I worked in the Kingdom for 6 months in 2002 (July to Dec).  At the time, Saudi's had a reputation of not paying their bills.  To protect ourselves, the Canadian Eng firm I worked for requested and recieved a $5 Million USD letter of credit held by an independent bank.  It had a mechanism where we could draw on the $5M if the Saudi customer didn't pay our invoices.  Over approximately a 12 month period we consumed the $5M, our Saudi customer never paid an invoice and we ultimately put our tools away and left the Kingdom.  It turned out to be a blessing in disguise.  I left at the end of December 2002.  There were 5 Million expats in the Kingdom at the time and terrorists starting shooting them randomly starting in January, 2003. By May, there were major attacks on residential compounds where expats stayed.  All of our guys got out by February.  Not sure I'd ever go back.

The point of the story is Saudi's don't like to pay for anything (hopefully 18 years later that has changed).

Fun fact:  Saudi's drive like they are in a race with one hand on the horn at all times lol

The Kingdom had no real enforced speed limit at the time.  The posted highway limit was 120 Km/h.  In reality, the limit was whatever speed your vehicle was capable of.  I was assigned to the east coast so I lived in Al Khobar and would perform site inspections from Al Hoffuf in the south all the way north to Hafar Al Batin.  Riyadh to Khobar is 450 Km (~280 miles) and I could easily do the drive in 3 hours.

On my frist trip across the desert in July at 50 Celsius or 122 F, I learned my 2002 Toyota Landcruiser (with the 4.0L straight 6, gas) would lose oil pressure while cruising at 170 Km/h or 105 Mph after approximately 30 minutes.  This can be quite unnerving the first time it happens... seeing the oil pressure gauge slowly decreasing while you're 100 KM into the desert where there is a rest stop/gas station every 150 Km.  So I slowed down to 120 KM/H and watched the oil pressure stop dropping and start to return back to normal... my blood pressure did the same.  As it happens, I was likely 'boiling' the oil sort of speak and driving too fast for the 50C temp conditions.  Not to be deterred, I used the rest of the trip to test the limits and found the rig would behave quite nicely at a slightly less aggressive 150 Km/h or 94 Mph.   So there I would be cruising along in the center lane (3 lanes each way, divided highway) at 150 Km/h being passed by countless Suburbans, SUVs, Impala's, large American made vehicles packed with Saudi families on their way somehwere at 160+ Km/h.  All of them racing to be the fastest vehicle on the road, kids everywhere, no seatbelts, no concerns, living for today... tomorrow? Inshallah...

I've worked in a bunch of countries and the most fun to drive in.... Saudi and Haiti.  Thumbs up to Toyota Landcruisers... tank on wheels, wish I still had one.

Stay tuned, crazy Haiti stories next Saturday lol

stay safe