." Here's some background (courtesy of The Guardian) on the issue:
"Although there are no written laws that restrict women from driving, the prohibition is rooted in conservative traditions and religious views that hold that giving freedom of movement to women would make them vulnerable to sins.
Police usually stop female drivers, question them and let them go after they sign a pledge not to drive again. But dozens of women have continued to take to the roads since June in a campaign to break the taboo.
Saudi Arabi is the only country in the world that bans women — both Saudi and foreign — from driving. The prohibition forces families to hire live-in drivers, and those who cannot afford the $300-$400 (£190-£255) a month for a driver must rely on male relatives to drive them."
It's hard for me to imagine what it must be like to live with those types of restraints. (I'll discuss this more in the blogs about Egypt and Morocco.) As it was, I found the few hours we spent in Saudi to be very...unsettling? I don't mean that to be offensive in any way - we've learned a lot about Islam on this trip and I want to be respectful of the beliefs of others, I just personally find it disconcerting to be surrounded by people whose faces I cannot see. Nearly every woman we encountered in Jeddah was completely covered- some even wore gloves on their hands and did not have eye holes in their veils. It was hard not to stare as I tried to make sense of the mechanics - how do you eat? Talk? But as we sat there, all of my questions were answered. We saw women talking and texting on mobile phones...under their veils! We saw sandwiches disappear, cans of Pepsi emptied, entire conversations undertaken...like anything else, you make it work, I guess.
Every woman in the airport was covered to some degree - the three other women I saw who were not covered completely wore long sleeves and pants with overdresses resembling long-sleeved graduation gowns. I wore long pants and wrapped a sarong around my upper body to completely conceal my arms (which were clad in a T-shirt, since it was so hot). Over the next few weeks, I came up with a variety of ways to cover myself so as not to offend anyone. The Italian tourists on the other hand...not so much. Everywhere we went we ran into hoards of Italians, and some of the outfits the women were wearing...frankly, I don't know where in the world they WOULD be considered appropriate! Whatever happened to the phrase "When in Rome???"
Anyway, it was an interesting six hours.
Next up: Egypt!
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