Desert Safari, Dubai

Before going to Dubai, I have already told Maz that I wanted to go on Desert Safari. I have read some materials on the safari and it created interest and curiosity in me. I was sure it would be an exciting experience. Well, I wasn't disappointed. Maz made arrangement with Atlanta Tours for 27 Feb 2010 for both of us and her colleague, Selvam. Adnan, the Syrian safari guide came to pick us up at the hotel at 9.00 am.
On the way, he stopped to pick up 4 Egyptian young men who were going with us - 3 lawyers and an architect. The ride to the desert was busy with Adnan conversing in Arabic with the Egyptians. I wasn't pleased as I have a lot of questions to ask but Adnan apologised and said his English was not good. So the three of us were in the dark of what to expect and where we were going. Reaching a point, Adnan came down to release some air from the tires, so were many other 4 wheel drives ahead of us. We saw a convoy of 4 wheel drives driving in the desert and it looked fine.




The hauntingly beautiful desert.












Adnan was a skillful driver in the desert. I was thrilled and shrieked with wow...w....w... every time the jeep went up and down the sand dunes. It was just like a roller coaster ride. Without skill, the jeep would tumble over easily. For some time all of us were shrieking and wowing all the way but suddenly everyone was quiet. I knew my stomach was churning inside and threatened to empty the contents. The others felt the same, I was sure. We were just waiting for Adnan to stop at a lookout sand dune where many jeeps stopped with the tourists. But Adnan seemed to take the long way there, going up and down the dunes, some very deep down. He was enjoying it! What a relief when we reached the stop point.

We took photographs, walked on the soft fine sand, so soothing. The scenery was haunting with vast empty desert as far as the eyes can see, the sand is reddish in colour and changed colour according to the sunlight. It was really bewitching and I was in awe of the silent beauty.












Relaxing on the soft fine desert sand.













The Safari camp.









We adjourned at a desert safari camp where we had our dinner and a show. The dinner was nothing to shout about-it's so normal but the seating concept was attractive. We sat on cushions on the sand.



With second daughter, Maz at the Safari camp.









Maz and Selvam before the dinner at Safari camp.
















The desert falcon.











What made it so rewarding there was the cultural show. Beside the normal belly dancing, another form of dancing was performed where the dancers danced spinning round and round throughout the routine. just like the Sufi dance where the dancers will float upward in trance but the dancers here didn't. Anybody would go dizzy after a few minutes but not them. The costume was fascinating - it twirled around the dancers and opened into a beautiful umbrella-like skirt, enhanced by colourful lights. It was such a pity that my camera was not able to record it.


We arrived at the hotel late, about 10.00 pm, happy and satisfied with the day's outing and would recommend others to do the desert safari. It's a wonderful experience!

A word of caution- If you go for desert safari, please bring a plastic bag in case you get sick with the roller coaster ride or bring buah asamboi. This trip is not recommended for pregnant women. No information was given about this.

My plan to tour the Hatta Mountain was vetoed by Maz. She just couldn't take anymore roller coaster ride up and down the mountain even though the views would be spectacular. Instead we went to Al Ain, an old historical city outside Dubai on 5 March 2010.