Gordy's Visa

Gordy’s Visa

People in the USA might not understand the need to have a visa to enter a foreign country.  American can freely travel amongst many countries without the need of a visa.  For example, Americans can travel to Canada, Mexico, most of Europe and the UK without the need for a visa.  Some countries like Jordan and Bahrain will allow you to purchase a visa upon arrival at the airport. Saudi Arabia has very restrictive rules requiring a visa prior to arrival.  A visitor cannot purchase a visa at the airport when entering Saudi Arabia.  Saudi Arabia has extrema rules for visitors. One of their rules is not allowing non sponsored females to enter the country.

It is for the above reasons why Gordy did not visit me during my first assignment in Saudi Arabia.  I accepted the second assignment in Saudi Arabia because I can live in Bahrain and work in Saudi Arabia.  I met Gordy in Scotland where we spend two week vacation.  We left Scotland, had a layover in Abu Dhabi and both arrived at Bahrain international Airport.  I had a five year visa but Gordy was arriving without a visa.

All visitors have to be processed through entry control, Bahrain customs and passport control.  At the check in Gordy was able to purchase a 30 day visa for 25 BD ($66.50).  While we knew that this visa needed to be renewed or replaced by a five year resident visa.  We waited until the last week of the visa before making plans to apply for the resident visa. 

When I arrived in Bahrain I was issued a 90 day visa.  I needed to apply for my five year resident visa. Applying for a visa is a multifarious process and takes time.  I decided to hire a local lady to do the application and follow up. She offered a package deal, of a five year residency visa, a CRP (national ID card) and a Bahrain driver license, all for 400 BD ($1064).  The process took about two weeks and required me to take time off work to drop off my passport for a day and to pick up my visa, CRP and driver license which took another day.

A friend of mine needed to have his family apply for visas.  I asked him if Gordy and I could tag along and submit Gordy’s visa application.  He said sure.  I took the morning off work and met my friend, Nader at his apartment, from there he and his wife, Rina, Gordy and I drove to the Ministry of the Interior.  Nader was following up on his children application for a visa and told Gordy and me where to stand in line.  The visa office was on the second floor which Gordy was able to climb, I guess the building had an elevator but it was just as easy to climb the stairs.

Everyone needing service hast to pick a number from a machine.  The machine will give you different tickets for difference services.

We received our number with only one other person ahead of us.  When our number was called, Nader and Rita did all the talking.  End results, we were told the first step in the process was to go downstairs and have a copy of Gordy’s passport made and to fill out a visa application. 

There was one hindrance; we needed a person with a CRP to sign the bottom of the application.  While Nader and I both have CRP, they are paper CRP and do not allow us to sign documents such as the visa application.  Nader needed his two children’s application to be signed by a person with a CRP and contacted a friend who was not too far away and available.  Within an hour she arrived, signed the all of the applications

Returning to the second floor (we left Gordy sitting in the waiting area) she filled out the visa application.  Nader, Rina and I returned to the counter, presented the application and copy of the passport.  The very nice Bahrain guy behind the counter verified the passport copy was the same as the original passport and returned the original passport.  Second step was to apply for a visa extension because Gordy’s visa was to expire in three days; the processing time for the five year visa was estimated at two weeks.

I submitted a second application for a visa extension and was asked to pay 25 BD for a two week extension.  I was told they contact the person who signed the application, the nice lady with the CPR.  She put down Nader’s phone number on the application so he would receive the phone call when the visa was ready.

Two weeks went by quickly and we did not receive word that the visa was ready.  Gordy and I would have to return to eight pick up the five year visa or to ask for another two week extension.  I took my number and visited a window, and inquired about the status of Gordy’s visa application.  I was told to go to another window.  This happens a few times and finally was told to go into the manager’s office.  The manager spent 10 minutes tracking down the location of Gordy’s visa and the status.  The status was good that the application was approved and ready to be issued.  They just had not called the number on the application as of the time of my visit.

