Letters from Arabia

One of the benefits of working in Saudi Arabia is the easy access to other parts of the world, writes former Otago man Peter Heron as he travels around vibrant and colourful Sri Lanka.

Being in the Middle East during the awful event in Christchurch where fifty New Zealanders lost their lives, has been a sobering experience and the reaction from locals has been heartfelt, writes former Otago man Peter Heron.

While Aucklanders may visit the island of Waiheke for a break from city life, people in Riyadh go a mere 500 kilometres to the island nation of Bahrain, writes Peter Heron.

Tucked away in a corner of one of Riyadh's many malls you can find a frozen oasis where once a fortnight you will hear the clunk of stones and the swish of brooms on ice, writes former Otago man Peter Heron.

In the Middle East children are taught to fear dogs as they may carry diseases and many are feral. Former Otago man Pete Heron writes about navigating being a dog owner in the Mid East after getting a schitzu-terrier.

Not quite the mountains at Cardrona, former Central Otago man Pete Heron takes to the sandy slopes of Saudi Arabia with his family.

Former Otago man Peter Heron journeys into the sights, smells and colours of Saudi souks in Riyadh where bartering is a skill and roaming through the stalls at night is an adventure in itself.

Former Otago man Peter Heron journeys to see the amazing sites at Jebel Tuwaiq, also known as The Edge of the World, in Saudi Arabia, and finds not even the Mid-East's rugged scenery has escaped the world's litter woes.

Like us Southerners, Saudi Arabians enjoy hunting, but rather than pig dogs they use high-priced falcons, writes former Otago man Peter Heron.

In Central Otago the A&P show is one of the highlights of the year. In Saudi Arabia, the equivalent of this is the annual camel festival with its highlight, ‘The Camel Beauty Contest”, writes former Otago man Peter Heron.