A Night Journey among the Asir Mountains

Continues from  From Desert to the Sea Coast, on a Day! (A travel to Jizan, Farasan Island and Abha)

As we started from Wadi al Dawasir, the night had spread its black blanket adorned by silver starlets. The roads were completely dark and devoid of streetlights. The opposite roads were divided by a wide barren area saving us from the blaring headlights of the coming vehicles. In the shadows of night there were outlines of Asir Mountains in majestic order.

We stopped at Khamis Mushayat by 10p.m. The wind was getting cold and I was getting travel sick. Yet, we decided to continue. All was in a blur as we drove through the roads of Abha and the steep downward route to Jizan. Someone had warned us that the journey from Abha to Jiazn consists of many hairpin roads and risky at night. But the well walled roads didn’t even give us the feeling of curves. Yet, the steep downward journey started to churn my insides. Then, at the middle of the winding roads, I threw up!

From Abha to Jizan

It was definitely a signal for us to take rest. We parked our car on a roadside. The wind was piercingly cold as we came out. I swallowed four packed chapathis without even looking up. As I finished the dinner, I looked around. Dark Asir Mountains walled the opposite side of the road. Vehicles raced on both sides seamlessly. Stars were strewn on the beautiful and open night sky. As I looked on, a shooting star sparkled down without even letting others to see it. 

A few paces away from us, a roadside vendor was frying the corn. We craved for it as well as the warmth of its fireplace. Afterwards we realized that the vendors in Arab world have to go a long way to make the piquant Butta (deep fried corns) from Indian streets.

I dozed off during the journey from Abha to Jizan. As I woke up, we were in the neighbourhood of our hotel. All signboards were in Arabic and the very few people on the road were natives. We tried reading the boards in vain. It was the first time that I felt to be in an Arab world after my three years stay in Riyadh. We called the hotel reception and owing to Nadeer’s broken Arabic we checked into the hotel by 2a.m. All I can remember after that is the soft snore of little Shreya and regular breathing of Sreejith heard in between my sleep.

Continues in Jizan-The Gateway to a Magic Land