Of Islands and Gulfs (golfs!)

[drron]

Thanks for that. I really wanted to visit Cape barren island as I had a standing invitation to visit an elder of the mob there. He wasn't considered Indigenous because he was bon on an island which wasn't the island of Tasmania. I could only get less than 24 hours on Flinders Island in a weekend due to Sharp's scheduling.

My golf story from Tasmania was playing at King island in the 90s. the course is on a hillside on the west of the island. I met a fellow on the first tee who didn't want to play solo. he was a5 shot handicap whereas my handicap was my self. The wind was really blowing so I perfected my 1 iron bump and run downhill and a 5 iron uphill and I very nearly won the round.

 

[VPS]

As for Flinders Island, it was a nice enough place to visit, has some of the freshest air in the world, but isn’t really a tourist destination. If I didn’t want to go and play golf there, so that I can say I’ve played every course in Tassie, I probably wouldn’t have visited. With summer temps only averaging 20deg C and the regular wind, plus the remoteness, it’s not really my cup of tea.

That bit of it sounds perfect for me

 

[Scarlett]

How common is it for golf courses to be neither 18 nor 9 holes?

Why did they do it here - just to fit it in the space within the other course?

It’s uncommon: most do indeed stick to 9 or 18. Actually rural Tassie and to a lesser extent rural Victoria, is where you are more likely to find an odd number of holes. It’s usually dictated by the available land and related to that the cost to maintain the course. More holes is more expensive. In Tassie every little town seems to have a small, community run, 9-hole golf course. Maybe because of historical land use changes, or maybe just because they can, some have a few extra holes. As an example, I stopped and played at Longford on the drive from Bridport to Hobart. It has 11 distinct holes. You play holes 1-9 then 10-16 to the same greens as holes 1-7, but from sometimes very different teeing locations. Then holes 17 and 18 are stand-alone.


Longford GC 3rd / 12th green looking back down the hole.

Bougle Run was different. They had an, I guess you could describe it as a large triangle of land, which some holes of the Lost Farm course worked around; fairly large old sand dunes covered in vegetation. So they asked Bill Coore, one of the world’s top modern golf course designers and designer of Lost Farm, to see what he could do with that land. Or maybe he suggested it, I don’t know. They came up with the shorter course as that is all they could fit in the available space.

They market it as an opportunity to’warm up’ for playing the two main courses, or just an opportunity to have a little more fun using the wonderful terrain they have at the property. You’d also suggest that because they have a significant number of international or interstate visitors, it encourages them to stay on site for a little longer.

Barnbougle already have the staff and equipment necessary to maintain two world-class courses, so it probably doesn’t cost them incrementally much more to look after the Bougle Run short course. I guess the bean counters would describe it as extracting more profit from their available resources.

Bougle Run | Barnbougle

barnbougle.com.au

 

[Scarlett]

Thanks for that. I really wanted to visit Cape barren island as I had a standing invitation to visit an elder of the mob there. He wasn't considered Indigenous because he was bon on an island which wasn't the island of Tasmania. I could only get less than 24 hours on Flinders Island in a weekend due to Sharp's scheduling.

My golf story from Tasmania was playing at King island in the 90s. the course is on a hillside on the west of the island. I met a fellow on the first tee who didn't want to play solo. he was a5 shot handicap whereas my handicap was my self. The wind was really blowing so I perfected my 1 iron bump and run downhill and a 5 iron uphill and I very nearly won the round.

If Flinders Island is remote then Cape Barren is the next level, although they do seem to have semi-regular (maybe daily) Cessna flights to and from the island and their own airstrip. I think 60-70 people in the community there.

Interestingly, that King Island community course, King Island Golf and Bowling Club, is really well respected. Even though two world class courses have been developed on the island in the past ten years (Cape Wickham and Ocean Dunes) everyone who travels there also plays the local course and loves it. It is set on some great coastal linksland and is both compact yet challenging. Plus everyone remarks about the good nature of the locals on the island.

