As a Canadian who has lived in Saudi Arabia for more than twenty years, I can attest that the genuine hospitality that you felt might actually be understated.

the people are nice wherever you go. its the governments and regimes that arent always nice.

@conradcoolerfiend

11 күн бұрын

@@Mubarak_47 yes certainly. United States is one of the most destructive governments for example

@keithattwood59

10 күн бұрын

In my time there, I lived under Fahad, Abdullah, Salman with the Crown Prince MBS. Development has always been better and to benefit the people. Don't believe everything told you by western media....

@MrAsteliks007

10 күн бұрын

Try visiting Mekka in SA. My French friends were murdered for that

@MrAsteliks007

10 күн бұрын

Other than that I’ve lived there. Great place. Would visit again

@user-iz4rx9zs4q

7 күн бұрын

Your friend 😂😂😂😂😂​@@MrAsteliks007

Welcome to my country. All nationalities are welcome. My beloved country, of course, has a diverse terrain and civilizations spanning thousands of years, many tribes, architecture, cultures and dialects. I hope you visit our country every day. Welcome from Saudi Arabia🇸🇦💚🤍💚

Fantastic video. You have now put Saudi Arabia on my bucket list.

This video reflects my experience cycling 3 months in Saudi: one of the best countries alhamdulilah

Are you still in Saudi Arabia? I cycled from the Netherlands to Saudi Arabia. I am at the moment in Medina. I absolutly agree with you. I loved Saudi Arabia, they are amazingly hospital and caring. The best country of my journey.

@Cyclingabout

11 күн бұрын

We are no longer there but still thinking about it all the time!

@abdulmohd3871

Күн бұрын

Why didn’t you publish your journey?

Hospitality reminds me of my trip to Tehran in 2006.

@Cyclingabout

11 күн бұрын

Iran is just as hospitable! Both such surprising places.

Wow, what an amazing place. Wow, what amazing information. Just wow! Thanks!

Saudi is always my wishlist. Apart from my religion to hajj, the destination is amazing. And there's a resurgence of bikepacking hajj from Indonesia. Often takes 7-8 months of pedaling. Truly something im looking forward to do someday.

Never thought I would tune in to CyclingAbout and see Alee 4-wheeling! Hahahahah!

Your last statement of a people trying to open up to globalism but not to loose their traditions/identity in the process is most interesting and the most difficult.

@Cyclingabout

11 күн бұрын

Everyone we met was excited about the recent changes and super optimistic for the future to come.

@briansmythe3000

9 күн бұрын

@@Cyclingabout So Was The So Called Freedom loving West Last Centery we were all Promiced a bright Future of beyond 2000 , Just like the old TV show look at What has Happed Govenments and Every one else are encouraged too Turn on Eachother verry sad

Great to see your interactions with the locals

I'm from Medina and driving is a bit dangerous in Saudi, so how about cycling! stay safe everyone.

wow, unexpected but really interesting. a wise person once said that if someone says something about a place you should ask them if they've been there (and if they haven't just ignore it as hearsay). appreciate you guys doing the exploring for us, looks like a surprisingly appealing destination.

A big thanks to both of you for this awesome upload, take care.

Having worked near Abha for ten years, then Tabuk in the north for another eleven, I concur with the positive views expressed. Since I first went there in 1997, the country has developed so much, even surpassing my UK for civil administration. I have travelled all those roads you show. The country is beautiful and I enjoyed my time amongst the people. Also experienced the police escorts in the south too, only difference was that we had suv's and the speed limit was set by the slowest police car!

Glad to see your lady still rocking the Priority 600X. I still have mine. A fantastic bicycle. Thanks for sharing your journey through the beautiful Saudi Arabia. Be well.

I needed that perspective, thank you!

Who'd have known. Really enjoyed that and learning about somewhere I'd never thought to visit. One for the list. 👍

Fantastic video! I learned a lot from it.

Great video as always.

@Cyclingabout

6 күн бұрын

Thanks again!

Excellent video as always.

Good report on Saudi Arabia. Thank you.

I would never think to do a bicycle adventure in Saudi Arabia. Amazing video, beautiful sites, fascinating culture and country.. The riding must have been fantastically challenging.

Awesome video mate!! Its amazing seeing the growth of Saudi Arabia. Its honestly one of the safest places on earth with the most amazingly generous people. Would recommend everyone to give it a visit! Its a crazy cool place! P.s. Some of these hate comments are literally killing my IQ. You'd think by 2024 the world would be a bit more educated.

Fabulous. Thank you very much from Melbourne. 🙏

I notice your back on the old bikes, was this shot before your trip to Africa?

@Cyclingabout

10 күн бұрын

Yep! I’m very far behind on editing videos.

Great video story and scenery.

UAU! Thanks! This is a great video, it makes you feel like really traveling this country. Now I want to make a visit!

Great video, thank you!

