Medinah to AlUla, Saudi Arabia, December 27, 2022

We drove for 4 hours through-

This nothingness is starting to get to me.  I’m glad there are only 5 days left.  I’ve had enough of sand and hills.  

The drivers can sniff out a restaurant because they like to eat all the time.  Karen has to be constantly on them when we stop that it’s not time for lunch!  They’re like a couple of kids but at least they’ve learned how to drive down hills!  We usually pull into a truck stop that has fuel, a restaurant or two, a mosque that has toilets and one or more coffee shops.  What a weird name for a coffee shop-

There are only 13 of us so there’s lots of room in the coach-

I’ve pretty much sat in the same seat the whole trip, right by the back door-

Lunch was the weirdest falafel but in a very tasty sauce.  Everyone crowds together on platforms-

and they eat without utensils, using bread to pick up the food.  I always use a spoon.

Carrying on we passed by an oasis-

with adobe ruins-

We drove through some beautiful scenery.  The rock formations are amazing-

Elephant rock opened at 4.  It’s my favourite spot so far-

There were seating areas dug into the sand-

Bean bag type chairs-

and other sitting areas-

There was a burger restaurant and a coffee shop.  All of a sudden my name was cast up onto one of the rocks-

It got darker-

and darker.  The workers started lighting fires in the pits in the centre of the seating areas.  It would be a great place to be on a warmer night-

Leaving the park-

We are camped for two nights in a walled compound with bathrooms and showers with hot water.  It’s supposed to get down to about 4 tonight but it should be okay out of the wind.  Tomorrow we have tickets for tours to Hegra and Dadan/Ikman.  I forgot to look them up so I don’t have a clue what I’ll see!