Tasmania Ranking | Top 100 Golf Courses

🏌️ 🇦🇺 Discover Tasmania golf courses with our comprehensive travel guide. World-class links at Barnbougle and King Island. Plan your Tasmania golf holiday with Top 100 Golf Courses.

www.top100golfcourses.com

Barnbougle Dunes - ranked 25th in the world / 3rd best in Australia.
Cape Wickham - 47th world / 4th Australia

Tassie really is blessed with golf options!

 

[Scarlett]

Next was a few days around Xmas in Hobart.

Here, of course:




Also did some walking around the local area of a morning or evening. My parents get up early and do a morning walk around their local bay in Lindisfarne.

I still don’t think summer had arrived in the southern capital.




Initially I thought this rat wasn’t being skittish enough.



I’m informed however, that it was a bandicoot.



Lamb roast for Xmas day lunch! Thanks Mum.

 

[Scarlett]

Whilst in Hobart I wanted to play golf at the newly fully-opened, 7 Mile Beach golf course. It had opened for preview play with limited tee times in spring and then fully opened in early December.

Many will have seen the beach arcing around to the south of Hobart airport. The beach ends at a channel that leads to Pittwater Lagoon, part of the water to the airports north. The land next to the beach had been covered in a disused pine plantation, but was still an undulating piece of land of mostly dunes scape beneath the trees. When they were cleared away the excellent sandy site for a golf links was revealed.

Google maps stills shows the course at the growing in stage.

It is sited along the southern (beach) edge of the peninsula. Approval has already been given for an additional course, likely to be called 5 Mile Beach, on the northern or lagoon side.

A number of well respected names from the golf course development industry have been involved in the design and shaping of the course and many agree the site is spectacular for links style golf. It is similar, although maybe less dramatic than the Barnbougle sites near Bridport. As Mike Clayton reportedly said about the site: even if they stuff it up it’ll still be one of the best courses in Australia.

The biggest issue in booking a game there in peak time (between Xmas and New Years) was not availability, that was actually wide open, but rather the cost. They’ve pegged green fees at $290 for a round which in the Australian market, is very expensive. It’s about $100 dearer than playing at Barnbougle. One of the key guys behind the development is a local Tasmanian pro, Mat Goggin, and he has planned to have regular cheaper days (~$45) for locals and for kids to play for free with an adult. Even so, it’s definitely been priced for the international market as a world class premium course. I think they’ve got well ahead of themselves there.



They’re still building a clubhouse, so at the moment it’s enter along a rocky track and then the pro shop is a shipping container. There is a marquee set up with chairs and tables for drinks post round and some temporary changing rooms. Play starts from the 18th tee, (then straight onto the 1st hole and continues as normal) to keep players away from the construction area near the first hole.



So, what’s it like?
Excellent. As expected, great links land that winds through the dunes. There are some areas of grass still growing in and they’ll need to adjust watering patterns and sand management being blown around the dunes and out of bunkers or waste areas, but otherwise it was all ready for play. The greens in particular were hard and fast: almost sandbelt like where balls landing on the green would invariably bounce or roll over the back edge. Instead, the approach was better to land the ball just short of the green and use the contours to feed the ball up to the pin.



Off the fairway was quite penal marram grass patches. On the day I played the water looked great looking south and waiting for Sydney-Hobart yachts to appear. (they didn’t - the line honours winner Comanche came in a few hours after I’d finished playing)


My favourite hole was this short par 4 5th, with the best position off the tee being short of the two bunkers, but better positioned to the right for best angle into the green.



Great day. Great golf. Too expensive.

As I said earlier in the trip report, I’ve played up at Barnbougle plenty of times, because they’ve been much more sensibly priced. I can’t see myself playing here again.

Finally, where does it rate against other courses. Well Top100golfcourses (the best site for golf around the world) has put it in as number 10 in Australia. That might be a little premature but it’ll certainly sit high up amongst Aussie courses.

 

[RooFlyer]

Whilst in Hobart I wanted to play golf at the newly fully-opened, 7 Mile Beach golf course. It had opened for preview play with limited tee times in spring and then fully opened in early December.

I'm no golfer but surprised I haven't heard more about this. Seems like a good development but like you, a bit puzzled that they've priced it where they have.

The development that gets in the news is Arm End - controversial; shouldn't be, but this is Tasmania ... (Its at the end of South Arm ...)