WOW THIS VIDEO IS INCREDIBLE!!! EVERYONE SHOULD WATCH THIS!! I AM SHOOKETH!!!

Very compelling video. Id love to visit!

Nice. Thx for sharing.

I miss seeing the cycling videos you used to make. This seemed more like a tourism video than a bike travel video.

@Cyclingabout

9 күн бұрын

I had a lot I wanted to say!

@drill_fiend1097

5 күн бұрын

Kinda posting different things once in a while is good imo.

@keelferm

5 күн бұрын

@@Cyclingabout and also had to think carefully about how to say it, no doubt!

Great video

Amazing! 4,000KM? Must have been the coffee.😂

@Cyclingabout

11 күн бұрын

Powered by coffee, tea and dates. 🙌🏻

We need an extended version focused on the bike trips!

@Cyclingabout

5 күн бұрын

I definitely could've edited the footage this way, but I was so shocked by my experience that I wanted to share a bit more about the people, culture, history and way of life.

Amazing view.

GREAT!

We hope more about this place

Thanks for this. Been meaning to go for a while. Clearly no excuse not to.

Wow, I took almost the exac same route except I started in Madina and went to Abha and then to Riyadh whereas the map here shows you started further north and appear to have travelled to Najran.

excelente video, de un pais - reino que no se sabe mucho, no tenia idea de esos paisajes, pense que fuera todo desierto. lo de la hospitalidad es algo que tienen la mayoria de gente del desierto / musulman de recibir al viajero.

Wow! That was a hoot. Cursing my restricted finances, want to jump on a plane there immediately!

Awesome

What is free/wild camping like or did you stay in hotels?

@Azzy_Mazzy

11 күн бұрын

Wild camping is fine, what will cause issues is using wood in the area to light a fire.

@Cyclingabout

11 күн бұрын

We wild camped everywhere! It was totally fine, we only had people come up to our tent once or twice, just to say hello and check we were ok.

@keithattwood59

10 күн бұрын

I spent many years driving to remote beaches for fishing and diving. Fire wood and charcoal is available at all the petrol stations in the small villages, or a station might be miles from nowhere. I've only met a cobra face to face once and camel spiders a few times in my 21 years living there. Enjoy! Just be careful in the wadis juring rainy season. I've seen a dry valley become a white water torrent in an instant, boulders flying down hill and cars washed away trying to ford. Also, an area of beach washed away to a depth of 1m when a body of water that collected behind some dunes, from rain, managed to break through to the sea.

Why so short?

❤

I would keep the journalism degree to myself.

What did you use for naviagarion, maps etc while in SA?

@Cyclingabout

9 күн бұрын

We use the app MapOut (only on iPhone).

As an introvert I would find all that friendliness very tiring.

@Cyclingabout

8 күн бұрын

That's fair! I know of a bike traveller or two that had to decline most invites as they knew what was best for them.

Could You cycle in your gifted outfit? Does it work better in heat?

@Cyclingabout

11 күн бұрын

It was not practical or cool enough. Technical fabrics work much better!

Thank you for sharing this travel experience. I have a question related to marital status. Having lived in the Gulf a while ago, I know that traveling as an unmarried couple can be an issue. I don't know if you're married or not, but was this ever an obstacle?

@Cyclingabout

8 күн бұрын

Not at all! We were never interrogated about our marital status or asked to prove that we were married.

Will you be releasing any more vids of ur trip to Africa?

@Cyclingabout

9 күн бұрын

Yes

It is not possible to visit Mecca because it is a special place for Muslims to perform Hajj and Islam forbids entry to Mecca for non-Muslims, and we must respect that because it is a special place for their rituals and not for tourism.

There were more then 350 people killed last year being homosexual or lbqht etc

Great watch. I still would not want to break a law there. Its very beautiful for sure.

I❤❤❤

I am 4' 11" can anyone suggest me any suitable touring cycle please

@Cyclingabout

8 күн бұрын

I have a list of small bikes on my website: www.cyclingabout.com/list-of-touring-bikes-for-smaller-cyclists/

@tithisarkar9596

8 күн бұрын

Thank you so much for your suggestions sir

It's all beer and skittles unless you are a certain journalist from The Washington Post 😉

@user-cv5fq4lu8w

9 күн бұрын

referring to james gordon meek i spouse?

only if you got money😂😂

@qweqwe9678

9 күн бұрын

or if you're a youtuber with some what significant viewership and the saudi needs to hire you as a mouthpiece to boost their image.

I didn't really like the format of this video. I prefer to follow along on a journey. Not clips from here and there trying to change opinions I don't hold.

@Cyclingabout

9 күн бұрын

I like to make all kinds of different types of videos! Maybe you will like the next one.

As a Saudi, I would like to thank Mohammed bin Salman because he brought us out of darkness and extremism 8 years ago. The morality police control my hair and search my phone if there is music, and the mall cannot be entered unless you have a family. Now we have equality between girls and men.

