Travel to Saudi?

Has anyone here travelled out to Saudi Arabia (on business) in the past
few years? I wonder how awkward the Visa process is (I assume you need
one) and how long it takes. Also was it worth using an Agency to obtain
said Visa.

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star wars equipment, with some minor alterations (see: angle grinder)
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http://www.learn4good.com/travel/saudi_arabia_visa.htm

(I'm off to Dubai tomorrow...)

 

I've never used an agency and went directly to the Embassy. It's a
right PITA as it can take time (Normally, anything from a week up,
although it can be accelerated if someone knows someone else, who knows
someone in the embassy, IYSWIM).

Apart from that, as long as you've got the right letter of invitation,
etc, it's a straight forward process.

Oh, it costs too. IIRC when I last went over, it was something around
$100.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Hog

No.

But I've worked in a lot of M.E. countries in the last few years. Whilst
somebody probably *could* pay me enough to get me to work in Saudi
(briefly), it would be a positively eye-watering amount of money.

 

It's a right ****.

Easier to go temporary. To get an igama (residency) is an
unbelievable crock of shit.

Anyway: don't bother. Ghastly place. I'd rather be in Iraq than
Saudi.

 

You can actually see this meme mutating!

 

That does depend where you go. Khobar is okay and Jeddah isn't too
bad. It's Riyadh that's the shithole.

 

You just wouldn't though TBF

 

Oh it isn't for residency. **** that for a game of soldiers.

 

Fair comment but I think they deserve medical technology as much as anyone
else and more than some.

 

Paul Corfield wrote:

Some places in Saudi are quite nice.

Riyadh is a shithole and has no character. The Muttawa (religious
police) are cunts to everyone. There is no (legal) alcohol allowed.
They treat women and certain foreigners (Filipinos, for example) like
scum. I feel as though lots of Saudis are conceited and arrogant. The
religion is down right oppressive (I've seen this in no other Arabic
country I've visited). There is no tolerance by Saudis for other
religions. The list goes on.

BUT in the most part, it's in Ridaydh where this is most visible
(probably due to the royal family being based there). Other major
cities in Saudi are much more relaxed, but some of the points above
still apply.

Oh, unless you went there on a pilgrimage or for business, you'd not be
able to go there anyway.

 

I don't know TBH, but I think it'll be religious, and would probably
throw some tribal aspects in the mix.

 

TBF they simply operate a No Cunts Rule

 

Heh, and of course, they use their own definition of Cunts which is the
opposite of a Western ****.

 

Frankly the Saudis share quite a few Key Indicators with me. Obviously we
disagree on quite a few more.