Mariam Nihal

Saudi Gazette

 

“SECURITY is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all,” Helen Keller once said.



Wings Over Arabia is a documented dream journal recorded by Roger Harrison, who lives those words. The book records an observation of Saudi Arabia in an expedition by glider that he took in the western half of the Kingdom with Prince Sultan Bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities and entrepreneur Prince Bandar Bin Khaled. Roger Harrison, a renowned journalist and photographer, told Saudi Gazette the week-long dream expedition was organized by John Bally, a professional expedition leader and glider pilot-instructor.



The journey describes Saudi Arabia through the eyes of the sky as the team flew over the arid wastes, mountains, coast and cities of the country. “The difference between traveling in a large jet at 1,000 meters and a six-ton prop plane with the doors off at 2,000 meters is the key to the impact of the journey,” Harrison said.  The expedition involved the two princes, Harrison, three gliders, Bally, a chase plane and a supporting ground crew, film crew and chase vehicles. Harrison said the star of the expedition is the Kingdom itself.  The book can be found in hard cover across the UAE and has magnificent photographs by the man himself. The pictures are supplemented by well-informed details explaining the features and description of the Nabataean site of Medain Salih.



Harrison’s first published book serves as a first landmark. “When I first went to Saudi Arabia, it was due to difficult times in England. Basically over the eighteen years I was there, reinvented a new character which has turned out to be an author through being a journalist and teacher. So firstly, it’s a personal milestone. Secondly the relationship I have with the Kingdom is the expat-employee.  They employed me when no one would or did. But really this is a contribution to the culture, social media, history and literature of the Kingdom.”



When asked about the royal journey with the princes, Harrison said: “Both were competent pilots. Sultan can fly over 40 aircraft, he is now a world-class glider pilot. It was formal, but only in the beginning. Because it was clear everyone had their competencies and we were all specialists.”



He said one of the most powerful memories of the journey was a low flight over three huge volcanoes amid the black basalt fields (herrats) to the north of Madinah and the flight over the Prophet’s City itself.



“That was something I will never forget, leaning out into the slipstream, tied to a stanchion by a piece of rope and being buffeted savagely to get the low altitude photo of the Holy Mosque and the tomb of the Prophet,” he said.



“What I want is for people to see Saudi Arabia in another way.” So hanging by ropes 10,000 feet above the ground, was he afraid? He said: “Fear? No.  I’m always up for challenge. It was stimulating rather than fear.” 



Harrison described the journey as an eye-opener and described the royal nature of the trip as a learning journey. Looking back at some of the hurdles, he said during the latter part of the journey when the engine in one of the princes’ gliders failed to start, it was a setback the princes embraces and conquered. There were considerable problems on the first day with unreliable electronics in one of the gliders – so bad that Bally lost power to the landing gear when approaching the end of the first leg of the journey.



“It took something really extreme to make John Bally, the essence of cool and capable, raise an eyebrow. But he justified the motors in the gliders as a bonus safety feature. Some of the rugged territory we flew over it would simply not be possible to land on. As he said, “After an ‘interesting’ landing there, no-one walks away.” 



The book pays tribute to Saudi Arabia through Harrison’s enthusiasm for life. He said he shared a great relationship with Saudi Arabia. “The key to every country is the people. I can say with only one exception in eighteen years, I have experienced nothing but hospitality and friendliness in Saudi. Genuinely what makes Saudi Arabia special is even in bureaucratic situations, which are sometimes not the easiest in the world to get through, going with an open heart, mind and hand — shake a hand, say a few words and the relationship changes. Saudi Arabia is all about relationships.” He said the relationships in the book share the same bond. Harrison believes even with the negative press the country receives, it is not the truth but people’s reaction.



Harrison said one of the aims of the book was to educate people about the beauty of Saudi Arabia. He said it was rewarding to see natives and especially Saudi schoolchildren say that they never realized the Kingdom was like that. “The reaction I get when I give talks at schools from children is that ‘Wow, we didn’t know this!’ So I like to think of this as a contribution to possible future Saudi education.”



Harrison’s soul seems to grow younger every passing moment. The relentless ambition and enthusiasm makes you question life, as we know it. But this is not the end for him. “Never give up.” He wants to follow up with other half of the Kingdom. “I would like to go to the eastern side of the Kingdom. It’s got an incredible culture, gulf trade, going back thousands of years. I want to pull the same team back together maybe and go around the other half.”