A taste of things to come

I had an up and down relationship with Arabia.

All my experiences, good and bad, had one thing in common; they were intense and unpredictable. What you saw in the Middle East was a distorted reflection of reality, much like a Fata Morgana.

The Orient has the qualities of a female temptress and those of a male magician, both sexy and elusive. The Middle-East is a region of smoke and mirrors and cannot compare to anywhere in the Western World.

In that lies its magic.

As a young woman growing up, I lived happily, in a familiar world and within a context I understood. My life was steady, apart from the usual emotional and hormonal changes that naturally occurred during my growing years. It gave peace of mind to have firm ground underfoot.

As I matured, I became interested in new possibilities and ways of looking at things. The concept of ‘comfort zone’ became uncomfortable. I disliked routine and predictability. 

As I developed, my love of travel grew. The Middle East in particular, drew me in. Like an oriental magnet, it attracted me into a thousand and one different dimensions and sensations, I had not encountered before. Some experiences were good, some pretty bad.

To be able to have half a chance of surviving in the Arab world as a Western woman, you must have a sense of self. That self-

knowledge comes with a certain level of maturity. In essence, you need to understand that if you want to take a Middle Eastern roller coaster ride, it can be scary, yet thrilling or killing.

Life in the Middle East is fast and furious, yet, at the same time, it exudes calm, mystery and seduction. If you are not yet able to handle the most challenging storms in the English Channel, then do not contemplate exploring the uncharted waters in the unpredictable high-rolling Arabian Seas. You may drown.

The Orient is complex. It is influenced by forceful factors including religion, loyalty, history, commodities, wealth, battles, greed, generosity, hospitality, hostility, magic, evil, love, killings, harsh conditions, poetic enchantment and brutal inflictions. But the most powerful and dangerous of all is ‘Passion’, with a capital P.

On arrival in Arabia, peace and serenity seem to envelop you.

The balmy weather soothes you. The stark contrast between men dressed in white and women in black suggests clarity. The call to prayer suggests discipline.

In the Middle East, money rules and family is untouchable.

Should there be a perceived danger to either, you may have to pay with your life. Beware of thinking that you as foreigner may belong. You will never gain a place in the inner trusted circle. The inner sanctum is hermetically sealed, protected from parasites and contamination. Both tribe and pride are to be preserved at all times and at all costs.

If you can, avoid falling for an Arab man. They are intense and seductive. These Alpha Males are a species that seems to have become extinct in the Western world and are, therefore, exciting and intriguing to some of us. These men make you feel like a woman in the most sensual ways, but with Alpha Males comes dominance and control.

Arabs are excellent hunters. They are predators and lie in wait, tempting their prey with patience and expertise. When you are at your weakest, they move and secure you.

Unless you are made from the very DNA that runs through generations of Pirates, Bedouins, Kings, Sultans, Emirs, Generals and Rulers, you will never be able to play them at their game.

If you do fall for an Arab man and survive to tell the tale, it will be tantalising.

Here’s my story. 

Romcom chic lit women fiction