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Old 27th September 2002 | 18:52
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Stan Evil
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Joined: Oct 1999
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From: UK
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Saudi Arabia is not the place for those seeking a free and easy lifestyle. Alcohol is prohibited and is only available to diplomats or Saudi royals (the real stuff) or on exclusively expat compounds (home-brew). Selling home-brew to the locals will get you locked up and the key thrown away.

Private flying does not exist in Saudi Arabia (unless you're a Saudi prince) - the Saudis are so paranoid about national security that there's no way you'd be let lose in an aircraft in the country. Even travelling by car outside Riyadh requires letters of authority.

Saudi law and customs are more strictly enforced in Riyadh than in Jeddah or Dhahran (which also both benefit from being at the seaside).

Wives have a generally miserable time unless they like nothing better than playing bridge or soaking up the sun all day. Lovers are prohibited (more jail if caught with one).

You even need a visa to leave the country and your employer may require to keep your passport. The only reason for going to work in Saudi is to earn a packet and, as there's ******-all to spend it on, to bring a load back with you at the end of the contract.
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