Saudi GP - Worth the trip?
Discussion
kev b said:
Thanks, what is worth seeing and doing during a four night stay?
The good news is that the racing is in the evenings, so you have most of the days free. The weather will be okay, probably around 30ºC in the afternoons. Go on a desert tour or two, in a 4x4 or on a camel, explore the old city and look at some of the museums, cultural and religious history, I think there’s a very tall new hotel with an observation deck on the top floor to look at the new city, and plenty of huge shopping malls that you can spend all day walking around.
Also be aware that the race is on Saturday night, because Sunday or Monday will be the start of the month of Ramadan, where it all goes very quiet during the day as everyone is fasting. Check with the hotel exactly what this means, but expect it to be room service only with the restaurants all closed until sunset.
Thank you Steve, thats the sort of quality info I’ve been waiting for.
Ramadan being imminent never crossed my mind, I’m not a drinker or dancer so would be able to cope with that.
For the posters sniping about Saudi human rights issues I’ll only be following in the footsteps of the oil and armament industries so I doubt me spending < £1K over there will make a difference either way!
I will of course be leaving behind my own nation currently dealing with another huge corruption scandal which imprisoned or took away the livelihood of thousands of Sub Postmasters with the collusion of the ruling class.
Not to mention a two year old starving to death unnoticed in a busy town despite being known to the authorities.
The Saudi regime is stuck in the middle ages and I cannot excuse their actions but visiting there for a few days will not make a difference either way.
Perhaps I should travel to another race instead? USA perhaps where racist cops harass or even execute people in the street with impunity and people fear their children will be shot and killed at school?
Where the government thinks they can increase their global influence by pretending to be the worlds police force including supplying arms to Saudi Arabia.
Seem to have come full circle there!
Ramadan being imminent never crossed my mind, I’m not a drinker or dancer so would be able to cope with that.
For the posters sniping about Saudi human rights issues I’ll only be following in the footsteps of the oil and armament industries so I doubt me spending < £1K over there will make a difference either way!
I will of course be leaving behind my own nation currently dealing with another huge corruption scandal which imprisoned or took away the livelihood of thousands of Sub Postmasters with the collusion of the ruling class.
Not to mention a two year old starving to death unnoticed in a busy town despite being known to the authorities.
The Saudi regime is stuck in the middle ages and I cannot excuse their actions but visiting there for a few days will not make a difference either way.
Perhaps I should travel to another race instead? USA perhaps where racist cops harass or even execute people in the street with impunity and people fear their children will be shot and killed at school?
Where the government thinks they can increase their global influence by pretending to be the worlds police force including supplying arms to Saudi Arabia.
Seem to have come full circle there!
Lol, that’s a good response Sir!
I’m based in Dubai, where Ramadan is now pretty much not observed by law - but Saudi is very different. AIUI it’s illegal to drink water in public (outside your hotel room, including in your own car you hired) during daylight hours. You’ll know if it starts on Sunday or Monday, late on Saturday night, as the local astronomers actually go and spot the new moon.
I’m currently trying to get to Bahrain for the first race the week before, but if that falls through I might go to Jeddah instead. Keep in touch.
I’m based in Dubai, where Ramadan is now pretty much not observed by law - but Saudi is very different. AIUI it’s illegal to drink water in public (outside your hotel room, including in your own car you hired) during daylight hours. You’ll know if it starts on Sunday or Monday, late on Saturday night, as the local astronomers actually go and spot the new moon.
I’m currently trying to get to Bahrain for the first race the week before, but if that falls through I might go to Jeddah instead. Keep in touch.
Thanks Steve, very informative, especially as you actually live out there.
Strange that no one else has any info to add, at one time it seemed that half of PH lived and worked in the region.
I’m assuming it would be best to time my visit in order to fly back the day after race day thus avoiding too much Ramadan?
Strange that no one else has any info to add, at one time it seemed that half of PH lived and worked in the region.
I’m assuming it would be best to time my visit in order to fly back the day after race day thus avoiding too much Ramadan?
My wife has been the last couple of times and has enjoyed it - we live out in KSA. There has been the odd missile in the past, certainly when we were in Riyadh there were a couple of interceptions, but everything seems to be happening in the Red Sea at the moment. I wouldn't say it is anything to worry about.
Things are changing incredibly quickly. Jeddah is more relaxed than a lot of places. Certainly not illegal to drink water in public. The airport near us had all the food and drink places open last year and encouraged us to use them. Just be respectful. Restaurants certainly likely to be closed in the day though, definitely not moved as far along as Dubai. Start depends on the moon as mentioned, so could be Sunday or Monday probably.
People are very friendly and Jeddah is used to the event now, They just had a big music festival in the old city - times are definitely changing!
Things are changing incredibly quickly. Jeddah is more relaxed than a lot of places. Certainly not illegal to drink water in public. The airport near us had all the food and drink places open last year and encouraged us to use them. Just be respectful. Restaurants certainly likely to be closed in the day though, definitely not moved as far along as Dubai. Start depends on the moon as mentioned, so could be Sunday or Monday probably.
People are very friendly and Jeddah is used to the event now, They just had a big music festival in the old city - times are definitely changing!
