My Arabian Adventure

My Arabian Adventure - Part 6

Author: Wallie Ballor
Released 5 February 2005

May 3, 1945

Arabia, "Camels First!"
Photograph Contributed by Diane Possell

It has been hot for several days now, and I mean hot! Along with the heat there's been quite a wind which blows the sand into drifts.

We are working beside the road that goes to Ras Tanura and on each side is water. I wish that I could describe the coloring of these waters. There is green, blue and even lavender. The Persian Gulf is on one side and Tarut Bay is on the other. The road is on the narrow peninsula which is only about two hundred feet wide.

We hear that the air conditioning will be ready soon.

We had some bad luck today. We had put in two poles and were doing the wiring; I on one pole and one of the Italians on the other. I had to climb down for something and just as I did, the other pole came crashing down onto the rocks. We hurriedly started digging the man out and while doing so the other pole, the one that I had been on, came down, too. The heavy seas had undermined the rocks.

We rushed the injured man to the clinic, where we found that he had a broken leg, among other injuries. They are sending him to the hospital in Dhahran for x-rays.

May 4, 1945

Line Crew
Photograph Contributed by Diane Possell

I got those poles back up today and all wired. I think they will stay this time.

This is a lovely evening after a very hot day. We have both fans going and the door open and it is quite pleasant. It's very still and quiet outside; a real desert night.

I left my glasses on the table the other morning when I put on my dust goggles to work in, and of course, they were gone that evening. I will have to go to the island (Bahrain) to see an optometrist for new frames for these extra lenses.

Sometimes the mail sack comes in at noon, while we are in the mess hall, in which event everyone makes a mad dash for the recreational hall and if there hasn't been time to segregate it, each grabs a bunch of letters and sorts through them in hopes of finding his own. These letters pass from hand to hand until everyone has his own. This is the big event of the day.

The things that we look forward to all day are the long cold drink at the end of the job, a nice shower and something good for dinner (we hope).

I haven't shaved for some time. It's a good protection against the sand and the flies. Now I understand that some photographer is going to take a picture of all of us bearded "guys".

May 16, 1945

Wallie Ballor with Rahja (Maharanee)
Photograph Contributed by Diane Possell

We had coffee with a couple of the natives tonight. We sat on the floor as usual (with me on rugs and pillows, also as usual!) and spent a very pleasant evening trying to converse. Later on a friend came in and acted as interpreter. When you dine with your host here, he dines with you, but when he asks you over for coffee in the evening, he serves but does not drink. It is his duty to make you comfortable.

Last Monday on my way to work, I had stopped to pick up some coolies and there lying beside the road, more dead than alive, was a little black kitten. I picked him up and took him along with me. So now he is our mascot and we all take turns feeding him. He's coming along fine. We give him milk from an eye-dropper. I've named him Rahja.

Wednesday, the ninth, was declared a holiday in honor of V. E. Day. The Italians on the job did more celebrating than we Americans. Well, I decided to have a real holiday for myself, so I arranged with one of the native boys to go sailing again. This time my plans turned out better. We actually did sail, fish and swim. We found an old Arab who had a small boat and away we went.

While swimming around near the boat, the old man spoke in Arabic and motioned me into the boat. After I had climbed in, he pointed to something swimming just ahead of the boat. It was a shark about nine feet long. We were about ten miles out and the sea was glassy smooth. I don't know if the sharks come in any closer to shore or not.

Rec Hall, Ras Tanura (Nijma)
Photograph Contributed by Diane Possell

In the evening we had a big celebration dedicating the new recreational hall, pool room and bowling alley. We had speeches, music and a real bang-up home talent show.

The next morning my number one boy asked me to go sailing again. But we were unable to obtain a boat, so we took one of the trucks and started off over the desert. Al Qatif (Ka-teef) is about thirty miles from here and it was a lovely drive. We drove beside an oasis for several miles. It was beautiful with long rows of palms, the green grass and the sparkling water below. This land is almost at sea level. There is plenty of good water and how everything grows! As we entered the oasis, the road became a winding lane between irrigation ditches.

