It tentatively plans 15-day Saudi tours on Feb. 13 and April 16. In February 1998, Voll was invited on a Saudi scouting trip. The archeology . . . Still, Saudi Arabia isn't an easy visit. The nation is a kingdom ruled by Islamic laws.
Social norms are as restrictive to women as Iran's, perhaps more so.
Tour operators typically provide foreign women with an abaya, a black nylon robe that is always worn. In marketplaces, Western women are urged to wear head scarves. Saudi women are banned from driving. Live theater and cinema are illegal, as are alcohol and pork. Toward Jordan and Israel lies Madain Salah, the top Nabatean ruin site in the country.