A Rainy Day in Jeddah

The Hotel driveway after the rain

It rained four days ago. I awoke at 6 in the morning to the alarm then heard the thunder. Looking out of the hotel window I saw a lovely thunderstorm, thunder, lightning and rain. Had a shower, looked out the window again and the road at the back of the hotel (the Madinah Road) was flooded.

It then occurred to me, because it probably only rains once a year here no one worries about building a drainage system. In fact, walking around town I can’t recall seeing a drain. This morning, therefore, it was like driving to work through a lake.

I’ve been coming to the Middle East on and off now for 15 years and today was the first day I have been here in the rain. The nearest I came before was arriving in Kuwait two days after it had rained. I look forward to the few days here to see what happens after the rain – to see how long things remain wet.

Oh, and actually the road out the front of the hotel is also the Madinah Road.