The Saudis this past week....wrapped up the Hajj business....an open period (4 to 5 days) where folks are supposed to fly into Saudi Arabaia....do a walk around the holy site of Mecca, and then safely return home.
I sat and watched a Brit report on the conclusion (BBC)....learning that around 1,000 folks didn't make it (meaning the heat got to them, and they expired).
The Saudis did a fair amount of work....having mist machines out, and passing out free water for folks. It's just that you end up walking a couple of miles in the heat (110-plus)....with older folks likely getting stupid and dehydrated.
I paused over this....having lived four years in Arizona in the 1990s.
Being in direct sunlight for six to eight hours? You can do this for roughly an hour...hydrating along the way. But if you attempted a full eight hours of walking...without any shade....even a 12-year old kid would have issues.
