Many years ago, in the dim and distant past, I worked in Saudi Arabia as software manager for Texas Instruments computers, Saudi Computer Services. It was a place I would return to after nearly twenty years to give courses near my favourite dive site. (click to see pictures).
It was a time of discovery, of myself, my beliefs, different cultures, religions, food and people.
Saudi Arabia at the time, and to a lesser extent today, was a very restricted country. It is a Muslim country, the home of the most religious places in Islam, with Mecca and Al Madina, and the Al Ka’bah, the most holiest place in the Islamic faith, they are places no non Muslims may enter.
الكعبة al-Kaʿbah
All other religions were banned, as were theatres, cinemas, pubs, clubs, alcohol, pork meat, and the television was heavily censored. There was not much to do, and we tended to form groups of like minded people for support and our social life.
My group was based around British nationals and sea sports, especially scuba diving. (click to see pictures.)
The friendships became very deep, as we needed at I believe a deep psychological level, support of each other.
One of these friends was Nick Milonakis, a Greek national, working for the same company.
Like all of us I think, life was hard in Saudi Arabia, and after a number of years of hard frustrating work, Nick went on holiday to Athens to be with his family, never to return.
We kept in touch, and on my finishing my work in the Kingdom, I called in on my journey back to the UK to visit Nick in Athens, spending a number of days with his family.
It was here that my belief that language is no barrier to communicating, as I took a young lady to dinner, she speaking no English and me no Greek, yet we had a great night.
It was on this journey that I reinforced my beliefs that you do not have to conform to what is commonly thought to be the only way, as I spurned my flight ticket back to London, and instead purchased a rail ticket taking me all the way from Athens to my then home Peterborough. An epic journey, with adventures that stretched me and my beliefs in myself.
Today I received an email from Nick, who I have not heard from for twenty years, wishing me a Happy New Year. Obviously Nick must have got my contact details from the internet.
Our world is a small world, and it is getting smaller. No matter how much or little time we spend or have contact with each other, their influence and memories will stay with us for the rest of our lives.
Let those memories be good ones, so that when we meet again, it will be with happiness, because I am sure, we will all meet again.