2021 Writing Contest
TRAVEL VIGNETTE : SECOND PLACE
Journey to the Inland Sea
Michael Watson
Just past the mass of refinery installations at Mesaieed , our driver shouted , “ Hang on !”
I grabbed the door panel as we veered off the pavement onto unevenly packed sand , and then , into the midst of a whole array of off-road vehicles .
A squat group of run-down buildings sat on a small incline , with storefronts plastered with all manner of signs .
We joined the long line of revving machines and drew forward to have our tire pressure reduced by three sullen individuals who went about their business , slamming the side of the SUV when the job was done . I was told that this procedure allows for better traction on the desert surface .
Off we went , one minute shuddering over packed washboard sand and the next racing up steep dunes with a hard crest on top , hoping no one was coming the other way . After skirting around a small wadi , we climbed up a deep-rutted hill only to stop near a gaping drop to our left . I found myself flung forward toward the dashboard , saved by my seatbelt . There was a strained silence behind me and then a collective sigh of relief as we got moving again .
Everyone slowly began to relax and started to chat as we journeyed on .
Finally , after an hour , I could see the landscape ahead of us changing . A harder surface of scrub , gravel , and small rocks appeared and soon , a discernible track .
A few more minutes , and I had my first glimpse of the Inland Sea !
And not long after , across a shimmering stretch of turquoise , I could make out a hazy outcrop . Saudi Arabia !
Underneath a wind-sculpted dune , we found a beach of fine sand lapped by a gentle tide .
With shouts of high glee , the children spilled out and made a run for the water while we unloaded sunshades , chairs , and picnic things . Others had arrived , some erecting tents for an overnight stay . Did I really see a satellite dish ?
Occasionally , behind us , brightly coloured dune buggies zoomed past heading for the hills , whip flags whipping , ready for fun .
All too soon , as the sun red-drenched the beach , we packed up and , in the growing twilight , started back .
Darkness dropped quickly , hiding all the bumps and dips we had encountered on the way in . Through a haze , I could make out the rear lights of an increasing number of vehicles , some crisscrossing and some outpacing us . To my immediate left , our driver said nothing . I said nothing back .
On this rough , unregulated , multi-laned desert highway , some vehicles , probably the overnighters , were coming toward us , sticking neither to the right nor left to pass ! The view behind us was equally chaotic : a pell-mell race for home .
Later , unscathed , we reached the “ tire pressure ” buildings , paid our dues for service , and with headlights on high , drove back , the sound of fully inflated tires on firm pavement music to my ears .
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