#2: [10-Jul-17]

10-Apr-2008 -- During our long weekend of 9 April 2008, we decided to visit a cluster of four unvisited confluences, 31N 42E, 30N 41E, 29N 41E, and 29N 42E, which are located in northern Saudi Arabia. The weather is still pleasant enough at this time of the year to venture out into the wild.

Having completed successfully the visit to the 31N 42E, we continued towards `Ar`ar where we rendevouzed with the Moghals (who were coming back from their short vacation to Jordan) at one of the well used hotels, the Taiseer. We settled in for a good night sleep after a brief visit to the local market and a good dinner. We set off early after the morning Fajr prayers some 30 km on the great pipeline highway heading southeast. We stopped at the service station to fill up the car with petrol and provisions before turning south onto a newly built blacktop road which took us to the village of al-Sulaimaniya, a distance of some 35 km. We then started our off-road journey latching onto tracks left behind by the Bedouins, as long as they went in the general directions towards the confluence point. As we approached a flock of sheep, a team of six to seven sheep dogs came tearing away towards us to chase us off.

We managed to cover good distance and had no problems getting to the confluence point. The confluence point was located in middle of a quite rocky and hilly terrain. The views around the confluence point are once more very dull and grey.

After leaving the confluence point for a few kilometers, we came across an ancient well, whose walls were built of solid rock, and the presence of an ancient habitat.

We continued our journey towards the next confluence point at 29N 41E.