Arm End — crafter + mogford

www.golfstrategies.com.au

 

[Scarlett]

I’ve been monitoring that Arm End one as well @RooFlyer. Sounds like they’ve got approval to pipe household waste water across the bay from Kingston now, so they can start shaping and working out when is better to plant grass. Still a few years away from any play there, but does look another interesting site.

I’ve played the South Arm RSL course ‘Iron Pot’ over there and it’s pretty basic for time it takes for the drive around. I wonder if they’ll run a ferry across to South Arm like with the Mona Roma’s?

 

[Scarlett]

A lovely few days in Hobart now complete, it was time to get back to travelling. First was a simple domestic trip up to Sydney.

VA1323 HBA-MEL
B737-800 VH-VOO
On time.
Once again there was minimal waiting for the priority line, but a long snaking line for economy check in. Was checked through to SYD (via MEL) and then took my golf bag around to the oversize drop off point. Fairly quickly through the new security setup, even at peak holiday time, so well done HBA.

Then it was into the VA lounge… along with a couple of hundred other VA, JQ and QF pax.

I’ve not noted -VOO in the VA fleet before.

Before long we boarded and I took my preferred EconX window seat of 4A (or 4F depending on where the sun will be for most of the flight). Might have to start choosing row 3 now as there is a lesser chance of having the divider and needing to store bags above. There is a comically significant amount of legroom for row three now and I’m surprised VA haven’t done something about it. They could easily have rows 5 and 6 as EconX by moving rows 3 and 4 forward a little.

Anyway, after the seemingly usual VA faff on the ground of 10-15 minutes, departure was to the south so got a look at 7 Mile Beach where I was yesterday:


Very standard short VA flight. WP wifi access worked fine. I’ve never had a problem with it on the equipped jets.

Then into a real VA lounge at MEL and ordered a coffee and had a small snack for the one hour transit.

VA859 MEL-SYD
B737-800 VH-IWQ
30 minutes late

This time there was some extra faff as they hadn’t even started loading bags, even though pax were boarded and seated. Again a typical mediocre flight but this one was on my non-wifi equipped nemesis -IWQ. This damn airframe is following me around the network. Last month I had it for PER-PHE, PER-ADL and ADL-MEL in the space of a week.


Brief holding whilst about three aircraft landed…

…then off to SYD.

I had booked the Quest Mascot for the night so grabbed bags from T2 and walked up there. Basic apartment room was fine but nothing more. Booked the Super Shuttle for $12 to get around to the international terminal the next morning then walked up to the area around Mascot station for dinner as plenty of choices there.

 

[Scarlett]

Next day I was the only one on the shuttle so had my private transfer to T1. It was very busy. Pet peeve: why do so many normally intelligent humans lose basic ability to function as a member of society when they walk into an airport? Sure, just stop in the middle of the walkway with your trolley and family of 58 members… No dear, you can’t just sneak through the clearly marked First/Business lane into immigration with your economy boarding pass.


I found the one area at T1 that wasn’t a crush: I guess Air Asia check in had just closed.

PR212 SYD-MNL
A330-300 RP-C8783
Over an hour late departing and 35 minutes late arriving.

Although I was connecting onward from MNL I had about 18 hours so asked for my luggage to be short checked just to MNL which was fine.

The PR J check in desk noted the departure was from gate 26 and directed me to the lounge ‘opposite gate 26’. That seemed a bit strange when I got there and it was the Skyteam lounge. I’d looked up and noted PR use The House lounge. Not surprisingly the Skyteam lounge dragon said that PR don’t use their lounge, so I headed back across the terminal toward the 50-something gates and to the House.


Still busy.

House lounge was fairly full. I remember using it in the past, I think when it was still managed by EY, probably prior to a VA international flight. PR used to send people to the SQ lounge last time I flew them. The House is a little more basic than SilverKris…
Still, coffee was good and I had some breakfast whilst waiting.


Lounge view of the apron from downstairs.

Once boarding flashed up I headed to gate 26 (bus gates) where it was a disorganised scrum. Different staff were shouting different things and because there are about five or six different gates 26A, 26B, 26C etc all the pax have to congregate at a single entry point prior to going downstairs where they are boarded through separate gates and into buses. PR to MNL said boarding on the screens from 26C but there was staff member turning MNL pax away from getting downstairs because QF had a MNL flight from gate 26 later and it hadn’t started boarding. I just went in via a different queue and made my way downstairs.