I paid the 74 BD ($196.84) for the five year visa and left.  All total it took two trips to the Ministry at about two trips at about two hours each to secure the visa.  I had to take a full day off on the first visit and only took a half day off on the second.  While the time off cost me dollars in the pay check, it was less than the cost if I used the visa expediter lady.

The only requirement for the visa is that we needed to leave Bahrain and renter the country.  The visa also required Gordy to leave Bahrain for a night every three months.

Scotland Oct 2017 Photos by Douglas Seaman

I have photo edited a few photos from my Scotland trip in Aug 2017.  Here are a few of the edited photos.

This photo was taken in Oban, Scotland.  It is of a church that is on the water front.  It was a drab type photo but with the photo editor it is turned into something artistic.

This photo was taken of Edinburgh Castle late in the afternoon.  There were clouds in the sky as always.  This photo editing software added the clouds background.

This photo is of Roslyn Chapel, Scotland.  I could not take photos of the inside and took photos all around the Chapel.  This shot was over one of the doors into the Chapel.

This shot was in Edinburgh, Scotland.  The photo editing software correct vertical distortion and horizontal aliment.

This photo is the steel cantilever bridge over the Forth River, Edinburgh, Scotland, it is a very historic bridge being constructed in the last part of 1890.  Today it serves as a bridge for trains.

New Cable Stay Bridge over the Forth River, Edinburgh Scotland.  I was not open on the day this photo was taken but it is now open to traffic.  The editing software added the sunset affect, the photo was on a very foggy day.

This is a photo taken on the Carmichael Estate not far from the Eagle Lodge where we were lodge for two weeks.  the photo editing software add the blue cloudy sky.

One one of our day trip by ferry boat, a rainbow appeared.The photo software did enhance the colors slightly but it was still a lovely rainbow to see.

Cat in window, Carmichael Estate, Aug 2017.  The software cropped the photo and enhanced the stone colors.

Photos of Douglas Carl Seaman

 This photo was taken in Decatur Georgia in the early 1950.  My father, Frank Seaman, my sister Cheryl Seaman Hoback and me, Douglas Carl Seaman

My family Decatur Georgia, my mother Ruth Emma Sierra Seaman Ringleing

 More photographers my sister and me.  It was hot in Decatur and we could cool off in the pool.

Douglas Seaman left in about the third grade, Saint Simon. 1958
Bottom Douglas Seaman eight or ninth grade, Glynn County Jr. High,  1963 or 1964.
Douglas Seaman Right senior Glynn Academy Class of 1968.

Douglas Seaman in Norfolk, Va. stationed on the USS Mount Whitney LCC-20 on a friends Harley in the snow. 1973

Douglas Seaman, PH 2 in Signolla Sicily, 1975.

Top Center, Douglas Seaman, PH2, Dam Neck, Virginia 1978

Brunswick Jr. College

This is a longer story than others posting but I have a few things to say. About high school and Brunswick Jr. College.

I graduated Glynn Academy in 1968, not at the top of the class but not at the bottom.  I think I was about one third form the bottom.  Going through high school I really did not have any plans until I received a letter from the US Government. I was told I had to sign up for the selective service system.

The Selective Service System (SSS) was an independent agency of the United States government that maintains information on those potentially subject to military conscription. The SSS was and still is a U.S. federal agency that facilitates the mobilization of military forces by requiring the registration of males between the ages of 18 and 26 years. The names were distributed to the Services for recruiting purposes on a quarterly basis.[

The Military Selective Service Act of 1967 (Selective Service Act of 1948) (30 June 1967) expanded the ages of conscription to the ages of 18 to 35. It still granted student deferments, but ended them upon either the student's completion of a four-year degree or his 24th birthday, whichever came first.

I was a year older that all my classmates, due to repeating the third grade when I went to California for a year. I returned to St. Simons Elementary School, a little smarter resulting the higher education standard in California but now with all my friends in fifth grade and I was in fourth grade.

I was 18 when I started my senior year. I registered for the Selective Service upon notice about the time of my birthday. I was 18 when I started my senior year.  I did not receive my draft card until I graduated.

