One of the dangers of living in the desert is the sandstorm since we are completely surrounded by sand hundreds of miles around. However, since we’ve been in Riyadh, we have not been in a sandstorm of epic proportion, when you SEE the wall of sand moving forward and engulfing everything. Check out this video of a major sandstorm that hit downtown Riyadh in early 2009 in which you will see the wall moving forward from total visibility to nothing is distinguishable…Worst sandstorm in Riyadh
We have been caught in sandstorms; one was at the bottom of a wadi, driving back from the desert. We heard the wind coming, saw the lightning all around and soon we could hardly see in front of us. We knew the pillars of the bridge were close so we were looking for them, but only saw them when we were about 5 meters from them. Good thing we were hardly moving!
When a sandstorm blows through, expect sand all over. If you are outside, which I don’t recommend, cover your mouth and nose as quickly as possible, as the sand will get everywhere and get inside! My husband and two friends were playing golf last year when one hit suddenly. The three guys kept on playing…not the smartest move! When they came back to the compound, they had a thin layer of sand caked on their faces and their hair was blond, as sand has attached itself all over! For the next couple of months after that golf outing, all three were coughing and had respitory infections…since they did not cover their mouths and noses! So, my ad-vice is not to stay outside if you can avoid it.
When you are inside the safety of your house, listen to the wind and the sand hitting the windows. Expect sand to seep in under the doors, around the windows and be prepared to dust your house! You will see all furniture covered with a thin layer of “dust”, more sand than anything else. This is true on a daily basis. I could dust everywhere daily as it seems there is always sand deposit on the furniture.
When I vacuum or mop the floors, sand is what is mostly picked up. The bottom of the bucket is always full of sand, no matter that I vacuum the floors before washing them! So, yeah, living here you can’t forget that you are in the desert and that sand is all around.
For more information, read this article on How to Survive a Sandstorm
Its the sand that is a major cause for irritation in the desert country.
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