Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting Stuck in Sand
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In sand, the minute you feel the wheels are digging in, stop driving. The more you accelerate, the deeper you'll
sink.
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If your wheels are deeply entrenched, don't dig: the car will just sink deeper.
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Partially deflate the tyres (for greater traction), clearing the sand away from the wheel in the direction you want
to go (ie behind if you're going to try to reverse out).
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Collect brushwood (you'll wish you brought the sand ladders!) and anything else available, and pack under the
tyres, creating as firm a 'launch pad' as possible.
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Plan your escape route or you'll flip out of the sand only to land in the next dune. In most dune areas, there are
compacted platforms of sand. Try to find one of these on foot so that you have somewhere safe to aim for.
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Engage low ratio and remember that going backwards can be as effective as going forwards, especially if you
stalled going uphill: gravity is a great help.
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Remember that using low ratio consumes a lot of petrol. Make sure you top up when you can and reinflate your
tyres before rejoining a sealed road.
What to Do if You're Lost
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Stay with your vehicle, where there's shade and water. The Bedu or local villagers will find you before you find
them. It's easier for a search party to spot a vehicle than people wandering in the desert.
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Use mirrors, horns or fires to attract attention, and construct a large sign on the ground that can easily be seen
from the air.
Bring Your Own Vehicle
Unless you're coming to live on the Peninsula for an extended duration, bringing your own vehicle may prove more
trouble than it's worth. Obtaining a
carnet de passage
is expensive and progressing through the Peninsula (due to visa
regulations and paperwork) can be challenging. For most short-term visitors, it makes more sense to hire a car locally.
For long-term residents it is cheaper and more straightforward to buy a car in-country and sell it before leaving.
Driving Licence
Travellers from the West can use their own national driving licences for a limited period in some Peninsula countries
(including Oman and Saudi Arabia).
For longer stays an International Driving Permit (IDP), obtainable from your own country, is recommended (and re-
quired) by some countries.
To obtain a local licence you'll need to have a residency visa, plus the following documents:
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a valid foreigner's licence (and sometimes an IDP)
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a no-objection certificate (NOC) from your employer
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your accommodation rental contract
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photocopies of your passport
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passport-sized photos