I was motivated to attend college and what better college than the Brunswick Jr. College.  Attending College seemed like high school with a lot of our teachers not professors and our fellow classmates.  I took the same classes as in high school, English, History, and Math. 

I had a passion for photographer and found out that the college had a dark room and upon questing found that I would work on the college year book and get paid to take photography.  The pay was not a lot, just enough to buy a couple of books but being the year book photographer was an honor.  I took most of the photographs for the 1969 and 1970-year book and all the Public Affairs Photos the college needed, such as when someone donated a large check, or someone important visited the college, I was asked to take the photos. Each academic year, the faculty selects students for inclusion in the nationally-recognized program, Who's Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges. For my work on the yearbook staff I was selected as a student Who's Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges 1970.

On December 1, 1969, the Selective Service System of the United States conducted a lottery to determine the order of call to military service in the Vietnam War for men born from 1944 to 1950.  My lottery number was 23 which meant if I was not in college and had a deferment, I would be drafted.

The Selective Service System assigned lottery numbers in December 1969 were used during calendar year 1970 both to call for induction and to call for physical examination, a preliminary call covering more men.

No one wanted to be drafted into service.  I did a little research and found that I could join the Navy Reserves, go to boot camp, then a “A” School and then back as a civilian having drills only two days a month.  There was also a requirement for two weeks service in the summer. This offer to join the reserves allowed me to pick my A school if I pasted the tests and boot camp.  The “A” School I wanted was the US Naval Photography School NAS Pensacola.  I had selected West Florida University to finish out my Junior and Senior year of College, but being from Ga. I would pay out of state intuition.  By going to US Naval Photography School NAS Pensacola (3 months), I would only have to wait 9 months before attending West Florida.  Being in the Reserves also kept me from being drafted.

I met my future wife, Gordy Carmichael, while attending BJC.  One day I was shooting photos for the year book at one of the Humanities of the Sea lectures put on by the Continue Education Department run by Capt. Carmichael. I was distracted by the motion of an energetic person seated half way down the row.  She was excited about something, moving her hands while talking to her friends.  I shot a photo looking down the row of people to focus on this one person.  Later that day I processed the film and from the black and white negative developed a photograph.   We both were at Glynn Academy and graduated in the Class of 1968 but out  paths not crossed until that day at BJC. 

Brunswick Junior College was very cliquish, which the same high school groups sticking together.  I was only in the band in high school, that was my clique but in college, there was no band, no clique to belong?  Many people were like me and we ended up all sitting together in a corner of the student union.  I remember that we had members of the Drama Club, Nursing Students, Secretary Sciences Majors, Veterans and anyone who enjoyed plying spades.  It was in our small group that the girl in the photo appeared.  She had long hair, wore cloths that she made, rode her horse to class, and danced in the rain.  She acted like a hippy and I was way too conservative to be interested. 

At BJC we did not really date but did group dates.  We would plan to go out and do something, like watch the turtles lay eggs on the beach on Jekyll.  Someone would bring a guitar someone else build a fire and sing songs around the campfire. I had a car, Gordy had a cooler and we would bring the drinks (no Alcohol). After a few of these group dates, we started to really date.

One chilly night on the beach at Massengale Park, I asked the question.  Well it was not a question, I said, “I have places to go and things to do, you can stay here or come with me.”  I got no reply at first and then a quite, yes.  On 21 February 1970 we were married in St. Williams Church that is no longer a catholic church by a priest that is no longer a catholic priest.  I have asked if that we are still married. 

Now we are having our fifth-class union and Gordy and I will have our 48^th anniversary. 

I graduated in the fall of 1970 BJC with an Associate Degree in Biology and with my desire to be an Ichthyologist (study of fish).

Douglas Seaman GA Class of 68 and BJC Class 1970

Arriving in Saudi Arabia and driving around town

Warning some of the information contain in the following observations may be helpful to people that wish to harm Westerners as their way of expressing extreme Moslem faith. Do not share these observations with anyone other than who the email attachments have been copied.

It is for security and safety of us Westerners that some of this information could be used to cause us harm.

I have been reluctant to mention or tell my family and friends my two year’s saga of living in a foreign land.