Great Job! The Islamic world is definitely a fascinating frontier for bicycle travelling.

@Cyclingabout

11 күн бұрын

Many countries in this part of the world rank as my favourites.

In our religion (Islam) the women have rights like and more than men,but that doesn't mean that the Muslim women can't be independent!,the religion isn't a barrier like you made us feel in your video😅,and the Muslim community is very open and accepting. Add to that: the women are not allowed to touch a man that isn't her father or husband or brother or uncle.... Because shaking hands with woman can be sexual and all the women accept that and they like that Islam didn't allow that because this benefit the woman and this is for her own good

Really really great. Am not surprised but absolutely delighted to see this, undermining the prejudices so prevalent in mefia. Thanks so much!

@giffardsercombe3169

11 күн бұрын

'Media'

Your head is still attached, so not what I thought it would be either.

Go to Afghanistan if you want to unalive😎

@phillharris3154

11 күн бұрын

Please elaborate on your comment please. Unalive is an unknown word to me.

Trust Allah but chain&lock your bike when picking up Happy Meals!. -- *The Book of Trump*

Mmmm I see no women in this video except your travel partner which makes me suspicious... could it be local women aren't really free to for instance get their driver's license? 🤔

@user-kj8yl6sn2z

7 күн бұрын

Most Saudi women’s role models in life are the Virgin Mary, Khadija, and Aisha, the wives of the Prophet Muhammad, not Jill Biden, Nicole Kidman, and Britney Spears. The concept of freedoms, rights, and morals is different between Islamic laws and liberal laws. Therefore, you must understand that liberal laws conflict with what Muslims, as well as Orthodox Christians, believe in.

@Cyclingabout

6 күн бұрын

There are the laws, and then there is the culture. The laws have recently changed to give women significantly more rights, however, it will take many years for the culture to now catch up. As a result, you do see significantly fewer women driving cars and on the streets. But another reason you saw few women in this video is that I was very hesitant to film them.

@user-kj8yl6sn2z

5 күн бұрын

These are books you must read to understand the Islamic culture of women: 1. Women in Islam, AbdulRahman Bin Abdulkarim Al-Sheha 2. The Hijab Liberation or Oppression - A Detailed Discussion in The Light of Scientific Research Author: Gohar Mushtaq 3. The Making of a Salafi Muslim Woman: Paths to Conversion by Anabel Inge 4. The Ideal Muslimah: The True Islamic Personality of the Muslim Woman as Defined in the Qur an and Sunnah by Muhammad Ali Hashimi and Nasiruddin al-Khattab 5. The Role of the Women in Rectifying the Society by Ash-Shaykh Al-Allaamah Muhammad Ibn Saalih al Uthaymeen 6. Women’s Ideal Liberation: Islamic Versus Western Understanding by Rukaiyah Hill Abdulsalam 7. The Family Structure In Islam by Hammūdah ʻAbd al-ʻAṭī 8. Polygamy in Islam by Dr. Bilal Philips And Dr. Jamila Jones 9. A Return to Modesty: Discovering the Lost Virtue by Wendy Shalit 10. Why Not Cover Your Modesty by Abdul Hameed Al-Balali

Were you paid by the Saudi governemnt to travel there and publish your journey? They're are spending billons promoting tourism to their country and have paid thousands of online influencers to publish glossed over reports of traveling there. Not disclosing the payment you received is despicable.

@Cyclingabout

10 күн бұрын

I have no affiliation with the Saudi government. I mentioned this early on in the video.

@qweqwe9678

9 күн бұрын

also praising a country who still enslave people is disgusting.

they behaved that way because they were on camera. otherwise you woudn't return since they're muslims

@JacobMoha-vn5cj

9 күн бұрын

You should probably never leave your country buddy, this could be the dumbest comment I have ever read on here. Saudi has the most generous most humble people I have ever seen and experienced. Can't believe I have to say this...BUT GUESS OUT! I travelled there with no camera... wooow... crazyyy..... Out of 45 countries I've been in, Saudi was the best. Facts. Your lack of education is what scares me.

@interceptor7905

6 күн бұрын

Lot of people sadly believe anything lamestream media shows

don't trust them

@user-eh2cq4iz2e

11 күн бұрын

Explain. I am planning a similar trip…

@John-ks9rm

11 күн бұрын

You’ve been brainwashed buddy!!

@phillharris3154

11 күн бұрын

That comment is ridiculous, especially seeing you have given no reasons. Shame on you.

@rambo8085

10 күн бұрын

Your comment just shows how you see other cultures as inferior, the world is more than just white people :)

@HOLOHOAX1488LIE

10 күн бұрын

@@user-eh2cq4iz2e they're mudslimes

This has to be the worst country on earth.

@interceptor7905

6 күн бұрын

Why is that?

@kemetancientafrica

21 сағат бұрын

@@interceptor7905 Modern day slavery on foreign domestic workers.