We wake up to the sound of wild dogs. Not bothering us, just running around the bush, chasing each other. Breakfast is porridge and fruit, which I serve to ‘Lady Becky’ still in bed.
She claims she did not sleep too well, but it sounded like she did unless I was mistaken and it was one of the dogs snoring last night.
After breakfast, we set off from the national park and take the opportunity for a quick snap shot at the Mount Abu Hsas Altoithir rocks which are amazing. We head to place just north of Riyadh, but this meant going through the city and the nerves kicked in. As we got close it got busier. We followed the satnav closely, but it seems not close enough as all of a sudden, the road clears and we are on open road. Waze decided that the city was too much and takes us up and around the national park.
The roads actually got better and even the wind did ease a little which helped fuel economy for sure and reduce the panic every time you pass a lorry and there is plenty of them for sure!
When we got to the park which we planned to stay for the night the gate was down! Oh dear, don’t panic…. We head around the outskirts of the park and notice a way in the back, but the park is having some renovations and fairly abandoned. It seems quiet and safe enough so we park up.
We spend the first half an hour stressing as we find the battery and our only power source is not topped up either by the solar during the drive or worse still the alternator. In theory the battery should be fully charged after 5 hours driving, even better than 5 hours of solar panel including the portable one. Something is wrong. We send a couple of messages to friends and not much they can do even if one offers engineering advice of remove the lithium battery and connect to the Jeep with your jump cables. Ah yeah jump cables that’s a good point!
We decide to push through and Becky needs a shower. A rather challenging operation but she will feel better afterwards so worth every effort. We have hot water and sometime too hot, but clean hair and body makes all the world of a difference. I take a chance for a more submariner shower which amuses Becky somewhat each time I call it that. Dinner was stir-fried vegetables and rice and we crawl into bed for 9pm. We are both asleep within minutes which is crazy when you think we have not really done a thing most of the day.
I am awoken by the wind. It picked up at midnight and rattled around the trailer. It’s warm and snug inside but I can’t help but listen to each gust and creek until gone 1am. The traffic quietens down but does not stop really. I am getting better getting up for a toilet in middle of night. I know i disturb Becky, but I am doing it much quietly. I am not looking forward to it raining though. I envisage a bottle and rather careful inside trailer maneuver I think or squeeze my bladder dry before bed. I hate being an old man!
I am awakened at 6am with a number of individuals passing by the trailer and talking. Not really making any effort to be quiet, I can’t blame them as they are workmen arriving to work at the park. Then the workmen arrive with their lorries, water truck and yes, a bulldozer. You can’t make this up. I would say fifty guys all passing saying hello. Friendly and cheerful, I offer tea because at this point I am making my breakfast. Two of them accept my invite of a drink. They don’t stand with me as I think they are scared of Becky who has not got up and joined me for breakfast. The strangest of things then happens. I think they ask me for money as they hand the cups back to me.
I politely state no, but then realise they are actually asking me how many rupees, seriously rupees I want for the chai. I am embarrassed by that and also this was the worse cup of chai they must have had, so I of course refuse any payment.