On Tuesday we went to Bahrain. Beer for the men, and abaya-free time for me. Women in Bahrain enjoy much more freedom than in Saudi Arabia. We can drive, hold jobs, and wear regular clothes. There are movie theatres and the city is much cleaner and prettier (read: green) than the Eastern Province. Only an hour and a half's drive for a reprieve from the restrictions of the Kingdom.
It was Jeff and me, with two fellow pilots, Jeronimo & Eduardo. We didn't have the necessary paperwork to take the rental car across the border, so we called up a driver and had him take us over. Made for a squishy ride, with three of us in the backseat, but it was our first taste of Bahrain, so we were too excited to care, anyway.
There are 7 checkpoints on the Saudi-Bahrain causeway. I really don't know why they need that many. Here is a list of the checkpoints:
1. Toll payment of SAR20.
2. They check that your car is insured.
3. They give you a piece of paper with Arabic words on it. I don't know what this paper says.
4. Show your passport to the customs guy.
5. Pass that Arabic piece of paper to the attendant.
6. Show your passport again, and pay the visitor's visa fee.
7. Stop your car and get out, and they inspect your car.
Why can't this process be condensed? Why do they need someone to sit in a booth and pass you a piece of paper?
On the return to Saudi from Bahrain, there is an even more absurd booth. A guy sits in there, and waves you through. We thought we had to do something at this checkpoint, but all we did was slow down, and the booth guy waved his fingers to let us through. Turns out no one has to stop at this checkpoint, just slow down. Wha? They're just creating jobs for the sake of creating jobs.
It was Jeff and me, with two fellow pilots, Jeronimo & Eduardo. We didn't have the necessary paperwork to take the rental car across the border, so we called up a driver and had him take us over. Made for a squishy ride, with three of us in the backseat, but it was our first taste of Bahrain, so we were too excited to care, anyway.
There are 7 checkpoints on the Saudi-Bahrain causeway. I really don't know why they need that many. Here is a list of the checkpoints:
1. Toll payment of SAR20.
2. They check that your car is insured.
3. They give you a piece of paper with Arabic words on it. I don't know what this paper says.
4. Show your passport to the customs guy.
5. Pass that Arabic piece of paper to the attendant.
6. Show your passport again, and pay the visitor's visa fee.
7. Stop your car and get out, and they inspect your car.
Why can't this process be condensed? Why do they need someone to sit in a booth and pass you a piece of paper?
On the return to Saudi from Bahrain, there is an even more absurd booth. A guy sits in there, and waves you through. We thought we had to do something at this checkpoint, but all we did was slow down, and the booth guy waved his fingers to let us through. Turns out no one has to stop at this checkpoint, just slow down. Wha? They're just creating jobs for the sake of creating jobs.
The causeway is pretty spectacular, though. It looks pretty new, although I read that it was built 20-some years ago. In any case, it's held up well, and there's a man-made island in the middle of the water where all the checkpoints are located.
Photo credit: Brian J. McMorrow.
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