Not to mention all those prisoners kept chained and shackled, with equipment made here in the UK!
Lets talk about women's rights then, the chances of even getting your attacker to court never mind a conviction are very very slim.
Just about regime in the world has state sponsored murder and corruption, there have been notable examples here, scientists ” suicide”,bodies in sports bags, Northern Ireland assassinations, lets not pretend the UK is any better.
As for executions, the majority of our own populace support capital punishment as many polls have shown.
Can we return to the subject please, start a thread of your own if you want to discuss Middle Eastern politics.
Lets talk about women's rights then, the chances of even getting your attacker to court never mind a conviction are very very slim.
Just about regime in the world has state sponsored murder and corruption, there have been notable examples here, scientists ” suicide”,bodies in sports bags, Northern Ireland assassinations, lets not pretend the UK is any better.
As for executions, the majority of our own populace support capital punishment as many polls have shown.
Can we return to the subject please, start a thread of your own if you want to discuss Middle Eastern politics.
SaulGoodman said:
My wife has been the last couple of times and has enjoyed it - we live out in KSA. There has been the odd missile in the past, certainly when we were in Riyadh there were a couple of interceptions, but everything seems to be happening in the Red Sea at the moment. I wouldn't say it is anything to worry about.
Things are changing incredibly quickly. Jeddah is more relaxed than a lot of places. Certainly not illegal to drink water in public. The airport near us had all the food and drink places open last year and encouraged us to use them. Just be respectful. Restaurants certainly likely to be closed in the day though, definitely not moved as far along as Dubai. Start depends on the moon as mentioned, so could be Sunday or Monday probably.
People are very friendly and Jeddah is used to the event now, They just had a big music festival in the old city - times are definitely changing!
Very interesting to hear that things are liberalising quickly in the Kingdom, clearly a big effort to attract tourists and outsiders. Definitely hope to get out there for the F1 someday, if not this year. Things are changing incredibly quickly. Jeddah is more relaxed than a lot of places. Certainly not illegal to drink water in public. The airport near us had all the food and drink places open last year and encouraged us to use them. Just be respectful. Restaurants certainly likely to be closed in the day though, definitely not moved as far along as Dubai. Start depends on the moon as mentioned, so could be Sunday or Monday probably.
People are very friendly and Jeddah is used to the event now, They just had a big music festival in the old city - times are definitely changing!
When I first worked in Dubai around 2006 it was no drinking in public during Ramadan - now the mall restaurants and even the hotel bars are open all day, basically it’s no different from any other month. The regulations have been relaxed a little each year or two, and now there’s almost nothing left of them.
The security situation is a little worrying to all of us in the region, but my wife is Ukranian so we know all about what war can bring, our ‘holiday’ last year was a trip to see her father for the first time in two years. There’s nothing we as individuals can do about conflict, just carry on with our lives as much as possible.
kev b said:
Strange that no one else has any info to add, at one time it seemed that half of PH lived and worked in the region.
Most of us are in the UAE and the general consensus is we’d rather visit Slough on a damp Thursday in November, traveling long haul with EasyJet, than holiday in Saudi. Strange you don’t want to visit the AUH round, it would make for a better trip in every conceivable way.
Some people just need to be somewhere, regardless, and that is what this country is banking on. The Italian football league had some Coppa games there recently there was about 4000 people there, boxing massive fight a few weeks ago literally no-one there.
They dont care, because they know that enough people will just pay to be there and have zero thoughts about what is actually going on.
They dont care, because they know that enough people will just pay to be there and have zero thoughts about what is actually going on.
I have holiday entitlement to use up before April but and noticed that I could have three or four nights in warm and sunny KSA, watch an F1 night race for about the price of lunch in the rain at Silverstone.
I’m not a drinker or a coke and hookers sort, so wandering around in sunshine for a weekend in March with an F1 night race included seemed like a good idea. However being the cautious type I thought asking PH for advice seemed sensible.
For the naysayers which alternative race held before April would you suggest?
I’m not a drinker or a coke and hookers sort, so wandering around in sunshine for a weekend in March with an F1 night race included seemed like a good idea. However being the cautious type I thought asking PH for advice seemed sensible.
For the naysayers which alternative race held before April would you suggest?
kev b said:
I have holiday entitlement to use up before April but and noticed that I could have three or four nights in warm and sunny KSA, watch an F1 night race for about the price of lunch in the rain at Silverstone.
I’m not a drinker or a coke and hookers sort, so wandering around in sunshine for a weekend in March with an F1 night race included seemed like a good idea. However being the cautious type I thought asking PH for advice seemed sensible.
For the naysayers which alternative race held before April would you suggest?
12 Hours of Sebring in March. It's a great venue and a fantastic atmosphere. There are lots of flights to Orlando, Tampa, or Miami. I can't make it this year, but I generally fly in from California, and two time I've had friend fly in from the UK to join me.I’m not a drinker or a coke and hookers sort, so wandering around in sunshine for a weekend in March with an F1 night race included seemed like a good idea. However being the cautious type I thought asking PH for advice seemed sensible.
For the naysayers which alternative race held before April would you suggest?
Gassing Station | Formula 1 | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff