But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with any human being, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were already apostles before me, but I went away at once into Arabia, and afterwards I returned to Damascus. (Galatians 1: 16-17)

The Acts of the Apostles tells a slightly different story, that Paul preached in Damascus before going to Arabia (Acts 13). We can presumably put more trust Paul's own memory.

We know almost nothing of the period in Arabia, probably modern Jordan. Paul is generally thought to have spent at least three years there. Some insist it was as long as seven years.

There are no surviving letters to Arabian churches. Paul did not return to the area. As a result, this is usually perceived as an extended period of study, prayer, and thinking to make sense of his conversion experience.

Paul is clearly keen to persuade the Galatians that his experience and authority does not derive from Jerusalem or the Twelve or any other earthly source, but directly from God.

I have sought such a direct revelation. I have not experienced anything as dramatic as Paul's experience on the way to Damascus. But if it would come, would I have the wisdom to give it three years to mature?

A timeline of Paul's ministry is available from biblestudy.org.