View from upstairs at gate 26 after getting past the shouty staff.


Downstairs at gate 26.
Premium boarding experience… there’s only one line for each flight.


Premium boarding experience continues.
This image was taken at 1134. Our scheduled departure time was 1135. The bus then headed out almost to Airport Drive as the PR jet was parked at the far end of the freight apron. The reason for the boarding delay was apparent as the bus pulled up beside a port engine with multiple covers open and a couple of techos doing their thing. We were held on the bus for about ten minutes parked near the bottom of the stairs. Some pax from earlier buses were already on board as part of their family were standing near me and were talking to them on the phone. Eventually we were allowed to board and I took my window seat in J.



This A330 is one of PRs better configured, with a modern 1-2-1 layout in J.

Departure +45mins:

Airframe tape was being applied around something on the inboard part of the cowling (not shown in the photo).


Check-in / gate staff were bored but remained out at the jet. They were out in the sun for about an hour.

Whilst waiting the crew came around with drinks, towels and took lunch orders.


I had the beef pochero and it was excellent! (it was similar to just falling apart beef brisket).

After an hour delay, whatever needed to happen had been done and we pushed back for the worlds shorted taxi to SYD rwy 16R.


Did have to hold briefly for these folks:


Glorious day in Sydney.

The engine didn’t explode or come free of the pylon on take-off so that was a win, and we continued out over many of the locals enjoying a day at the beach. I’ve never seen it that crowded - zoom in and check out all the 4wds down there. Holiday time!


During the flight I organised some photos from the last few years on my laptop and watched movie or two. Service was excellent; seat was comfy; and crew were attentive. PR J .

That all came crashing down after arriving at MNL T1 but it’s a known disaster zone. After getting bags I booked a Grab and headed to the Kingsford hotel which is convenient for T1. It was fine for the short stay and I had a decent sleep. Couldn’t book their shuttle back to the airport in the morning as they only have 0700 and 0830 and apparently both were already full. As a Grab is only between $5-10 I just booked another for the morning.

 

[Scarlett]

Getting back into MNL T1 the next morning was easy. Dropped at the front of the terminal and walked straight in. The Grab driver said he wished every day was a public holiday like this one (31Dec) as there were fewer people around. He was right.

PR654 MNL-RUH
A330-300 RP-C8766
On time

There was a pre-check desk before the check-in counters for the flight to Riyadh, where staff were checking everyone had the necessary visa. I showed the copy on my phone and was given a little slip of paper noting it had been checked.

Actual check in was smooth and I was given my boarding passes for MNL-RUH and my onward connection RUH-MED. (on closer inspection the second one was just a ‘transfer pass’ but looked exactly like a boarding pass). I was invited to use the Mabuhay lounge in T1. It is up on the top floor of the terminal and is a decent lounge. Looks quite new. There were a couple of different seating zones and an area for eating closer to the buffet. Mostly calm and quiet. I took a seat looking out over the tarmac although the windows could have done with a clean!



The terminal was opened in 1982. I bet you can’t tell.


It really should’ve been blown up and rebuilt in 2012.

Eventually my aircraft was towed into gate 15 in front of me.

Even though it had recently flown in from a domestic flight they didn’t connect the jet bridge. Doors were opened on the starboard side of aircraft so maybe pax had been unloaded at a different gate first. Fuel trucks, food trucks and baggage loading equipment all came and went and then they finally connected the jet bridge and called boarding.

So this is one of their older A333s.


2-2-2 layout and with no IFE screen. You could stream to device to watch their limited offering. No airborne wifi internet available. The crew did offer an iPad if I wanted to use one for the IFE but I declined as I could use my laptop if I wanted.

Of the 18 seats in J, three were occupied by pax. Various crew members came and relaxed/slept in the row-three seats at different times.

