On the Road to Jazan

18 December 2022

Left our accommodation at 7am for the journey to Jazan. Beautiful morning with a crystal blue sky and an actinic sun, thanks to our high altitude.

Conversation on the bus about secret Santa and I remembered that Xmas was just around the corner. No sign of Santa or reindeers here in Muslim Saudi. Whew, I don’t need my bah humbug hat.

Stopped to see some baboons. Definitely shier than the African ones. Altitude here is 2675 meters, temperature 5°C

Baboon Viewing

Stopped to see some baboons. Definitely shier than the African ones. Altitude 2675 meters, temperature 5°C

Mountain passes

We’re going through some spectacular mountain passes and tunnels on our was to the Red Sea.

https://maps.google.com/?q=18.439143,42.460763&entry=gps

Muhayil

Driving past and through this very pleasant Arab town. It looks clean and prosperous. Its stitched into the side of the mountains we’ve been driving through for the past few hours.

Muhayil (Arabic: محايل عسير) Asir Governorate is a Saudi governorate belonging to the Asir region. It is located in the southwest of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, about 80 km northwest of the city of Abha, the capital of the Asir region. It is bordered on the north by Bariq Governorate, on the south by Rijal Alma’ Governorate, and on the east by the city of Abha, the headquarters of the Emirate of the Asir Region. And from the west, Al-Barak Governorate. is one of the governorates in ‘Asir Region, Saudi Arabia

Mosque wee break

Stopped here to answer a call of nature. All mosques have, generally, clean and free toilets and ablutions. Nearly all are the squat type. Our altitude is 700 meters, 2000 metres lower than a few hours ago. The temperature is mid to high 20s, a big difference to a few hours ago when it was brass monkey weather.