I arrived in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) on 8 September 2014 in the dead heat of the summer. At 2 AM the temperature was over 100 degrees F. This extreme temperature was notice as soon as you depart from the airplane. At the King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Abdulaziz_International_Airport), the plans land then taxies to the airport apron or tarmac, planned places alone the runways and taxiways where plans are parked for services and the boarding and exiting of passengers. Passengers are debarked into buses who then will drive you to the terminal. King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA)is actually two airports, the north Terminal and the South Terminal. The south Terminal is use by Saudi Arabian Airline (Saudi) is the national airline of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the largest airline in the Middle East. It flies 12 billion passengers per year (http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Saudi_Arabian_Airlines.aspx). King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA)t is a busy airport due to its location to the two holy Cities, Medina and Mecca.

Thirty minutes prior to landing the Captain makes his announcement to prepare for landing. After the announcement you will observe many of the woman on the plan that are dressed as Western woman are going to the restroom and exiting wearing Niqab and abaya. I have spent many hours traveling in and out of the Gulf States where I have noted many Western Woman are clueless on what is expected they are to be dressed and require by local customs.  At customs it is common for improper dressed Western woman to be given a abaya and asked to ware it.

The plane in many Arab airports will taxi to large apron areas where passengers are asked to debark and to be ferried to the terminal in busses.   It is when you exit the plan that you realize you are not in a hot dry or humid (depending on the seasons).  It is a ten-minute trip to the terminal.  The south terminal is reserved to Saudi Airlines the national air lines of the Kingdom.

The Abaya (the outer garment) that covers the woman from shoulder to ankle and the head scarfs or Nijab.  The Nijab comes in several styles, the two most common forms are the half niqab and the gulf-style or full niqab.

The half niqab is a simple length of fabric with elastic or ties and is worn around the face. This garment typically leaves the eyes and part of the forehead visible. The gulf-style or full niqab completely covers the face. It consists of an upper band that is tied around the forehead, together with a long wide piece of fabric which covers the face, leaving an opening for the eyes. Many full niqab have two or more sheer layers attached to the upper band, which can be worn flipped down to cover the eyes or left over the top of the head. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niq%C4%81b#Styles).

Upon arrival everyone must clear customs, sometimes this can take a couple of hours.  Upon one arrival I was surprise that it took 15 minutes to clear custom.  I was told that the King had heard of the many complaints of the long time to clear customs and he order more men to be assigned.  Six month later it took over an hour to pass customs.  One thing you observed in Saudi is change is slow.

On the way home from the airport you observe the uniqueness of the Saudi Transportation System.  First, you notice the many cars on the road of basically two types, small compact or sub-compact and Large SUV of all makes and models.  You also notice that the smaller cars are almost all white and the SUV are almost always black.  Since the Saudi population is made up of many nationalities, this cultural difference is reflective in the driving habits of the drivers on the streets of Jeddah.

Driving in Jeddah is unlike driving in other countries.  In 2005 there was 158 cars per 1000 people, in 2015 the number of cars is over 450 per 1000 people. In the cities driving for a Westerner can be quite a challenge. For example, here are some of the challenges:

1`             1)     There are few stop signs in the City of Jeddah.  And when there are stop                         signs no one stops.  Tee intersections are always a place to use caution                           because the cars from the side streets believe they have the right o way over                   the cars on the main street.

2)     Speaking of right of way, no one in Jeddah knows what yielding to the person on the right is all about.

3)     When on a three-lane road and at a stop light, be mindful that the car in the far-right lane will turn in front of you to make a left turn.

4)     Everyone double and triple parks in the road making a two-lane road just narrow enough for a car to pass.

5)     Most major roads are divided highways but not a lot of left turns or cross over at main streets.  You must pass the main intersection and drive .5 or 10 km to make a U turn to turn left.

6)     There are no traffic enforcement officers so a lot of driver’s speed.  If you are in the left lane going the speed limit do not be surprise that someone will ride you bumper, flash their lights and honk their horn until you move over.

