How Fast Did You Say

So on Friday I went with Doug, Tom and Allen to some kind of race event. We were invited by one of the ladies at the office Asma( sorry if I spelled it wrong) to go to this event that way out in the desert somewhere. I really need to keep track of the names of the places I go. Anyway when she asked if I was interested in going to some race event I thought I would be sitting up in some seats and watching a race. Well, we drive on the highway for about an hour and get off and start heading down some road with farms and it's very interesting because there are these patches of greenery in the middle of the desert. These farms use these Giant sprinklers on wheels that water the soil. So we drive past a few farms and in the middle of nowhere there is this race track. So we go to the office sign our names on a list and then sign an injury waver. Now we walk into this area with these garages and inside one there are people sitting at tables there is a bar with drinks( juice ,soda, water and red bull) a DJ blasting music and a table with all types of sandwiches. Instead of being in the stands we are now standing in the pit where the cars come in. First thing we find out is that the food and drinks are free. Then we find out that we will be able to go around the track in the race car. The racing team is called Al Faisal and everyone we met are very nice. So we all got a helmet to wear and then each one of us got a chance to get into this bad as Porsche and get driven around the track at about (220kph) 137mph. When it was my chance to get in the driver says to me if you need me to slow down just move your hand up and down. I told him, “buddy you don’t have to worry about me telling you to slow down”. So I slide my wide ass into a seat that squeezes onto my hips the assistants lock me into the 5 point harness, the door closes and driver gives me a thumbs up and screeeee we peel out. Now I think that I have been fast before on a motorcycle, but I am sorely mistaken. Even before we get on to the main track I’m thinking is this guy trying to run us into the wall because we were heading toward a turn like we can only go straight. Then boom he down shifts and takes this tight turn faster then I have ever been in my car. We zip around this track and by the time we make it to the straight away he looks over to me and I’m laughing and clapping like a chimpanzee, he points to the speedometer to show me how fast we are going(220kph), grabs the wheel down shifts and takes the turn. When we pull back into the pit and stop I’m officially a fan of racing. Never in my life have I felt any G-forces like this for that long. I step out of the car and have this real light headed adrenaline rush going on. Has to be one of the most exhilarating feelings of my life that didn’t include worrying about crashing, like when my plane almost ran into the back of another plane.
I walked away from that car with nothing but profound respect for race car drivers. After I was talking to one of the pit bosses; Paul. I over here him say something about princes and when I ask him, there’s a prince here? Where? He points to the guy who drove me around the track. He tells me one of the drivers name is Abdul and the other is named Khalid. Then I find out that most of the people who are hanging out are family and some of the other drivers are cousins and uncles. Now my mind is officially blown. Never in a hundred years would I imagine that I would be driven around a race track by a prince and then able to have out with his family. WOW!
So me and the guys giggle like little girls comparing our racing stories and as Prince Khalid walks by we get a picture with him and later his brother. After that we got another chance to go around in these open top race cars that kind of look like the cars from speed racer. We traveled around the same speed but this time there were a bunch of cars on the track and we did two laps. Passing a car at those speeds is another major rush that is hard for me to explain. This was one of the best days that I have had here and I can’t remember the last time I was this high off life. I think the last time I felt this way was after my first fire.
We are supposed to go back this Friday to watch another race, Insh’Allah. It’s amazing how experiences like these change your perception on things you like or dislike. Before I would say I can’t stand to watch Soccer. Now I get it and am a whole lot more interested in going to a game. I also can’t wait to go to the races again.
Being here in Saudi Arabia all alone has made me look at life differently. It has made me a much more understanding and patient person. It also has change what I focus on. In the states I would be content in coming home and sitting down watching TV and playing video games for hours. Now a barley watch TV or play video games. They seem to be my last option. Here interaction with people is the most important thing I do in my day. Just sitting and having someone to talk to in your language is worth it’s weight in gold.
Something I think we never think about is good old human contact. I’m Spanish and my whole family we kiss and hug when we first see each other when we say goodbye. All my friends we shake and give each other a hug. When a person that you’re a friend with talks to you and cracks a joke they may tap you in the arm. But here that has been non-existent. I think that has been one of the most enlightening things I have learned about myself so far. There is a deep routed need for simple human contact. It’s hard to explain I think you have to experience it to get the idea. Last Wednesday when we were hanging out at one of the compounds my buddy Allen put his hand on my shoulder and said” now this is a place I could live at happily” It’s weird but just buy that little touch it made me kind of get surprised for a sec. It was weird, but then I realized that was the first contact I had had with anyone in almost 3 weeks. The next time you go threw your day count how many times someone touches you or you touch other people. It may blow your mind. This Thursday a bunch of the expats from SRCA are going to Asma’s father’s date farm in the country. It should be a wonderful day. I will Take a bunch of pictures and write about it as soon as I can.
Carlito
Arabic word of the day is Ukht-Sister
Arabic phrase of the day is Ayn Al Humum- where’s the bathroom