Five Months in Jeddah

I never would have expected to stay in Jeddah for 5 Months. To wait for my car to be repaired for 3 ½.
A few times I was told the car was fixed, but then, when taking it for a drive, the gearbox did not switch properly. Or she overheated. So every time it meant, back to the workshop and some more waiting. This was particularly draining as I did not have any means to drive and there was no public transport I could have taken. Luckily Stephen was lent a car, so between him driving, me hiring a car for some days and taking taxis I got around a bit. Otherwise it meant being locked into the compound. We made some excursions to the beach, explored Jeddah.
At the beginning of September, with the beginning of the new school year the German teachers came back from Germany and we had to vacate their houses they generously gave them to our perusal. Stephen and Birgit found a new compound where we then rented a house, and lived together until the end of September.
Short before our move my car was finally fixed. The gearbox and the other odds and sodds. But now the body got some damage I guess when moving the car in the tight space of the workshop. The back door was severly dinted and the left front had some damage as well. I had been thinking for some time to give Lola a facelift. She had some rust in the paint, some dints that I wanted corrected, there were lots of screws and other things attached to the van by the previous owner and I had not gotten around to take care of before leaving; now I had truly enough time to take care of all of this.
So I got Lola dewrinkelt and a new dress. Did she look before like a lady in high heels walking in the park, now she looks like the woman she is: adventurous and ready to take on the toughest road.
After the paintjob is finished I am over the moon. She looks great. Full of pride getting I show the car to Steffen when getting home and he duly admires it. I step back to take in the fully beauty of my Lolachen, and… Oh no! I see they painted the solar panel as well. Now I really don’t know should I laugh or cry. I really hadn’t expected the painting of the panel to be included in the body works package. Special offer!
At the end I went back and got the paint removed (“You should have told us not to paint the panel!!!) and against my biggest fears, the solar panel is still working.
End of September, finally we were ready to roll. The horrid Saudi temperatures were about to drop in a months’ time, so we decided to make our way out of the hot city and into the mountains, where the temperatures were considerably lower.
This were at times difficult months, being more or less cooped up in the house, oppressing heat ouside, made venturing out a very sweaty experience. Rex didn’t particularly enjoy being walked in circles around the compound, never allowed off the leash, hundreds of cats (I am not exaggerating, I never saw as many cats in one spot in my lifetime) around he was not able to chase. We all had to fight to keep our spirits up, not knowing when we will ever be able to leave and continue our journey.Read more