My trip to East Africa from Jordan was quite the strange experience. The plane ticket from Jordan to Nairobi was actually more than to get me all the way from New York to Cairo...so I booked the cheapest flight that I really could. In doing so though, it mean the longest and most bizarre layover of my life.
I had to fly 3 1.2 hours from Amman in the afternoon to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Then, I had a 14 HOUR layover. Then it was another 3 hour flight down to Nairobi.
Now, I was aware before that unlike most countries in the Arab world- like Egypt or Jordan, for example- Saudi is somewhere that it's illegal for a woman not to wear a hijab. (For those of you who don't know, or are confused, a hijab is the head scarf worn by any woman "of age." This is not a burka or niqab. A burka covers the entire face, as well as the eyes and is associated primarily with the religious fanatics like the Taliban. A niqab covers the face as well, but leaves the eyes visible. Both the burka and the niqab are not a part of the general Muslim religion- they are for strict religious sects. If you speak openly about this to most Muslims they will tell you that these coverings are never mentioned in the Koran.)
I was worried that I would have to wear the hijab that I brought the entire time in the airport, and even that I might be sectioned away to a "women's only" area...which I was pretty certain if existed, wouldn't have access to wifi or anything that could help out my boredom for 14 hours. This worry was not assuaged at all when, checking in for the flight in Amman, the man at the counter looked at me (In a full button down shirt with under shirt beneath and long sleeves) pointed at me in general, and said "But...in Jeddah, you can...no."
What actually happened was far, far weirder.
For reasons unknown to me, my plane first landed somewhere completely different. I don't know where, other than it was in Saudi, and anyone continuing was NOT allowed to get off the plane under threat of fine... and, oh, yeah. The guys with machine guns surrounding the plane. A few people got off, some guys in uniform boarded the plane and looked over everything and went through the bathrooms, then they got off and the plane took off again for Jeddah.
We landed in Jeddah- the world's smallest international airport. We landed way out on the runway, then were loaded into busses and driven to the terminal. Anyone who was going into Jeddah walked out one way. Someone immediately came up to me (Yeah. I know. I stand out a bit) and told me to go to the information desk, so I did. In the plane I'd put on the hijab, so I knew I was't in trouble, just didn't know what else to think. I went to the desk and they asked where I was going. There was then some conversation in Arabic, they took my passport and boarding pass, wrote things down, handed them and another slip of paper back to me, and called someone else over. This guy escorted me upstairs, to a very strange area.
The room was nice enough. Quiet with 2 TVs (Though how you were supposed to listen to them I never found out.) There were several lounger chairs on one side for people to try and sleep, a little "hall" with 4 computer monitors and chairs for people, and then another section with some regular chairs. It was refrigerated to just below freezing (Although it was 98 outside when we landed...) but at least we were all handed blankets. It was so cold though that everyone who was in the room was wearing all the layers that they had, along with the blankets wrapped around them. We looked like a very strange little refugee camp.
I was told that I had to stay in this room. Two hours before my flight, someone would come and get me to take me into the main area, but not before. The slip of paper that I had been given was a meal voucher, and I could also have a snack, but those were only obtained in the main area. However, I was not allowed to go into the main area until two hours before my flight. I would not be allowed to come back to the room if I left for the main area.
It was all very confusing.
However, it seemed that I didn't have to wear a hijab in there, as there was a nice young Asian girl and another Indian girl who were waiting for flights as well and had their hair uncovered. Plus, there was wifi there, so I could let my mom know I was safe and entertain myself for the duration, so I tried to make the most of it.
Two things made me have to change my situation though. First- the bathroom. The women's room in the room was locked, and we were told we needed to go downstairs (Back the way we'd come in) with guards (Who were armed) to go to the women's room there. I liked the holding area more....
I also finaly couldn't hold out any longer for food. Starved and desperate (My only meal had been at 7am of hummus and pita...which I'm not sure I will ever be able to eat again after how much I had to consume in Egypt and Jordan) and by midnight I was ready to risk quite a bit. I pleaded with the guy who was sitting in the room as a control to let me out for food and then I'd come right back. He finally said ok. Going out of the room, I was issued to a "women's security check" line, which then led me into a back-room where I was thoroughly frisked by 2 of about 6 women in the room. This then led me out into a one-large-room terminal with 12 gates, a duty free zone, and a small food stand. I came over with my voucher and was given a tray. Could have been worse... would have preferred more... but I took what I could get. Trying to get back into the room again was another series of pleas with the guard, but I finally got back in.
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