We owned a Jeep Cherokee during those two years in Saudi Arabia. It was perfect for
getting us to all the camping destinations we went to during our Saudi years.
Kevin and I lived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for two years from 1999 to 2001. At that time it was illegal for women to drive. Oh goodness. That was just one of the many things that incensed me about living there. Kevin always told me I just had to “tolerate not accept” the ways of Saudi Arabia. I’ve never considered myself a feminist, but while living there I did become quite rebellious in regards to the treatment of women. One such area was driving.
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Luckily in June of 2018 the ban was lifted allowing women to drive in Saudi Arabia. Thank goodness! Women certainly have the same mental capacity to drive as any human being, and fortunately they are now able to transport themselves and their families within the country. It wasn’t so when we lived there….
Sometimes, I would just need to get somewhere within the large compound where we lived–say one of the (best) pools for example. So, admittedly, I broke the law. As seen in these photos I had quite short hair–in fact it could have passed as manly if need be. At times, I’d hop in the car, put on a cap, and drive myself where I needed to go.
Camping in Saudi Arabia was really something! Sometimes we’d go on our own.
We’d camped on the Red Sea and would snorkel all day long.
What’s funny is I actually don’t prefer to drive; Kevin is usually the one who drives, and in Hong Kong we don’t even own a car. But, when a simple act like driving is taken from someone, well… we often want what we can’t have. During those two years, I never did drive off the compound; that could have gotten me in serious trouble. But I have to admit I got a thrill when I drove once or twice in our gated community.
Wow! We look like young pups!! And here’s proof that I’ve been
wearing cutoff jean shorts for a really long time!
Don’t get me wrong. It wasn’t all difficult times; I do have fond memories of living in Saudi Arabia. For example, we really enjoyed camping. We would go with a few couples, large groups of over 20, or sometimes just the two of us. We went camping a lot, and it was always great fun! Luckily we had a great car to get us around–I just couldn’t drive it!
What would you do if you were told you couldn’t drive because you are a woman?
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