Desert Safari

Desert Safari,

When one mentions the Arab peninsula, the image of a harsh, barren desert springs into mind.


No exception here ofcourse in the UAE. Even downtown we were reminded of the omni-presence of the harsh desert conditions which prevail here for most times of the year. 


Small details like the lack of drainage sewers, 'cos it barely rains at all. And the presence of airconditioned bus stops, which gives you an inkling idea of how hellish the temperatures can be in the summer.

Unless you're really blind or ignorant (don't get holed up in the posh hotels and glitzy malls), a trip to the desert is a near-must.

Having selected a reputable tour organizer which offered the whole 'desert' experience, we were set to go for an enjoyable journey. 

A very short trip to the desert grounds, deflate the tyres, stock up on some juice, and ready to go for some dune bashing!!!


Mind you, one is not permitted to drive in the sand dunes without a special permit....ouch, my wish of becoming a 'Paris-Dakar' racer for a few minutes have been squashed.  

As a result of me not able to grab the steering wheel we had to put our lives in the hands of a designated driver who looked like he just smoked a whole bag of weed.......ain't a very comforting thought  indeed.:-p

Word of caution, people who suffer from motion sickness better abstain from participating in this dune bashing fest......although we were only subjected to a few gentle manoeuvres, it was enough to make some people's stomach churn up a bit.  Can you imagine if we were treated to the real thing? .....Vomit bags galore !! ;-)

And with the sun finally setting down, it was time to stop the mechanized mules and take in the breathtaking vista of a desert sunset. Miles and miles of desert, with barely any vegetation....but don't underestimate nature, somehow brushes and cacti do thrive in these harsh conditions.

The only audible sound was the howling wind, sweeping invisible sand grains on our bodies and face.....

Gosh, can you imagine that underneath all this barren land, is buried the very oil upon which the whole world depends on.............It's hard to contemplate that fact, still does.............

Tit for tat I guess, in exchange for barren, infertile land, the inhabitants of this land get 'black gold'...........

Anyway, time to make our way to the makeshift  'Bedouin' encampment.
Everything was set to receive the 'guests'. Entertainment was provided in the shape of dancers, and yeah, there even was a belly dancer :)

Ofcourse a safari ain't complete without a hop on a camel, is it? :) The perfect animal suited for these environments, and surprisingly the domesticated camels we hopped upon were quite gentile and tame, providing us an easy ride along the sand dunes.........way much smoother than the rough and tumble 4x4 ride, have to admit that.

Well, the buffet fare was nothing to shout about, but hey, it's not the food that matters, it's the overall atmosphere of being encamped out in the wide desert, watching the countless stars, being provided with some form of entertainment to keep the everyone in a jolly mood.

And did we come away with something to remember? You bet we did,....


Guests who were curious enough to try out "Henna art" were more than welcome to be attended to by the resident artist of the Bedouin camp. It won't last forever (fades out in about a week's time), so the three of us bolted to the "Henna" corner :)


Although bit rudimentary, but come on,.... ain't it coooool......?

Desert Safari, anytime....anytime