jsutherland:
Thanks for your experiences. I was in India a few years ago on business. It was rather tame compared to yours.
Sent from my Hol-U19 using Tapatalk
Tell us about India Johnny ,that must be of interest to us all , I worked with india’ns at GCC they where great peple , hard working and truthfull ,working on ■■■■■■■ engines this place was the hottest place I personally worked it was what I would call a swett shop , it was a concreat low building with a long tin roof with engine bays all of its length It was unbearably hot hot , for someone in an air conditioned office in Jeddah to belittle the temp in Jeddah is a compleat Buffoon, the heat in Dammam was drier than Jedder but within a couple of. Deg ,I had an apearence to keep up ! Ie shirt and trousers and the biro in my top pocket just ran out it realy was hard work forgive me for not naming them all but Pervez in the White shirt on the right with sun glasses on he was my foreman ,his ears used to bleed when testing the engines on the Dyno i insisted he wore ear protection ,from the strait 6 to small Vs to the V12vs it was proberly to late for this man but what a place ? Oh I must mention Karlic Shar on bottom left all great lads Ron
ronhawk:
Someone has got it wrong ? CB radios ? We all had them at TASECO , with the ARAMCO contract that is the management team , when I was attending to that NSF blow out with The ERF. in a sand storm , and that Cop crashed into the Trailer and was killed ? Well he looked dead to me ? I called check point and they related the call for the ambulance to attend , the ambulance crew dropped him from waist high onto a canvas pole stretcher and his head hit the tarmac , I thought he’s dead now , Ron
They wouldn’t be CB radios Ron. Yes there were radios, but they would be licensed by the authorities and strictly controlled. I think the Saudis were too scared of insurrection, particularly among the Shias of the Eastern Province to allow general use of 2 way radios. How they feel about mobile phones now, I have no idea!
ronhawk:
Someone has got it wrong ? CB radios ? We all had them at TASECO , with the ARAMCO contract that is the management team , when I was attending to that NSF blow out with The ERF. in a sand storm , and that Cop crashed into the Trailer and was killed ? Well he looked dead to me ? I called check point and they related the call for the ambulance to attend , the ambulance crew dropped him from waist high onto a canvas pole stretcher and his head hit the tarmac , I thought he’s dead now , Ron
They wouldn’t be CB radios Ron. Yes there were radios, but they would be licensed by the authorities and strictly controlled. I think the Saudis were too scared of insurrection, particularly among the Shias of the Eastern Province to allow general use of 2 way radios. How they feel about mobile phones now, I have no idea!
Really enjoyed your story about your journey to KKMC, Jona. Since I entered Saudi at Turaif on overland it was more of a progression than your harsh introduction.
I don’t think KKMC existed when I first went past Hafar Al Batin in maybe April or May 1976. But as first a subby, then later an employee of Caravan Trading, I saw quite a lot of it later!
‘The Mirrors’ was a cafe at the junction you’ve mentioned, the road from Kuwait to Riyadh (a centuries old camel trail) crossing the TAPline road. I’ve told the stories elsewhere, but it was a place almost of myth with overlanders… And extreme disappointment when you got there! There were mirrors on the walls. They were dirty, old and the backing was peeling as I remember.
One of our group was hounded by an old Arab there. He had climbed into a huge unglazed pot for a bath. Unfortunately, the pot was the Arab’s drinking water source - the unglazed pot was porous, so the evaporation cooled the water. One very unchuffed Arab!
You mentioned the teeth cleaning with the twigs. Yes, you saw that everywhere. Also in the chicken and rice restaurants, they always had pots containing toothpicks. It was at the mirrors that I saw an Arab take a toothpick from the pot, use it, then carefully replace it in the pot! No more toothpicks for me.
Hi Ron,
during my time in India I saw many a sight that put shivers down my back - health and safety has another meaning there . I am sure that for you and the contributors on here it was a similar story.
Indian puncture repairs near Ooty, south-west India. I saw many repairs being carried out at the side of the road - including the changing of a rear axel. Unfortunately, I didn’t get my camera out quick enough and missed the opportunity.
Well thanks Johnny , what a pleasant surprise to see your photos from another country ( India ) that’s a place I have not visited, That main road and the clarity of your photos , and to see greenery in the background , makes it somehow softer and more pleasant , the Max loaded wood tractor , I see there are some sturdy x sections in its build, the puncture repair, again very clear with a bucket of french chalk what a luxury , the young men on top of the truck was typical of Saudi , thanks for posting them , Ron
Jona , The huge rocks on Taif where all painted by brush with x pats names on , only one or two in the mountains down the s/west , Gypsy Dave was one for leaving his name along the the track the one I liked was 222 Kliks from Riyhad there where encampments of Bedouins where waiting to have there fortune told , with the painted signs GYPSY DAVE in bold print Har Har Ron
ronhawk:
Well thanks Johnny , what a pleasant surprise to see your photos from another country ( India ) that’s a place I have not visited, That main road and the clarity of your photos , and to see greenery in the background , makes it somehow softer and more pleasant , the Max loaded wood tractor , I see there are some sturdy x sections in its build, the puncture repair, again very clear with a bucket of french chalk what a luxury , the young men on top of the truck was typical of Saudi , thanks for posting them , Ron
Hi Ron,
It was really nice to visit Ooty. It is located high in the hills - at 7350 feet. The weather was very pleasant (around 25-28 C) and there were quite a number of tea plantations around.
The ERF was a bloody good truck ,tested beyond its max it stood up to all the challenges of Saudi ,with good maintenance it was a contender up against stronger opposition it left them in a trail of dust ,pulling above it max it gave you the conference that it will get you through the most demanding of situations , and with ■■■■■■■ engine and a purpose built Jake Brake it was fantastic , I often wonder how this truck failed , the short sighted hauliers let it slide away under the wheels of foreign opposition ,but now with Brexit , what a pity we lost this Marque , Ron
Here ,s one for you Ron and one of my favorites… I meant to say earlier but forgot it was amazing how the lads got a bit innovative and sort of invented stuff just fro instance one of our drivers salvaged an air tank which he filled with water and had it fitted with an air hose valve fixed a shower head on the spare wheel carrier that was behind the cab plugged inn the hose and the water being heated with the sun all day stood in a basin and had a shower out in the middle of nowhere just one example of making do …just like the oilcan path that Ron made to load up
Brilliant Backsplice ,I like that idea very much , and what a luxury to have a shower in the desert of Saudi , do you know that in the warm temp we have had just lately in England ,watering the garden with the hose pipe I did just that, shooting the the water vertically into a blue blue sky it fell on my half stripped body , and I could just stand the shock it was bloody freezing , the neighbours must think I am barmy ■■? No comment !!! Never thought of saudi though ! , the toilet facility was the Under the trailer , kicking the sand about ? ( But we won’t go into that ) thank goodness , and never pick up stones in the desert, Ron
Don’t forget the S.Jones reunion on the 29/10/16 at Shelfield Catholic Club at midday £5 on the door and snap provided try and come its a good laugh. Jona
Jona !! We have my daughter husband 50 on that very same day ? my loyalties are torn between the 2 , what a bloody shame it could have been another Dads Army ,you being PIKE and Copey as Mainwaring I see if I can call in on the way , Ron
. I am sure that for you and the contributors on here it was a similar story.
All the lads used to stop here to get there picture taken. Me and my room mate John Mccwean.
