trying to turn around on a one-way street

for years, i hear people talking about 'that far fish place' as the most amazing seafood you could ever eat ever in your whole life... at least living in jeddah. me and my sisters are the only people in the family who hadnt gone, or were. last night we (or me and oneof the sisters) went with a few of our cousins. the place was good, we had fun, but the real story comes in before we even get there.

we pick up K from her job at nine and head off to the fish place. it's getting pretty close to ten when we start getting close (yes, the far fish place was named that for a reason). so we're driving and all of a sudden K goes, 'dad, you were supposed to turn off there.' he immediately says, 'no, i'm sure there's another exit to get to it coming up.' there wasnt, which K was kind enough to point out. repeatedly. we drove right past the place but couldnt turn off the road anywhere to get to it.

let me take a minute to describe the road situation. it'll make the rest of the story seem slightly less insane. from left to right: there were lanes going in one direction, a cement barrier (not the sidewalk kind but the mini wall kind), lanes going in the other direction (which we were on), a bunch of sand, some more cement barriers and fences, a side road and the restaurant.

so we go past the restaurant and realize that we're gonna have to drive a while before we can u-turn when the other cousin we were meeting started to call and ask where we were. K got a bit impatient and told her dad to go turn in the sand and just drive in the wrong direction until we got to the missed turn-off. he went into the sand, but refused to get back on the road in the wrong direction. so he started driving in the sand hoping to find a place where there wasnt cement or fencing to cut through to the side road.

we drove for a while in the sand, getting closer and closer to the missed turn and further from the restaurant... still no place to leave the sand. we finally come to an empty sandy lot with still no way to get out. K gets out of the car and walks around for a bit, coming back to tell us that she found a way out. there was a rampish type sandy part which apparently seemed drivable. so, though A is calling them both stupid, K guides her dad to where he should drive up. we start up a little bit before our tires start spinning and we create our own sand storm, completely obscuring our view.

after giving up from that, we go back on the sand the way we had come and make it to in front of the restaurant, but still separated by the barriers and side road. A was all for parking there and walking the rest of the way. K was not.

after a few more minutes, the dad (I'm gonna call him Mr. O from now on, it's shorter) finally gave in to K's crazy idea. he drove back up the sand and got back on the road... driving in the wrong direction. at night. with cars coming directly towards us. yes, we stayed in the service lane as much as possible, but this is saudi arabia where everyone drives in the service lane. my sister's inner comm major came out as she let everyone know that she didnt want to die - loudly and repeatedly.

after a few more illegal (though i'm not really sure that matters here) moves, we make it to the turn and get to the restaurant to eat. surprisingly, all in one piece. no one even honked at us, which makes me think it's not all that uncommon on that road. not something i find very comforting.

*Not Meant to Be - Theory of a Deadman