Might as well live in Pluto

I’ve been stuck in this desert for over 3 months now. It’s not like I am stuck at home like some unfortunate people, but there’s really no change once I go outside either. It’s either I stay home and feed myself some novels or work on some sketches or programs; or I go out and drive around like some lifeless retard with no home and a car with a gas thank that magically never gets empty.

You might think that the latter is impossible, as I once did, but from my years of living here, I’ve come to learn that aside from a nice hubbly bubbly hangout, the next greatest pastime for many of the younger Saudi males is driving around in their cars (usually a Camry or Hilux or Nissan pickup) and terrorizing the neighborhoods they live in by circling around the blocks hour after hour (prayer times included). 

I have a car, got gas, got free time, but what would I gain from cruising around the same street from morning till sunny morning? I’d rather ride my bike for a good cardio or jog outside…or even cleanthe car. Then a couple of Saudis ask why I still have a bike…or why I walk to Panda or even why I sometimes clean my car instead of paying an expat 10 riyals. I guess they’d be happy if I joined in their lunchtime kabsa matches and evening cruises listening to that droning voice of Mohammed Abdo (he has some nice songs tho). 

And then there are those afternoons where I feel like playing some ball and have to resort to going all the way to Aramco or someone signing me in a compound just so I can play. Although it’s a far fetched dream, I wonder when the gov’t will build some public courts…public as in aside from one or two clubs scattered around the cities. Having a make-shift soccer field is easy but you can’t just play basketball in the street.

Any suggestions of what to do…? Any places worth visiting in KSA? All ideas welcome…as long as they’re sane.