The IFE did have a form of map display but it was very basic:


As soon as seat belt sign was turned off the crew closed all the window shades. The other two pax did seem to be lying down so maybe they were going to sleep before eating. Food was again fine, although not as good as the day prior. I didn’t bother watching IFE and tried organising images from my phone onto my laptop: I have years of backlog…

This was another daytime flight although with a slight delay we arrived over Saudi Arabia at sunset. This was the view opening the window shades on descent.

Yes, it’s a desert.


Not all flat though.

Unfortunately the low light hasn’t helped my phone out, but this Saudia livery was different from all the others.


My bags had only been tagged to RUH as the international point of entry and they had to be collected for customs. Immigration was a non-event: go to booth, hand over passport, have fingertips and thumbs scanned, then look at the camera. I didn’t get a stamp in the passport. As it was the first time entering I had to go to a booth. If it had not been the first time I would’ve been directed to the empty smart gates. I did have a copy of my visa printed out but didn’t need to get it out at any stage.

Collected bags and then went out into the terminal to find the transfer bus to T5 (domestic terminal). It was about a 200m and there was one waiting. The bus trip took 15 minutes as there was a convoluted u-turn, drive, u-turn setup required to get to T5.



Most signs are in Arabic and English so navigation was easy. Was asked if I wanted a taxi by the inevitable touts…

Soon enough we pulled up at T5 and I dragged my bags in there to check in for my Saudia connection.

 

[Scarlett]

SV1457 RUH-MED
A321-200 HZ-ASV
Ten minutes late

There was a security guy in the door and he asked me where I was going, I said Medinah and that was fine. Into the Saudia J check in queue and waited there for about ten minutes until reaching the front of the queue. The check in process seemed to take a long time for those locals ahead of me. Mine was fine and quickly had a new boarding pass. Had to the golf bag to an oversize area at the end of the bank of desks.

Security was quick and they seemed disinterested, then I followed the signs to the Al Fursan lounge. It was busy with barely a spare seat but with constant turn over of people. As a domestic lounge it seemed a lot like a domestic QP. Food and drinks available and lots of tv’s with soccer on. They had individually wrapped dates (waste of plastic) but they were the tastiest dates I’ve ever tried! Almost creamy and sweet like they were the sauce on a sticky date pudding. I had about two hours in the lounge before boarding was called and headed to the gate.



There was about 15 minutes waiting at the gate before priority boarding was called via a separate lane. J cabin was standard 2-2 recliners and even though five rows, was full. Two staff and the cabin manager looked after J: the one female member of staff did most of the work, but this was the only occasion in my entire time in KSA that I saw what looked like an obvious example of sexism. Otherwise, even at that early stage of my time in the country, I was being shown that Saudi’s were almost unfailingly polite and genuine in offering assistance. As an example the guy beside me at security grabbed a tray for me first before he took one for himself. Just little things but impressive.

The flight was about an hour and 15 minutes and a full meal was served. I had a lamb biryani which was spicy and tasty.

I would equate the J experience as very similar to standard QF or VA east coast milk runs.

Luggage was delivered promptly although there was no oversize collection point and eventually my golf clubs came out on the carousel. I walked out the front of the terminal and then continued the 500m to the airport Millenium hotel. I was checking in as the clock ticked over to 2026 and after a shower went straight to sleep as it had been a long day and my body clock probably thought it was about 5am.

 

[Scarlett]

The hotel booking came with breakfast so I headed there about 9am. Nice spread, with a mix of local, western and Asian options. An omelette (live cooking station), pastries and fruit salad hit the spot. I also had a couple of trips to the coffee machine.

All at the hotel was very nice.


Car park view from the hotel after opening the curtains!


View a little further around. The darker colour would become apparent as soon as I started driving away from the airport.

After check out I headed back to the terminal to Budget, to collect a hire car. This took quite a while, maybe because the lady wasn’t confident with English and so was double checking everything from my passport and drivers license. I have an IDP but didn’t need to show it.

I also withdrew about 2000 Saudi Riyals from an ATM with my Bankwest Zero debit card. I needed the cash to pay for my apartment I had booked in King Abdullah Economic City for the next few nights.

I should note here that this part of the trip was poorly scheduled. I should’ve planned another night in Medinah to go into the city area for a look around. I think I was looking at old information about non-moslems previously not being allowed into Medinah and Mecca. Certainly nowadays I could have gone into Medinah city, just not into the main mosque area. Interestingly, the Saudi visa site still has a note or check box with the old regulations about no entry.