7)     With no traffic enforcement the local government resorts to use traffic cameras to ticket speeders and people who run red lights.  The average fine is 300 SAR or about $78.

8)     On the divided highways people will pass you on the shoulder and the shoulders are not a lane in width.  You must move over to the right for them to pass safely.

9)     All big SUV are bullies when it comes to driving on the road, they will cut in front of you, tailgate you, stop without notice or care of location to drop off and pick up passengers. Note: I had my first traffic collision by a SUV parking behind me and in my blind spot.  I backed up and hit their finder.

10)             Many Saudi driver are impolite, rude and will not give an inch when inline.  Merge is not some word Saudi drivers understand.

11)            When at a stop light the cars behind you will honk their horns as soon as the light turns green.  In Saudi Arabi the yellow light will flash a second before the green light giving you notice to take off as if you are on a drag strip, Red, Yellow, Green and Go.

You may not know that it is against the law (in 2014) for woman to drive in Saudi Arabia.  The king in 2017 has passed a law allowing woman to drive.  It is to soon to tell what impact this will have on Saudi woman as to their freedom and how they are treated by men.  To some this may sound like a good thing but the all-male drives in Saudi Arabia display some of the poorest driving abilities in the middle east.  The poor drivers will straddle the lane line taking up two lanes and will be going under the speed limit.  They will do this for miles and do not realize the cars behind them cannot pass (or maybe they do).

Living in Bahrain, over the rainbow

Some asked me what it is like living in Bahrain?

Well first off, the internet is slow.  I have had issue with internet service since I arrived in2014.  In Saudi Arabia a person with a business visa is not allow an expat to have a Saudi phone number.  I had to ask a friend to buy a Sim Card to have a local phone number with internet.  I asked another friend to buy a sim card for my home wifi. The internet is costing about $85 per month. Internet speed test was 1.8 download and zero up load for those that understand the internet. This post might not go out until the internet is running faster.

I have been asked why to live in Bahrain?  Well first the position was available because the folks I work for planned with the project in Jeddah was finished the project in Dhahran would start.  Out Jeddah staff was all moving to Dhahran and I could move too but had to switch companies. I knew that the project in Dhahran within driving distance to the country of Bahrain.  Gordy could not get a visa to live in Saudi Arabia but Gordy can get a visa to live in Bahrain.  She arrived at the airport and purchase a thirty-day visa.  We had to get the visa extend for two weeks while her five-year visa application is being processed.

Living in Bahrain has its advantages.  In Bahrain you can buy pork, buy alcohol, and go to church. The drivers are politer on the road and woman can drive here. In Bahrain you can rent an apartment without having resident permit.  I can buy a car here but could not in Saudi Arabia.  Woman can dress in normal western clothing and not have to wear a abaya (black outer garment worn over your regular clothing).  Woman should dress with consideration given to the local customs. Woman should at least cover their arms and keep the dress to the knees.  If possible, wear a dress that covers your legs and a top that covers your arms. There are no restrictions on woman as to where they go and who they meet.

There are areas where American should not go in Bahrain.  These areas are where the Shiites living.  The ruling class are Sunni which are the Bahrain and the Shiites are the same as Iran.  At night these neighborhoods are guarder by national police.  As you drive around in the day time you will notice concrete barriers placed on the side of the roads where the police will part there their vehicles at night. The police are on call every night in case there is a disturbance.  In some neighborhoods you see on the side of the roads stacks of concrete bricks, stone and tires that at night would be put across the road to keep the police out.  Sometimes the tires will be on fire. 

One night I was in Jaffar at the office where I rent my car.  From the location I drove a few blocks, made a wrong turn and ended up in one of these neighborhoods.  Across the road was a blockade with fire.  I looked around to see what was the reason for this stoppage.  Al the people on the road were walking around the blockade and did not seem to be acting if there were any issues.  I saw no police at this location.  I backed up and drove to another street that also have a barrier and a fire burning.  I backed up again and drove to the car rental place and checked my Google Maps.  I now could see how to find the nearest highway.  This time I could find the major highway and retuned home safely. 

