Expat Tales: The truth about life in Saudi Arabia according to a Kiwi who lives there

I'm in the 26th year of my OE! I started in London, moved to Bahrain and then Qatar, and in 2020 I moved to Saudi with my family.

Covid struck just as we arrived so that made it difficult – my children had almost two years of school online.

I work in a Saudi school teaching art.

It's exciting to be in Saudi while it's going through such a rapid amount of change and development. The locals are the most generous and welcoming people.

People who've never visited have strong preconceptions about the country. Convincing them to change their minds takes time.

Rent can be exorbitant, but petrol and other local produce are cheap. Lots and lots of free sunshine.

I play netball, swim, spin and do yoga. We travel a lot around Saudi and the region as well as further afield. I've just returned from interrailing around Europe with my sons.

Shawarma is the Saudi equivalent of a pie in New Zealand. It’s available in every street in every town and in all school canteens. It's chicken or beef, garlic sauce, hummus, token salad, pickles and chips wrapped in Arabic bread.

Public transport is only developing. I've taken the train to the Eastern province, but mostly drive. You need to channel your inner IndyCar driver as traffic and road etiquette is unique.

Nighttime, when it's cooler, the whole city is at its best. Shops and restaurants stay open really late.

October to March is a great time to visit – cooler than the heady 45C of summer, but still very sunny.

In Riyadh, Al Diriyah, the ancestral seat of the Al Saud dynasty, and the Edge of the World, a canyon at the rim of Riyadh’s plateau. Go to the west coast – Jeddah's historical Al-Balad and the diving are amazing.

In one word, wine.