I should have remembered that in this culture people don't like to offend you by telling you they can't deliver what you want.
On Monday afternoon I went to the nearby laundry giving them the shirt and trousers I worn that day and asking for them to be laundered in time for me to collect them prior to my departure at 10:30am the following morning. The laundry attendant told me 4:00pm (in arabic/tamil/english). I insisted "NO! I must have them in the morning!" After repeating my request several times he eventually agreed to have them ready by 10:30.
The next morning my driver was waiting to collect me <shock he was early> so in sign language I explained that I needed to go and collect the laundry. On arrival yesterday's attendant was nowhere to be seen and the rostered attendant belligerently told me with a fierce scowl "Not ready... come at 4.00pm!" I explained in arabic/tamil/english that I needed them NOW. He just ignored me hoping I'd leave and come back later. Being belligerent myself I decided to glare at him until something was done. The attendant from the previous day then appeared and saw me (But I saw him first). I then watched him as my clothes were washed, dried, ironed and returned to me with a comment about there being a problem with the washing machine.
It's usual to give a tip in this part of the world so I told him "Don't promise what you can't deliver!" OK... I gave him an additional 5 riyals (80p) before returning to my apartment and donning my freshly ironed damp shirt and trousers. Fortunately they dried rather quickly in the heat.
LESSON. Don't demand more than you have been offered as they may agree to your demand with no intention of delivering as they don't want to offend you.
The driver then took me to another location where there was a another driver was standing beside a heavily laden 4x4. He said "Hi Tom!" Shook my hand (everyone does that here) and squeezed my case into the back. He had two other passengers for the four hour road trip to Dammam and I thought he was operating a passenger courier service. It turns out he was the administration and finance officer for my employer.
It's a three lane sealed highway between Riyadh and Dammam. Once we were clear of the local traffic the driver increased the speed to 160kmh. I asked what was the maximum speed was informed it's 120kmh. We had long lines of trucks lorries on the right and faster vehicles passing on the left. Unlike my local drive the previous day, we only saw one accident. However I became somewhat concerned when the driver started texting at 160kmh taking his eyes off the road and only one hand on the wheel (God willing everything will be alright!) All the fast traffic slows prior to every overbridge. This is because the traffic police like to park in the shade of the overbridge. Their "mufti" (plain) patrol cars are all the same model and colour. As a consequence of their enforcement actions everyone is happy. The traffic knows to slow down prior to each bridge and the police see slow traffic which means they don't need to go to the effort of writing tickets. They get to stay in their air conditioned 4x4.
The scenery was much like outback Australia but the ground isn't quite as red. Sand, rocky outcrops, undulating land with limited visibility due to dust storms. There are more camels here...... and they all have owners! Apparently camels are valuable so it pays not to accidentally kill one!
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