The US Navy has a port in Bahrain, it is the HQ of the Fifth Fleet and Naval Forces Central Command.  Which provides the area that are considered off limits for service members and US employee.  About one third of the neighborhoods are Shiites and are the areas off limit for safety reasons.  In Saudi Arabia there were some town we were not to go and we could not travel within 75 miles of Yemen There might have been on neighborhood we should not go but not as many areas as here in Bahrain.

I live in the land of Oz, or at least it seems that way.  Yes, thing s are different here.  You can hire a maid service or have a live-in maid. The cost for a live in made in $250-300 a month but, Gordy does not what. I am hiring a driver for $400 a month.  He will drive me to work in the morning and then pick me up and take me back home.  I will be able to work on my laptop or even sleep.  The driver will take Gordy and I out shopping.  My driver is from Pakistan and he speaks Arabic, I will use him to be our interpreter if need.  I will ask him to find us stores to go to finds things like, health food, organic food, vitamers, and other places of interest.

Our apartment is call a flat, it is in a building with 10 other flats.  We are on the ground floor and have a three bedroom with two bathrooms.  It has a large living room and a nice size kitchen.  The kitchen needs more counter space and the refrigerator door opens the wrong way and no way to switch the door. I have a private entrance which means I do not see my neighbors.    The only person I have met is our building supervisor.  He is a very nice man from India and washes my car a couple of time a week.  I have an enclosed and attached garage but it is very small in width of 8 feet.  The garage has a roll up door with remote access.  My private access has a door that opens to the pool.  The pool is small but refreshing on a hot summer day.

My apartment comes furnished with utilities, the monthly rent is $1740.  My company pays for the rent.  They will pay up to $2250 a month so when my rent contract is up, I will look for rent a Villa or an apartment in one of the buildings downtown Manama. When I was living in a compound in Jeddah, we had a three-bedroom apartment which the company paid $7500 a month.  The cost included security and daily bus services.  In Jeddah I could move out and had the company pay me $3000 a month for my living.  I found an apartment furnished for $600 a month, and put in my pocket the unspent amount.

I drive to Saudi Arabia over the causeway, the distance is about 25 Km.  The drive in the morning is less than an hour and in the after work the drive is one hour.  It has taken me up to three hours to cross the border.  The cost for toll is 2.5 BD each way and for insurance is 1 BD, the total is about $13.30 a day. The ride is not bad and I have major highway to the work site.

Friday is like a Sunday for the Muslims and all the stores in Saudi Arabia are closed.  In Bahrain the stores are open. In Saudi Arabia you are required to pray five times a day and all the shops are closed.  In Bahrain they do not have a law to make you pray allowing stores to be open.  Few stores will be closed for some that will not work on Friday.  The big corporate stores will be open. 

Gordy and I will go out shopping on Friday and Saturday for food and house hold items.  We do not want to buy too much because when we leave we will have to sell what we have or give all away. The grocery stores are in the large malls allowing you can do all your shopping at one location.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Sierra Family 2014

http://sierrafamily2014.blogspot.com/

Crossing the border from Bahrain to Saudi Arabia on the King Fahd Causeway

I live in Bahrain and work in Saudi Arabia. The process of crossing the border is as follows:




The connection between the two countries is the King Fahd Causeway. The causeway is 25 Km in length with five bridges, totaling 12.43 km in length, along the route of the entire causeway. The first three bridges measure 934 m, 2,034 m and 5,194 m in length and form part of the Saudi side. The Bahrain side of the causeway contains two bridges measuring 3,334 m and 934 m in length. The bridges are interconnected by islands and dams. Approximately 12.5 km of the causeway has been constructed as a dam.


http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/one-stop-crossing-on-king-fahd-causeway-to-start-on-monday-1.1988414

The process of crossing the border is simple. The process of crossing the causeway starts at a set of booths that are for paying the Saudi Insurance.  If you do not have Saudi insurance you will be stopped from crossing the causeway.  You can buy Saudi Insurance by the day, week or month.  A month of insurance will cost you 25 BD ($66.50).  The second stop is at the entrance of the causeway where you stop and pay a toll of 2.5 Bahrain Dinar (BD) ($6.63).  You also will pay 2.5 BD ($6.63) on the return trip.  Daily toll cost is $13.26. 

