Just finished reading this fascinating book about Gordon Pearce ex Astran first employed driver’s exploits doing internal Middle East work in Saudi Arabia for White Trux, perhaps we could do book reviews on here, I’ve already done "Beyond the Bosphorus "( Very good book) and of course “Destination Doha” video, anyone know what Cola Cowboys is like ?
southlondoner:
Just finished reading this fascinating book about Gordon Pearce ex Astran first employed driver’s exploits doing internal Middle East work in Saudi Arabia for White Trux, perhaps we could do book reviews on here, I’ve already done "Beyond the Bosphorus "( Very good book) and of course “Destination Doha” video, anyone know what Cola Cowboys is like ?
Gordon was a lovely old boy. Lots of tales to tell. There are many book reviews on here and somewhere there’s a thread about this book. You’ll have to go back through the pages to find it though. If I come across it, I’ll bump it up for you. Ro
southlondoner:
anyone know what Cola Cowboys is like ?
I read it many years ago as new driver hopeful with lots of dreams of international work.I liked it but even then I’d realised that the Iranian revolution and Iran Iraq War would probably have made most of what was being told moot.I knew that realistically most Middle East runs were probably history at that point it was a hostile place to be.How close it all was to fact who knows only those who did it would know.I can remember some of the references to the documentation involved and the implications of the extreme heat they sometimes faced.
The Destination Doha TV documentary before it was maybe closer to the truth but some say even that was staged to a degree.I’ve often wondered what the actual value of the load shown in that programme on arrival was v the costs of getting there.
Carryfast I’m wondering if you ever did any of these ME routes!?
The ME is a huge area of different country, traditions and religions.
I’ve read the book along with many others - some interesting stories, tales whatever you want yo call them.
I set up Trans Arabia in 1976 with no previous overseas experience let alone ME…
The learning curve was steeper than Mount Everest! I could go on for pages but to just refer to the book in question - he must have had some real issues as he was bordering on the empty quarter and that’s horrendous I’d you were not brought up there and gave the skills handed gown over generations.
He actually went the wrong way!! He should have done Riyadh - Taif - Abha - Khamis - Najran with a police/army escorted run into his destination. This route is very mountainous from staid onwards, the scenery is just amazing, you are running at altitudes of around 5 to 7 thousand feet. The road at that times was being upgraded and bridges being build do quite difficult at times.
We did a number of runs down there with high value electronic equipment for British company supplying the Saudi Government - we had to report to the police in Najran who would arrange a security convoy each morning with a non stop and I mean non stop run thru bandit territory, no water breaks nothing, offload and wait for the return journey nxt morning. Overnight their was loads of gunshot with the locals fighting the Yemen terrorists.
Over the 6 years I was there we had lot of issues and some great fun and memories but the issues were in the cities not the countryside. Could go on for hours.
Ken b
Carryfast I’m wondering if you ever did any of these ME routes!?
The ME is a huge area of different countries, traditions and religions.
I’ve read the book along with any others - some interesting stories, make whatever you want of them.
I set up Trans Arabia in 1976 with no previous overseas experience let alone ME.
The learning curve was steeper than Mount Everest! I could go on for pages but to just refer to the book in question - he must have had some real issues as he was bordering on the empty quarter and that’s horrendous I’d you were not brought up there and gave the skills handed gown over generations.
He actually went the wrong way!! He should have done Riyadh - Taif - Abha - Khamis - Najran with a police/army escorted run into his destination. This route is very mountainous from staid onwards, the scenery is just amazing, you are running at altitudes of around 5 to 7 thousand feet. The road at that times was being upgraded and bridges being built this lead to quite difficult driving conditions.
We did a number of runs down there with high value electronic equipment for a British company supplying the Saudi Government - we had to report to the police in Najran who would arrange a security convoy each morning with a non stop and I mean non stop run thru bandit territory, no water breaks nothing, offload and wait for the return journey nxt morning. Overnight their was loads of gunshot with the locals fighting the Yemen terrorists.
Over the 6 years I was there we had lots of issues and some great fun and memories but the issues were in the cities not the countryside. Could go on for hours.
Ken b
Ps what I failed to say : that in the Late 70 they build a direct toad from Riyadh to Najran(a long road) bordering the empty quarter. We did use it but the drawback was bandits - thieves - they would block the road - grab you pull you out of the cab - strip you of your clothes and empty the cab.
As for Cola Cowboys, it’s actually a good read and it was one of the things that inspired me to do M/E work. BUT, you need to take it with more than a pinch - more like a camel-train load - of salt! The author was a (either Candadian or American) journalist and was clearly pretty clueless about transport culture in this part of the world. He reported drivers’ tales and info without verification so many Middle-Easters who read it dismissed it outright as rubbish because it is filled with so many inaccuracies. If you’ve never done the run, it’s entertaining. The greatest downside is the fact that the author (just like the naïve author of Juggernaut) lost all of his hundreds of priceless photographs to the Arab authorities. Those pics today would have been a wonderful archive. Ro