Native Herders
Photograph Contributed by Diane Possell

The customs and habits of these people are still the same as they were two thousand years ago. Their dress is also the same -- robe, gown and headdress. We frequently met little donkeys laden with goat-skin water bags or jugs or large bundles of fagots made from palm fronds. Occasionally, we would meet both men and women. The women invariably whip their shawls over their faces at the approach of any man. Evidently they can see through the material as they would stop and watch me as I drove by. Even the little girls stay away from the men and it was comical to see some little miss grab a piece of her shawl and hide her face. After many minutes of pleasant driving, we came into the bazaar district. The minute the truck stopped, we were completely surrounded by men and boys of all ages. All were very friendly. Everywhere we went we had plenty of followers. Hassin and I got out of the truck to look at the wares and I appointed one man to act as watchman over the truck.

Looking over the wares was very interesting. Almost everything is handmade right in the shops. The only oddity was the modern treadle sewing machines. We stopped at the vegetable market where I bought some melons, tomatoes, onions, native bananas, limes and a couple of fruits which were entirely foreign to other parts of the world.

Bedouin with Camel
Photograph Contributed by Diane Possell

We met several educated natives and I was asked to have tea with them right there on the side of the street. There were benches by the wall and tables in front. We had several glasses of sweet tea and then one of Hassin's friends asked us down to eat. We accepted and had a meal of heated milk, native bread and fresh apricots.

After eating, they wanted me to see the "well", so we drove for some distance and stopped by a high domed structure, which I was told was the bath house. Well, this was the most unique bath house that I have ever seen. This building is built over a very warm spring, which seems to have no bottom. It has been curbed in with a series of ledges going down to about five feet below the surface. The entrance to the pool is from a long room and is merely a round hold large enough for a man to stoop and walk into. The water is very clear. We all took off all of our clothes and enjoyed a nice swim. I believe that I am the only white man to ever swim in that pool.

Afterward the man that had dined us asked me to visit his place to have coffee and see his garden. We walked through the palms and fruit trees of many gardens to reach his place. The house had just one wall and a roof. It was like a large shed made of woven fronds. On the ground by a post were two mats and two pillows and that's where I sat. The rest, except my host, reclined along the walls. One sat beside me and fanned me continuously, although it was not very hot. Coffee was served very warm and in demitasse style, very strong and aromatic and not really coffee at all. After I had drunk four cups, a large woven tray filled with fresh dates was passed around. Then we washed and dried our hands. All in all, it was a very interesting experience and one that I'm glad I was able to enjoy.

May 21, 1945

It's a beautiful night -- deep blue sky with very light fleecy clouds. Today was the hottest day we've had yet. All I wore were my pants, boots and hat.

I have two groups now, one Italian and one Arabic. They work better that way rather than as a mixed group. Five of my boys are climbing every day now. All I have to do is stand on the ground and give orders. Very rarely do I have to climb myself.

I have quite a time keeping track of their vacation times. They get a vacation once a year, so I have a book with records and dates. They'll bother the life out of you when they think it's time for one, and then I have to check and tell them how many months (sharrs) and days (el yooms) they have to wait.

May 22, 1945

Bob Bages, Wallie Ballor and Clyde Newcombe with Camel
Photograph Contributed by Diane Possell

A break in the weather today -- almost cool.

I found myself in a lot of trouble over my trip into the desert the other day. It seems that it is strictly against the rules to go away from camp unescorted. I stood a fair chance of being sent back to the United States. But I guess it will all blow over.

I saw a tiny porcupine today, also a gazelle which was very sweet and gentle.

I bought myself a pair of Arabian sandals. They're made of brown, green, red and white leather and are very pretty.

May 29, 1945

Nijma Camp, Arabia
Photograph Contributed by Diane Possell

There's no let up in the heat for over a week now. It runs around 120 degrees in the shade and we don't work in the shade! We've been sleeping on the roof where it is pretty cool all night. We still don't have the air conditioning in.

Today I weighed and found that I've come down from one hundred seventy-nine to one hundred sixty-eight pounds.

We bowl almost every night.

I took several pictures last week and want to take a lot more.

June 18, 1945

I went up to the roof, as usual, to sleep last night and found no beds! The Personnel Office sent men out to pick up all extra beds and supposing ours were "extras" took them too. So we slept on the concrete in the barracks. The air conditioning is finally in and, as a result, we all have colds.

June 26, 1945

Wallie Ballor and Pals
Photograph Contributed by Diane Possell

For some reason I decided to shave off my beard yesterday. Only one of the fellows knew me (he thought); "Hello, Jim", says he!

They've opened a fountain in the recreational hall and now we have cokes, root beer and hamburgers.

It is so very, very hot. The wind burns your eyeballs.

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