I go to work at 05:30 am when the traffic flow is low.  There is one large island where the customs and passport control for both countries has their facilities.

 

The causeway is a four-land divided highway until you reach the first bridge where you are on a two lane bridge in one direction.  The speed limit is 100 Km but on the Bahrain side of the causeway there are no speed cameras and many people speed.  If you happen to be in the left lane when one of these speeder approaches, they will flash their light telling you, they are more important then you and you need to get over.  It is not uncommon for the speeding car to pass you on the shoulder should you not move to the right fast enough.  There is not much to see, just water on both sides of the bridge and most days the haze is so bad you cannot see the horizon.

The third stopping point will be the Bahrain custom booths.  There are thirteen booths (two lanes for diplomat, fast pass and students) but at this time in the morning two or three are open.  At his customs stop they will take your license plate number and check to see if your registration is up to day and that you have insurance.  They will provide you a printed ticket with all your details, name, nationality, car, insurance, etc.  You need to keep this ticket to be use later.

The fourth stop is at the passport booths.  There are about the same number, thirteen or so (two lanes for (students, diplomats and fast pass), and only three or four are open.  It takes a little more time to have your passport check.  I hand them my passport open up to the Bahrain visa page.  Passport control will check the passport and will sometimes stamp the visa page or sometime they do not stamp every day.  The next stop, the third set of booths, will be the Saudi Arabia passport control.  At this stop I hand over my passport showing the Saudi visa page.  It takes between one and three minutes to verify my information. 

The fifth stop is Saudi Customs.  You stop at the covered entrance and wait to be directed where to park for inspection.  When you park, you are expected and required to exit the car, open your trunk and back door for inspection.  This is where the ticket you received is given to the custom inspector who will check out your car and finding nothing will stamp your ticket.  You close your trunk and back door and drive to the six set of booths, one or two booths are open out of four that are provided.  At this last stop you give the man in the booth your stamped custom ticket. 

You are now free to exit the island and to drive west towards Saudi Arabia but beware, there are four or five speed cameras which will take your photo and send you a speeding ticket should you exceed 105 Km.

The process going from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain is about the same, first stop will be at the toll booth. Second stop you pick up your custom ticket, but on the Saudi side it is stamped at the third booth where you passport is checked.  At the fourth set of booths you hand in the stamped custom ticket then proceed to the fifth set of booths for a Bahrain custom inspection. The six set of booths eastbound is to purchase Bahrain insurance.

It is noted that going from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain at the passport booths, some of the booths have two booths in a row.  The first booth is for female passengers to show there ID and face for proper identification.  Sometimes the women are in the wrong lane and have to get out and stand at the window to be identified.

One observation I would like to make is that some of the travelers on the causeway try to make it a game as to how quickly they can make the crossing.  They start off on the Bahrain side where they exceed 150 Km/hr. (93 mph).  As you enter the passport island there is a stoplight.  It is common for a driver behind you to race around you to beat you to the booths.  At the time I cross the causeway early in the morning, sometimes a third or fourth lane will open up.  When this happens, watch out! The people behind you will race around you like a bronco out of the shoot just to get one or two cars ahead.

On several occasions the traffic has been heavy with the lines extending onto the two lanes of the cause way.  When this happens the time to go through all of the stops is between two to three hours.  When in line, no one is polite, it is bumper to bumper and no one will give an inch.  When the cars are piled up this way, sometimes a line will not be a line or two lines will merge into one.  Neither the Saudi drivers nor the Bahrain driver will let you in, I have meet many rude drivers on the road but the ones at the causeway are by far the rudest.  

The bigger the car the ruder the drivers are.

Twice, I fell asleep waiting to move when in line.  One time I tapped bumpers the second time I dented the other guy bumper.  The other guy wanted to report the accident which took about an hour and the result I paid a 10 BD ($26.60) traffic ticket.