What to do with 6 hours in Bahrain? See the Bahrain International Circuit like a boss!

One of the best things about travelling, is that its given me almost unlimited confidence to pull off ridiculous stunts and never take “NO!” for an answer. I’ve always had the mindset, that if I’m going to travel around the world to see a new country, eat some food or experience a different culture … I expect a barrier to my experience … it can come in the form of people saying the following :

• “No!”
• “You can’t go there …”
• “It’s not safe ..”
• “It’s closed ..”

When I was in Argentina visiting Iguazu Falls, I wanted to see the Brazillian side of the falls but I didn’t have a visa to go to Brazil. Did I let that stop me? Hell F#!#ing NO! I had read that people from Brazil commuted to the Puerto Iguazu for work on a daily basis and vice versa. I couldn’t imagine that someone would stop me, if I was going across for the day. Here’s how that story went …
http://www.rishiray.com/007-aint-got-nuthin-on-me-how-to-get-from-iguazu-falls-to-foz-de-iguacu-without-a-visa/

I was in Uzbekistan earlier this year and because of the time of the day (after 5pm), the guards started locking off access to the Registan in Samarkand. Did I let that stop me from seeing the Registan?? Hell F#!#ing NO! Understanding that the guards didn’t speak English and would be very hesitant to stop a fluent, loud English speaker with massive arms and a bigger camera … I stepped over the ropes and went along my merry way. When the guards, starting calling for me to come back, I pretend not to understand them … they gave up after 20 seconds. It wasn’t worth their time to stop a tourist from doing his thing … which is why my pictures of the Registan have no one in them blocking my pictures.

“Trinis have stones” … Rishi Sankar

There will always be someone who will want to impede your progress … whether it’s while travelling the world, going to work or living your dream. That being said … while I was in Bahrain, I wanted to visit the Bahrain International Circuit. You can pay for a fantastic tour of the facilities – but I did a last minute mileage run and I wasn’t able to plan anything.

Did I let that stop me from visiting the BIC and seeing the facilities? Hell F#!#ing NO!

Here’s how I did it …
My friend Paul and I drove up to the BIC. Told the guards at the front gate that we were here for an executive tour and I showed him my Canon 7D camera, which looks damn professional. The guard sent us along to the main office.

Once we got the main guard stations, I told the guards over there that I wanted to have a tour of the facilities. He told me that tours could only be arranged through the PR department on specific days. My friend Paul grew despondent … but with all my experience, I wasn’t fazed. I simply asked for the PR Managers name and asked the security guard to call him.
I could do this because I knew that in these types of countries, if you talk with confidence and swagger, no one will question you. So the guard did as I asked … then the PR manager came down. I introduced myself as a journalist with a famous magazine and said that I was doing an impromptu feature article entitled “What to do with 6 hours in Bahrain”. I knew that the famous race was called “6 hours in Bahrain”, so I simply made a play on the words.

At this point, the PR manager bought my story and proceeded to give us a great tour of the facilities, starting with the main administrative building.

Then it was on to see the entire straightaway and to see where the Kings and Sheikhs’ vantage point for the race.  There is rich and then there is Arab rich … in my next life, I want to be Arab rich! When you can build a 150 million USD race track for your shits and giggles, then you know you’re a baller. These guys probably just sit with their harem, eat and gamble on the race along with whatever suits their fancy.

The pavillion is empty here but you get the idea.

After we headed down, it was on to the straightway and victory lane … I’m not a big racing person, but I could easily visualize the 1000’s of people here cheering as the cars came down the straightaway.

In case, you were wondering … yes I walked on the red carpet … just because!!

The moral of the story here …

Don’t ever let the fear of someone saying “No!” .. stop your experiences!