RIYADH: Pilot, motorcycle enthusiast and author Mishaal Al-Sudairy is taking his passion for adventure in the outdoors, particularly the skies over the Kingdom, to document the country for fellow citizens.
Speaking on The Mayman Show recently, Al-Sudairy said he takes to the skies on average 12 times a month, and is fascinated by the many ancient sites and natural wonders that can be viewed from above.
“This year I participated in the federal rally which is flying over Egypt, archeological sites. I flew to the World Traveler Festival in Dubai. Before in 2021, I flew from Thumamah to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to participate in the AirVenture, Airshow 2021. So, I love flying.”
Al-Sudairy, who has an engineering background, received a private pilot’s license at 50 in 2018 from a facility in Denver, Colorado. “Then I went back to the US and did my instrument rating in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. And then I did my multi-engine and my commercial in Bellingham, Washington state,” he said.
During the interview he recalled flying over Harrat Kishb which is a lava field in the west of the Kingdom. “The neat thing is seven volcanoes in a straight line. So you will be seeing the volcano tops one after one. Like they were done by a ruler. So to me, this is like one of nature’s wonders, one that I’m gonna say Subhan Allah.”
Another wondrous site for Al-Sudairy is Audat Sudair, about 100 km from Riyadh, that has a mountain which appears to be several hearts from the sky.
“It is like heart over heart over heart. And because you know, this area, it used to be, you know, seabed before the sea water receded. This formation is amazing. You see a heart, a normal heart, shaped by nature.
“I mean, there’s so many things also from above, you can see there, so many signs by stones, so I think some of them, they’re prehistoric and some of them maybe from Stone Age,” he said.
Al-Sudairy believes that Saudi Arabia has one of the world’s most interesting terrains because of its diverse topography.
“We have the desert, we have the mountains, we have the coastal line. Plus the volcanic areas, which is a lot, and especially in the westernmost part of Saudi Arabia. So you know, all these when they mix together, they’re breathtaking,” he said.
There were always “hidden gems to be found,” he said.
“I want to introduce my country to my fellow citizens, so they know they (can) come out of the cities because Saudi Arabia is not limited to Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam.
“I want them to know that there is so much to see and to know about their country, about small towns and heritage places,” he added.
