Transport and Accommodation

Fast Lamborghini in KSA
My original job offer included ‘a car or travel allowance’. Since I had been compelled to stay in the apartment behind the office, Bongo had decided that I didn’t need a car or travel allowance after all. If I had to travel anywhere on business then the cost of that would be re-imbursed, provided that I had had three competitive tenders from taxi drivers, and chosen the cheapest one. Eventually I got him to agree that the original job offer was very clear on this point and that he had an obligation. So a backdated travel allowance was paid, and a small car would become available in a few weeks time when one of their engineers completed his short-term contract and returned the Chevrolet Sprint the office had given him.

I spent a couple of days acquiring a Saudi Driving Licence, and then Ibrahim the Saudi PRO took me out for a couple of driving lessons. Of course, I knew how to drive in England, but driving in Saudi is quite a different proposition.

On the housing issue, though, I could not make Bongo budge. The job offer had only said ‘accommodation will be provided’, there was no mention of Western compounds, and really I should be grateful to have a luxurious penthouse apartment in Sulimaniyah, Riyadh’s answer to London’s Mayfair. Well, maybe I should have been grateful. If I’d had my family with me I probably would have been…