As it was I collected my car, loaded up google maps with CarPlay and hit the road for a four and bit hour drive. Keep right!

 

[RooFlyer]

As it was the first time entering I had to go to a booth. If it had not been the first time I would’ve been directed to the empty smart gates.

Did someone ask you if it was your first time in the Kingdom, or maybe a sign?

I've been there before - in 1994!! Wonder which way I'll go.

 

[VPS]

Next day I was the only one on the shuttle so had my private transfer to T1. It was very busy. Pet peeve: why do so many normally intelligent humans lose basic ability to function as a member of society when they walk into an airport? Sure, just stop in the middle of the walkway with your trolley and family of 58 members… No dear, you can’t just sneak through the clearly marked First/Business lane into immigration with your economy boarding pass.

They are probably the same people who when shopping in the central market in Adelaide with their two wheel trolley behind them and then all of a sudden they stop and pull the trolley to their side so you are at risk of tripping over it.

Great TR though

 

[Scarlett]

Did someone ask you if it was your first time in the Kingdom, or maybe a sign?

I've been there before - in 1994!! Wonder which way I'll go.

It was actually a guy that I thought was just being helpful, indicating for me to go to the smart gates. (he went and joined some colleagues processing people so I guess he was staff - I’m not sure what he was assuming)

As I rounded a pole heading that way I saw a sign indicating ‘returning visitors’ to the smart gates and ‘new visitors’ to the regular staffed booths. There was a lady at that point and I said “first time in Saudi Arabia” to her and she confirmed to go to the booth.

I think it means returning on the same passport or, more likely, same visa. The standard visa is a one year multi-entry so I guess it’s people re-entering with that. I don’t think your earlier time bouncing across the desert in a 4WD as a modern Lawrence of Arabia counts.

 

[Scarlett]

The black rock I could see from the hotel was basically everywhere around Medinah as I drove out of the airport. Old lava flows. Now I can’t tell you how old, maybe they’re actually quite new, but the rock was still very jagged and looked like it would make building on, very difficult.

When @RooFlyer is there next month he’ll be able to give an informed opinion.

I did have to pull in to the first petrol station I saw coming out of the airport as the hire car I’d been allocated was down to one bar of petrol. This had been duly marked on the form and I was told to return it same. So I filled up the tank (well actually I didn’t - the chap there did) at that first stop and paid about the equivalent of AUD20 for a full tank. Of course petrol is cheap in KSA.

So the lava fields were everywhere for about the first hour of driving. That and the really stark bare hills and mountains of the desert environment. It was all quite angular rock and hills. The best way I could explain it is that those who have been to Queenstown in Tasmania will know there’s a part of a hill where all the vegetation died off due to the past mining industry there. It’s almost a tourist attraction or feature of that town these days. Well here it reminded me of that part of a mountain, except the view was like that for two hours of driving.

Where I could surreptitiously raise my phone, I did take these shots. Lots of overhead cameras all along the road.


Tried to capture the black lava rock forming the hill but probably still to far away to see just how jagged it was.


The landscape did bring denuded Queenstown, Tas to mind.


Some sand was seen, but mostly it was rock as I headed south to SSE from Medinah.

There is the, maybe belief, opinion?, that Saudi drivers are always going mad fast because they have a large, mostly empty country and cheap petrol. Well I can confirm that I saw no speeding in four hours of driving. That was due to mobile speed cameras pretty much every 5-10 Km along the roadside. They were about the size of a dishwasher and were a sandy colour to blend in. They sat on the ground sort of like an R2D2 unit. They had four small what looked like screw adjustable legs for levelling purposes and were sited everywhere. Sometimes there were cars with them, but mostly just sitting there beside the road. They clearly had the desired effect.

Roads were mostly good, two or three lanes with truck and buses using the outside lane as they are limited to 100kph. The limit for cars varied between 120-140kph. Speed signs were a mix of sometimes arabic and sometimes numbers as we know them. It was very easy to follow Google maps and drive. Now, once in the cities, like in Jeddah, rules seemed to be more ‘flexible’ and the driving much more erratic (very random lane changing; straddling lanes; no indicators; just cutting or pulling in without right of way). I just stayed about 5-10 kph below the limit and drove defensively and it was fine.

