The Pitfalls of Visiting Foreign Countries

I’d like to relate to you a true story to remind everyone when travelling to be aware of the local customs and that what might go unnoticed at home, may cause offense in another culture. I have only changed the names to protect the innocent as the incident involved a close friend of mine.

John works in Jubail, Saudi Arabia and often had his wife Sue come out to visit. The most convenient way to fly to London directly was via Bahrain Airport, which on a good day was a 2 hour drive away, using the 16 mile causeway over part of the Arabian Sea. The only problem being the traffic at the customs island, half way across the causeway; I know the journey can take over 5 hours.

Incidentally Bahrain is quite a relaxing place compared to Saudi, women are allowed to work, drive and talk to men. The restaurants and beaches are not divided into family and batchelor sections. Women can dress in western clothes; and there are bars, night clubs, cinemas etc. Even pork products are available in certain supermarkets, including Muller Lite Yoghurts! (They will even give you “Saudi Packaging” if you want to smuggle pork back to Saudi, with false labels etc. But you definitely don’t want to try to smuggle alcohol back!)

John had driven Sue over to Bahrain Airport on our day off, Friday, and they spent the day in Bahrain shopping, eating and drinking as we do. He left Sue at 11.00pm in the customs hall to catch the 1.40am flight, and arrived back in his villa at 1.00am ready for work the next day. He was woken at 3.00am by the phone ringing, you can imagine what was passing through his mind. It was his son-in-law: “We’ve just had a text from Sue, she’s in jail, can you get the British Embassy!” He immediately tried the internet and the emergency numbers for the Consul in Bahrain but couldn’t contact anyone at that time of night.

The next day we all, of course, had a good laugh. John had come into work and, after the British Consul eventually found in which prison his wife was being held, told us he was going to have to take a day or 2 off to try and get her out of Jail! Saturday was also a day off in Bahrain and Sue was due in court on Sunday. Now Sue is a very pleasant, quiet person, in her late 50’s, who has 2 problems, she smokes, and is terrified of flying. She overcame the latter by a couple of drinks in the airport bar; but, when the flight was delayed by an hour argued with the local police about leaving the BA high security gate to go back to the departure lounge for another cigarette. In the argument she says she told the policewoman to “clear off”, and was promptly arrested!

John says he got to the British Consul at 8:00 am, and announced he had come to get his wife out of jail! Sue was eventually released at lunchtime after appearing in court and John paying the BD100 (GBP140) fine for disorderly conduct. She had spent 36 hours in a woman’s prison, sleeping on a mattress in a cell with 7 others. She later told us that it was not too bad as she knew one of the other inmates! A waitress in one of the bars we all regularly used!

John told us that he didn’t mind paying BD100, but BD200 had been definitely his upper limit! He couldn’t get her a flight home that night and ended up paying for an overnight stay in Bahrain. To add to the inconvenience her luggage had stayed on the plane and was lost for 2 weeks in the Terminal 5 opening fiasco.

So do be careful in foreign parts as even the most innocent and innocuous of us can end up in deep trouble through a moments carelessness. (John also had to tell his wife's boss and family in the UK that she would be late back, having been arrested and thrown in Jail.)

Greetings From Saudi.   Tony Nunn