Stumbled across this on youtube and couldnt resist posting…

Ah well, not as many quick updates as I would have liked. I spent last weekend moving house into our new place We haven’t had our broadband connected yet so things are going to be pretty quiet on here until that happens. For the time being I’ve been entertaining myself with decorating removing some miniature wasps nests and wrestling with poorly manufactured pond pumps for our all new, bigger than it really needs to be expanse of pond in the back garden.

More sketching practice today, this one is based on one of my favourite photos by Steve McCurry 

Thanks to a great deal of effort on the part of Hanans dad, I will soon be in receipt of a Saudi visitors visa

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit really as its not possible to get in as a normal tourist, Hanans parents will probably only be living there for another year before they move back to the UK, so now is a great time to visit. A few things I’m looking forward to on the trip are…

Snorkelling in the Red Sea - I’ve heard that Red Sea off the coast of Saudi is some of the most unspoilt diving going, and much less crowded then Egypt due to the restrictions on visitors.

Visiting the mountains on the way to Taif. I’ve been promised some interesting wildlife here, included camels and babboons

I’m also looking forward to visiting makkah and the old town in Jeddah.

I’ll obviously be taking my camera, but might have to be a bit more discreet than normal. I dont want to carry on my tradition of being told to stop taking pictures by overeager security guards etc.

Answer… pretty damn hard.

If you are not a resident or national you can only get into Saudi under one of three circumstances, first option - you’re going on business, second - you’re going on pilgrimage to Mecca and thirdly a family visit. I’m plumping for the latter, Hanans Mum, Dad and little sister Amanda live in Jeddah which is the major trading city in Saudi positoned on the Red Sea.

So it turns out to prove I’m family I have to jump through a number of hoops in what seems to be a good ole 1800’s style system. Recipe as follows…

1. Request copy of marriage certificate

2. Send Take marriage certificate to Foreign office in London to be “legalised” (sending was taking too long). I don’t see why it needs approving seeing as the government issued it in the first place. Anway good to know that we have an extra seal of approval on our marriage now…

3. Take Copy to Saudi Embassy in London to be double “legalised”.

…..wait 1 day ……

4. go back to London and pick up certificate. Send via snail mail copy of certificate to Saudi Arabia.

……wait……..

5. Hanans Dad does some more foreign office visits over in Saudi to get visa issued.

…..wait …….

5. Send visa back to UK

6. stick in passport.

Phew done… although we’re actually just up to step 4, sigh… The most amusing part of the day though was the 1 hour delay in the Foreign office, whilst delays aren’t normally a source of amusement the cause was explained to be “the computer system is down”, however Alex the announcer unwittingly left on his microphone and all the back office talk was relayed into the waiting room, the culprit it turned out was a paper jam in the printer which effectively brought the foreign office to a standstill, who needs terrorist attacks when you’ve got paper jams.

The opening hours of the Saudi embassy are obviously designed with the normal citizen in mind !?! a very convenient 10am to 11.30am opening slot, which made my journey from the Foreign office on Pall Mall a somewhat hurried one as I tried to get there before it closed. Luckily it wasnt very busy when i got there.

The Saudi Embassy had its own quirks as well, It very much resembled the inside of a bank or a post office. The general processing method there seemed to be everyone stand in a queue at the first window, as each person got to the front the guy would show a general disinterest in their reason for being there and direct them to a hidden window at the end of the counter. Upon being directed here and standing in line again I was served by a guy who some how was somehow managing to talk on his mobile and serve people. Though the limit of this service seemed to be taking whatever you gave him, handing out a ticket and telling you to come back tomorrow. Not very convenient when you live an hour and half by train away.

Hmm, mental note to go places where they actually want you to visit in future.

This weekend Hanan and Myself took a trip up to the ye olde town of Warwick to attend the evening party for Holly and Michaels wedding. I only met Holly towards the end of last year but since then we’ve become good friends and I was honoured to be invited along.

The event was in a fantastic old Tudor building called the Lord Leycester Hospital, there wasn’t a right angle or straight wall in sight, with beautiful warped wooden beams and a string Shakespearean feel to it.

It was great to finally meet Michael and talk to the rest of Hollys family who were all very hospitable as all true Scots are

Ian was there earlier on in the day and took some great pictures of the happy couple.