It was only nearing the coast in the final hour that the landscape became the flat sandy desert I had imagined.

Four hours after setting off I arrived at King Abdullah Economic City - KAEC, on the coast north of Jeddah…


…where I was met by plenty of apartment blocks and nice buildings, in the master planned development of an entire city, but no people!

 

[jase05]

It’s probably changed in the few years since we were there last but we had dinner with a family in Tabuk and our host told us that everyone speeds “just a little” as the fines were only the equivalent of around $50-100 if you stay within about 20km/hr. and no points loss or anything. He did say that once you get up past that though you start getting decent sized fines and risk cars being impounded if you are a repeat offender. There was nowhere near the number of speed cameras back then though

 

[RooFlyer]

The black rock I could see from the hotel was basically everywhere around Medinah as I drove out of the airport. Old lava flows. Now I can’t tell you how old, maybe they’re actually quite new, but the rock was still very jagged and looked like it would make building on, very difficult.

When @RooFlyer is there next month he’ll be able to give an informed opinion.

Been there, marvelled at the textbook geology.

The Red Sea and Gulf of Aden started opening (rifted apart) 30 million years ago (and are still going). Rifting = crustal tension, allowing volcanoes to pop up in the cracks.



The volcanoes around Medina age between 10 mill yrs and last one was about 640AD!

Thanks for the road report. I'm driving from Madinah to Al Ula in the north in a few weeks. When I visited in 1994, freeway road driving was relatively new and it was carnage; you'd pass several relatively recent total wrecks a day, including car Vs truck. Glad to hear they've found ways to calm things down.

and the driving much more erratic (very random lane changing; straddling lanes; no indicators; just cutting or pulling in without right of way)

Ah! I remember. Stopped at traffic light, 3 abreast. Us in middle lane, intending to go straight ahead. Car in the left lane (inside one) decided to turn right (probably always intending to), right across in front of us. We had been warned not to be first off the mark at lights.

 

[Scarlett]

KAEC is weird. You can see what they’ve tried to do by building a city from scratch: there’s a port and industrial area to the north, a hotel marina and waterfront development and about six suburban areas laid out. There’s even a golf course designed to host the main event for Saudi’s multi-hundred million dollar foray into professional golf. They’ve built the roads and filled a suburb with nice houses; there must be a desalination plant somewhere and I guess it has its own power plant as well.

What’s missing thus far, is residents. There were six apartment blocks in a row where I was staying and more over the other side of the canal near the hospital, but most seemed empty. The nice houses along one side of the golf course seemed mostly abandoned or maybe never occupied in the first place. It was all very strange.

There were some people around: a few who looked like tourists walking on one of the promenades; I heard Italian and English with an American twang whilst eating dinner one night, and there were service workers (all third country nationals from India, Bangladesh, Philippines, some African nations) I guess repairing, or guarding and probably still building. The Chinese workers were there too, building something. They were easy to spot as they just wore shorts and ignored local custom. (I say this as someone who wears shorts at every opportunity, but who very deliberately too long pants for this trip to the Gulf region) Mostly it was quiet and all very clean and nice, but a project that seemed to be just very slowly fading away.

Here’s a closer look at where I parked on arrival.

In the background you can probably see how parts of the building facade are cracked and falling away. Some things looked more structurally problematic. Of the shops along the promenades, about half were closed, empty or boarded up.

Anyway enough of the glass half empty. It was also very pleasant to just wander about by myself. All felt very safe walking around at night.


One of the promenades along the canal with the main hotel/marina complex in the far background.


The party told you what to believe…


Very pleasant low 20 degrees for outdoor dining. In the background was one place with a TV showing soccer and people enjoying shisha.


Walking back after dinner.

I guess the way to look at it is as an enclave probably designed for expats and wealthy locals only. Normally an enclave is small but this was just done on a grand scale: as an entire city. You certainly have to admire the Saudi’s for their grand vision to just build it and they will come. Some nations choose to spend enormous sums on say, a(nother) carrier strike group, or an NDIS, but here they’ve decided to build a new city.