Saudi Arabia

Last night, I read the only travel guide to Saudi Arabia out there (Lonely Planet.) I bought it because my brother can't find one in France and I wanted to read it before I shipped it to him this morning. They don't paint a pretty picture. Ok, it's a beautiful country, but the lifestyle for an expat requires a huge adjustment: no alcohol, you can't bring your laptop because it has to be "clean"(no files on it), men can't wear shorts (it doesn't matter that it's super hot and humid - and I'm not even getting into the rules for women), men can't talk to a muslim woman or even look at her, you need to check your car for explosives before you get in...
And they take your passport away from you and only return it 1 day before your flight home. They issue an ID that you must have on you at all times and you're in trouble if you get busted without it.
Funny fact: the airline has asked my brother to grow a mustache to conform to the airline style. Looks like it's part of the uniform! I just find that hilarious and he'd better send pictures of the mustache. I wonder if the Mattawa (the fashion police, SERIOUSLY.) will stop him if he shaves :-)

And I won't be able to visit him because they don't deliver tourist visas. So unless I go to Egypt and scuba dive across the Red Sea, it's just not happening. Even if I converted to Islam, I'd only be allowedd to go to Mecca. And it would take time and I love ham, so no, still not happening.

Anyway, I'm worried about him living there because there are terrorist attacks against foreigners. Al-Qaeda wants to keep the birth place of Islam "pure". Expat compounds are targets.

Travel warnings
from Lonely Planet:
Foreigners Targeted
Following attacks on foreigners, western governments are warning against non-essential travel to Saudi Arabia. If you are staying in the country, avoid public places where Westerners are known to congregate, ensure that your hotel has a good reputation for maintaining high security precautions and stay abreast of travel advisory updates.

from the US government: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_932.html

For more on Saudi Arabia, http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/middle-east/saudi-arabia/

ALL THAT TO SAY... BON VOYAGE! BE SAFE.