Friday, February 3rd, 2012
Hash Friday arrived again and after another night at Eskan (don't worry, I'll tell you all about Eskan another day) it came a little to early. I decided however that no matter how tired and well, probably still a little drunk I felt, I was still getting up and going on the Hash. Plus I had made arrangements that night before for a ride, and he kind of needed me to be his "Plus-one". Ok a short introduction, Eskan is a US Military Compound here in Riyadh (home to the Army and the Air Force.....the Marines are in the Diplomatic Quarter and the Navy is in Bahrain or someplace with water) and when they leave the compound to go anywhere there needs to be at least 2 people in the vehicle. Nate, an Army Medic who was planning to head to the Hash (his girlfriend also works at King Faisal but didn't come out to Eskan this weekend), needed to get to the pick-up spot and so did I so I was his "Plus-one" and everything worked out.
This week's Hash took us to a location called The Edge of the World. It has a very good reputation of being a fabulous spot. There was concern that we couldn't go there anymore because the area was closed but turns out it has only been closed to Saudi citizens. Apparently they like to use it as a source of firewood and the government has named it a protected area. There are still many Bedouin in the area (those would be semi-nomadic people who live in the desert) so you could see why firewood is needed.....with the lack of trees and everything.
Anyway, The Edge of the World is a lot farther away than most of the other Hash trips which meant we had to leave Eskan at 0730......which was a little early considering I only went to bed at about 0530. They don't go to Edge of the World very often however, so I sucked it up and made the trip. A full 2 hour drive by the way.
I was kind of hoping we were heading up that way, but it was here that we left the road and hit the desert. Good thing the guys at Eskan are issued big 4 wheel drives. We were entertained the whole drive out by a couple of the tiny little cars that took and the risk and made the drive. I was impressed that none of them got stuck.
My view from behind Nate. A few seconds after I took this the dust got really bad and the path disappeared. Once again very happy I can't drive.
About 40ish minutes of desert driving (and a few wrong turns that we can't blame Nate for since we all thought he was following someone who had a map) we arrived at our destination. A short climb up and we got to see what everyone talks about.
Not quite at the top but the reason why they call it the Edge of the World.
A few steps behind me it is straight down.
Not at all what I expected to find in the desert.
Ok there is a whole lot of world left to look at but it is a very steep drop off and a long way down.
We were heading out to that point.
About half way to the edge. A really amazing spot.
A little bit closer to the edge.
This is Amber (Nate's girlfriend.....from Toronto by the way).....and those are a few fellow hashers behind us. Always a friendly group.
As close to the edge as I was getting.
Ok, so I got a little closer and Nate took forever taking this picture. Vertigo is just about to set in.
We had to be out by 1600 (4pm) or risk being locked in for the night so we cut our socializing pretty short after the hike. It was still 2 hours back to Riyadh from this location and we were all a little tired. Nate, Amber and I did make one more stop before they dropped me off at home...McDonald's Drive-Thur. Pretty much just like home......except that you can order a McArabia......and it's a whole lot cheaper. Hit that spot on this day.
And my desert adventure continues.
Julie
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