My first day in Riyadh Road

This is the time where the "first"s make more of news. Say be it first baby, first job, first salary, first sportsman so on. Here comes my first experience of car driving in Saudi Road.

Infrastructure in Riyadh is in excellent condition. Unlike Indian roads, the roads of Saudi are having four lanes in one way. One can drive in super fast phase, exactly what the Express bus drivers do at Udupi -Mangalore highway. I do scare and also have reverence for the express bus driver’s ability to take at suicidal speed at roads where even a speed of forty kmph will be difficult.

I had a dream to own a car, it had come through at Riyadh and it was my first day on the road. Though I did have the driving license after a Herculean task at Riyadh, getting license itself was a big project for me; anyway, I was little bit scary to drive the car.

My two colleagues assured me to come along with me. Start up was good, though I did pulled wiper instead of signal, my first step to drive has begun.

My mind was going back to my education days, buying a bicycle was a big achievement for me after saving some money by cashew nuts collection. It had a greater sense of achievement at that point of time. I think I did felt more pride than buying bike which I did on my ‘first job’.

Zoooooooooom, wooh, a car passed very close to me. My God! I thought he just simply hit my vehicle. I have to be back on the road. Not to think else where. Slowly acceleration started and also my thoughts.

I was thinking of my college days, some students coming to college just for fun. Colorful dress, chelas following them. In their sense I was a Gandhi, I was never early at my desk. I was reaching my desk at the bell of class time.

Come on man now you are on Saudi Road not on Padavu College, my mind gave the command. Krrrrrrrrrrrrrr, I have to put the break as there seemed accident just in front of my car. I was on the fifth gear, vehicle suddenly stopped.

My colleagues are following me. The accidents, road mishaps in Saudi is not like India, with in 5 to 10 minutes everything will be cleared. Samething happened there. The accident vehicles are taken by police car to the side of the road. But I don’t knew why my car is not getting started. My throat got dry, fear getting increased up. Peen, peen!!!!!!! The cars behind me started buzzing up. I don’t know what to do. A Saudi guy simple hit my car, I did managed to take it to the side. Nothing happened to my car, but to me…….. I was totally tense.

Thanks to Niranjan, who was following me understood my situation, took the drivers seat and took to the side road and asked me to relax. Cool, be relax.

They helped me to take the car myself. Finally I managed to reach home in new car on self driving.

Journey to Riyadh - Day begins at holy land

All the kids in this universe definitely heard at one or the other point stories of Arabian Nights. My mom used to tell stories when we go to bed, I was the quiet child without asking questions about the story, as against to my brothers asking rationale of the stories like how is it possible to sit a big genie in a tiny lamp and all possible reasons for that.

The same was coming in my mind while I was flying to Riyadh from Mumbai for the first time. I was thinking now I am going to the land where these stories lived ?!?!?! At the moment I was feeling like Alladin moving to get the lamp from the cave. As I heard lots of myths about Saudi lifestyle, restrictions, law and order situation I was not feeling comfortable.

It was a rainy day whenI boarded on the flight from Mumbai, for the first time flying on a international flight. After customs clearance, i remembered i need to collect some foreign currency for urgency. I asked immigration guys can I get some foreign currency at Mumbai airport, but it was after immigration check I had to go with Indian Rupees in hand.

Airport in Riyadh quite big, as compared to one in Mumbai. A driver was waiting outside to pick my luggage and also to take me to Hotel. I dont had any embarassments at airport on getting foreign currency to collection of my luggage.

At my mind all the storeis about police harassment especially about baggage (Photos, books etc of non-muslim religion) inspection and strict screening were coming in my mind. I heard one such story someone's books thrown out or photos thrown as it was against the religion of the land. I was relieved as the procedure was quite simple and friendly.

However my stay at hotel seemed to expensive for my budget. I was taking dinner at Indian Rupee of 25 where as a water bottle in Riyadh costed me 12 riyals (apprxo rs145). I could not take my dinner thinking of the cost. It was 55 riyals for white rice with dal (approx Rs 600). My mind was saying come on man this is going to be very tough life to manage. At this cost I could have stayed in Mumbai for at least ten days. But I realised its coz the hotel was 5 star one, and cost obviously will be higher.

My beginning at office was quite pleasant at Riyadh, my boss received me well. So this is how my life at the holy land begins.

I will write about my life at holy land later..............

Blog one

After reading posts by bloggers I too decided to start write something on this. After deciding to write, I am wondering which topic should I write on, should it on lifestyle, religion, hobby, or what I should try.

I was looking at one of my friends blog post I thought it is not that difficult to give a try. But once started i can understand it is not that easy too!!!!

Let me give a idea of myself on my maiden blog post. I am a finance guy by profession, but so far i have not tried to draft a self balance sheet, if I try there may be lot of intangibles involved than tangible items.

I had moved from a small city in South India to Mumbai from there on to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia and now at Dubai in UAE. Life has changed very much from Udupi to Dubai. One thing I have noticed in common from Udupi to Dubai, people complain for the things available at their end can it be Udupi or Riyadh or even Dubai, but never seem to be happy with the available things.

Let me stop here as I am going blank by now, i will come with my experiences, ideas in future blogs.